🇺🇸 Alice Dye — The First Lady of Golf Course Architecture

Architect | Innovator | Advocate for Women in Design

🖋️ Introduction

Few names in golf architecture carry as much respect — or affection — as Alice O’Neal Dye (1927–2019).
Known as the “First Lady of Golf Course Architecture”, she brought intelligence, humour, and empathy to a field long dominated by men.

Working in partnership with her husband, Pete Dye, she helped shape some of the most iconic golf courses of the modern era — including TPC Sawgrass, home of the Players Championship.
But beyond design brilliance, her legacy lies in something deeper: she made golf more playable, fair, and inclusive for everyone.

“Design isn’t just about making a great course — it’s about making sure everyone has the chance to play it well.”
— Alice Dye

👩‍💼 Biography

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Alice O’Neal Dye was a champion amateur golfer long before she became an architect.
A two-time U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur champion and member of several U.S. international teams, she brought the instincts of a top-level player to her design philosophy.

After studying at Rollins College in Florida, she married Pete Dye in 1950. Together they became one of golf’s most creative partnerships — founding Dye Designs and influencing golf architecture worldwide.

Her early experiences competing on courses designed almost exclusively for men shaped her lifelong mission: to make design more equitable.
She was instrumental in the introduction of forward tees for women — a seemingly simple but revolutionary adjustment that transformed accessibility and enjoyment for millions of players.

🌿 Design Philosophy

Alice Dye approached architecture as both art and advocacy. Her work blended playability with strategy, proving that good design could challenge experts and delight beginners.

She championed:

• Multiple tee systems to equalise shot values for all abilities

• Strategic risk–reward holes that invited choice rather than punishment

• Attention to aesthetics and psychology, ensuring that challenge came from intrigue, not intimidation

• Education and mentorship, encouraging women to enter design, agronomy, and golf management

“If we can make the game fairer for women, we make it better for everyone.”
— Alice Dye

🏗️ Notable Works & Collaborations

Alice’s expertise extended beyond architecture — she served as the first woman president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), becoming a mentor for emerging designers around the world.

🌍 Impact & Influence

• Breaking Barriers – First woman to lead a major professional architecture organisation (ASGCA).

• Design Equity – Introduced ideas that changed how women and senior golfers experience the game.

• Education & Advocacy – Supported scholarships and mentoring for young architects and agronomists.

• Cultural Influence – Her voice added warmth and humanity to the technical world of golf construction.

Today, every time a player of any age or gender enjoys a well-positioned forward tee or a fair approach angle, they are benefiting from Alice Dye’s thoughtful legacy.

🪶 Legacy

Alice Dye’s work transcended design; it was a statement of belonging.
She proved that golf architecture could be empathetic and still elite, beautiful and still bold.

Her legacy endures in the balance she achieved — between fairness and challenge, between precision and joy.
She stands in the lineage of Ida Dixon and Molly Gourlay, and her influence flows forward through Kari Haug, Christine Fraser, and the growing network of women shaping golf’s future.

“The best courses are the ones that make you want to walk them again.”
— Alice Dye

Alice Dye on-site at TPC Sawgrass — designer, innovator, and advocate for inclusion in golf.