28 JUSTIN OLMSTEAD INSIGHT This trip to Carmel, Indiana, was a bit different. I rode in a cart with Jake Gargasz, the golf course superintendent at Crooked Stick Golf Club, in June 2024, to check on the progress of the course renovation. Before that, I had met Jake several times to discuss Profile rootzone blends for the new greens – a major focus of the renovation work. But it was on the cart that day that I truly realised the historical significance of the project I was involved in. When we arrived at hole three, Jake pulled out his phone and showed me the first video in a series he had developed to keep members abreast of the progress of the renovation. They tell an interesting behind-the-scenes story about ties to Pete and Alice Dye, the original architects and stewards of Crooked Stick Golf Club’s design. While the videos were not created for wider distribution, Jake has graciously allowed me to share some aspects of these stories. The development of the Dyes’ unique architectural style is well documented. It was influenced by a trip to Scotland where Pete participated in the 1963 British Amateur Championship at the Old course in St Andrews. While there, Pete and Alice visited and photographed over 30 courses. In 1964, Crooked Stick would serve as the first canvas for Pete and Alice to fully express a new design vision. Many say Pete’s iconic architectural design style began at Crooked Stick. Pete is well known for his unique use of railroad ties as design elements on many of his courses. However, what I found most interesting are the personal ties of the people involved with the renovation. This project brought together an impressive team of industry professionals, each with a personal connection with Pete, which shaped the thought process and outcomes of what could be considered Crooked Stick’s first major renovation. There were many motivating factors behind the project. Most were related to the natural impact of time on a golf course, such as ageing infrastructure and changes in cultural practices. Another was that the club is set to host the US Senior Open in 2028. The intention was not to make big sweeping changes, but to update and unify an already outstanding course. Consulting architect Tom Doak’s relationship with the Dyes began the summer of his junior year at Cornell University, when Pete called him to join the golf course construction crew for an upcoming project. Accepting Justin Olmstead of Profile Products talks about the relationships behind the renovation of Crooked Stick in Indiana. The ties that bind
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