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Fore
Your Enjoyment
There
are more wonderful golf courses in Rockford than you can shake a club
at
For
decades, Rockford has been known as “The Forest City.” And
golfers know why; in Rockford and the surrounding region, flagsticks
grow like trees. In fact, you’ll find more wonderful golf courses
than you can shake a club at in northern Illinois. Each one of them
has a charm of its own and you can play most of them on a wing and a
prayer.
Golf Digest is sold on Rockford’s golf scene - they named Rockford
the best mid-sized golf city in the United States for 1998, for access
to high-quality and affordable golf. Golf Digest ranked Rockford as
the #1 mid-sized city for golf, and 12th overall, in 1999. Some of the
criteria used for ranking include quality of courses, holes per capita,
and affordable greens fees. Annually, 270,000 rounds of golf are played
at Park District golf courses. In 2000, for the third consecutive year,
Golf Digest named Rockford its top mid-sized city for golf.
Aldeen Golf Club
The premiere championship public course is Aldeen. The slogan, “When
you’re ready for a challenge...Make it Aldeen!” is very fitting
for one of Rockford’s newest courses. Designed by Dick Nugent,
the Aldeen Golf Club was given four stars by Golf Digest’s Places
to Play Guide and has quickly become one of the Midwest’s top-rated
public courses. With water hazards looming on 12 of the 18 holes and
expertly manicured bent grass tees, greens, and fairways throughout,
Aldeen is sure to please players of all abilities. Aldeen was selected
as the site of the 2001 Illinois State Amateur Golf Tournament.
The Aldeen Practice Centre is one of the finest practice facilities
in the country. The 26-acre lighted practice facility features 75 grass
tee stations, 2 short game areas, 2 practice bunkers, and a 14,000-square-foot
putting green. The PGA professionals of the Aldeen golf staff are on
hand to provide golf instruction for all age groups through a variety
of programs. The Aldeen Golf Shop is always stocked with the latest
in equipment and apparel, and provides club fitting and repair services
as well as handicaps through the USGA. The view from the full-service
clubhouse restaurant is one of the best in Rockford.
The Aldeen Golf Club has set a new standard for upscale public golf
in northern Illinois and has developed into a “must play”
course in the Midwest.
Elliot Golf Course
Located on Rockford’s far east side, this expansive course opened
in 1968. The 18-hole championship course has 6,443 yards of rolling
terrain, large trees, and spacious greens. Par is 72. Elliot is a very
scenic course that has many natural hazards. The course was built on
rolling hills, and there are plenty of trees that can alter shots. The
fairways are narrow, and the greens are large. There are water hazards
that come into play on four holes. A special feature is the lighted
driving range, which is open evenings. It is named for Earl F. Elliot,
a long-time director of the Rockford Park District.
Ingersoll Golf Course
This heavily wooded 18-hole course with narrow fairways and gently rolling
terrain offers 5,991 challenging yards on its par 71 course. The tree-lined
course has narrow fairways and small greens. The terrain is mainly flat,
but there is an occasional mound that will cause an uneven lie.
Sand bunkers come into play on 14 holes. Opened in 1922, it is named
for Lt. Clayton Ingersoll, who lost his life in an air crash over France
in World War I. A driving range is adjacent to the clubhouse. The course
is located on Rockford’s far west side. It was selected by the
Tiger Woods Foundation as one of four sites in the U.S. to host a two-day
Tiger Woods golf clinic.
Sandy Hollow Golf Course
Opened in 1930, this beautiful and challenging course is by far the
most popular of the five Rockford Park District courses. This most aesthetically
pleasing course is located on the City’s south side. Par is 71
at this 18-hole, tree-lined fairway course of 6,228 yards. It is a great
course for all skill levels, as water only comes into play on hole #11,
which requires a tee shot over a pond. The course offers cross-country
skiing daily and ski rental on weekends in winter.
Sinnissippi Golf Course
Centrally located near beautiful Sinnissippi Park, this 9-hole course
is the Park District’s oldest, opening in 1912. The 3,230-yard
course is very hilly and has stymied many golfers. Par is 37. This somewhat
difficult course features a variety of fairways ranging from narrow
to wide. The ladies tee off from the same set of tees as the men.
Atwood Homestead Golf Course
Charles Maddox designed this 18-hole, par-72 course in 1971, with a
selection of tees. The course plays fair because there are no hidden
hazards. The large greens are undulating and well bunkered, and the
wide fairways are open. The clubhouse and pro shop are located in a
restored stone farmhouse.
Macktown Golf Course
This sporty, 18-hole course is popular with beginners because of its
rapid play. Built in the 1930s, many mature trees line the fairways,
and the undulating greens are small. The course is great for beginners
because of the minimal amount of sand bunkers in play. Water only comes
into play on hole #15, requiring a tee shot over a pond.
Red Barn Golf Course
This 9-hole, 1,568-yard course is typically a par 3 course, but there
is one par 4 for the men and two par 4’s for the ladies. It is
a well-maintained course. The fairways are wide and rolling, and the
greens are average-sized. Numerous trees and sand bunkers have been
incorporated into the course design.
The Ledges Golf Course
Developed privately in 1966 and opened to the public in 1978, this course
features water hazards on 10 holes, plus fairway bunkers and sand traps.
This course is tough because of all the fairway bunkers, trees lining
the fairways and the hilly terrain.
Alpine Hills Golf Course
Alpine Hills is a challenging new par 3 golf course designed to test
your short game. It is built in Rockford on 55 beautiful wooded acres
with three lakes and a stream flowing through it. Alpine Hills golf
holes are as challenging as they are beautiful. A minimum of four sets
of tees give players a choice of yardages ranging from 230 yards to
60 yards. The course is designed to accommodate players of all skill
levels. Water or the creek comes into play on three of the nine holes.
PrairieView Golf Course
PrairieView Golf Course is built on a challenging picturesque site overlooking
the Rock River, with bent grass tees, fairways, and greens. Four sets
of tees offer a challenge to golfers at every skill level. Due to the
growing popularity of the course, a newly remodeled clubhouse opened
in 1998. The new clubhouse includes enlarged dining facilities, pro
shop, and locker rooms with showers. PrairieView recently joined the
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System, and under that program, the staff
is striving to create a course that is not only beautiful, but also
provides increased habitat for native birds and wildlife. PrairieView
is owned and operated by Byron Forest Preserve.
Come play this 4-star rated course and discover one of northern Illinois'
best new golf courses.
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