Danny Cunniff Park - Highland Park, IL

Dave242 · #1 02-03-2010, 09:32 AM

The expansion of this course is not technically in development yet. An initial proposal has been made, but it is still early.

The goal I have is to have a first class Blue-level Championship course - around Par-66. The secondary goal is to make the course interesting and appropriate for Red-level players and have a Par-72 experience. My guess is that a 4 disc course (maybe even a 4.5 disc course) can be developed.

The property sets up well for a course although it is not as secluded and set apart from other park activities as most would prefer. There is good parking right at the start finish line, and decent existing features to work with. The woods are very nice, but there is very limited terrain to work with.

The main activity in the far back corner of this park is the ice skating rink. It is open year round but there is little traffic on the dead-end park road that some of this course plays along. There is also a walking path that is gets a small amount of traffic. The current 9-hole course plays over this path in a lot of places, so I am hoping the new one can too (if not, the current design will have to be scrapped).

Dave242 · #2 02-03-2010, 09:37 AM

I was bored in the slow DG season (I am not a big fan of winter golf) so I thought it would be fun to make a "Be the Disc!" fly-by video of the proposed course in its raw form. (I hope this works as this is the first time I have tried to embed Youtube videos):

BTW, the existing 9-hole course sits in the area taken up by holes 1, 3, 4, & 5 on the proposed designed

Holes 1-9:

Holes 10-18:

tallpaul · #3 02-03-2010, 11:11 AM

Looks good Dave; nice presentation. How far along are you on this process? Have you meet with parks and rec.? Is there tentative understanding; or, is this still in the dream stages? I'll come down and assist if I can; when you get closer to ready to go.

bikinjack · #4 02-03-2010, 11:12 AM

That looks like it's gonna be a fun course. I got a little seasick towards the end of the 2nd video, maybe I shouldn't have went full screen. Good job., and good luck going forward.

Dave242 · #5 02-03-2010, 11:42 AM

I've met with the Park Supervisor and Landscape Architect and had a few phone conversations. I have also spoken with the main planning manager and have a walk-through planned for the spring. I have been advised that they are intrigued by the idea, but there is no money or man power at this time (boiler plate response I am thinking). There is nothing in the master plan for the land I am targeting, so that is good.

I am still unclear on who the real decision makers are (an employee or a BoD or a citizen's advisory committee). I have asked, but gotten no real answer. I am thinking that when I do the walk through and the main planner understands the scope of what is required (really not a lot) he will advise me as to what levels a decision needs to come from.

Regarding being seasick.....yeah, it is pretty amatuerish video work (and it is hard in some areas with the bushwhacking required)! Oh, and this course will actually be quite a lot like Rankin Lake in a lot of ways (but of course without the good terrain......or the homos

).

Countchunkula · #6 02-03-2010, 12:04 PM

Good to hear Dave, it would be great to have another worthwhile 18 hole course in our sea of short, flat, nine holers.

mashnut · #7 02-03-2010, 05:14 PM

Awesome Dave, that will be really cool. I would be really interested in doing anything I can to help out, that's one of the closer courses to me and I would play there a lot if it were redesigned the way you're talking about.

Dave242 · #8 02-04-2010, 10:37 AM

Thanks Mashnut. I hope to have more of a feel for how things will progress and how quickly within 1-2 months. Frankly, I do not expect the new course to be in the ground for at least 2 more years.

It will indeed be great to have a "real" course in the area. IMO, it will be the only really good course in the triangle between northern Milwaukee (Dretzka & Brown Deer), Rockford (the Anna Pages and Lustig) and Aurora/Joliet (several good/great courses). I differ from many, but I do not consider Parkside in Kenosha to be really good.