Kampen GC; July, 2010; AMNot one, but both Purdue University Golf Courses are designed by Pete Dye himself! What an incredible honor it is to say we have such an incredible destination for those serious golfers. Dan Ross, PGA Head Professional at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex took some time out of his busy day to speak about his courses. See his answers bolded in black. Course Stats from The Back Tees (Slope, rating, par and Yardage)
  • Kampen Course                       76.5/146         PAR=72                       7465 YARDS
  • Ackerman-Allen Course          76.8/137         PAR=72                       7546 YARDS
Can you provide our readers with an overview of the course(s) and property? The Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex features two Pete Dye Designed Golf Courses.  The Kampen Course, opened in 1998, has a links-style layout with strategically placed bunkers, native grasslands, man-made wetlands and large greens.  The course is named in honor of Emerson Kampen, and his support of Purdue Athletics.  Kampen has consistently been ranked as one of the top collegiate courses in the nation.  The Kampen Course has hosted numerous tournaments including the 2003 Women’s National Championship and the 2008 National Championship. The Ackerman-Allen Course (formerly Ackerman Hills) was renovated in 2015 and will open in the spring of 2016.  Ackerman-Allen was also reshaped by Pete Dye, but this course will remain a parkland-style course.  The Ackerman course of old had some rich history, including the site of the 1961 National Championship, won by our very own Purdue Boilermakers.  You might even recognize the individual winner that year, none other than the great Jack Nicklaus!  The enhanced Ackerman-Allen design is likely to be pleasing to the multitudes, as there will be 7 sets of tees, giving a unique challenge to those of every skill level. One of the best features of both courses is that they are completely open to the public! If someone was looking to golf in the area, why should they play at your course(s)? The combination of the design and course layout, coupled with the attention to detail and course conditions is what typically sets us apart from other golf courses, and makes the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex a facility that any golfer should visit when in the Lafayette/West Lafayette area. What tips or local knowledge would you provide golfers to help them score better at your course(s)? For the Kampen Course the best piece of information that I can give anyone pertains to the greens.  Pete Dye is the master of subtlety.  The greens often times look like they have a lot of break in them, however, the break is typically less than what you might read.  Therefore, I try to advise golfers to play about ½ the break that they see on the greens.  In fact, when in doubt, don’t give up the hole. Ackerman-Allen has yet to be played; however, I can give one piece of advice, make sure that you play from the proper set of tees.  The back two sets of tees on the Ackerman-Allen course rate harder than the back two sets of tees from the Kampen Course.  That being said, the rest of the tees on Ackerman-Allen rate easier than their counterparts on the Kampen Course. Any recent awards or what you are most proud of about the course(s)?
  • Kampen – 4 ½ stars out of 5 Golf Digest Rating
  • 2008 National Championship Site
  • 2004 Indiana State Open Site
  • 2003 Women’s National Championship Site
What is the signature, most talked about, or most photographed hole? It is hard to pick one hole, however, #6 is probably the most talked about or photographed hole because of the length (604 from back tee) and the way it wraps around the celery bog on the right side of the hole. What is your favorite hole? Why? And any tips to play it? My favorite hole is #18 and it is one of the toughest.  #18 is a 484-yard, par-4 where you're generally hitting into the wind. You have an intimidating tee shot because trees surround the box creating somewhat of a chute-shot.” Down the fairway, there's a tree to the right, with a large bunker to the left. You're hitting to a large, elevated green, protected by bunkers and Out-of-Bounds to the left.   Best advice is to stay down the right side of the fairway, and then aim to the left side of the green to avoid the large bunkers on the right side of the green. Must Have Dish or Drink at the 19th Hole? On the weekends we grill burgers, and these are very popular. Who holds course record and what was their score? Jorge Campillo, Johan Edin and Caine Webber all three shot 63 from the Black Tees Situated right on Purdue University’s campus, Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex is the ideal location to test your skills on two different Pete Dye courses. Visit Lafayette-WestLafayetteStayAndPlay.com to book your package! With our numerous shops, restaurants and attraction, your trip to this Big Ten town will make you say Boiler Up!