LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – A Louisville visionary and founder of the country's most prestigious golf courses has died.
Valhalla Golf Club founder Dwight Gahm passed away at the age of 96.
He turned a piece of farmland into a place that's witnessed PGA history for more than 30 years.
The flag in front of the clubhouse at Valhalla is at half-staff, in honor of Gahm.
Valhalla is known for some of the most memorable moments in golf.
Who could forget the unforgettable victory by Mark Brooks over Kenny Perry in a playoff in 1996?
In 2000, Tiger Woods sank a putt on his way to win the title.
Many of these moments happened because of Gahm, who would watch in the wings and smile while enjoying every moment.
It was an unbelievable feat witnessed by Gahm’s friend and colleague Keith Reese.
“It’s pretty unlikely. It’s a lofty dream but it couldn't have happened to a nicer family,” Reese said.
Reese says an early plan to sell and develop a small subdivision fell through. That turned out to be a blessing and that's when Gahm came up with plan.
"Dwight said guys why don’t we build a world class golf course. So they started looking for a world class designer and tracked down Jack Nicklaus and the rest is history from there," Reese said.
Asking Jack Nicklaus to design the course wasn’t as easy as picking up the phone but Dwight once again had a plan.
“Dwight’s older son played ball at Purdue and was roommates and played with Bob Griese who played for the Miami Dolphins, who was down in Florida where Jack Nicklaus was headquartered. He knew him and made the introduction that way. Jack called the family and they got started in the early 80's,” Reese said.
Pictures in the clubhouse mark their progress and growing friendship and the historic wins. A statue of Gahm and Nicklaus still stands outside Valhalla, and his dream for anyone that passes through will live on forever.
“Anytime someone said to Dwight, I can't believe what you created out here, he'd always say it was just blind luck, it was dumb luck, we just got lucky. But we always knew the way the family always conducts themselves. It wasn't luck – they made a plan and it turned out way better than we could have expected,” says Reese said.
Gahm was 96-years-old and survived by two sons and a wife.