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Trey Kemp

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Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« on: February 19, 2007, 01:03:07 AM »
Strawberry Creek has been open for one full season now, so I thought I would post several pictures that were taken between Fall '05 and Spring '06.  The course is just north of Chicago in Kenosha, WI and designed by Jacobson Golf Course Design.  Here are some stats on the course:

Par 72
7,113 yds (Back Tees)
74.8 Course Rating
136 Slope

The course is owned by Barry Shiffman and Jay Hilgenberg.  Most of you Bears fans know Jay as the Center off of the Bears '85 Superbowl team.   Jay's cousin Dave is the Director of Golf. Enough about that stuff here are the pics, enjoy!

These first 2 pictures are my favorite:


Hole #14 - A reachable par 5 playing 544 yards from the back tees.


Hole #17 - A driveable par 4 playing 315 yards.


Hole #2 - Another reachable par 5 playing 518 yards from the back tees.


Hole #6 - 300 yard par 4.  


Hole #9 - To me this is the toughest hole on the course.  It is a 468 yard par 4 playing into the prevailing wind.


Hole #10 - 466 yard par 4


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John Kirk

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2007, 09:52:13 AM »
T_Kemp,

Thanks for the photos.  Looks like a very pleasant place to play.

I like that the bunkers have a consistent look, with a flat sandy bottom and a distinct "eyebrow".  On the other hand, the fairways are much flatter than the rough areas, and this is less visually appealing.  This is common, and often referred to as containment mounding.  To me, it's more appealing when there's no apparent transition between fairway and rough, and the course looks like they just mowed the land and started playing.

However, this type of course shaping has benefits.  It tends to keep wayward tee shots on the course.  Recovery shots are more difficult, because of awkward stances.  It also frames the golf holes in a way that many find appealing.

My home course, Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon, looks quite similar in places.  It appears that Strawberry Creek uses some of the same grasses, bent fairways and greens with fescue in the rough.  It will be interesting to see how long these beautiful playing surfaces can be maintained.  At Pumpkin Ridge, we lost the fescue quickly, just 2-4 years, and after 15 years, the bent greens are 50-100% poa annua.

Is the architect Peter Jacobsen with Jim Hardy, or is this a different Jacobson?

Trey Kemp

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2007, 10:39:04 AM »
John-

It was designed by Rick Jacobson's firm out of Libertyville, IL.  The lead designer on the project was Doug Myslinski a new member of the ASGCA.
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Evan Fleisher

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2007, 10:08:17 PM »
Thanks for posting!  Played there this past Fall during a "double" weekend there and Erin Hills.

Strawberry Creek has some wonderful holes, but I agree with John's comments above regarding the transitions between mounding and playing surfaces.  Overall a very comfortable place to play...until all the houses start popping up (yikes!).  Get out there soon before that happens.
Born Rochester, MN. Grew up Miami, FL. Live Cleveland, OH. Handicap 13.2. Have 26 & 23 year old girls and wife of 29 years. I'm a Senior Supply Chain Business Analyst for Vitamix. Diehard walker, but tolerate cart riders! Love to travel, always have my sticks with me. Mollydooker for life!

Rob_Waldron

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2007, 12:47:18 AM »
I am planning a trip tp Strawberry Creek in early August. (Possibly the first Saturday) Hopefully Doug Myslinski the course architect will be joining us. Maybe we can make it a GCA outing!

Joel_Stewart

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2007, 11:42:30 AM »
Does anyone know who did the construction of the golf course?  It reminds me of Arcadia Bluffs which is not located to far away so I wonder if it was the same construction company.

JR Potts

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2007, 11:44:23 AM »
I haven't played it yet but I heard it is great!

Andrew Balakshin

Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2007, 01:54:07 PM »
Thanks for the photos. :)

tlavin

Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2007, 02:14:01 PM »
No less an authority than Jeff Rude from Golfweek told me that he loved the course.  A bunch of Illinois and Wisconsin golf writers played it last fall.

The photos look great.  If there's any doubt that Jacobson is capable of eye-popping and largely minimalist work, this course seems like it will dispel any such notion.

When you combine this with the great renovation/restoration work that he did at Sunset Ridge (subject of an earlier thread this week), I think we can doff our cap to Rick Jacobson for some jobs well done.

RJ_Daley

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2007, 05:50:31 PM »
What is minimalist about it?
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Trey Kemp

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Re:Strawberry Creek Club - Kenosha, WI (pics)
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2007, 08:25:56 PM »
Joel-

The construction company was Ryan Central out of Wisconsin.

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