1-21_NEGM_July_Layout 1 7/3/2012 1:01 PM Page 1

22 | Subscribe at myNEGM.com | July 2012 | Golf Travel

Ladies and Gentlemen: Start your carts! Known fortwo of the biggest racing events in the world, Indi-anapolis Motor Speedway is the backdrop for a sam-pling of the Pete Dye Golf Trail. When Dye was askedto redesign the Brickyard Crossing, he reduced thenumber of holes to 18 and included the infield of thefamous racetrack for a very unique golf venue. His sig-nature use of railroad ties and mounding stand out,posing a challenge for all golfers. When track engineersconverted the concrete walls to implement safety bar-riers, Pete incorporated the recycled material to linethe streams along the course, parts with drivers’ namesstill intact. Childhood memories of yesteryears’ heroesmix with modern drivers adding their names to thehistory list. AJ Foyt stood by at a pre Indy 500 golftourney where the Colts cheerleaders entertained spon-

sors and Fuzzy’s Vodka was served with yummyHoosier Mama Mixers. e Brickyard Crossing is amust play when visiting the Indianapolis area or justpassing through if you want to “be on the inside track.”

e next recommended trail stop in Indianapolis,is the Harrison State Park golf course named e Fort.A former army base for WWI and WWII soldiers, thelandscape flows from flat to rolling fairways amidst thehardwood forests, streams and ponds. e natural sce-nic beauty packs a powerful one-two punch when Peteadds his usual complexities of bunkering and undula-tions as bluebirds fly through bringing birdie luck.Forge onward to the Maple Creek Golf and CountryClub, the virgin design where Pete began his career,partnering with wife Alice on this initial course, closeto home.

Indiana’s Pete Dye Trail

Couple of Travelersby Alice and Danny Scott

22-41_NEGM_July_Layout 1 7/3/2012 1:03 PM Page 22

Golf Travel | July 2012 | Subscribe at myNEGM.com | 23

Golf pairs well with Downtown Indy which sur-prised the world when Super Bowl XLVI arrived. eimpressive Monument Circle celebrates and honorspast and present soldiers and sailors. Surrounded byblocks of serious architecture, the award winningrestaurants and pubs will satisfy every taste. Start withSt. Elmo’s, serving the rich and famous and you, since1902. Try the legendary Spicy Shrimp Cocktail, withfresh horseradish sauce that will clear your sinuses. Itcomes with a waitress’ warning. Drown the fire witha St. Elmo’s coke -Maker’s Mark Bourbon with in-fused cherries and vanilla bean, a cute coke bottle onthe side. For more local flavor the Slippery Noodleprovides ample choices with live jazz and blues playednightly. Stay at the University Place Conference Cen-ter & Hotel on the impressive University campus andthey will shuttle you back and forth. Fly into the In-dianapolis International Airport which received theLeed Award recognizing exemplary design, sustain-able energy efficiency, and reduced taxi times. Leavewith a new sense of the great culture in this historicmidwestern city.

Closer to the Louisville airport on the southern endof the Pete Dye Trail is one of his most diabolical de-signs. e night before playing here, we had the priv-ilege of chatting with Pete and Alice who referred tous as Danny and the other Alice. ey joke easily withone another while showing mutual respect and sup-port. Alice is very involved in the design process, es-pecially when it comes to ladies’ tee positions. Petesaid they were leaving before we played the next dayso they wouldn’t hear our feedback as it is often con-trary on this very difficult course. Most of the fairwaysare very narrow. No hole is tougher than 18 as the

fairway slopes severely right to left. e greatest drivesoften end up in golf ’s Bermuda Triangle, lost foreverwith heads shaking. e resort itself is iconic, a placewhere people flocked to soak in the mineral spas orsun and play the casino odds. A bonus Donald Rosscourse here hosted the 1924 PGA championship wonby Walter Hogan. It has since hosted LPGA and sen-ior PGA events. With a $5m restoration in 2005 it isin top shape.

In total there are 7 courses on the Indy trail by themaster designer Pete Dye, including Mystic Hills inCulver, e Kampen Course at the Birck Boilermaker

Golf Complex in Lafayette, with a natural celery bogand Plum Creek in Carmel. e latter was built for aresidential area with diversification for family playwith plenty of room and nice lakes. Rediscover Amer-ica on e Pete dye Trail in his home state of Indiana.Check out www.visitindy.com for all the fun in Indi-anapolis and www.petedyegolftrail.com for Pete’s takeon each course on the trail.

Indiana’s Pete Dye Trail

22-41_NEGM_July_Layout 1 7/3/2012 1:03 PM Page 23