Pottawatomie Golf Course earns national attention

There's a bona fide gem in St. Charles that recently gained national attention.

You could say it's a diamond in the rough - pun intended.

If you're a Saturday morning regular or someone who has played a handful of rounds of golf at Pottawatomie Golf Course, you already knew what Golf World magazine writer/golf course architect Ron Whitten found out when he played the course last year.

Pottawatomie Golf Course is one of the top 9-hole layouts in the country.

In fact, Whitten ranked the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Pottawatomie as the nation's 15th best 9-hole public golf courses in the Feb. 8 issue of Golf World.

In his story, Whitten remarked that Pottawatomie featured Jones' first island green - the challenging 345-yard, par-4 third hole with the green located on a real island in the Fox River.

Whitten called Pottawatomie a "little vest-pocket delight" and referred to his round as taking "steps back in time."

Owned and operated by the St. Charles Park District, Pottawatomie Golf Course has a rich tradition - as the WPA project was completed in 1939.

"The (adjacent) swimming pool opened on Sept. 1, 1938, and the golf course opened for play on July 1, 1939," said Pottawatomie course manager/PGA professional Jim Wheeler, now in his 31st year at the helm.

While compiling his top 30 9-hole public course rankings, Whitten had a few ground rules he followed.

First, the course had to be a stand-alone 9-hole layout - not a course adjacent to another 18-hole course.

Then, the course had to be one that has kept intact its original intent through the years. And it had to be a regulation 9-hole course - not a par-3 course.

"He played here last year and I talked with him afterward," Wheeler said of Whitten. "I didn't know about any rankings - he just told me he was writing a story about 9-hole courses."

Naturally, Wheeler was thrilled when he learned of Pottawatomie's national recognition.

"I called him and thanked him," said Wheeler. "It was an extremely nice article.

"I didn't think about being surprised (by the ranking), but it's a great honor and a tremendous honor for the community."

Wheeler has tackled some difficult problems since his arrival at Pottawatomie in 1979.

"We've faced some hard issues," said Wheeler. "When I first got here, we didn't have a practice putting green. It looked like a public golf course.

"The intent was yes, anybody can play it but I wanted it looked at from a higher standard. I wanted the course to develop more character."

In addition to the installation of an irrigation system (which has helped in particular with the growth of the rough) and rebunkering sand traps, Wheeler has focused his attention on finesse and aesthetics.

"We've enlarged some greens, added cart paths, planted flower beds and trees and rebuilt some tee areas," he said. "We've changed the tee area at the first hole three times."

Wheeler, who renovated the inside of the clubhouse in the mid-1980s (the outside of the clubhouse is the original), praised greens superintendent Denise Gillett-Parchert for her input the past 11 years.

"She has done a fabulous job of putting life into this thing," said Wheeler. "It's a great presentation for someone to see."

During these troubling economic times, Pottawatomie offers a choice for prospective golfers.

"You can play a round of golf here for $16," said Wheeler. "A family of four (2 adults, 2 juniors) can play for $60. Even if it's somewhat of a long round, it still takes just half the time that playing an 18-hole round would."

About the only thing Pottawatomie doesn't have is available space for enlargement to an 18-hole course.

But that's OK with Wheeler.

"My answer has always been if we had the chance (to make it an 18-hole course), it then wouldn't be Pottawatomie Golf Course," said Wheeler. "It would be another 18-hole facility."

Having played Pottawatomie on numerous occasions, I know it is definitely not just another 9-hole course.

"It's the only course the city has," said Wheeler. "I don't count the resort or country clubs.

"It's a course the school district can be proud of because we consider this to be a home course for both St. Charles high schools. It affects much more than the Park District. It enhances the entire community."

Pottawatomie assistant pro Bill Ogiego knows the course is special.

"You couldn't ask for a better location," said Ogiego, who first began playing at Pottawatomie in 1979 when he was 10 years old.

"Every hole has a little different aspect to it. We get compliments about the course daily, especially from out-of-towners. The ranking was not a surprise to us. We see it everyday. I've got the greatest office."

When asked to describe the course, Wheeler took a moment and said, "It's a golf course set up for all abilities and all ages to play."

Soon, a series of 10 signs leading into St. Charles will be strategically placed and a sign at the entrance to the course will highlight its national prominence.

Pottawatomie Golf Course is one of a kind.