Rich Harvest members bask in glow of Solheim Cup

Members of the exclusive Rich Harvest Farms golf course are enjoying the spotlight the Solheim Cup is shining on their club.

"Our job has been to promote and support the Solheim," said Mike Regan, who became Rich Harvest Farms' 23rd member shortly after it opened in 1997. "The membership is 110 percent behind this event, and we're having a great time."

The club has only 50 members. Regan and several others bought hospitality tents to give visitors and VIPs a place to relax and mingle during the competition that pits top U.S. women golfers against their European counterparts. Equipped with food, drinks, televisions and comfortable seats, the hospitality tents have been a big draw all week, he said.

The event also allows the members a chance to showcase the course to clients and friends, as well as the competing players.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the customers we invited," said Regan, who works for TranxAct Technologies in Oak Brook. "And we want to make it as pleasurable as possible for the teams."

The Solheim Cup is one of the premier events for the LPGA. While the tournament runs three days, festivities have been ongoing all week. Officials at Rich Harvest Farms say the event has generated as many as 8,000 hotel room reservations throughout the region and could draw more than 100,000 spectators.

Regan said members have taken advantage of the opportunities the event affords them.

"We've all got fairly good networks," Regan said. "For me, part of the work we're doing this week is entertaining clients. But we're actively banding together to bring Rich Harvest Farms the most successful Solheim Cup event."