Top Golfing Magazine Praises Two Popular Kankakee-Area Courses
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Two Kankakee County golf courses have scored a hole in one with Golf Digest magazine.
The prestigious national golf publication rated the course at Bon Vivant Country Club as the fifth toughest in the state of Illinois for 2002. In addition‚ the magazine gave a 3.5-star rating to Kankakee Elks Country Club.
“We’re working hard in 2003 to earn that extra half star‚” says Dieter Jaehn‚ director of golf at Kankakee Elks Country Club‚ which is actually in St. Anne. “We’ve done a complete overhaul to our pro shop in an effort to get even more golfers to come here and try our course.”
The history of Kankakee Elks dates back to 1901‚ when the original nine-hole course opened. The back nine holes were added just before 1920‚ and the course has grown in distinction and popularity ever since.
“The great golfer Sam Snead played here in the 1950s‚ and boxing legend Joe Louis trained at the old clubhouse for one of his prizefights‚” Jaehn says. “In the 1950s‚ the Elks Club purchased the course‚ and they continue to run it today. In fact‚ they still hold meetings in Lodge No. 627 on the property.”
The Kankakee Elks course features bent grass on all 18 holes‚ and water comes into play at several junctures. But the golf course’s claim to fame is its difficult greens.
“The greens are large‚ elevated‚ two-tiered and undulating‚ and golfers need to be good with their lob wedges if they land short of the green‚” Jaehn says. “Credit goes to grounds superintendent Mike Boudreau and his staff for maintenance of the entire course. This place is gorgeous because of them.”
Meanwhile‚ the main course at Bon Vivant in Bourbonnais is a challenging par-72 course that stretches nearly 7‚500 yards from the back tees. Bon Vivant has two courses.
“Bon Vivant is French for ‘the good life‚’ and that’s what we like to promote here‚” says Jimmy Formas‚ golf professional and manager of Bon Vivant. “This is a tough and winding course‚ and it is esteemed enough to have hosted the Illinois Open pro and amateur championships every year since 1978.”
The picturesque Bon Vivant course is laid out on hundreds of acres of former farmland‚ and the course has kept its pastoral charm throughout its 25-year history.
“Bon Vivant has all the amenities of a modern golf course‚ yet we also feature 8‚000 trees along with a large lake on site‚” Formas says. “You don’t see this type of golf setting in a big city‚ which is why so many people from Chicago make the drive out here to specifically play our championship course.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Theresa Montgomery
