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Dan Moore

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Kankakee Elks Golf Club is located about 65 miles south of Chicago.  The course opened in 1936 and was the only new course designed by Langford and Moreau during the 1930's and their  first 18 hole course to open since Lawsonia opened in 1930.  It preceded their highly regarded work at Skokie CC by two years.  On the wall of the clubhouse there is a handwritten list of scores from a tournament at the course which dates to 1936.  The course has been home to LPGA Futures Tour Tournaments the last three years.  

Today the course plays to 6,430 yards and a par of 71. Seventeen of the holes are original with only one, the par 3 fifth having been changed.  Based on the 1938 aerial it does not appear the course was built with sand in the bunkers.  We will have to take Ralph's advice to take a soil probe out there to be sure.

However even without sand the characteristic Langford Moreau fairway bunkers are in ample display and the seventeen original greens are in very good condition and in most cases do not look like they are significantly smaller than the green pads on which they sit.  Unfortunately due to an aggressive tree program many of the fairway bunkers are now located in the forest.  

At 6,430 yards the course plays somewhat short by today’s standards.  Like many Langford Moreau courses there are a couple of half par short par 4's, a terrific set of par 3's and a couple of long par 4's.  Rather than a hole by hole description I will attempt to highlight the better holes and point out some of the problem areas.  

First the layout.  The first aerial is from 1938 or 1939 and shows the hole numbers next to the greens.  The fairways are hard to see which is probably due to a lack of irrigation.  There is clearly no sand in the bunkers.  The second aerial shows the course today.  The sand that can be seen looks like it has been placed in fairly new bunkers that are not typical of Langford Moreau.  

1939


Today


Here are a few of the highlights.

The first really strong hole is the slight dogleg left 440 yard par 4 third.  This difficult 4.5 par hole is bookended by two very short par 4's, the 263 yard second and 329 yard fourth.  A highlight of the third is a green set into a small hillside with a beautifully built mound on the right side about 30-40 yards short of the green that can be used to sling a right to left long iron or hybrid toward the green.  





The next hole of note is the 561 par 5 sixth hole.  An elegant hole that flows from an elevated tee between a pre-existing grove of trees on the left and new trees on the right that have partly obscured fairway bunkers on that side.  The third shot is to a nicely elevated built up green that would look wonderful flanked by deep sand bunkers.  This green is similar to the green at the end of the same length par 5 fourth hole at Spring Valley.

From the tee


A little farther up


The 3rd shot


The fifth is followed by a wonderful mid-length par 3 of 169 yards that played 177 with the tees set back.  The green is steeply sloped from right to left; missing right as I found out is a problem as it was almost impossible to keep the ball on the green due to the severe slope.  



The eighth is a nice 380 yard dogleg right to green up on a hill in a grove of trees that where there when the course was built.  A nice hole today but imagine what it will be like in twenty years when those new trees on the right of the second picture mature.  



Note the newly planted trees along the right side of the fairway.


After the turn, the next hole to really stand out is the short 140 yard par 3 twelfth.  There is a mound in front which hides the front of the green and some dead ground short.  The green itself is smaller than the typically large Langford Moreau green and has some wonderful internal undulations.  This is probably the best small L/M green I have seen. A fantastic hole.  



The thirteenth is a  363 yard par 4 with a nicely shaped and undulated green.  The pin was tucked to the left.  



After a 545 yard par 5 you are met with the gargantuan uphill 198 yard fifteenth.  Gargantuan because of the super engineered green site which is built into a 50 foot high hillside.  Gargantuan because of the massive green with slopes all over the place.  Despite the massive size of the green this was the one green that looked like it may actually have been bigger in its original form.  Unfortunately this photo does not really do it justice and I didn’t get a shot of the green.  Another great par 3.  



Tommorow I will feature some of the other holes and the tree planting program.  

Enjoy.  







« Last Edit: August 08, 2007, 12:51:06 PM by Dan Moore »
"Is there any other game which produces in the human mind such enviable insanity."  Bernard Darwin

RJ_Daley

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2007, 12:03:44 PM »
Dan, that place looks incredibly exciting.  It could easily be another Lawsonia hidden gem.  All the cool stuff is right there begging to be brought out.

Which begs the question; do you know if someone into the artful restoration/sympathetic remodel side of architecture has made a pitch to the Elks to try and convince them what the possibilities really are?  Are there a bunch of "Barney's" down there hugging their trees and thinking they make for superior golf shots?

From the looks of it, this club could be one of the most worthy courses I've seen for a sympathetic restore/remodel effort.  I will try to channel Langford or Morreau and ask them if they would mind terribly if some sand were to be incorporated into their spectacular gullwinged bunker mounds, after we find them all once the trees are removed from their midst.  ;) ;D 8)
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

RJ_Daley

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2007, 12:08:15 PM »
hey, I just reached Langford on the Jamaican psychic channel and he said to get rid of those damn trees that are hiding their excellent bunkers.  He also said he left plans in locker #13 at the clubhouse that included instructions to the members to add the sand in the bunkers after the depression was over. ;) ;D 8)  
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

C. Squier

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2007, 01:21:02 PM »
Funny story about Kankakee Elks:

In HS, we always played the Sectional golf tournament there.  My freshman year, my dad bought me a brand new bright red Ping carry bag since my old one was falling apart (and he had some proud-papa action going on too).  On the practice green, one of my friends from another school says, "hey Clint, isn't that your new bag over there?"  

I turn to look, the course dog is starting to lift his leg.  Yep, pissed all over my new bag before I could do anything.  Even better, most got on the carry strap.  Needless to say, I wore my GoreTex jacket in 75* weather without a cloud in the sky.

CPS

RJ_Daley

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2007, 01:27:49 PM »
Clint, priceless.  A fire hydrant red bag!   ;D ;D ;D
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Kalen Braley

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2007, 03:26:41 PM »
Speaking of fire hydrants and peeing...

I was IM'd a pic of Barney peeing in the forest to help all those fluid starved trees... Good job JK, don't let em die..  ;D


Eric_Terhorst

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2007, 06:42:48 PM »
Kalen, couldn't you have found a John K thread to tarnish with that pic? :)

Dan,

Thanks for posting the pics.  Those greens are fantastic.  The aerials are almost heartbreaking.

Maybe the thing to do with this course is to hit it for emergency holes--play 7 or 8 of the best--on the way back to Chicago from points south.


Michael Kennedy

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2007, 07:29:46 PM »
Wow - I had never even heard of Kankakee Elks, but it looks absolutely terrific from your pics.  

RJ - I agree that a buff and polish might reveal a true American hidden gem.  In fact, just cutting back on the fairway watering would be a good first step.

And how's this for a bargain: $18/round on Mondays - with a cart.

Here's a link to an interesting Langford architecture summary by Mark Chalfant from the course website.  I'm impressed that someone from the Elks had the wherewithal to post it.

Jon Wiggett

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2007, 02:45:03 AM »
Course looks good but shame about the trees. This appears to be a good example of a course with extensive use of grass bunkers. Dan, how were they kept and how did they play?

Jeff Doerr

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2007, 09:30:15 AM »
Here's a link to an interesting Langford architecture summary by Mark Chalfant from the course website.  I'm impressed that someone from the Elks had the wherewithal to post it.

Michael,

Thanks for the link it was a fun read this AM.
"And so," (concluded the Oldest Member), "you see that golf can be of
the greatest practical assistance to a man in Life's struggle.”

Dan Moore

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2007, 10:29:05 AM »
No time to work on more photos last night--maybe tonight.  

A hidden gem???  I agree the course will greatly benefit from a good sandblasting and tree removal job.  However there are two short holes on the front nine that are somewaht problematic to the overall potential of the course.  Length and variety of terrain will be an issue.  That said there is some great stuff at KEGC.   Is the Hidden gem potential there;  maybe if some of the problems can be addressed.  

Spring Valley CC in Salem, Wisconsin (part of the L/M tour), while not maintained as well as KEGC today, in my opinion has more potential to be the better overall course.  There is more variety to the terrain, the overall design is a little stronger  and there is more room to add lenghth.  It definitely has hidden gem potential.  I'll be interested in what the rest of the L/M tour thinks when we see it on 9/7.

Jon,

I'll post some photos later that show how the grass bunkers are maintained.  

BTW Mark Chalfant's essay on Langford is found in the In My Opinion area of this website which is where the Elks got it.  
« Last Edit: August 09, 2007, 10:30:01 AM by Dan Moore »
"Is there any other game which produces in the human mind such enviable insanity."  Bernard Darwin

Bill Seitz

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #11 on: October 28, 2013, 12:51:56 PM »
Dredging up this old thread in the wake of the Chicago GCA outing at Kankakee Elks over the weekend.

Dan, if you're reading this, any idea why they abandoned the original fifth green in favor of the new hole that plays along the course boundary?  The old greensite seems to work a lot better, and it doesn't interrupt the flow of the routing, nor could I see how it would be at all dangerous for the surrounding holes.  They actually cut a pin into the green site, but they don't actually maintain it as a green.  The green on the new hole doesn't seem to fit the character of an L&M green.  

Also, I'd agree that Spring Valley has the greater potential.  I really like K-E, but if Spring Valley was maintained the same level as K-E, it'd be a better course.  Right now, for the same greens fee, I think K-E is a better value, but Spring Valley has better variety, and the conditioning isn't awful, it's just not all that good.  

Thomas Dai

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #12 on: October 28, 2013, 01:57:56 PM »
Very nice to see a course with extensive us of mounding and grass, not sand, bunkers. Thanks for sharing with us.
All the best.

Richard Hetzel

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Re:Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course
« Reply #13 on: October 28, 2013, 02:59:52 PM »
hey, I just reached Langford on the Jamaican psychic channel and he said to get rid of those damn trees that are hiding their excellent bunkers.  He also said he left plans in locker #13 at the clubhouse that included instructions to the members to add the sand in the bunkers after the depression was over. ;) ;D 8)  

That is the very first thing I saw (and thought) when I saw BOTH aerials.  In fact, the greens appear very similar, but better mounding, to Clovernook CC here in Cincinnati, Ohio.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2013, 03:04:00 PM by Richard Hetzel »
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John McCarthy

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics) New
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2015, 04:59:57 PM »
I got up early today and realized I needed an excuse not to go to church.  Kankakee Elks provided just the excuse.  

Let me add to the kudos.  The short par 3 on the back is as advertised and reminds me of a bunkerless version of 4 at Ridgemoor but much better (on edit, there are bunkers but lno sand in them).  The grass is finally getting up and is very, very lush...those grass bunkers are no joke.  There are 6 sand filled bunkers on the whole course.

I noted on 9 several stumps about 12 to 15 inches across.  Then when I was buying a pepsi at the turn I noticed a sign in the pro shop I missed when putting down the $30 green fee.  The sign said in essence, we cut down 60 trees and the stumps are ground under repair.  I asked the lad if they were going to keep go8ng he said they were, but in the fall.  Hope!

« Last Edit: April 20, 2015, 11:57:59 AM by John McCarthy »
The only way of really finding out a man's true character is to play golf with him. In no other walk of life does the cloven hoof so quickly display itself.
 PG Wodehouse

Mark Smolens

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #15 on: April 20, 2015, 10:57:47 AM »
Small world. "More Golf Today" just sent me an e-mail advertising $18 for KE (includes cart and range balls).

There were a couple of greens with some winter issues two weeks ago, but what a place KE is...

John Kavanaugh

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #16 on: April 20, 2015, 10:59:45 AM »
btw: That's not me in the pic.  I've never owned a bag that ugly and only piss on level ground.

Phil McDade

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #17 on: April 20, 2015, 11:01:52 AM »
btw: That's not me in the pic.  I've never owned a bag that ugly and only piss on level ground.

To say nothing of defiling an Elks course, which we all know JakaB would never do: ;)

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30608.0.html

PThomas

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #18 on: April 20, 2015, 11:14:05 AM »
without sand in more of the bunkers, course is overrated
197 played, only 3 to go!!

Jud_T

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #19 on: April 20, 2015, 11:14:33 AM »
I suppose Jaka could love the Elks.  Of course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMIy_KiBpKU

Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Jud_T

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Re: Kankakee Elks: Langford and Moreau's Only 1930's Course (w/pics)
« Reply #20 on: April 20, 2015, 11:19:45 AM »
without sand in more of the bunkers, course is overrated

Well,  given that for the price there's at best a handful of courses within easy driving distance of Chicago that are as fun to play and of similar Architectural pedigree, I'd beg to differ.
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

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