THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME is open daily until 10 Pm. It’s also home to McWethy’s Sports bar your home for the Sunday NFL ticket. Watch the Bears, the Blackhawks and the Bulls. But bring your clubs and your appetite. Now you can book your hitting bays on line so no waiting. MistwoodDome.com. or call (630)-739-7600. The Mistwood Golf Dome will be the center of Mistwood Golf as of Nov. 15th. Mistwood GC closing Sunday. ______________________________________________________________________

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

Welcome to Settler’s Hill Golf Course in Batavia.

IF YOU ENJOY GOLFING at Settler’s Hill Golf Course in Batavia, the wait time until it’s reopening is quickly starting to fade away.

Because when winter passes away, the time line will be likely be about 90 days out from the grand reopening of Settlers Hill. As of now the hope is for opening day to be somewhere in July.

Architect Greg Martin and the construction teams like Wadsworth Golf, have been hard at work for over a year now. So what you will find when “The Hill” reopens is not just a good golf course. But one with elevation change unlike anything else the Chicago area has seen. Simply because elevation change like this simply doesn’t exist around the Chicago area. The par 5 16th hole, will have a elevated tee shot that’s similar to the famed 14th hole on the “The General” at Eagle Ridge in Galena.

The new par 3, 6th hole at Settlers Hill.

But before you reach the new 16th tee box, there will be plenty of other holes you should enjoy. Including two new holes, both par 3’s.

The first one is the sixth hole, that was cut out of the trees to the right of the old sixth tee box. Now the tee shot has some carry to a green cut back into the woods, and over the creek-bed.

The par 3 15th hole, come with a large, but hidden green.

The par 3, 15th hole has a hidden green. But the good news, is that it’s a big green, one of the largest on the golf course. Many of the birdies made here, will be long putts.

But while there are only two new holes, there are changes to all the others. Like the order in which they play. For example, the former first hole is now number 18. Former hole #2, is now in the lead-off position as the first hole.  The former first hole, is now the 18th, and the holes numbers change by one, around the golf course.

The par 4 11th hole, now gives golfers some 20 feet more down the left side of the fairway. The cart path is now more to the right. During a site visit in late September, this entire fairway was a dirt pile.

More changes to Settler’s Hill include the addition of a new driving range. Located off to the right side of the new first tee box.

In between the first tee and the range, will be the new clubhouse. But the golf course will open before the clubhouse does. The hope is for clubhouse construction to start in 2022, and be open in 2023.

The famous old barn at Settlers Hill that has served as the pro shop will be kept. But used for other functions. A short game practice area with four greens has been built, just off to the side of the main entrance. Junior golf programs will be operated from that area.

Golfers should enjoy the new elevated tee box of the par 5, 16th hole. Rory Spears-photographed, picture by Greg Martin.

The elevation change that hade been camouflaged in the past, has been cleaned out in several areas. Martin  says the land is the highest point in Kane County.

What golfers will notice, is that during a stretch of holes from 9 to 16, almost every hole sits higher than the last one.

So if you think your up high on the 11th tee box, looking down at the ninth fairway. Wait until you get to the 14th tee box, and your looking down on the 11th tee box.

The view from the new back tee box on the tenth hole.

Settler’s Hill renovation has been what some would say, a project with several moving parts.

But when the course opens next year, the movement by golfers will to be to come out to Settler’s Hill and play the course as soon as possible.

Stay clicked in for updates on the reopening of the golf course next summer, opening day is less than nine months away.