WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Today the Purdue University Board of Trustees approved naming a new clubhouse facility at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex after world-famous golf course architect and longtime Indiana resident Pete Dye. The new facility, to be known as the Pete Dye Clubhouse, honors the generosity of golf alumnus Sam Allen ('75) and his wife, Purdue alumna Marsha Allen ('75). The Allens' $20 million transformational gift to Purdue Research Foundation represents the largest single cash gift benefiting a facility in the history of Purdue Athletics.
A retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Deere & Co., Sam arrived to the state of Indiana after his father's retirement from military service at Grissom Air Force Base. An accomplished golfer, he played on the Northwestern High School team in Kokomo, IN and earned a golf scholarship from Purdue. Sam and Marsha both graduated with a bachelor's degree from Purdue; Sam earning his in industrial management and Marsha earning hers from the college of health and human sciences. Sam was also awarded an honorary doctorate in management in 2017. Allen's love for golf has continued beyond his time at Purdue, as he was able to combine that passion with his business acumen as a member of the Executive Board of the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic for several years. Sam and Marsha have two children and currently reside in Milton, Georgia.
"Marsha and I have been very fortunate and are proud to be able to recognize the importance both Purdue and golf have played in our success through this gift," said Allen.
The new clubhouse will be named posthumously in honor of Pete Dye. Dye designed the Ackerman-Allen and Kampen-Cosler courses at Purdue, both ranked top 10 in all of college golf and top 10 amongst all courses in Indiana, after starting his career by attending turf sessions at Purdue University under Dr. William Daniel. Dye is also known for designing world-famous courses like the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass, the Straits course at Whistling Straits, and Crooked Stick in Indianapolis. In total, eight of Golf Digest`s most recent top 100 courses in America were designed by Dye.
"We are incredibly grateful for Sam and Marsha's generosity," said Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Bobinski. "Their incredible gift will dramatically transform what is already one of the premier facilities in college golf and also honor the legacy and vision of legendary golf architect Pete Dye. In concert with a comprehensive bunker renovation project underway this offseason, this project will cement the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex as the top facility on any college campus in America. The impact of this gift will be felt for years to come by our student-athletes, the entire Purdue community and golfers in the state of Indiana and beyond."
As a proud member of the Pete Dye Golf Trail with 36 holes in the heart of a Big Ten campus, Birck Boilermaker offers one of the most unique golfing destinations in America. It has served as the home of the PGA Forme Tour's "Boilermaker Classic" and has also hosted events such as the 2008 NCAA Men's Championships and 2003 NCAA Women's Championships. The addition of the new clubhouse will further elevate the facility's offerings and accommodations to host large-scale events for years to come. Construction for the project is slated to begin later this fall.
To learn more about the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex or to become a member, visit purduegolf.com.
A retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Deere & Co., Sam arrived to the state of Indiana after his father's retirement from military service at Grissom Air Force Base. An accomplished golfer, he played on the Northwestern High School team in Kokomo, IN and earned a golf scholarship from Purdue. Sam and Marsha both graduated with a bachelor's degree from Purdue; Sam earning his in industrial management and Marsha earning hers from the college of health and human sciences. Sam was also awarded an honorary doctorate in management in 2017. Allen's love for golf has continued beyond his time at Purdue, as he was able to combine that passion with his business acumen as a member of the Executive Board of the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic for several years. Sam and Marsha have two children and currently reside in Milton, Georgia.
"Marsha and I have been very fortunate and are proud to be able to recognize the importance both Purdue and golf have played in our success through this gift," said Allen.
The new clubhouse will be named posthumously in honor of Pete Dye. Dye designed the Ackerman-Allen and Kampen-Cosler courses at Purdue, both ranked top 10 in all of college golf and top 10 amongst all courses in Indiana, after starting his career by attending turf sessions at Purdue University under Dr. William Daniel. Dye is also known for designing world-famous courses like the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass, the Straits course at Whistling Straits, and Crooked Stick in Indianapolis. In total, eight of Golf Digest`s most recent top 100 courses in America were designed by Dye.
"We are incredibly grateful for Sam and Marsha's generosity," said Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Bobinski. "Their incredible gift will dramatically transform what is already one of the premier facilities in college golf and also honor the legacy and vision of legendary golf architect Pete Dye. In concert with a comprehensive bunker renovation project underway this offseason, this project will cement the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex as the top facility on any college campus in America. The impact of this gift will be felt for years to come by our student-athletes, the entire Purdue community and golfers in the state of Indiana and beyond."
As a proud member of the Pete Dye Golf Trail with 36 holes in the heart of a Big Ten campus, Birck Boilermaker offers one of the most unique golfing destinations in America. It has served as the home of the PGA Forme Tour's "Boilermaker Classic" and has also hosted events such as the 2008 NCAA Men's Championships and 2003 NCAA Women's Championships. The addition of the new clubhouse will further elevate the facility's offerings and accommodations to host large-scale events for years to come. Construction for the project is slated to begin later this fall.
To learn more about the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex or to become a member, visit purduegolf.com.