Friday, June 15, 2012

Golf: Raving about Ravisloe Country Club

Story Image

Lauren Dawson, of Flossmoor, tees off on No. 4 during the 2012 Illinois State Women's Amateur Championship qualifying round at Ravisloe Country Club, Tuesday, June 12th, 2012 in Homewood, IL. | Gary Middendorf~For Sun-Times Media

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Updated: June 14, 2012 12:27PM

Upon playing Ravisloe Country Club during the Illinois Women?s Golf Association?s state amateur under way through Friday at the Homewood club, some competitors were taken by surprise, others merely taken.

?Fair,? ?well-kept? and even ?prestigious? were words applied to the more than century-old layout.

But not everyone is fully aware of everything that Ravisloe has to offer, or the extensive effort applied to the upkeep of the golf course.

The facility was a private club teetering on the edge of bankruptcy in 2008, when veterinarian Dr. Claude Gendreau purchased the course. After 108 years as a private course, it went public in April of 2009.

?It shows that Dr. Gendreau is a fan of Homewood,? director of golf Kurt Uniek said. ?Once you come in the gate, we like to feel we offer a different experience than every other public course.?

Sylvie Brick, of Frankfort, explained how the course made the tournament even more special.

?There are a lot of great players here,? she said. ?But I?m honored to play at such a beautiful golf course. It?s really nice.?

Flossmoor?s Rachel Mayer echoed those thoughts.

?It?s a great course,? she said. ?It plays really nice.?

The course features a clubhouse that dates back to 1916.

It includes areas for weddings and parties, as well as a back patio with a bar for the turn and the conclusion of rounds.

?We aim to keep the historical part because that?s what we?re basing the Ravisloe experience (on),? Uniek said. ?We want people to experience golf the way it should be. It?s the only public Donald Ross design course in the Chicagoland area.

?We?re happy to have people experience something that they wouldn?t normally have the chance to unless they knew someone at a private course.?

In addition to early morning specials, Ravisloe offers twilight specials as well as senior specials and junior summer packages. Transportation is also provided by the country club to and from the local train station. All of this is an effort to accommodate the community.

?We?re public, come out and play,? Uniek said. ?I think people are still uninformed. We?re here for everyone.?

Elite 8, times two

Michelle Mayer (Flossmoor) and Sylvie Brick advanced to Thursday?s quarterfinals in the Illinois Women?s Amateur.

Mayer defeated Taylor Thompson 6 and 5 in the round of 32, and beat Kelly Voigt, of Palatine, 4 and 3 in the round of 16.

Brick (Frankfort) defeated Chelsea Michalek 3 and 2 in the round of 32, and beat Alyssa Gaudio, of Western Springs, 3 and 1 in the round of 16

Holes in one

Chicago?s Jeff Nelson had a hole-in-one on No. 7 at Silver Lake Country Club?s South course, using a 6-iron on the 168 yard hole. Keith and Christian Nelson witnessed.

Mark Schwalenberg, of Chicago, used a pitching wedge for an ace on the 148-yard 12th hole at Silver Lake?s North course. Trent Modglin was a witness.

Orland Park?s Bill Davies had a hole-in-one with an 8-iron on the 148-yard 18th at Silver Lake?s North course. Dave McGovern and Dale Davies witnessed.

Send all hole-in-one results to sports@southtownstar.com

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