MAKING TRACKS: THE FIRST PETE DYE COURSE IN THE UK

By Torleif Sorenson on 11/6/13

Bury Farm in Edgware, northwest of central London
Pete Dye is among the most famous of all living golf course architects in the world. He has designed tracks on five continents and all around the world — except in the United Kingdom.

That is about to change, if golf course developer Tony Menai Davis gets his way.

The Englishman has applied for permission to construct The Dye London northwest of London, just south of the M1 motorway and east of the A41. Dye has been selected as the architect of the course, which will play to over 7,000 yards from the tips and include an island green, a la the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass. The nice part is that this will be a public-access course with more accessible prices than other high-end courses in England.

Partly to appease regulators and in part to help keep construction costs down, only limited earth-moving is planned, although a considerable amount of inert ground will be formed on the north end of the property to screen the course from the unpleasant sights and sounds of the M1.

Davis is the developer behind the Shire London Golf Club, a Seve Ballesteros design that has been a successful venture and a popular golf venue. He seems to have a good handle on what most golfers want these days:

"Many golfers these days, especially younger ones, don't want to be part of a traditional member's club, and prefer to play less frequently but at spectacular high-quality golf courses - like the Tour venues they see on TV, or when they go on a golf holiday. We identified this when we approached Seve Ballesteros to design The Ballesteros Masters Course at The Shire London, which has become a huge success and is now working at capacity. We are proud that The Shire London is viewed by many, seven golf seasons after it opened, as the best-value quality golf facility in the Home Counties.

"The Dye London will be a socially-responsible addition to, and indeed of great benefit to, the local community, whether you are a walker, a nature-lover, a horse rider, a local business or of course one of London's many golf-lovers."

Pete Dye's son Perry will be the lead architect on the project, but undoubtedly the senior Dye will be involved in some fashion. Construction on The Dye London is expected to begin early in 2015. Davis also owns the West London Golf Centre, a public-access practice facility and 9-holer, along with another western London links-style course that is due to open in 2017.


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Image via golfcoursearchitecture.net

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