By Design - Special Edition

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8 | By Design
Flood damage in the village
of Glenview, Illinois—a
northern suburb of
Chicago—resulted in a ‘call to
action’ from residents, to mitigate
the potential for future flooding.
60 percent of the village is built
to ‘old standards’, with no water
detention accounted for, no overland
flow paths planned and limited
storm water conveyance. The village
had limited open space for storm
water detention so was faced with
costly alternatives.
At the same time, the Glenview
Park Golf Club had no master plan,
and had not seen any significant
enhancements in many years, so was
faced with deteriorating conditions.
Poor surface drainage on fairways led
to excessive wear and tear on turf, and
bunkers frequently held water.
A strategic alliance of government
departments and professionals from
multiple disciplines collaborated to
prepare a storm water management
system design that was to be
integrated into the golf course,
providing the detention area that
the village needed while also giving
the club an opportunity to improve
playing conditions.
Rick Jacobson, ASGCA, was hired to
prepare a new golf course design that
would intricately weave a storm water
management system into the non-play
areas of the golf course.
A series of grass swales, pipes,
detention ponds and natural
vegetation conveyance swales helped
to enhance water quality, while
supplying an additional 15.3 acre
feet (nearly 5,000,000 gallons) of
additional storm water detention and
reducing the discharge release rate for
a 100-year storm by over 70 percent.
Excavation material from the
detention basins was used to create
positive surface drainage on fairways
and subtle new landforms that
delivered an improved parkland
golf course aesthetic. Construction
techniques applied to bunker
renovation improved subsurface
drainage and sub-base stabilization,
while accentuating the dramatic
visual appeal of the new strategically-
placed bunkers. The introduction of
native areas was part of a long term
strategy for sustainability through
the reduction of manicured turf
and subsequent reduction of overall
maintenance requirements.
“This collaboration resulted in a win/
win for golfers and village residents,”
says Jacobson. “A holistic approach
to master planning delivered positive
results for all parties.”
Location: Glenview, Illinois
Golf course architect:
Rick Jacobson, ASGCA,
Jacobson Golf Course Design, Inc.
Project summary: At the Glenview Park
municipal golf course in the northern
Chicago suburbs, a single project
achieved the dual objectives of improving
playability and flood management for the
village of Glenview.
Partners: Gewalt Hamilton Associates
(engineering); Kemper Sports
(management services); Wadsworth Golf
Company (construction)
Glenview Park GC
A great collaboration
Team effort delivers a win/win for golfers and residents
The 15th hole at Glenview Park before
and (main pic) after renovation