Landscapes Golf Management adds two Illinois courses

Landscapes Golf Management has been selected by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County of Illinois to operate Settler’s Hill Golf Course in Batavia and Hughes Creek Golf Club in Elburn, both located within an hour west of Chicago.

The company won the engagement as part of a national search to outsource the turnkey operation of the courses. Its success at park district-owned Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley, Illinois, as well as nearby Crystal Woods and Bull Valley golf clubs, factored in the decision.

Focus areas for Landscapes Golf Management include improving turf conditions, golf cart and maintenance equipment management, food-and-beverage service delivery, accounting transparency, marketing technology, event programming and property-wide capital planning.  The company will also institute its all-out safety- and culture-first program that is respected throughout the golf industry.

“We look forward to this partnership with Landscapes Golf Management,” said Benjamin Haberthur, executive director of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. “We know from its experience with local park district courses that the company will be a good fit to manage the Forest Preserve District-owned courses. Improvements in turf conditions, food-and-beverage offerings and more will make these courses more popular.

“Recreation has always been a part of the district’s mission. We are proud to offer amenities like these, in conjunction with hundreds of miles of trails we manage throughout Kane County, that allow the public to truly enjoy the outdoors.”

Landscapes Golf Management president Tom Everett added that, “Consistent with what we have done for many other public agencies, I’m confident our team will lift Settler’s Hill and Hughes Creek to new heights. There is a lot of work to get done, but it’s nothing a large dose of good, old-fashioned work ethic and TLC can’t fix whereby these community assets will become the talk of the town.”

Settler’s Hill underwent a property-wide, $6.8 million renovation in 2022-2023 and now boasts a modernized 18-hole, 6,487-yard, par-71 gem rife with variety and character. Golfers feel they’ve both been transported to the Scottish Highlands and immersed in deep forestry. The clubhouse is a renovated dairy barn that overlooks the practice putting green and features a fully stocked pro shop and panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Hughes Creek, meanwhile, features an 18-hole, 6,506-yard, par-72 layout across gentle rolling hills and wetlands, including native plants and flowers. Players often hear native wildlife, including red-winged blackbirds, goldfinches, cardinals and more. 

Both facilities are popular choices for golf tournaments and outings.