Photo Credit: Courtesy of United States Navy
The golf industry is a tough place for smooth-sailing these days, but one military golf course is finding ways to make a name for itself, as well as form partnerships and generate much-needed revenues. Located approximately 40 miles north of Chicago, Willow Glen Golf Club is part of Naval Station Great Lakes, home of the nation’s only Navy boot camp.
Although the military always has priority to the course, situated outside the base, tee-times, practice facilities, and the club’s food and beverage operations are openly available to all local golfers regardless of military status, via a Department of Defense waiver.
While the club maintains a long-standing Navy intramural program, neighboring companies such as Abbott Laboratories/Abbvie and United Conveyer Corporation are part of Willow Glen’s afternoon league roster. Club-sponsored tournaments are open to all golfers, and participation is generally divided equally among active duty and retired military, veterans and Department of Defense employees, and members of the general public. With this approach, we foster opportunities for new friendships to blossom. Weekend play illustrates the strength of this philosophy as foursomes frequently contain a mix of military and private-sector golfers.