New Illinois course to open this year

6 February 2010

The Metamora Fields golf course in Illinois, USA, which is expected to open in late 2010, has hired contractor Turf Solutions Group to manage construction and project management.

Texas-based architecture firm Weibring Wolfard Golf Design is behind Metamora Fields, which will be privately owned, but open to the public. The course is one of only four currently under construction in the state of Illinois; Turf Solutions is building two of them.

“We will manage all construction activity for the entire 240-acre project,” said Jason Payne, managing partner of Turf Solutions. In addition to building the golf course, the company has designed and developed the 102-lot real estate subdivision that is an integral part of the overall golf community. TSG also is assisting with the design and integration of a 20,000 sq ft clubhouse.

The golf course will play 7,100 yards from the back tees. The course will also feature a 25-station practice range and short-game area. Greens fees are projected to be in the US$40-50 region.

Before construction of the course could begin this spring, TSG handled the annexation process of incorporating the site into the village of Metamora. All zoning, permitting, engineering and financial modelling were part of the services provided by the company, which is also assisting with marketing functions for the golf course and golf community.

“We're new to this,” explained Vicki Brinkman, whose family is behind the project, which has an estimated budget of over US$10 million. “We had no idea about everything that went into this. We'd be lost without Turf Solutions and everything they've done.”