Kearney Hill Golf Links

Kearney Hill Golf Links opened in 1989 as a municipal course for the city of Lexington, brought about at the urging of local golf figure Johnny Owens, who wanted a championship layout for a region then short on standout public golf. Pete Dye and his son P.B. carved a windswept, links-inspired course out of the Bluegrass countryside, with rolling fescue-framed fairways, mounding, and exposed angles that reward thoughtful positioning off the tee. Playing to a par of 72 at roughly 7,000 yards, it quickly earned a reputation well beyond typical municipal fare. The course hosted a Senior PGA Tour event, the Bank One Classic, through the 1990s, and later welcomed national amateur championships including the U.S. Amateur Public Links. It remains a rare chance to play genuine Dye design at a public-access price.