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GOLF MAGAZINE April 2006
April 2006
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  • Escapes: Bandon Dunes
  • Reno, Nevada
    • Pete Dye puts some bite back into Casa de Campo's Teeth of the Dog
    By Joe Passov
    Architecture/Course Ranking Editor
    Asking an architect to name his best course is like asking Mrs. Brady to nominate one of her Bunch for the electric chair: Odds are they’ll recoil in horror. Not so with Pete Dye.

    The man responsible for some of America’s best tracks—the Stadium Course at Sawgrass and Whistling Straits, to name but two—says his best is Teeth of the Dog at the Dominican Republic’s Casa de Campo resort.

    With seven spectacular holes along the Atlantic Ocean, Teeth of the Dog is ranked No. 41 on GOLF MAGAZINE’s Top 100 Courses in the World. There were several tweaks over the years, but since opening in 1971 it relied on ocean breezes for its defenses. Then time and technology caught up with Dye’s masterpiece, so he did what any concerned parent would do. He bolted the door and set about fixing the problems.

    The Dog reopened in December with all new tees, greens and bunkers—and with an additional 475 yards tacked onto the back tees. Much of the added length is on the front nine. For example, the fourth hole used to play in the 320-330 yard range and is now 475 yards. Dye had convinced himself that Teeth of the Dog had become the equivalent of a mellow poodle for the modern game, but for the rest of us it remains a snarling Doberman.

    Teeth of the Dog Pete Dye's renovated masterpiece in the Dominican Repubic.Mike Klemme/Golfoto

    Teeth of the Dog
    Casa de Campo Resort
    La Romana, Dominican
    Republic. 7,363 yards,
    par 72; Greens fee: $232


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