[Brad Klein]

The membership of Olympia Fields (IL) Country Club has voted overwhelmingly to endorse a comprehensive restoration and upgrade of the club’s historic South Course


The plan, developed by golf course architect Andy Staples, ASGCA, includes drainage improvement, bunker renovation, fairway expansion, tree work, more naturalized areas of native rough and the introduction of more short grass surrounds by greens. Teeing grounds will also be reconfigured to provide more equity to accommodate the full range of golfers, from elite championship players to beginners and families. The work is budgeted at $4 million.

Olympia Fields-South Course, originally designated Course No. 1, dates to a 1916 routing by Tom Bendelow, subsequently revised by Willie Park Jr. During the 1920s Olympia Fields CC sported four 18-hole courses for its 1,200 members. It had its own train stop on the Chicago commuter rail and a regular crew of 1,000 caddies. When the club consolidated its grounds down to 36-holes in the 1940s and sold off some land, the current configuration of the South Course was derived from 16 of its original holes and two holes taken from the Willie Watson-designed Course No. 2 that was closed.

The master plan that Staples has prepared will be implemented in two phases, starting in the fall of 2021 and picking up again in the fall of 2022. When the work is completed, the South Course will sport a look and feel more conducive to the ground game, with a firmer playing surface and quicker recovery from the flooding that occurs from the creek that traverses the golf course.

Staples’ work at Olympia Fields-South Is based upon careful study of historic imagery and design plans in the club’s archive. It’s also based upon his extensive study of classical design elsewhere. Staples’ previous restoration work includes the Willie Park Jr.-designed Meadowbrook Country Club in Detroit. He is now at work on the Park Jr.-designed Mt. Bruno Golf Club in Montreal and the Donald Ross & Dick Wilson-designed Delray Beach Golf Course in Florida.

For more information about the work planned for Olympia Fields-South Course, contact:

-Andy Staples, golf course architect (andy@staplesgolfdesign.com)

Note: Full disclosures: I've been involved on a consulting basis with the club for this project but the design work is being done by Andy Staples.

[Ken Fry]

Count me as one who enjoyed the changes Steve Smyers made to the South Course, but the work Andy Staples did at Meadowbrook was outstanding.

Olympia Fields ranks a high one-two punch of courses with the best in the country.  I'll anxiously await seeing Andy's proposed changes.

Ken

[Niall C]

Brad

The phrase that caught my eye was - "Teeing grounds will also be reconfigured to provide more equity to accommodate the full range of golfers, from elite championship players to beginners and families." My underlining. Can you explain a bit more about what that means ?

Niall

[Jim Hoak]

I believe that this project--as well as Congressional CC in DC--was one of those taken away from Keith Foster after his unfortunate legal problems.  The whole situation was unfortunate since Keith is one of the best renovation architects around.  I'm sure the work done by Andy Staples will be good as well.

[Brad Klein]

Niall, it basically means a wide range of teeing grounds, plus use of hybrid scorecards, so that there will be markers set up that total between about 4,000 yards and 7,100. The trick with the forward tees is to make them distinct and presentable as worthy of play while not having them stick up like sore thumbs. Blending that all in is part of the plan.

[PCCraig]

So it seems the Smyers renovation was deemed a failure?


I liked the renovated course when it reopened in 2009 or 2010, can't imagine it was so bad you'd have to rip it all up after 10 years.


What is going on on the North Course?

[Paul OConnor]

"There are always some recalcitrant, bullheaded members who will never be convinced of anything. Instead of wasting its time trying to convince them, the green committee needs to create a consenting majority so that the prevailing terms of discussion sway from the naysayers to the restorationists. In this way the green committee, through its educational efforts, can cultivate an informed general audience of golfers while isolating the recalcitrant minority of cranks found at any club. They should be isolated and allowed to be ignored, never to be convinced. Let the club move on without their assent. The result should be a supportive rhetorical community in which the critics are relegated to the periphery as marginal observers. Their comments will not go away, but it would be ideal if they'd confine their sphere of action to the locker room or nineteenth hole."

[Matthew Sander]

Any thoughts as to why the Steve Smyers work from the earlier 2000s was not included in the otherwise descriptive opening post? His is essentially the work that is going to be overhauled as that was a very significant and exhaustive project if I’m not mistaken. Seems very odd to leave that out...

[SL_Solow]

Matt,  the Smyers restoration had a very different philosophy than what is currently contemplated.  Mark Mungeam's work on the North prior to the US Open tried to retain the original design intent while responding to concerns raised by the USGA.  The membership wanted to "update" the South course while retaining the greens which most members thought were very good.  Smyers' and his key assistant brought a philosophy which emphasized making the course more difficult for better players.  They retained almost all of the routing and preserved most of the green sites.  But they added bunkers, mounding (see the first hole) and length.  The work was well received and was well done. I have enjoyed playing it numerous times since the work was completed. But the proposed changes appear to be a return to an appreciation of the original work. Not withstanding my prior comments, I agree with the philosophical decision and I am anxious to see how the work proceeds. Steve is a terrific guy.  I believe he gave the club a high quality product consistent with their desires at the time.  I had some interesting conversations with his associate which I will not share on a public forum.

[Peter Flory]

The challenge that Staples has here seems somewhat similar to the challenge that he had at Meadowbrook in that this cannot be a pure restoration.  Even if the club desired that (which they surely wouldn't), it would be impossible due to the land sale.

Just a very quick rundown of changes before Smyers:
- 3 used to be a Dell hole with a blind shot over a bluff.  The early members didn't like it or get it and the green was moved out into the flats and was a boring hole that constantly flooded. 
- The original 5th hole was lost to the land sale.
- the original 6th hole was lost in that sale.
- The first half of the 7th hole was lost and the hole was converted from a short par 4 to a very long par 3 (which a green that better suited a short 4). 
- The existing 8th hole used to be the 1st hole on course II, but with the green complex moved some 120 yards.  This is why there is such a long walk after the 7th hole.  This is also why the green is so featureless.
- the existing 9th hole used to be the 18th hole on course II.  This is why there is a long walk back to the 10th tee. 
- The original 12th was converted from a par 4 with a blind tee shot over a hill to a par 3 with the green perched on the hill.

So, Smyers had the same challenge that Staples will have except that I think that the club will probably give Staples a much better mandate to do it (or alternatively, the club is better educated now and accepted a proposal from Staples that they may have previously rejected in the mid '00s). 

I personally think that Smyers' renovation was a success in terms of improving the course, making members want to play it more, and helping to entice new members to join the club.  He inherited a course that was sort of eroded down, like Medinah #2 before the last renovation.  So, a huge part of his project was to restore mow lines and refresh bunkers.  That alone made the course much more popular with members and prospective members.  He did various things to try to fix some of the worst holes and some worked and some didn't.  He also had some ideas for things to do with 8 and 9 for instance that weren't implemented- I think due to the overall budget being reached.  He rebuilt the 3rd hole completely and significantly altered #13 to include an artificial creek.  He didn't build bad holes out of those, but the issue was more blending them into the feel of the rest of the course.  A golf architecture student with no knowledge of the history of the course could have easily identified 3 and 13 as being of a modern vintage.

In summary, I think that the main reason for this round is that the club itself has more clarity in terms of what it wants.  In general, members are more aware of the history and architecture and have seen some really great renovation and restoration projects at clubs like Beverly and elsewhere.  I think that it has made them believe that there is more untapped potential at OFCC South.  I share that feeling. 

[Jeff Schley]

In summary, I think that the main reason for this round is that the club itself has more clarity in terms of what it wants.  In general, members are more aware of the history and architecture and have seen some really great renovation and restoration projects at clubs like Beverly and elsewhere.  I think that it has made them believe that there is more untapped potential at OFCC South.  I share that feeling.

Peter this is point IMO is what has been a big factor the education of the membership via what has taken pace at Beverly, Medinah and nationally has created an awareness of how a restoration (in this case a small renovation) can elevate what is already there. Also I don’t discount the influence of having set up the OFCC Foundation several years back which has redirected several million dollars into infrastructure projects at the club to keep the historical significance of the clubhouse and grounds for preservation as intended by the Foundation’s intent. This has opened up an assessment possibly for course improvements as opposed to infrastructure that could have been needed moreso than the South renovation.


What will be interesting in 2023 and beyond will be after Andy’s work concludes on the South and assessment paid, what will the master plan be for the North. Certainly by then a BMW Champsionship could be awarded again (maybe something else who knows) and the tour USGA etc. could be involved in advising what they would like to see for hosting XYZ etc.

[Terry Lavin]

I love the South Course. Over the course (no pun intended), some of the Smyers work, like excessive mounding here and there and the “it doesn’t fit” third hole may seem like motivation to embark on a restoration.


All I can tell you is that the South course is really great but it surely can get better. Whether it’s worth the cost etc. is a different question. I’m excited at the prospect. What a 36 hole gem Olympia is.

[Ian Mackenzie]

When has Reno-Restoration work NOT been going on at OFCC...? Seems every other year there is a new project commencing. So, either the club just likes to tinker or the "right" long-term decisions have been elusive. Always a new GCA in charge, always a new direction....that would make some VERY nervous.

Let's hope leverage/debt is low there.

We recall the cautionary tale in 2007-2009 when, from what I heard, this club lost 70+ members in the GFC and for the following 5-7 years, you could walk in if you had a pulse. Don't see how that's a sustainable position. If interest rates tick up and the economy really hits another ditch, this place could be impacted severely.


The clubs next door - Ravisloe and Flossmoor - have perhaps been road kill to OFCC's "progress."

[John_Cullum]

I wish Jeff Goldman would weigh in on this.

[Mike Hendren]

I can't help but thinking this is none of my damn business.


Bogey

[Ian Mackenzie]

I love the South Course. Over the course (no pun intended), some of the Smyers work, like excessive mounding here and there and the “it doesn’t fit” third hole may seem like motivation to embark on a restoration.


All I can tell you is that the South course is really great but it surely can get better. Whether it’s worth the cost etc. is a different question. I’m excited at the prospect. What a 36 hole gem Olympia is.

Doesn't the imprisoned rapper, R-Kelly, live on the south course...?

[Jeff Schley]

I love the South Course. Over the course (no pun intended), some of the Smyers work, like excessive mounding here and there and the “it doesn’t fit” third hole may seem like motivation to embark on a restoration.


All I can tell you is that the South course is really great but it surely can get better. Whether it’s worth the cost etc. is a different question. I’m excited at the prospect. What a 36 hole gem Olympia is.

Doesn't the imprisoned rapper, R-Kelly, live on the south course...?

Ian, what is your objective here?  Troll for reactions to your posts or what?

[Ian Mackenzie]

I love the South Course. Over the course (no pun intended), some of the Smyers work, like excessive mounding here and there and the “it doesn’t fit” third hole may seem like motivation to embark on a restoration.


All I can tell you is that the South course is really great but it surely can get better. Whether it’s worth the cost etc. is a different question. I’m excited at the prospect. What a 36 hole gem Olympia is.

Doesn't the imprisoned rapper, R-Kelly, live on the south course...?

Ian, what is your objective here?  Troll for reactions to your posts or what?

Kindly ask yourself the same question.


I apologize if a very simply, albeit glib question, caused you angst.

[Terry Lavin]

No, he lives in the Federal Correction Center. I’m sure he’d appreciate visitors, but you ain’t his type. But, yes he used to live there about 20 years ago. And no, they haven’t done any work on the South course since Smyers did his project. And the membership is doing well, if you care to know. No evidence of taxidermy in the locker room so maybe not your style.


More to your snarky point, the south suburban clubs have gone through some demographic and financial issues. Despite your apparent contempt, Flossmoor is doing very well under new ownership and Olympia is absolutely jammed. Maybe that’s why we haven’t seen you out there. Tee times hard to come by.


An old mentor gave me grief when I belittled a trial opponent. “You’ll never become a big man by trying to make somebody look small,” was his retort. Same is true for trying to make the South Side look small just because it ain’t the North Side.

[Tim_Cronin]

The golf sisters of south Western Avenue have gone through good times and bad. Four of the five are still with us, for which hurrah.


Calumet was sold, and tomorrow, the Homewood village board is expected to approve a settlement that will lead to the building of an industrial park on the property. The mayor said he didn't want it but the village also can't stop it without spending itself into the red in legal fees. Calumet had a great 100 years on that site.


Ravisloe went public after a nifty renovation proved not to attract new members and is doing well enough, based on its continuing operation.


Flossmoor CC was on its last legs after a stylish renovation also failed to bring in new blood, but was bought before last season and now is Flossmoor GC, bought by a trio of brothers including former Olympia members. So far, even with the pandemic, so good.


Idlewild is in the middle of a $1.3 million irrigation and drainage project that will include some new tees, continuing tree removal, and expects faster, firmer conditions come spring. Membership is up and voted overwhelmingly for a modest assessment to cover the cost.


Olympia Fields has the money for the $4 million renovation of South, a course I love and saw little need to change, aside from the third hole, which stuck out like a leisure suit in a sea of tuxedos. Some members apparently didn't like the Bendelow-style chocolate drops around the greens, and other things. Possible changes to the North will come later. And the board is confident enough, based on membership growth, to have recently upped the drop.


As to R. Kelly, he had a big house adjacent to club property by the tee of 14 South. It was pointed out to me the first time I played. I wondered why he had a swing set in the backyard. Soon after, news broke of his arrest and the next time I was on South, Kelly had placed a wooden fence against Olympia's chain-link fence. I don't know if the swing set was still there. The home has since been sold.


Question for Peter Flory: When was 3 South a Dell hole? The earliest aerial dates to the late 1930s and shows the blah par-3 that was replaced by the one on the hill. In each case, it was the only way to get to the fourth tee.

[SL_Solow]

To put the last of Ian's question to bed, the house was originally built by a gentleman who owned several McDonald restaurants and made a lot of money.  As originally built, there was a full McDonalds' kitchen installed along with a regular kitchen so that his kids could entertain friends.  Alas, as the story goes, that type of extravagance caught up with the gentleman and he sold the house along with other assets.  Full disclosure, I grew up just a few minutes south of OFCC.  Finally, when Tim Cronin reports on history of golf in and around Chicago or current trends you can take it to the bank.

[Ian Mackenzie]

No, he lives in the Federal Correction Center. I’m sure he’d appreciate visitors, but you ain’t his type. But, yes he used to live there about 20 years ago. And no, they haven’t done any work on the South course since Smyers did his project. And the membership is doing well, if you care to know. No evidence of taxidermy in the locker room so maybe not your style.


More to your snarky point, the south suburban clubs have gone through some demographic and financial issues. Despite your apparent contempt, Flossmoor is doing very well under new ownership and Olympia is absolutely jammed. Maybe that’s why we haven’t seen you out there. Tee times hard to come by.


An old mentor gave me grief when I belittled a trial opponent. “You’ll never become a big man by trying to make somebody look small,” was his retort. Same is true for trying to make the South Side look small just because it ain’t the North Side.

Snarky? Yup.
Contempt? Nope, nor any really projected.


The OP discussed a large renovation at OFCC.
What does that make...5, 6 projects in under 15 years...? Could be its own thread. That’s either schizophrenia or an expensive bit of soul-searching.


But, nice they have the cash to do it. impressive. Respect. Seems to be working.
If perpetual renovations end up driving cash flows and net margins like that, then I’m sure this will be celebrated by the membership.


reminded me of a thread I started about the “ROI of A GCA” at a club.

[Garland Bayley]

No, he lives in the Federal Correction Center. ...

Whew! For a minute there, I thought there might have been a prison on the course.

[Jeff Shelman]

I (a former national member) also really like the South. I think the belt-notchers who visit and only play the North are missing out on a fun course with a bunch of good holes.


Staples did a nice job at Meadowbrook and I'm optimistic that that the already good South will be much improved after the work.


OFCC has done a nice job getting younger members, including many from the city. They have a great membership director and he's done really good work.

[Peter Flory]

The repeated renovations is a bit of an exaggeration. 

The North has had some tweaking, but it's not materially different.  Besides all of the bunkers being refreshed in their former positions w/ minor shaping updates and new sand, #5 had a change to open up the front of the green to undo a really bad non-original bunker, #8 had something similar with some short grass added to the right, #11 got a runoff area left of the green, #13 had some tree clearing to the left to open it up visually, #15 had a small bunker added on the right for the 2nd shot, and #18 had a section of the non-original pond filled in.   A lot of the construction work was done with the course being open for play.  What they were doing over time wasn't too dissimilar to the ongoing tweaking that other courses do, especially ones that host tourneys.  OFCC had a US Open, a US Am, BMW Championship, Women's PGA Championship, college events, and I think the Junior Ryder Cup in its recent history. 

With the South, it was really just the 2007 Smyers renovation.  They proposed a renovation in 1991 and it took until then to get it done w/ it only being something like $2.8MM.

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