Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort & Conference Center

Illinois native Robert Bruce Harris laid out his first golf course, the Hubbard Trail Country Club, in Hoopeston, Ill., in 1927. During his architectural career, golf historians estimate Harris built or renovated more than 150 golf courses throughout the Midwest and the South.

During the 1960s, the man who would eventually become the first president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, laid out 36 golf holes in the village of Bloomingdale.

Today Harris’ design has been transformed into a 27-hole, resort golf facility that serves as an escape from the stress and constant motion of Chicago.

Renowned designer Rick Jacobson, whose design firm renovated historic Medinah Country Club in preparation for the 1990 U.S. Open, was the visionary behind a restoration that brought new life to the 18 holes now referred to as Black-hawk Trace, and shaped the remaining parcel of land into an original nine-hole complex and new practice facility. 

The resort now operates under the Hilton name, and provides customers with the exceptional service and excellence one has come to expect from one of America’s most trusted and desired hotel brands. However, the facility features a classic golf experience reminiscent of an Alister MacKenize design that contains remnants of Harris’ original routing and style, aesthetically-pleasing fescue grasses and meticulously detailed bunkers that are dangerous, yet appealing to the eye. For the purist who seeks a more traditional golf experience, the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort is a rewarding pursuit.

The finished golf product is a result of a $6 million renovation that was completed in three phases. The first updated the front nine on Blackhawk Trace, the second concentrated on the remaining nine and the third created the new Island nine, while preserving open space set aside by the village of Bloomingdale. The third and final phase of the renovation began in October 2007, continued through the spring and came to a conclusion with the debut of the finished product in advance of Labor Day on Saturday, Aug. 30.

“Rick Jacobson is a nationally renowned architect who has transformed a solid but somewhat dated, 1960s-era style golf course into Chicago’s first real upscale, state-of-the-art resort golf experience,” said Tom Denklau, director of golf at Indian Lakes. “Golf at Indian Lakes Resort has a proud past, but thanks to the many improvements that have been made over the last few years, its future is even brighter.”

 All told, new square tee boxes were cut, greens and fairways were converted to bentgrass, the bunkers were reworked, native fescue grass were reinstalled, an intermediate tee box was created and a brand new, state-of-the-art irrigation system was put into operation.

“The sand traps are what really stand out in my mind,” said Denklau. “They’ve got fingerlings, four and five foot deep faces; just great detail. The tee boxes being square really gives it a crisp look and bringing back the fescue added a lot of character.”

The bunkers were also singled out by the Jacobson Design Firm on its Web site: “During the design process, the selection of the bunker style can dictate the ‘personality’ of the golf course. We collaborated with the owners of Hilton Chicago/ Indian Lakes Resort and designed Black-hawk Trace with unique bunkers that will provide guests with an unforgettable golf experience.

Overall the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort offers golfers six different playing combinations. The original Blackhawk Trace, which is made up of the Woodland Course and the Highland Course, can now be paired with the brand-new Island Course, giving players a chance to customize their experience.

Along with three nine-hole golf courses, Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort offers a brand-new range and practice facility. Golfers can stop by to warm-up or work on a specific part of the swing with a bucket of balls. The driving range is typically open 30 minutes before the first tee time and closes 30 minutes prior to sunset. To inquire about driving range hours and demo days, please call the pro shop directly at 630-529-6466.

The new Island Course derives its name from the layout’s signature hole, a 155-yard par-3 island green. The course also features a challenging 615-yard par-5 with an elevated green complex.

Blackhawk Trace is a battle-tested track sampled by aspiring PGA Tour talent, having played host to three NGA Hooters Tour events and three local quali-fiers for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 LaSalle Bank Open; a Nationwide Tour event.

Serving as a perfect complement to the championship golf courses is the resort itself, which is quickly making a name for itself as Chicago’s newest premier resort. In fact, the Chicago Tribune recently hailed the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort as the easiest way to feel like you’ve escaped the city when you’re really just in the suburbs.

The resort features 308 completely renovated, oversized guest rooms that offer standard amenities plus 37” flat panel LCD HDTVs. There are also six penthouse suites with a king bedded guest room and attached bathroom that features a Jacuzzi and marble shower, in addition to a large dining table, sitting area, wet bar and wood burning fireplace.

New to the resort is Shiraz on the Water, a chic innovative restaurant poised to bring a different kind of dining experience to Bloomingdale. The restaurant blends contemporary American and European cuisine, and features an extensive wine list with more than 1,000 labels to choose from. The resort also offers more casual fare at the Masters Clubhouse, a laidback restaurant that celebrates the rich tradition of golf in a relaxing, welcoming setting.

Guests can expect their experience to be accentuated by an extremely friendly, courteous and professional staff. The resort’s bell staff and front desk staff were both recently ranked No. 1 in hospitality within the Hilton Americas.

For more information on golf packages, conference facilities, accommodations, amenities, local attractions and more, please visit www.indianlakesresort.com or call 630-529-0200.

Located just 30 minutes from O’Hare International Airport on 250 acres in Bloom-ingdale, Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort features 308 oversized guestrooms, casual and elegant restaurants, 27 holes of championship golf, 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, an award-winning spa, and much more.