SAVE THE DATE-Wednesday August 11th, it’s the 2021 Links Technology Golf Outing at the Schaumburg Golf Club, benefitting the Schaumburg Park Foundation in it’s 40th year of supporting recreation and leisure opportunities in the community. Because this outing sells out quickly, you should sign up quickly for this day of golf. But is followed by prize drawings & steak dinner at Chandlers Chophouse. To register call (847)-885-9000. ______________________________________________________________________

Architect Greg Martin walks a restored green at the Park Ridge Country Club in fall of 2020.

BATAVIA BASED ARCHITECT GREG MARTIN, has been busy the last several years, and 2021 will be no different.

Because Martin has had a great run in restoring Chicago area golf courses, and gets his clients the most bang for the buck. Which is key when in many cases you working with public money in terms of tax payer dollars.

But one of Martin’s recent projects was a private club. The Park Ridge Country Club needed upgrades in time for this summers Women’s Western Golf Association’s (WWGA) Amateur Championship. Because of the pandemic, Park Ridge was able to take advantage of the shutdown, and get a head start on the project. As a result it’s now ready for the WWGA Championship. Martin Design also has done restoration work at the Aurora Country Club, that will host this summer’s WWGA Girls Junior Championship.

The 11th green at Park Ridge Country Club. Photo courtesy of Martin Design.

At Park Ridge Country Club there was a list of improvements needed, to make the course championship ready. But also for better day-to-day play for it’s members and guests.

Creating a refreshed playing strategy for the golf course, in conjunction with infrastructure improvements, such as bunkers, drainage, minor grading, and some green and tee expansions.

“There was a number of items on the clubs wish list. Including bunker maintenance, downsizing, relevance, playability and bunker recovery after a rain event,” said Martin. “These were 20-year-old bunkers with flat bottoms and steep grassed faces with unmaintainable and unplayable slopes. There were some very interesting architectural characteristics and other that were ill-fitting. So the intent was to consolidate, realign and regrade the bunkers and other nearby features to soften the edges. But to take advantage of landscape characteristics and more the golf course more playable without removing it’s teeth.”

The 18th hole at Park Ridge Country Club.

Martin added,” the golf course was refreshed and invigorated. For most of the membership, there will be places to play away from the hazards, but the course will hold up against better players. Hazards will be more visible and less arbitrary. But drainage systems have been simplified to allow for a more rapid recovery after heavy rains.”

Wadsworth Construction completed the work on time and on budget, at this historic Herbert Tweedie design.

Chris Clark, the Green Chairman for Park Ridge said, “the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The membership has been energized and engaged throughout the process. The visual effects, the layering of the bunkers, and the playability have been enhanced tremendously.”

Park Ridge Country Club, founded in 1906.

But Clark went on to add,” our goal was to ensure that Park Ridge Country Club remains one of the finest golf experiences in the area. In these uncertain times, it is critical to have a top-notch golf facility. You will be glad to know PRCC currently has a waitlist, and membership that is very strong. That’s due in large part to our crown jewel: our renovated golf course.”

“The visual and strategic impact of the renovation is outstanding and the golf at Park Ridge is now the best it’s ever been,” said Joel Purpur Park Ridge Country Club’s golf superintendent.”

SETTLERS HILL GOLF COURSE in Batavia is undergoing a full renovation in 2021 by Greg Martin. The course is closed in 2021 and will reopen in mid-summer of 2022. (R) The re-shaping of the first hole.

By fall of 2020, Martin had completed the design of the new four-hole short course/Youth Links, with holes from 50 to 110 yards. But this includes a central based hitting area that offers hitting to all the greens during instruction.

A new practice range comprising 36,000 sf. of natural grass teeing area, with multiple targets has been shaped in. Tree clearing to help with improvements on various holes. Which paves the way for the installation of the new pump house.

“The golfers of Kane County should be very excited,” said Martin. “Because this landscape is so dynamic. Tailoring the feature development to the scale of the property is vital. I am excited to see how these improvements are coming together.

Martin announced upcoming improvements to both Naperville Park District courses Springbrook and Naperbrook. So both courses will be open for play for all of the 2021 golf season. But some work will begin this fall.

GREG MARTIN is a past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). His work at both Phillips Park in Aurora, and the Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison, have received national awards form various associations and national golf publications.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect with him on LinkedIn or Instagram.