Some of Pete Dye's Lesser Known Great Holes

Pete Dye was one of the most prolific and influential golf course designers in his era. His courses are known for their distinctive features such as small greens and use of railroad ties on bunker walls and water hazards. Another feature of many of Dye's layouts: their ability to confound, frustrate, irk, and baffle the game's best players and recreational golfers alike.

Golf is not a fair game. So why should I build a fair course?

Many know Pete Dye's championship layouts: TPC Sawgrass, Harbour Town, The Ocean Course, Whistling Straits, PGA West Stadium Course, and Crooked Stick. Other well-known or highly regarded courses to credit include Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo, Brickyard Crossing, Pound Ridge, Austin Country Club, and Blackwolf Run.

Some of the most iconic holes in the world are Pete Dye creations. What golfer doesn't know the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass, the 18th hole at Harbour Town, or the 3rd hole at The Ocean Course? Even the most casual of golf fans know the island green at TPC Sawgrass (which, yes, was Pete's wife's Alice's idea).

Many of these holes are known for their difficulty and challenge. But, Pete Dye courses are full of golf holes that require strategy, proper execution, and sometimes a dash of luck. Here is a short list of golf holes that are not the most famous (even though many are on famous courses) that exemplify Pete Dye design.

Pound Ridge: Hole 15

The "Headstone" rock provides the backdrop to the signature par 3 at Pound Ridge.

On a course full of prominent rock features and outcroppings, this one stands out. With an all-carry mid-iron (174 / 151 / 144 yards) to a narrow, angled green, with a seemingly impossible-to-hit minuscule back left section, the "Headstone" rock at Pound Ridge can cause havoc or heroics to tee shots.

Take too little club and the tee shot is landing short in the hazard. Take too much club and the ball's fate might rest on the decision of the golf gods and bounce off the Headstone behind the green.

Many Pete Dye holes require a bold play, such as a forced carry, and a bit of luck. The 15th hole at Pound Ridge has both of those elements.

Kiawah Island (Ocean): Hole 13

The 13th hole at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is a cape-like hole.

A classic Pete Dye style par four has a hazard running parallel to the fairway and requires a carry off the tee. Fitting with the cape-style hole, the closer the tee shot is played to the water, the shorter the demanding approach shot becomes.

However, those who bail too far out to the left to avoid the canal might find their shot end in one of two deep, high-faced bunkers. Those bunkers make a challenging second shot on this hole even harder. Laying up short of the bunkers to the wider part of the fairway leaves a long approach to the narrow green.

With a green pushed up against the water and bunkers left of the green, finding the green on the approach adds to the difficulty of this hole.

Harbour Town: Hole 14

The difficult par-3 14th hole at Harbour Town leads to the iconic finishing stretch.

Before heading to the iconic finishing stretch along the Calibogue Sound at Harbour Town, players must conquer this challenging hole. Pete Dye's par threes often require an exacting tee shot, and the 14th hole at Harbour Town is no exception.

Featuring a carry over water to a narrow green, there is an option to bail out to the left on the shot. A pesky pot bunker on the back left is a magnet for those who take too much club to ensure the carry and play too safely to avoid the water. Whether ending on grass or in the bunker, chip shots from the left require deft touch as the green slopes down slightly toward the water.

TPC Sawgrass (Stadium): Hole 4

The 4th hole at TPC Sawgrass is a short par 4 that demands accuracy.

For all the drama that exists on the finishing stretch at TPC Sawgrass, danger and drama lurk at other places on the course as well. The short, pesky par-4 fourth hole at the Stadium Course provides an example.

Only 386 yards from the Players tee (359 /324 from tees for the mere mortals), the landing area for the drive gets tighter as the fairway gets closer to the green: a bunker right and hillside left pinch the fairway.

Having a shorter club into the green, protected by water in front and to the left and bunkers right and long, is desired. The green has many ridges that can funnel ball to hole locations or repel it away.