The Whitehorse golf course underway in North Kitsap is billed as potentially one of the best in the area, with open spaces and views of Mt. Baker. But it also claims something most golf courses cannot: It is being designed by a woman.

And not just any woman. She is Cynthia Dye McGarey of the renowned Dye family or golf architects. The niece of legendary Pete Dye, she is one of about 10 family members whose long list of golf courses spans many countries.

Whitehorse is not the first golf course Dye McGarey has worked on — but it is the first one she gets to claim as the architect of record. “I’ve worked in every capacity, but this is the first one I get credit for,” she said.

The Dye line of golf enthusiasts began with her grandfather, who built a nine-hole course on his farm in Ohio. Pete Dye, his son, was the first one to take it to the commercial level, followed by brother Roy, Cynthia’s father, who died 10 years ago. So many members are involved building and designing golf courses — including Cynthia’s brothers, cousins and aunt — that it’s hard to keep it all straight.

“We have a common interest and that is golf,” she said. “It’s a dinner table topic. It’s like something that’s your work and your hobby — like painting.”

One may have expected Dye McGarey to head right for the golf course when she was ready to embark on a career. But she veered off track. “I wanted to be a horticulturist,” she said. After studying horticulture, she continued in landscaping.

She couldn’t stay away from golf for long. The family needed her help landscaping new projects. One course after another, she became more involved in layout and planning, and soon enough she wanted to build her own course. The road brought her right back into the family profession. It must be in the genes.

“I am very proud of my family. The projects the family is associated with are some of the best built in the last 50 years,” she said. “I’d love to be presented with projects in the future that can be added to that list.”

Dye McGarey is part of Dye Designs International founded by her cousin, Perry O. Dye. Her husband, O’Brian McGarey, is the company president. Their work includes golf courses in China, Korea, Spain, Thailand and other countries as well as across the United States.

Dye McGarey has eight projects in various stages of development, and they are staggered so she can tend to them all. At the same time, her husband and others are scouting for new projects around the world.

Amazingly, Dye McGarey didn’t do much golfing herself until about 15 years ago. She tries to visit and play the courses she builds — to see “how the children have grown up.”

“When you work on it, it’s hard to get a perspective and enjoy it for what it was meant,” she said.

Dye McGarey takes advantage of the landscape’s topography while trying to make every hole different and interesting.

“It’s hard to be creative when every hole looks the same,” she said. “You look at all the features and look for variety because that makes the hole memorable.”.