Mistwood Golf Club Reopens to the Public Friday

Avid golfers may be willing to travel to Scotland to experience the legendary St. Andrews course, but with the reopening of the renovated Mistwood Golf Club, devotees to the game will be able to experience a taste of Scotland in nearby Romeoville.

On Friday, June 15, Mistwood will unveil its new course to the public, complete with trademark hazards such as the ones found in the finest courses in Scotland and Ireland: stacked sod-wall bunkers.

Each of the 19 new bunkers at Mistwood’s renovated course was built using layers of sod, with the grass of one connecting to the grass of the next. The result, said golf course architect Ray Hearn, is a look he likens to the famous British Open courses like St. Andrews, Troon, Muirfield and Royal St. Georges.

"Nothing comes close to the glory of these stacked sod-wall bunkers,’’ Hearn said. "All golfers should experience a round of golf and the fun challenge that these bunkers provide. There is nothing like this at any other Chicago course."

Mistwood owner Jim McWethy closed the course at Mistwood last August to begin the major renovation project, which included improvements to each of the facility’s 18 holes - from relocating greens, expanding a creek into a pond and adding stone embankments and bridges.

To enhance the playability for golfers, designers lengthened the course from 6,701 to 7,028 yards from the back tees and increased the slope, garnering a higher rating for the new layout from Chicago District Golf Association officials.

McWethy, too, gives high marks to the design – and designer – of his newly renovated course.

“I couldn’t be happier with how everything has come together on this project and believe we now have one of the top and most unique golf experiences in the Chicago area,” McWethy said. “The work that Ray did incorporating the sod bunkers and the improvements he made to each hole are spectacular.”

The game of golf is a learning process

But Mistwood’s newly designed course will offer much more than sod bunkers, redesigned holes and stone embankments.

Despite the weather, golfers will be soon able to work on their games year-round at the course’s 6,000-square-foot learning center, which is scheduled to open later this summer. The facility will feature two inside bays and 13 heated bays from which players can hit to the outside from under a roof, as well as an indoor putting green and snack bar.

Romeoville Mayor John Noak, who said he plays golf on occasion but is admittedly no expert, is nonetheless looking forward to Mistwood’s reopening, as well as to the course’s new learning center.

“It’s really exciting to have one of the premiere golf courses in the state of Illinois, with such high-quality golfing and new amenities being added every day,” Noak said. “Golfers from around the area will be flocking to (the learning center). It’s going to be one of the top quality training facilities around. With both outdoor and indoor components, it’s rare in our area.”

Clubhouse, banquet facility will be built later

When Mistwood representatives brought their plans to the Romeoville Village Board last fall, the renovations called for not only a near-complete rework of the golf course itself, but also a 32,000-square-foot clubhouse designed to evoke the look of a Scottish castle, and a banquet facility designed to seat 250 people.

According to Dan Phillips, director of golf and instruction at Mistwood, those plans are still in the works, albeit down the road a bit.

“We thought we could build (the clubhouse) earlier,” Phillips said. “We are doing all the peripheral work for the clubhouse right now, such as the new parking lot with 240 stalls.”

Phillips explained that the permitting process for a golf course is quite lengthy and somewhat complicated, involving a variety of governmental bodies at the local, county, state and federal levels.

“We had eight to 10 government bodies to go through, making sure everything is correct,” Phillips said.

But, as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.

“The clubhouse will be amazing,” Phillips said. “But the golf course is what we are about right now. It’s very special. When it comes to notoriety, this course could really put Romeoville on the map.”

Noak said he is more than pleased with the work that has been completed so far at the golf course – and looks forward to the day when a brand-new clubhouse and banquet facility opens at Mistwood.

“This is something that is really needed in the area, especially when you get up to 250 people for a wedding or other outing,” Noak said. “There just aren’t that many facilities around that can accommodate that large a number.”

“It’s exciting to have a private group invest so much money into Romeoville,” Noak added. “It’s really going to be a gem in our community.”

Mistwood Golf Club is located at 1700 W. Renwick Road. For more information or to reserve a tee time, call 815-254-3333 or click here.