As we travel south on I-55 and Old Route 66 from Chicago, four things intermingle as we stop in Springfield, IL and continue “Grabbing my Sticks and Golfing Route 66”. They are Springfield, Abraham Lincoln, Route 66, and Bergen Golf Course. They are all relevant to this stop, but where do they rank in order of importance? I’ll reveal my ranking later, but first let’s go golfing.
It’s Sunday morning and I am able to go right out and play as a single. Either everyone is still in church or I made a mistake by choosing this 9-hole track. I stand on the first hole tee box and survey the straight, tree-lined fairway in front of me and think what a beautiful day to be on this course in the town named after me. Okay, I’m really thinking how do I keep my drive away from all those trees! Somehow I find the heart of the fairway; then discover the narrow green with my approach shot; and finally drain my putt for a birdie. Maybe I did make the correct decision.
Hole #2 is a carbon copy of #1, but just moving in the opposite direction. Hole #3 has a slight bend to the left, and your approach shot is to a small green. This course has eight par 4s and one par 3 for a par of 35…a very different combination of holes. The first three holes were a little boring, but Hole #4 breaks that mold. You have a blind tee shot to start this hole and you are better off trying to land on the right side. There is a dropoff to the left with water if you are crazy wild. Once you find the top of the hill, the wide but shallow green comes into view.
Depending on which tee box you choose, the fifth hole will have a different look. From the blue tees, there is a slight dogleg right with trees that may create an issue. Playing from the white tees it is straight and about 10 yards shorter at 348 yards. At Hole #6 there is a confluence of three holes…the tees for #6 and #8, and the 7th green. Be prepared for small white flying orbs! This is a short par 4 (295 yards), but a very tight, tree-squeezed hole. The course meter has moved from boring to interesting during the last three holes!
I am usually a straight driver of the golf ball, but busy roads always make me a little uneasy. Hole #7 is one of those holes. Even though the left side of the fairway is lined with trees, there is a steady stream of traffic close to this hole. Staying right is no bargain either because of trees with large limbs that angle over the fairway. If you happen to save money on this hole by not damaging any vehicles or losing balls, there are both a McDonald’s and Starbucks located off the backside of this hole for your mid-round dining pleasure.
Hole #8 is a par 3 of 116 yards with a huge green awaiting your tee shot. The ninth hole is the first time you have to give some thought about which club to remove from your bag. A big dogleg to the left, but with a few medium-sized trees to clear if you go that direction. Usually when I play on the road, I’m all for “going for it”. However, I have a low ball flight, so my drive would probably dive into those trees. I took a 7-iron and feathered it around the bend. I was left with about 160 uphill yards to a small green. A very fun finishing hole and a good way to end the round.
Rating – Birdie (47 out of 60): The course started slow but finished strong. The greens and fairways were in excellent shape and I moved quickly around in about 90 minutes. The staff was very friendly and the cost was $20 for 9-holes. I now had enough time to visit a few other attractions in The Land of Lincoln. This included the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and a few stops along Route 66 that included Motorheads Bar and Grill (not McDonald’s).
Order of Importance? Since the town is named after me, of course we have to start with that as number one, right?……………………………………………..After giving it a little more thought, this is probably the correct order: 1) Abraham Lincoln; 2) Springfield; 3) Bergen GC; 4) Route 66.
2900 Clearlake Avenue, Springfield, IL 62703; 217-753-6211; www.springfieldparkdistrict.org
