A great strapped option would be south bend. Not Chi but close. Warren golf course (ND) and then culver academy 9.
Warren Golf Course at ND is a great Coore/Crenshaw course. I played it twice this past summer and loved it both times.
I sorta dig the clock tower cafe! Should be way cooler though I agree!
1 Like
Need to play with a Culver alum or student to get on.
Not entirely true. I’ve called their office, asked nicely, and played there twice. You could also try to make friends with Golf Twitter member/Golfers Journal Contributor Jay Rigdon who lives down there and plays all the time.
I love its potential. But for a city with great food and bevs (breweries), I’ve only ever seen uninspired reheated generic food and AB (Goose, Stella, Shocktop) beers. They don’t have the space and likely budget to be anything special from a culinary standpoint, but improved burgers, brats and such can’t be that much more difficult.
If I recall, a lot of the parks concessions - and the Park Grill - (like so much else) went to an old Daley buddy.
While on SM, I’ve always wanted just a basic chip and putt area. An added expense to the course, and a couple bucks on to tees, but Robert Black can pull it off and maintain, even in a terrible shaded area. SM could toss it behind 5 tee, you’d have to stay away from behind 2 tee more due to 1st tee slices. I definitely would grab a pint after some chipping and putting.
I agree, SM has a ton of potential. A putting green could be added behind the 9th green or behind/around the old starter building (which they should absolutely start using or repurpose ASAP). The course is plenty long, a couple holes could even be shortened (3, 4 & 7). Take out some trees, obvi. Make the bunkers much smaller. It’s just not that interesting at the moment. All that said, the place is slammed on a regular basis, so I understand why the city leaves it alone. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I’d just like them to make it a little cooler/better.
3 Likes
Speaking of upgrading golf courses, anyone heard anything new lately on the Jackson Park/South Shore renovation?
Sidney could use a putting green and $10 off the green fee.
A putting green would be cool on that east side behind the first tee/wall. If they went the winter park route with Sydney, it would be a national gem.
Its on the lake, views of downtown, cool bar/pro shop structures.
1 Like
SM Should also have a premium rate for members or something… so you can join something and then get preferred tee times. Most park district courses in the burbs to that.
1 Like
Stone Creek Golf Club in Urbana, IL announced today they are closing and turning the course into some kind of conservation area/park with hiking trails. Public golf was already not plentiful or great in Chambana, but now the Orange and Blue University courses are the only 18-hole public courses left in the immediate area, and they… leave a lot to be desired. Of course, Stone Creek was not the most interesting course in itself, but it at least was well conditioned and lent some more variety to the public golf scene here. It’s a sad day for me 
2 Likes
S/O @IlliniGolferHack for joining me on my last go around at Stone Creek.
(CC: @tchap80 @Janders34 and any other Illini people on here)
You could tell Stone Creek was hurting pretty bad this fall when we played, but it still stinks to see it go.
LOTS of really good golf holes out there, but just a little too “much” for the everyday Chambana player.
Hopefully this puts more revenue in the O&B’s pockets and makes them renovate the Orange course (Blue is a great track for beginners)
5 Likes
Refugees buy course and make it woke?
8 Likes
Very sad. It’s an above average layout for sure.
Really enjoyed getting out there with you one last time Brad!
1 Like
Definitely sad to see Stone Creek go. I didn’t play it much, but always enjoyed it when I did. It was too pricey when I was an undergrad, and it seems like most local people there in C-U join a private club instead.
Like you said @TCRBrad, maybe this will spark the O&B course to step up their game. I’m not holding my breath, but it would be great to see. You would think the ability to host an annual college golf tournament or two would be worth some investment for the local economy. It’d be nice for the Illini to at least have some tournaments there instead of all up in Chicago, but there’s certainly work to be done to even make that a discussion.
1 Like
Also speaking of Stone Creek, the head pro at Weibring (Laura Provost) just retired and they announced the former GM of Stone Creek (Tom Szymoniak) is replacing her:
Looks like he left Stone Creek a year ago for a stint in the Illinois AD’s administration, running the baseball and swimming & diving staffs.
Looks like we’re playing Ironhorse and/or the O&B courses next year.
We’ll schedule a “home and home” series. Gotta swing your way for a round in the STL next season.
1 Like
Just read this yesterday. Very sad indeed since I have some fond memories here. I played quite a few junior tournaments there and got my only caddying gig during the state am back in 2004. The guy made the cut and I made (what i thought at the time) a stupid amount of money for a kid in high school. Learned a lot too from watching his game.
They say they are closing the proshop on the 31st of January. I can’t find if the course is open for play still or not. It would be fun to play it one more time on a day above 40. I assume its not, but it would be nice of them to let people have that option.
I may have to get a golfdrawn custom to remember the layout when she’s gone. It was a fun course.
3 Likes
Home and home with the championship third round in Champaign! Book it!
2 Likes