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Enjoy golf for at least another year at Rolling Knolls in Elgin

Golfers will be able to hit the links for at least another year at Rolling Knolls Golf Course in Elgin, but it's unlikely the popular fish fries at the clubhouse will resume.

The Cook County Forest Preserve District Monday will take full control of the property, covering 54.8 acres at 11N260 Rohrssen Road, to formerly complete a purchase the county made last January for $5.75 million.

The family of Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider, the owners of the 18-hole golf course and banquet facility, had rejected a previous offer.

Schneider had recused himself from discussions on the purchase of the course and a vote earlier this year to approve the deal.

The forest preserve district started to take over some operations in the summer. Schneider said officials told his family that Sunday would be the last day they could be at the golf club on a regular basis. However, the family will be able to fulfill commitments to those who previously booked parties at the banquet facility.

The course will be open for play around March, according to Vito Benigno, superintendent of permits and recreational activities for the forest preserve district.

It will be run by Billy Casper Golf, the private course management firm the county hired in 2003 to run its 10 courses and four driving ranges. They'll run a one-year pilot program to determine if golf will continue at the course beyond 2011.

“We will see what kind of revenue and expenses are incurred and what the use of the community is,” Benigno said. “If they demand and utilize it as a golf course and it makes sense to keep it that way, then most likely we will continue to operate it as a golf course.”

He said the county plans to put together a public users committee to evaluate if golf or some other use, such as picnic groves, a winter activity area or nature center, is possible for the future.

But it's not likely the banquet facility would be used as it is now, unless the county sends out a request for proposal and an outside company maintains operations, Benigno said.

Were golf to be maintained long term, Benigno said he expects that decision to be made a year from now.

The land, formerly a farm, was purchased in 1949 by Schneider's father, who converted it to a nine-hole golf course in 1962. It was expanded to 18 holes in 1989.

Schneider said the family felt the tax bill began to take a toll about four years ago. In December 2008, the Elgin City Council gave its approval to a housing development on part of the land, but the county shortly thereafter expressed its intention to purchase the property. Schneider said he was told the county had the property on its list of possible land purchases as early as 1993.

Rolling Knolls will host a customer appreciation night on New Year's Eve.