The news of a stand-alone golf course closing these days really isn't that big of a deal in many places around the country. But the news that a golf resort is closing all 27 holes of its only course to become a standalone hotel? That's a sadly unique story.
The Daily Herald reported that the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, Ill. will close its Blackhawk Trace Golf Club at the end of the 2016 season and its conference center in mid-December to focus on the future of the hotel.
From the article:
First ILR, LLC, which owns the resort at 250 W. Schick Road, announced it will make the operational changes and invest about $4 million in the property over the next year. The company said in a statement its objective is to make the hotel viable for decades to come "by focusing on the Bloomingdale and local market, rather than compete for out-of-town conventions and meetings.
Indian Lakes sells guests on an urban getaway in suburban Chicago -- a lush golf resort set on 260 acres within 40 minutes of downtown and 15 miles of O'Hare Airport. The loss is a blow to the public golf scene in Illinois, a state already lacking in traditional golf resorts.
If the Golf Advisor reviews are any indication, many locals will miss Blackhawk Trace and its signature island green. The resort's former West Course -- a Robert Bruce Harris design dating to 1965 -- underwent an extensive renovation by Rick Jacobsen in 2003.
Many reviews this season praise the steady pace of play, a friendly staff and a course that isn't overly challenging but just enough to be interesting. The message: Play the three- to four-star course while you can.
Golf Advisor user uCZMT1844CZ titled his four-star review "Always a good experience."
I don't play this course as often as I would like, and I should try to get out there more often. The fairways are in great shape, as are the greens. Tricky pin placements made you think carefully about your putts. Despite and outing in front of us, our pace of play was very good. Some of The bunkers could use a little attention as there was netting material exposed, but most had plenty of sand and were playable. I would recommend this course to anyone wanting a challenging experience and who would enjoy the beauty of the layout and grounds.
