University of Illinois picks Troon to manage course

Troon has been selected to manage Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois. Troon Golf, the resort and daily-fee club operations division of Troon, will oversee all operations, including golf, agronomy and sales and marketing.

“We are excited to partner with Troon for the management of the golf course operation at Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois,” University of Illinois assistant athletics director Jackie Szymoniak said. “Troon is recognized as a leader in golf management and particularly for delivering premium golf course conditions and exceptional customer service, which is pivotal as we renovate and enhance the Atkins Golf Club. As progress continues with the golf course and clubhouse renovations, we feel confident that Troon will ensure our vision is upheld and that the club is an asset to the Fighting Illini golf teams and the overall community.”

Atkins Golf Club, located in Urbana, is an 18-hole public golf course located on approximately 190 acres. Formerly known as Stone Creek and designed by Tim and Dick Nugent, the course has served as the home course of the Fighting Illini men's and women's golf programs for years. The school’s division of intercollegiate athletics announced In June that The Atkins Group donated more than 300 acres of real estate in southeast Urbana, highlighted by Stone Creek Golf Club and its associated buildings and equipment, to the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois Foundation. In recognition of The Atkins Group’s generosity, the golf course was renamed The Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois.

The division of intercollegiate athletics owns the golf club, which was closed during the 2020 season while undergoing improvements. The new Atkins Golf Club is expected to reopen for public play this fall with a renovated golf course.

Golf course architect J. Drew Rogers was selected in November to help transform the course into a nationally-recognized collegiate facility, while also providing the local community with a first-class golf experience. Rogers will add length to the course with new tees during the course refinement project, which is expected to take five to six months to complete, while also creating enhanced playing strategies through turf reduction and fairway realignments as well as improved presentation of the bunkering.

“The University of Illinois’ golf program has a tradition of excellence, and its home course should be representative of that,” said Phillip Martin, Troon SVP and head of operations for the company’s new Chicago office. “Troon is excited to be on board at Atkins Golf Club and look forward to enhancing the club, the university and the local Champaign-Urbana community.”