Springbrook Golf Course background
Overview
Located in west central Naperville and adjacent to the DuPage County Forest Preserve’s Dragon Lake, the Springbrook golf facility commands some of the finest views of Naperville’s open space and trails. The 35-year old facility features a challenging 18-hole championship golf course, a 28-stall natural turf driving range, two practice putting greens and a short game practice green with bunkers. Its beautiful, mature and lush foliage and trees complement the manicured greens, tees and fairways. Combined with its exceptional course design, golfers of all skill levels return time and again to play.
Golf lessons taught by our experienced, on-staff professionals are offered throughout the season as well. The clubhouse features a golf shop stocked with the latest in golf accessories and apparel. A food service area that seats 60 serves a wide variety of snacks and beverages, and the relaxing outdoor patio is a great place to enjoy some pre- or post-game refreshments.
Springbrook Golf Course is a precious gem for the resident golfers. More than 40,000 rounds are played on the course annually and approximately 65% of those are played by residents.
Springbrook Golf Course has been recognized by Golf Digest as one of the “Top Places to Play” and hole #10 made West Suburban Living Magazine’s “Dream 19.”
History
The Park District District purchased the 170-acre Fraley farm site in 1969 and broke ground on June 25, 1972. The site was developed and shaped by the Wadsworth Co. and was designed by Golf Course Architect Roger Packard. On May 5, 1974, the District held Springbrook’s grand opening. The current clubhouse was added in 1990 and partially renovated during 2007-2008. In the fall of 2007 and spring/summer of 2008, a new $1.3 million triple row irrigation system was installed replacing the original 33-year old single row system.
Over the past ten years, many improvements have been made to the Springbrook facility:
• Perimeter fence installation and repairs – 1996/98/00/05
• #11 green renovation/replacement – 1998
• Introduced city water into the main clubhouse – 1999
• Clubhouse carpeting replacement - 2000
• Installed a Deep Well for future Springbrook irrigation needs – 2001
• Added 18 forward tee boxes – 2001/03
• ADA clubhouse retrofit – 2002
• Addition of chemical rinsate building - 2005
• Course entrance signs – 2006
• Two on-course restroom facilities – 2007
• Irrigation system – 2007/08
• Clubhouse, driving range and parking lot renovations – 2007/08
Springbrook’s Future
Future improvements to the course may include bunker renovations, bridge relocation and replacement, maintenance facility upgrades and expansion, course drainage issues, additional cart paths and repairs to existing paths and additional clubhouse renovations addressing restaurant/banquet needs.
In the near future, there are several projects that are planned for Springbrook Golf Course. They include:
• Fairway and greenside bunkers
• Landscaping around the clubhouse and parking lot
• Short game practice area
• Landscaping on hole #10 detention pond
• New forward tee on hole #10
Our Mission and Vision
The Naperville Park District Golf Operations staff is dedicated to serving our customers by providing high-quality golfing experiences to players of all ages and abilities at an affordable price while enhancing their enjoyment of the game of golf.
Naperville Park District Golf Operations will:
• Be recognized as a premier municipal golf operation by all guests.
• Receive increased recognition from the golfing public as an operation with high standards, integrity and high-quality customer service.
• Deliver competitively priced golf to Naperville residents and nonresident guests.
• Provide continual enhancements to the playability and condition of each of the District golf facilities.
The guiding principles drive everything that we do and assist in making decisions related to golf. The four main principles - customer service, financial stability, public access and effective operations - allow staff to focus its efforts and resources in the areas that are most important to golfers.
Each of the golf complexes is unique in what is offered to the golfing public. Staff recognizes that uniqueness and manages the facilities accordingly. The intent of the business plan is to simplify the golf experience, yet maintain the integrity of each of the two facilities and continue to provide high-quality customer service, course conditions and affordable golf to as many people as possible.
Golf Operations
The Naperville Park District Golf Operations is one of five operating departments within the Naperville Park District, and currently the District operates two 18-hole municipal golf facilities. Each facility offers a different golfing opportunity for players of all ages and abilities. One of the goals within the golf department is to provide challenging yet accessible and enjoyable golfing experiences to the residents of Naperville as well as to our nonresident guests at an affordable price.
The Naperville Park District Golf department is unique in that it operates as an Enterprise Fund. This requires the golf courses to generate sufficient revenues to cover all operational and maintenance expenses, capital improvement costs and any debt service incurred by the department and avoid using general fund monies. It is extremely important to maintain and manage the Enterprise Fund in a fiscally responsible manner so that the users of the facilities (golfers) are not only supporting the daily operational and maintenance costs, but also the long term capital improvement projects keeping the courses competitive with the local golf market and up to today’s industry standards.
Early in 2008, Golf Services developed a five-year business plan that will run through November 2013. This plan is to be used primarily to develop guidelines related to Golf Department principles, a five-year golf course fee structure, fair and equitable distribution of tee times for all stakeholders and to outline a five and ten-year capital improvement plan. Currently the golf department is working with a golf consulting firm in Colorado, Golf Convergence, Inc. Golf Convergence was retained in late 2008 to study current operational practices, maintenance practices and to assist staff with the development of the five-year business plan.
The golf operational goals will be based around the mission and vision of District golf operations and guiding principles that address the core values of the department.