Architect Todd Quitno and contractor Wadsworth Golf Course Construction are working on the second of a three-phase renovation project at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois.
Cantigny is a 27-hole facility owned by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and managed by Kemper Sports. The club’s three nines – Hillside, Lakeside and Woodside – were all originally designed by Larry Packard.
The primary goal of the project is to update infrastructure on all three nines, including irrigation systems that are over 30 years old. Other work being undertaken on all three nines includes the regrassing of fairways and the resurfacing of cart paths. Construction began on Hillside in June 2024 and was completed in June 2025, with the project team’s attention now on the Lakeside. Work on the Woodside will begin this winter and continue into summer 2026, with all three nines expected to be completed by summer 2027. Cantigny will keep 18 holes open throughout the project. Youth Links, the clubs' nine-hole course for junior players, will also remain open.
The 27-hole masterplan created by Todd Quitno (Image: Quitno Golf Designs)
“Select greens were expressing some agronomic issues in the form of layering within the sand profile that was deemed a potential long-term problem,” said Quitno. “And the bunkers were starting to show some age and required a considerable amount of hand maintenance that was taxing on the courses labour resources. With those things in mind, it was an opportune time to update the entire facility and make improvements that would bring the course into the modern era – infrastructurally – and complement the great historic and environmental aspects of the greater Cantigny campus, as well as add some new interest to the golf course.”
Work on Hillside mainly focused on greens and bunkers. “The biggest change on the Hillside – and entire project – is by far the green complexes,” said Quitno. “While most stayed in their same general position, the shapes and contours were altered considerably. Primarily, our goal was to add more fun and interest by incorporating rolls and swales in the surfaces themselves to define pinning areas and create more interesting approach requirements, recovery and putting options. The old greens were a bit mundane and subtle, while the new greens are a little louder!
“A lot of bentgrass fairway expansion around greens has been added to funnel balls off and on the putting surface and again create shot variety. We have the ability now to set up some very demanding pins, while still providing plenty of room to miss and recover. The Lakeside and Woodside phases will continue with this emphasis on greens creativity.”
The renovated second hole on the Hillside nine (Photo: Quitno Golf Designs)
Bunkers on Hillside have been reconstructed with Better Billy Bunker liners and so that the faces are more flashed and visually more interesting. “We’ve elected to use a bit more of a ripped edge look, but with restraint – for maintenance – to complement the rural/prairie feel of the golf course setting,” said Quitno. “The old bunkers had some long fingers that looked really good, but were a challenge to maintain, so we’ve dialled those back considerably. The positioning of the bunkers has been adjusted some to accommodate some new angles of play – and several have been added to try and add some challenge to the Hillside nine, which has always been viewed as the lesser of the three nines in terms of difficulty.”
A visualisation of how the fourth hole on the Lakeside nine will look following renovation work (Image: Quitno Golf Designs)
“One goal of the overall project is to keep as much uniformity in design style, materials and approach as we can to unify the facility, so that any combination of 18 holes will be equally enjoyed by future guests,” said Quitno
“While looking to add some length and challenge on Hillside, the Lakeside nine was more about the details as it was always very popular with golfers. The greens on Lakeside are going to be outstanding with lots of movement and use of banking slopes, like we have done on Hillside. It may even be a little more dramatic than Hillside, but in the same spirit.
“As far as impacting play, we’ve opened up a couple of corridors through tree removal and made some of the greens more accessible in the fronts – specifically on hole one. We’ve also provided some new avenues or options for play, like the alternate fairway on hole five, and/or better angles from the tees.”
Tees on all three nines will be renovated to have a more squared off look, while some new forward tees are being added (including a ‘family tee’ in the fairway).
Quitno’s work on the Lakeside nine is “more about the details” and making those holes a little more dramatic (Quitno Golf Designs)
A tree management programme has also been undertaken by Cantigny’s in-house forestry department that manage the entire Cantigny campus (golf, estate and museums). “We are working closely with the forestry team to select tree removal on each phase, which will help us to open some crowded lines of play, but more importantly allow for morning sun and air circulation,” said Quitno. “Some of the holes that are routed through the more densely treed part of the property have been subject to wet conditions over the years because of the lack of ability to dry out. Overall, we will remove a few hundred trees over the three phases and will be planting replacement trees in areas that will not impact turf development. This campus is basically a large forest/prairie preserve, so the removals are a very minor percentage of the overall tree cover.”