Q&A on the 2009 Solheim Cup in Sugar Grove

The countdown has officially begun.

One year from today the top women golfers from Europe will take on America's best in the Solheim Cup, and they'll do it right in our own backyard at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove.

After enduring a summer of the unforgivable - no top-tier professional golf in Chicago - next year promises a bonanza with the FedEx Cup playoffs of the PGA returning to a redesigned Cog Hill in Lemont along with Jerry Rich's masterpiece course hosting the Solheim Cup.

But mention the Solheim Cup - the women's version of the men's Ryder Cup - to the average Joe and you might get a quizzical look.

That's where Kelly Hyne comes in. Among her plethora of duties, the executive director of the 2009 Solheim Cup has spent countless hours spreading the word on one of golf's hidden gems, the Rich Harvest Farms course that counts Michael Jordan and LPGA legend Beth Daniels among its private members.

While the official countdown to the Solheim Cup is at one year and dwindling, for Hynes the countdown began in 2005 when she moved here and began eating, drinking and breathing this event.

Now with the Cup clearly on the horizon, Hyne spoke with the Daily Herald about the attraction of the event, its growth and the work ahead.

Q. When you dream about Solheim Cup week, what do you see?

A. I dream of a beautiful week of weather like we've been having and a full house.

Q. How confident are you on the full house part?

A. Pretty confident because we've seen it in the past and we know we've got a really loyal fan base that has planned their trip already, and we know the local community has supported the LPGA in the past. It's been a while since we've been here, and we're looking forward to coming back.

Q. Do the early numbers look good?

A. Yeah. Over 3,500 hotel rooms have already been booked. People from 48 states have already bought their tickets. A lot of locals have volunteered and bought their tickets. We're progressing pretty nicely.

Q. There are still people who don't know what the Solheim Cup is. Do you get that, too, and does it drive you nuts?

A. (Laughs) Well, I'll love the day when I don't have to explain what it is and it can stand alone, but the reality is this is the 11th time it has ever been played, and with an event that doesn't happen every year - and it's moved around between the U.S. and Europe - it's harder to gain some traction. But I think a lot of golf fans know what it is. It's still gaining a lot momentum and it goes in line with where the LPGA is right now, the success some of our players are having and that they're getting to be more recognizable.

Q. What do you tell people about the Solheim Cup experience?

A. Even if you're not a golf fan, I tell people this event has that patriotic element to it. You can't help but feel the electricity in the air.

Q. What's a must-see attraction during Solheim Cup week?

A. If there is one thing you have to watch and be a part of, it's the first tee. We don't typically build a big 18th hole (bleacher area) because only 25 percent of the matches actually get to No. 18 in match play, but the first tee is an absolutely unbelievable environment. People gather an hour or two before the players tee off and we kind of have an unofficial song contest that goes on between U.S. and European fans. It's almost like a soccer match - an experience you have to be a part of during one of the sessions.

Q. Do you get a sense that there is something different about this Cup compared to the others?

A. I do because it seems like the scope is ratcheted up a little every time. From 2002 to 2005 it literally more than doubled overnight and we're seeing that again this year in a lot of different aspects - from the captains to the team and their preparations all the way through to the spectators and the corporations that are involved. With Rich Harvest, one of the reasons we wanted to come here was to show it to the world. It's a great opportunity.

Q. You've been here for a while now. How excited are you to be a year away?

A. It's good because now you're starting to see your plans in action. It goes fast; since 2005 it's gone quickly. Now is the fun part in getting to see it all come together.

Q. What exactly is there left to do?

A. We're just executing the time lines and starting a lot of the operations. Volunteer recruitment should be done by the end of the year - we only need about 300 more volunteers. About three months before the event is when we start the construction. Right now we're just lining up all our vendors and putting the whole timeline in place.

Q. Talk about the support of course owner/architect Jerry Rich in bringing this event to the area.

A. The whole Rich family and all the staff here have done everything every day because he wants this event to be a success and is very, very supportive. It's going to be a dream realized for him.

Q. Now to the nuts and bolts: Are there still hotel rooms available?

A. There are. That's the nice thing about the quantity up and down the I-88 corridor - there are a lot of hotels that are participating in our network.

Q. What about those concerned with parking and long walks and the dreaded shuttle buses?

A. I dare say I don't know a major championship where you can park about 50 feet from the main entrance. Spectators don't have to wait in line for shuttle buses. They can park here on site. We have over 2,800 acres of land here with the golf course in the middle. You're very, very close - you don't have a long walk. Once you get on I-88 west, it's a pretty smooth ride.

Q. Where do people go for more information?

A. Solheimcup.com is kind of our one-stop resource. It has ticket information as well as hotel accommodations, schedules, etc. Everything is there.