Future of Pete Dye’s Mystic Hills: Will Indiana’s longest trail return to the public?

For nearly two decades, Mystic Hills Golf Club in Culver, Indiana, was a local gem: a public course that was the perfect embodiment of small-town Midwestern golf. Located near Lake Maxinkuckee, in what is often called the “Cape Cod of the Midwest,” Mystic Hills was more than a place to play; it was a community center.

Designed in 1998 by Pete Dye and his son PB Dye, the course displayed all the hallmarks of Dye’s genius: strategic bunkering, bold greens and plenty of visual drama. Dye and his wife, Alice, were frequent faces at Mystic Hills, often among the weekend golfers who enjoyed sharing the fairways with legends.

The track hosted everything from charity events and amateur tournaments to emotional local outings, such as an outing in honor of a high school athlete who was killed in a car accident. To the locals, Mystic Hills wasn’t just a track: it was their track.

That changed in 2019, when Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay purchased the 159-acre property for $1.4 million. He closed it for several years and transformed it into an ultra-private retreat known as Horseshoe Farms. The redesign kept the Dye pedigree, but expanded it dramatically – expanding the course to 8,160 yards, which Irsay proudly declared was the longest par-71 course in the world.

Horseshoe Farms featured Colts blue accents and custom signage decorated with horseshoes. The fairways and greens were kept in pristine condition, but only a select few ever got to experience them. Admission was limited to Irsay’s invited guests – a mix of former Colts players, friends and celebrities.

Golf purists admired the course’s impeccable maintenance and daring length, but others lamented the loss of what had been one of Northern Indiana’s most beloved public courses. Irsay defended the move, saying his purchase prevented developers from turning the open land into apartments or condos.

Now, after Irsay’s death in May, the future of Horseshoe Farms is uncertain. The Colts organization has confirmed that an offer is underway for the property, but no details have been released about the buyer or their plans.

Golf enthusiasts are watching closely – hoping that one of Pete Dye’s most personal Indiana designs will one day be accessible to the public again. As one fan said, “I would love to play on that song again.”