BOWES CREEK  13TH HOLE (L) AND THE HIGHLANDS OF ELGIN 4TH HOLE (R), BOTH COURSES
NOW COMPLETED AFTER LONG DELAYS HAVE GOLFERS FLOCKING TO ELGIN TO PLAY THESE
TWO PUBLIC JEMS.

Finally they are both done and open for public play, and the golfing public
is better off for it. The folks in Elgin Illinois have struck gold with these two 
courses, and the people who run the city of Elgin are extremely proud of
what they have. They should be, because these are two stellar golf courses.

About a decade ago nobody thought that the city of Elgin could be a public
golfing capital, today it is. Golfers can thank "The City of Elgin" for getting it
right and not  being deterred by long delays that held up both courses.

Elgin did the golfers well in hiring two, actually three very good architects
who took different types of properties and made them work as golf courses.
At Bowes Creek Libertyville based architect Rick Jacobson did his first new
course construction in his home state.

The Highlands of Elgin saw Keith Foster coming in just off his stellar 
design at Shepherd's Crook in Zion to start the job, along with his
assistant Art Schaupeter. By the time The Highlands turned into what
it is today, Foster was gone and Schaupeter had completed the project
as the lead architect. Following the theme that he and Foster had started
years before.

 
THE CLUBHOUSES ARE BOTH NEW AND FULLY EQUIPED INSIDE WITH ALL A GOLFER COULD WANT
                    BOWES CREEK                                                                  THE HIGHLANDS 

"Bowes Creek just rolls the golfer through the trees and creeks, says
Director of Golf Mike Lehman. "The feeling is not like you are in Illinois
but somewhere up in Michigan. The creek is not huge but it is tough
on some holes."

What are the best holes at Bowes Creek Lehman is asked about a
signature hole.

"We don't have a signature hole here,"Lehman says. "I could talk about
number four or twelve or eighteen, but the holes are so good top to
bottom. There is really no one signature hole."

The concept at Bowes Creek CC is member for a day, once you pay
your green fee you are a member for the day. Play 18 holes and decide
you want to play more, go do it you already paid. Need a lot of practice,
hit the range all day. Hit a bucket or two or three or more, your covered.
Pay once, play and practice all day.

"It's a country club experience for the public golfer," Lehman says. "Not
only with the golf course and our practice facility, but inside the clubhouse
with our english style Porters Pub where the menu leaves you with
choices that feel like home cooked meals."

Lehman is quick to point out that a country club  atmosphere, can be
had at a public facility.

"The belief is private golf isn't just for the private golfer," Lehman said.
" We offer it here to public golfers, play all day. Kids are taking advantage
of our junior golf academy too."


 BOWES CREEK GIVES THE GOLFER DIFFERENT LOOKS, THE PAR 4 13TH ON THE RIGHT

Bowes Creek didn't happen overnite, in fact the project took about 10 years to finish.

"This course was a long time coming, " says architect Rick Jacobson. "It was a
ten year process but it has been worth the wait. There was a team that decided
where everything on the property would go, as we worked around the creek, the
wetlands and the trees. But we were able to make it a core golf course, which
is rare when homes are involved. You usually get homes on bothsides of holes,
and we were able to stay away from that at Bowes Creek."

Bowes Creek forced Jacobson and his team to make changes along the way,
and some were not easy.

"The challenging part was working with the wetlands," Jacobson said. "The
permits would change so we had to be flexible, but at the same time keep
the course both fun and challenging for golfers of different skill levels. The
fun part now has been watching golfers come out and enjoy the course, that's
the icing on the cake."

Bowes Creek is located on Bowes Road. For more information on not just
a round of golf, but a day of golf at Bowes Creek. Please call (847)-214-5880,
or visit the website at www.bowescreekcountryclub.com.

 
         THE QUARRY AT THE HIGHLANDS, PRIOR TO THIS BECOMING THE PAR 3 4TH HOLE

The Highlands of Elgin is a Art Schaupeter/Keith Foster design. The quarry
above created some of the great holes the course has, but delays that took
some 8-9 years to resolve forced Schaupeter to fully take over the project he
started as Fosters assistant. In 2010 the course finally opened in it's newly
designed layout and the old nine was closed.

"The quarry delays dragged out the project to a point I had to move on to my
other clients and other projects," Foster said. "The city was nice enough to
try and keep me involved but finally I had to tell them to move forward with
Art. He did most of the work on the first nine holes, and all of it to finish the
project. I had a great time at the grand opening of the first nine, we all kept
going around and around. I think we played it three or four times. It was a
great day, hopefully when golfers play it now, they have as much fun as we
did that day. I know I'm looking forward to coming back and playing the entire
18 at some point."

TO HEAR RORY'S INTERVIEWS WITH MIKE LEHMAN, RICK JACOBSON ON BOWES
CREEK, AND ART SCHAUPETER AND JIM VOGT ON THE HIGLANDS CLICK HERE:

Download | Duration: 00:24:21

Schaupeter never gave up on The Highlands, he stayed in touch with the
city as he branched out from Foster to start his own firm. But like Foster
was working on other projects while trying to stay involved, with the delays
that centered around the quarry and how the quarry design kept changing.

"The mining operation changed around the quarry, it was supposed to go
north and at some point it went south," Schaupeter recalls. "I remember
Keith and I working on a plan of 27 holes at one point and then that changed.
The quarry was going to go into a beach and the sports park too. Keith got
busy with his other clients and pushed me to stay involved with Elgin. I
thought it was a good project for me so I did."

So what does Schaupeter like about the finally finished project called
"The Highlands".

"I think the drama of the four holes around the quarry are unique for
the Chicago area," Schaupeter said. "On the par 3 seventh hole I used
the principals from the par 3 16th hole at Cypress Point. The hole can
play 260 yards, but it's not as tough as the card makes it sound because
the hole is downhill. But the hole plays like a par 3 and a half. One thing
I do is try and give the golfer options and there are some on that hole."

The golf course finally being done has been a long time coming for
Highlands Head Professional Jim Vogt.

"It's a sigh of relief and worth the wait," Vogt said. "We have been
getting great feedback from the golfers, saying our conditions rival
private clubs. We try to keep the course well maintained and our
course maitenence staff has done a great job."

Vogt says the feedback about the quarry holes, has people talking
about holes 7-11-4 in that order. Vogt adds that the seventh hole is
on the highest vista on the property, and Schaupeters backward
replica of the 16th hole at Cypress. Leaves golfers knowing that
just hitting a tee shot on the green, the work is only halfway done."


THE HIGHLANDS OF ELGIN 3RD HOLE (L) AND THE PAR 3 7TH FROM OVER 250 YARDS (R)

The Highlands is more than just a golf course, it's a full golf facility. WIth a great
fullsize clubhouse, and practice facility too. Synthetic turf has replaced mats in
that part of the range, new carpeting has been added in the clubhouse this year.

If you haven't added either one of these courses to your schedule, or must play list
yet it's time you do. You will be glad you did.

Golfweek Magazine has ranked Bowes Creek the 28th best municipal course in the
country and the #9th best public Course in Illinois. While The Highlands of Elgin is
the # 9th best municipal in the country, and the # 4 Best Public Course in Illinois.

The Highlands of Elgin is located at 875 Sports Way. For tee times and more call
(847)-931-5950, or on line at www.thehighlandsofelgin.com. Both courses are also
well priced on and off the golf courses. When it comes to public golf in Elgin Illinois,
GO PLAY.