IN THE SIMULATOR SUITE or IN THE DOME SHELL-golf either way at the Mistwood Golf Dome, on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook. Book a hitting bay and play Toptracer golf, get a golf lesson, or club fitting-tis the season for new sticks. Don’t forget to hit the new bar in the dome, or McWethy’s Sports Bar with the Best Wings in Bolingbrook. (630)-739-7600
THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect-LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram
Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro GA.
HE’S BAAACK!
So back in 1996, architect Tom Fazio was at Reynolds Lake Oconee (called Reynolds Plantation at that time), and was overseeing the dirt being moved around on his latest design.
But one year later in 1997-The National Golf course opened at RLO. The two nines were called the Ridge and the Bluff.
So then in 2000 the third nine-called The Cove joined the National 18. This allowed for variations of play.
The large amount of bunkers, that exceed the count of bunkers on RLO’s other courses, has left The National one of America’s top residential courses by one national publication.
But Fazio has now created a new nine holes that will be combined with the Bluff-Nine and become a new 18-hole golf course.
The National-Bluff Nine-hole 5.
“My goal is always to create distinctive, one-of-a-kind golf courses,” says Fazio. “There’s a lot of terrain variation-lots of up’s and down’s, in’s and outs, twists and turns-which is great for golf. That’s what makes this a fine natural setting.”
So the first five holes will use the existing Bluff routing, followed by the nine new holes. This will include a new ninth green that will sit along Lake Oconee. Then the final four holes will connect back to the Bluff.
Fazio adds,” members will enjoy this golf course because it will have character and never play the same way. So this new course will provide a challenge and have endless possibilities of capturing your emotions and feelings.”
“We are fortunate that Tom Fazio again has applied his vision to Reynolds Lake Oconee to create nine new holes and integrate them with the world-class golf course he originally designed. So it’s an honor for our community,” said Robert Merck, global head of MetLife Investment Management, investment manager of Reynolds Lake Oconee. “Our members and their guests are certain to be challenged and energized by his latest design.”
This new course will open in expected to open in late 2024 (hope is for September), it will be private, and accessible to Reynolds Lake Oconee members. So with this addition, Reynolds will expand to having seven golf courses.
Willow Hill Golf Dome on Willow road in Northbrook, is expanding it’s golf hours to 8a to 8p for a short window through the holidays-likely from Dec. 26 to Jan 6. Stay tuned for details Willowhilldome.com
PROJECT UPDATE: Work on property has been advancing for several months now. The new nine has been shaped, graded and some of cart paths are in the preliminarily stage. Some rye grass has been spread on several fairways to retain soil.
Fairways and greens will be sprigged in mid-June. Greens will be tif eagle, with bunkers similar to Great Waters course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The fairways will be what is on the rest of the National Course. So the bunkers and greens have been dug up and reshaped. So they will match the new nine.
But for more information visit Reynoldslakeoconee.com/seventh-course.