The nine-hole, par-3 Cantigny Youth Links offers junior golfers a place to learn the game at their own pace, but the course does close in time for all the golfers to get home safely before dark.

2001 Leo Feser award candidate

In 1996 the Cantigny Foundation, which oversees Cantigny Golf in Wheaton, Ill., had an unusual dilemma. We found ourselves with an extra 20 acres of land. Every real estate developer in the county wanted to get their hands on it, but we wanted to do something unique with the property.

We commissioned a feasibility study to explore the possibility of building a nine-hole course like the one at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club. It turns out that the famous par-3 course at Augusta is built on approximately 18 acres. It seemed our site was large enough, but would re-creating Augusta's nine-hole course offer a unique experience?

During this time, an article appeared in the USGA Golf Journal describing a three-hole course dedicated to junior golfers. Combining the par-3 concept with the dedicated youth course concept, we decided to develop a full-service nine-hole youth links.

Roger Packard and two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North were immediately contacted to design the Cantigny Youth Links. Packard and North had designed our existing 27-hole course, and we wanted the Youth Links to be designed in the same style. They gave us a design that featured all of the elements that are found on regulation courses. There are sand bunkers, water hazards, prairie areas, bluegrass roughs and bentgrass greens, tees and approaches, all constructed on rolling terrain that offers a variety of lies.

Busy start
Construction on the Cantigny Youth Links began in the fall of 1997. Wadsworth Golf Construction Inc., Cantigny's original builder, was chosen to do the work. The new youth course would include nine holes ranging from 45 to 180 yards. The greens would average around 8,000 square feet and be designed with lots of undulation. The course would be irrigated from fence line to fence line. Since we had a limited amount of space, the pump station was designed to be in the sub-basement of the 2,500-square-foot clubhouse. In addition, the pump station would have the added duty of supplying the fire suppression system in the clubhouse.

Cantigny Youth Links doesn't let youngsters play the course without an adult until they are certified. The certification program teaches safety, etiquette and the fundamentals of golf.

The clubhouse, like the course, offers a full complement of amenities. Food and beverage service are available as well as a junior golf shop with a full line of merchandise. To help parents we have installed a 360-degree camera on the roof, feeding an image to a TV monitor in the building. Parents can use preset buttons to scan every tee and green on the course and zoom in on their children to watch their progress.

Completed in October 1999, the course saw more than 11,000 rounds of golf in its first full year of operation. In the 2000 season our rounds grew to more than 12,000. The pricing structure for green fees is $7 for juniors under 15 and $12 for adults. Pull carts are available for $2, but the course does not allow gas or electric golf cars. The Youth Links hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to dusk, which is usually between 7 and 8 p.m. in the summer.

Tee times are scheduled every 15 minutes in order to give the golfers enough time to safely complete each hole. Tee times are taken 14 days in advance through our reservation system. The actual pace of play on the course ranges from 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes, depending on the day and the number of golfers on the course. Tee times end at 6 p.m. in the summer and 5 p.m. in the spring and fall in order to give the junior golfers enough time to safely return home before dark, especially if they walk or ride their bikes to the golf course.

Although the Youth Links is designed exclusively for junior golfers, we don't let young golfers play without an adult until they are certified. Certification involves being educated on important issues including safety, etiquette and the fundamentals of the golf swing. The process begins with completion of a junior golf program either at Cantigny Golf or another facility run by a PGA professional. If a junior completes a program at another facility, we ask for verification from the instructor before the test.

The Cantigny Youth Links clubhouse offers all the standard amenities, but with kid-friendly prices on merchandise and food and a 360-degree camera so parents can watch their children's progress on the course.

The certification test includes a written examination and an on-course evaluation. The test material focuses on safety and etiquette. Our primary concern is the ability of the young golfer to play safely without adult supervision. After two seasons of operation, we have certified 1,379 youth golfers. Once they pass they receive a recognition document and have their picture taken for an identification card. Our identification cards are made on site using a digital camera, photo ID software and a color printer designed for printing on card stock.

Managing demand
The instructional uses of the Youth Links are endless. Our junior programs at Cantigny have doubled each year in the last three years and continue to grow. In 2000, much of the golf pro staff's time was spent running junior clinics and giving junior private lessons. In order to accommodate the huge demand we have hired two additional teaching professionals to help organize and direct our youth programs.

The structure of our junior golf programs consists of five, 90-minute lessons in which we stress safety, etiquette, putting, chipping, pitching, full swing and sand play. At the end of a Cantigny clinic the junior is eligible for certification. After certifying almost 1,400 players in our first two years of operation, we expanded our youth programs to offer higher levels of instruction for those wishing to advance beyond certification. It is our goal as an instructional staff to not only introduce juniors to golf, but to keep them involved in the game for a lifetime. It would be truly rewarding to one day have one of our "graduates" return as a member of our professional staff or be seen on Sunday afternoon battling with Tiger for a major championship.

This year, with funding provided by the Wadsworth Foundation, we began expanding the boundaries of our youth programs. Brent Wadsworth, the owner of Wadsworth Golf Construction, started this foundation. One of its primary goals is to "foster an advancement-through-golf program extending the sport of golf, encompassing its disciplines and cultural opportunities which enrich and broaden the lives of a greater segment of society." Cantigny's role is to identify young people who show an interest in golf, but might not have the means to play or receive instruction. This year we worked with organizations such as Warrenville Youth and Family Services, and Wheaton Youth Outreach Ministries to help us find interested participants.

Cantigy Youth Links was designed by Roger Packard and Andy North, the same duo that designed Cantigny Golf's other 27 holes.

Our 2000 program included 30 children who would otherwise have limited, if any, exposure to the game of golf. We brought these children to our facility and put them through our certification program. In addition to instruction, each student received a hat, shirt, six golf balls, tees, ball markers and a divot repair tool. Of the 30 that started the program, 28 became certified. Once they were certified, they received tee times at the Youth Links at no charge.

In one month 59 rounds of golf were played by our Wadsworth-certified golfers. We hope to expand the Wadsworth program beyond certification to provide additional support through our caddie program or through seasonal employment opportunities.

Making a mark
The Youth Links staff has 15 employees. The course staff has three turf maintenance specialists, five inside the golf shop and five outside marshals and starters. The outside staff's role is to supervise play and make sure each guest is having fun while maintaining safety as a high priority. The golf shop sells merchandise at 20 percent over cost in order to provide reliable goods at prices the juniors and their parents can afford. The average golf shirt at the Youth Links sells for $15-$20.

We also provide food and drinks that are affordable. A hot dog, soda and chips can be purchased for $3. The shop carries staple golf items such as gloves, shirts, shoes, shorts, hats, golf balls and a wide array of junior club sets and individual clubs.

The future of Cantigny Youth Links is bright with unlimited possibilities. Our goal is to make 2001 even better. New ideas for this year include a tournament schedule that will run throughout the summer and play days for juniors who were previously certified. We hope to add menu items to the food and beverage operation that our young players will enjoy, such as frozen microwave-ready pizzas and ice cream treats. Originally our merchandise plan was simplified, but we will add displays this year and also experiment with new vendors in order to have the products that juniors prefer.

The Youth Links made its mark on the junior golfer, and we are looking forward to building a strong relationship with future golfers in the Chicago area. It is our goal to influence the next generation of golfers in a positive manner while showing them that golf is more than just a game. It is a game of a lifetime.

Michael Nass is superintendent at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill., and a 23-year member of GCSAA.