Alice DYE

1927 - 2019

Alice Holliday O'Neal Dye was born in Indianapolis February 19, 1927 to Lucy Holliday O'Neal and Perry Earnest O'Neal. Alice graduated from Orchard School, Shortridge High School in (1944) and Rollins College with honors (1948). She married Paul "Pete" Dye in 1950, and they have two sons, Perry (Ann) Dye (Colorado) and Paul Burke (Jean) Dye (Ohio), who are also both golf course architects. Alice, Pete, Perry and P.B. are members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Alice was involved in the game of golf most of her life. She is best known as a leader, a golf champion and the first female golf architect. She won her first golf championships in 1942 at age 15 the Indiana State Junior and the Woodstock Club Championship. At age 17, she took the train to Winter Park, FL to begin her college career at Rollins where she not only was captain of the women's team but she also played on the men's golf team as well, where she met Pete. She won 50 Amateur Championships, including 9 State Championships in Indiana- 3 State Championships in Florida, 11 Indianapolis City Championships, The Woman's North and South, The Indiana State Junior, The Jones/Doherty, The Gold Medal Golf Olympics, The Women's Eastern, National Ladies Club Championship, 2 USGA Senior and 2 Canadian Senior Tournaments, as well as 5 Women's Western Senior Tournaments, National Ladies Club Championship and played on the 1970 Curtis Cup Team. Alice also won a gold medal in golf at the Senior Olympics. After graduating from Rollins with honors, Alice joined Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance and became a member of the prestigious Women's Quarter Million Dollar Roundtable. As a leader in golf, Alice has served on the USGA Women's Committee, Women's Western Board, USGA Women's Handicap Committee, LPGA Advisory Council, First Tee Advisory Committee, and 20/20 Steering Committee. She was the first female President of The American Society of Golf Course Architects and the first woman to serve as an Independent Director for the PGA. Over the years, Alice has received numerous awards and honors. Some of her golf awards include honors from The Indiana Hall of Fame, The Heritage of Indianapolis, The Red Coat of Fort Wayne, The Don Rossi Award for Lifetime Contributions to Golf, The Sagamore of the Wabash Outstanding Citizen Award, an Honorary Doctorate from Rollins College, Woman of Distinction Women's Western, First Lady of Golf PGA, Ike Granger Award USGA, Captain of 1992 Women's World Cup, Lily of France Award, Outstanding Achievement Award, Spirit of Golf Award, Indiana Pathfinder Award, Honorary Membership Indiana PGA, the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and received the top award, The Donald Ross Award. Alice was instrumental in helping develop the Indiana First Tee program which is dedicated to bring people of all racial, social and financial backgrounds into golf. As an architect, Alice joined with her husband, Pete, in the designing and constructing their first course, El Dorado (Royal Oak), now called Dye's Walk, in Indianapolis. She continued as a co-designer for such famous courses as P.G.A. West in La Quinta, CA.; The Ocean Course in Kiawah, SC; Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, SC; Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, IN; Teeth of The Dog in La Romana, Dominican Republic; and Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island, SC. One of her most notable designs is the famous #17 Island Hole at Tournament Players Course in Florida. Alice developed the Two Tee system for women's tees and was a genuine crusader. She paved the way for women to play on courses that are more manageable and women-friendly. Alice was instrumental in helping develop the Indiana First Tee program which is dedicated to bring people of all racial, social and financial backgrounds into golf. Alice and Mark Shaw wrote From Birdies to Bunkers chronicling her life. She quoted Gay Chuba Berry: "Every time a woman is empowered to succeed, that success is likely to reproduce itself in the lives of other women." Along with her husband and sons Alice is also survived by two granddaughters Lucy Dye (Erik) Bowman and Lilly Dye (Ross) Harmon and two great grandchildren Margaret and Brooks Harmon. Florida Celebration of Life will be held at Gulf Stream Golf Club in Gulf Stream, FL on February 20, 2019 2:00PM-5:00PM. Indiana Celebration of Life will be held at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, IN May 29, 2019 from 2:00-5:00PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Wayside House, 378 NE 6th Avenue Delray Beach FL 33483 www.waysidehouse.net or the Indiana Golf Foundation, 2625 Hurricane Road. Franklin, IN 46131 www.indianagolf.org/about-the-indiana-golf-foundation/. Lorne and Sons Funeral Home, Delray Beach, FL www.LorneandSons.com