Illinois public golf course reopens after $8.8 million renovation

Orchard Valley Golf Course in Aurora, Illinois, will reopen for public play Sept. 5 after an $8.8 million dollar renovation to the Ken Kavanaugh-designed layout that opened in 1993.

Owned by the Fox Valley Park District and managed by Troon, Orchard Valley will begin accepting tee times Aug. 22.

The renovation took 22 months with the goal to modernize the facility that sits some 40 miles west of downtown Chicago. Capital was raised via bond proceeds and the Fox Valley Park’s existing development fund.

Greg Martin of Martin Golf Design identified and prioritized the repairs, and Wadsworth Golf Construction performed the work. The following efforts were highlighted in a media release announcing completion of the work:

Installation of a state-of-the-art irrigation system

Renovation, realignment, relocation and reconstruction of bunkers

Addition of new retaining walls on Nos. 2 and 17

Refreshment and expansion of select greens

Expansion and resurfacing of tee boxes

Re-grassing of tees, fairways and greens with disease-resistant seed varieties

Realignment and reconstruction of select cart paths

Addition of a fairway on hole No. 13 through partial wetland fill-in

The 194-seat dining facility, The Orchard Social, also was updated and now includes indoor and outdoor dining areas, private event spaces and much more.

Jason Lusk  is Golfweek's travel and golf course architecture editor, as well as the print magazine's creative director. He has written for and designed Golfweek for more than two decades.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Illinois public golf course reopens after $8.8 million renovation