Ruffled Feathers

Ruffled feathers? Pete Dye ruffled the feathers of literally thousands of golfers across his career. Ruffled Feathers was therefore an appropriate title for his only course in the Chicago area, with water in play for 16 holes.

The course is a collaborative effort between Dye and his son P.B., who learned plenty from his father in terms of inducing golfer frustration. Players will see plenty they recognize from the Dye oeuvre, including the almost compulsory island green at No. 11, but there are also some new twists on risk/reward from the pair.

The par fives at Nos. 6 and 15 are both reachable, with the expected risks. No. 6 is a reverse of the Bottle concept, challenging players to play short off the tee in return for the optimal line to the green. Even then it is not so simple...the players can either try to reach the green by going over a tree up ahead...or by playing a frightening fade over the left-side pond back to the green.

No. 15 is a tad more straightforward (but only a tad). Ambitious drivers can hug the right side of the green and then try to carry a large bunker complex and a canal to reach the catty-corner green.