The start of something old began this August at the Green Acres Country Club. The original golf course was designed by A.W. Tillinghast in 1922 as the Illinois Country Club. It opened in 1943 as the Green Acres Country Club. The initial phase of the renovation project by the Roger Rulewich Group,, scheduled for completion at the end of October, includes rebuilding the fourth, eighth, and fifteenth greens and most of the tees which are currently free form. The plan is to go back to Tillinghast’s original rectangular tee box design. Other than a couple of tees adjacent to ponds, which will remain free form, this will be the case throughout the course. Dirt needed for rebuilding the greens and changing the tees is being generated by enlarging existing ponds.

Green Acres is a private golf club with 200 members. The 18 hole, par 72 golf course, is a traditional, well-manicured layout measuring 6,714 from the back tees. The degree of difficulty is balanced by the combination of flat terrain and narrow tree-lined fairways that create a challenging but fair test of golf. A number of well placed bunkers must be avoided. A few holes incorporate ponds which also come into play. The course rating is 72.9 with a 128 slope rating.

The purchase of three additional acres enables the club to put a new face on more than the golf course itself. In addition to the initial work being done this year, the master plan calls for redoing and expanding the existing practice area, as well as adding a short game area with two greens, bunkers and fairway area. All the greens will be re-seeded with A1 Bent grass.
A new cabana and pool facility were built in 2005. A total renovation of the clubhouse, circa 1924, has begun. The existing building is being gutted and will be completed redone. The finished project will incorporate new locker rooms, new indoor and outdoor dining areas, upscale millwork, wiring, hvac, and details. The club was closed mid-August to allow for the work to take place. Anticipated reopening is June 2007.

Dave Radaj, superintendent and general manager summed it up- “Our objective is to create an enjoyable golf experience for all our members and their guests. This project enables a variety of playing levels to maximize the enjoyment of their visit and round of golf. It is also important to improve the aesthetics of the course and clubhouse as well. The work being done addresses all our needs and will accomplish these goals.”

When done Green Acres will also play a little longer. The length will be extended as a result of rebuilding the tees and, as a result, be able to better accommodate modern play as it is affected by present, modern day equipment.

Established in 1996, The Roger Rulewich Group, a golf course design and construction firm, based in Bernardston, Massachusetts, is considered among the best in the industry, Roger and the Group have provided design and construction services worldwide, on more than 170 golf courses, including Bellerive, MO; Adare Manor in Ireland; Celtic Manor in Wales; Playa Grande in the Dominican Republic; Tuckers Point in Bermuda; Valderama in Spain,; Metedeconk and Ballyowen in NJ; Saratoga National in NY; Grand Dunes in SC; and The Robert Trent Jones Trail in AL. Roger Rulewich, chief architect ad principal, spent 34 years as a design associate with Robert Trent Jones Sr, 21 as senior designer. The Rulewich team includes shaper and project manager David Fleury and Marshall Victor, president and operations director of business and construction. For more information about The Roger Rulewich Group, call 800- 465-3668. Email: Info@rrulewich.com or visit www.rrulewich.com

Contact: Bill Nestor
Green River Associates
(802)-254-5864
nestor@sover.net