World Golf Hall of Fame
Considered in many circles to be the most influential golf course architect of the last five decades, Pete designed gold courses up until his death in January 9 of 2020. Pete came by his career naturally.
His father designed and built a nine-hole golf course on his mother’s farm in Urbana, Ohio, and Pete grew up playing and working on this course. He won the Ohio State High School Championship and was medalist in the Ohio State Amateur. Upon his discharge from the United States Army (after World War II), he attended Rollins College where he met Alice O’Neal.
Alice and Pete were married in 1950 and Pete moved to Indianapolis where he became a star salesman for The Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company.
The Million Dollar Round Table
Before he was thirty years old, Pete was one of the few Midwest members of the Million Dollar Round Table. During this time, he was also pursuing his golf career and won the 1958 Indiana State Amateur Championship after a runner-up finish in 1954 and 1955. He also won the Indianapolis District Championship, participated in The Western Amateur and five USGA Amateurs, and played in the 1957 United States Open where he finished ahead of both Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.
Pete served as Greens Chairman at the Country Club of Indianapolis for about eight years. His interest in course maintenance continued and Pete began attending turf sessions at Purdue University under Dr. William Daniel. Although he was a champion golfer, Pete’s interest was really in the design and maintenance of a golf course. He decided to leave the life insurance business to devote his time to designing and building golf courses.