URBANA — The further you get from the clubhouse at Atkins Golf Club, the more clear it becomes that a full course renovation is underway.
The project that will revamp the new home course for Illinois golf was launched in early May with a comprehensive, hole-by-hole approach. The 15th and 16th holes in the northwestern corner of the nearly 200-acre property — the furthest from the hub of operation for maintenance activities — were first.
The changes to the course will be rather comprehensive, too. From tee to green. All in an effort to elevate the level of play to suit the Illini men’s and women’s golf programs while maintaining an enjoyable experience for golfers in the Champaign-Urbana community on the still-public course.
“That’s what we’ve talked about since day one,” Illinois men’s golf coach Mike Small said. “We’re going to get this playing firmer, faster and more the way it was designed to be played when it was designed over 20 years ago. … We’re designing the golf course to play in a way that will be beneficial to my players, challenge them in a correct manner and also be a fun experience for the public. That’s the intent of the renovation.”
Atkins Golf Club (neé Stone Creek) was gifted to the University of Illinois at the end of June last year by the Atkins family. An anonymous donation of $5 million…
