"but as the old saying goes, nobody goes to the golf course to play

the clubhouse." The development of a master plan by a golf course

architect gives Oak Meadows a chance to realize multiple benefits.

"A successful re-design would position Oak Meadows as one of the

best public courses near Chicago for decades to come.  It would

improve the course layout and make it less vulnerable to flooding.

It would also increase the ability to hold storm water, create high

quality environmental areas, and allow Oak Meadows to take

advantage of modern environmentally friendly maintenance

practices."  An integrated multi-use trail, improved practice center,

and a junior golf area could all be part of the mix too. Knowing the

options for re-routing the course will let Oak Meadows make sure

that a new clubhouse is built in the right place.

When the Forest Preserve announced they were looking for a golf

architect to design a master plan for Oak Meadows, over 20

submitted their qualifications for the job. Many were well known

names in the industry. That list is now narrowed to five finalists,

whose names will be familiar to local golfers. A few of them are

hard at work currently in the Chicago area.

The Finalists are:

1. Greg Martin/Art Schaupeter.

Martin  is currently doing renovation projects in Wheaton at

Arrowhead GC, with the second nine holes expected to reopen
this May. Martin has started work at Fox Run GC in Elk Grove.
Martin's work at Phillips Park in Aurora has been well received
by area golfers. Martin did renovation work at Settler's Hill GC,
run by the Kane County Forest Preserve District. His master
plan is also complete for a renovation project at the over 100
year old Wilmette Park District GC. Art Schaupeter who served
as assistant to Keith Foster at Shepherd's Crook in Zion, and
took over for Foster in the early stages at "The Highlands of
Elgin" to finish the course, has been named to Martin's team for
the project. Schaupeter was the lead architect for "The Club at
Old Hawthorne" in Columbia  Mo., the home course for the
University of Missourri golf teams. He has several highly rated 
course designs in Texas.

2. Ray Hearn

Hearn who is an Evans Scholar is best known in Chicago for his

work at Mistwood GC in Romeoville, the site of the Phil Kosin Illinois

Womens Open. Hearn is also currently taking the course through a

renovation and Mistwood is expected to reopen at some point this

May. Hearn's work on the south suburban Flossmoor CC earned

him "Best Renovation of 2009 Award" by Golf World Magazine.

Hearn was the original architect at Island Hills GC in SE Michigan

that many Chicago golfers have traveled to play. Hearn is currently

making changes to Island Hills under the new ownership group.

3. David Esler

Esler is best known for his natural prairie style design in west

suburban Sugar Grove called the Black Sheep GC. Black Sheep

has been named by Golfweek Magazine as one of the America's

Greatest 100 Courses (Modern List/courses built since 1960). Esler

has done renovation work at Elgin CC, The Glenview Club, and the

recently made public south suburban Ravisloe GC. He also did

renovation work at Twin Orchards in Long Grove, after flooding
(like at Oak Meadows) damaged the course. Twin Orchards was
designed by C.D. Wagstaff, who was the same architect back in
the 1920's at Oak Meadows (then called, The Elmhurst CC). 

4. Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Jones has two projects in the Chicago area that golfers have

enjoyed  for years. In DuPage, Jones designed Prairie Landing GC

in West Chicago, while up in Lake County Jones worked with the LC

Forest Preserve District in designing Thunderhawk in Beach Park.

Another RTJ Jr. project at Fort Sheridan is still on hold by the county.

Jones Jr. has worked at Crystal Tree in Orland Park. He is a finalist

for the 2016 olympic games course in Rio, and his Chambers Bay

GC near Seattle will host the 2015 US Open. Jones also designed

the home course for the University of Wisconsin Badgers, University

Ridge near Madison. His design at the Hyatt Regency Poipu Bay on
 the Hawaiian island of Kauai; is the former home of the PGA's Grand
Slam of Golf, that brings together the winners of that years four major
championships.

5. Bob Lohmann

Lohman has done several projects in the Chicago area, but his

renovations in Wheeling at "The Traditions at Chevy Chase" are

maybe his best known work. Lohmann also designed Boulder Ridge

in northwest suburban Lake in the Hills. Lohmann also renovated the

Deerpath GC in Lake Forest. Lohmann was the designer that
produced the Merit Club in Libertyville, that hosted the 2000
US Womens Open. He also did a 2003 renovation at the south
suburban Midlothian CC.

The five architects will come and meet DuPage Forest Preserve staff

to do a presentation and sit for interviews with the panelists working

on the project. Those are expected to start happening before the

month ends.  According to Stevenson, the District will attempt to

negotiate a contract with the top candidate and get final approval

from the board of Forest Preserve Commissioners.

The Gog Blog will have a follow up story announcing the architect
who will design the Oak Meadows master plan as soon as they
are hired.

Oak Meadows has an old classic course look and feel to it, because

that's exactly what it is. So many times these days the great classic

course renovations are done at private country clubs, and when the

renovations are complete the general public can't play them. That

won't happen at Oak Meadows. As a public facility operated by the

DuPage Forest Preserve, public golfers will continue to get access.  

If Oak Meadows is on your list of courses to play this season, don't

worry. The existing course recovered nicely from last summer's

flooding and the design, approval, and permitting for any project like

this is expected to take time. The GOG Blog speculates that it would

be late 2013 or early 2014 before any construction would interrupt play.

However, if approved, golfers can at least look forward to seeing the

architect's vision of future plans on paper by sometime this summer.

In the meanwhile if you haven't played the existing classic Oak

Meadows layout where Ben Hogan won the 1941 Chicago Open, 

you should while you still can.  Course officials promise that any new

designs for Oak Meadows will be sure to retain the traditional and 

historic feel of the former Elmhurst Country Club.  But for now you
can still test your game on the layout where Hogan beat Snead, so
when the snow melts ; head to Oak Meadows and GO PLAY!