30 Illinois Parks and Recreation www.ILipra.org

The 27 million golfers in the United States might argue that their sport is not a game but an integral part of their lifestyle.

After all, it isn't socially acceptable to ditch work for a mere game. But it is for golf.

You can't gather up three associates, leave the office, play a game and call it work. But you can for golf. In fact, some of the best business deals are made on the course. Part of what makes golf so conducive to thoughtful business decision-making may be the course environment, which allows golfers to relax and re-connect with nature. Indeed, with rough terrains, natural grasses, trees and shrubs, the golf course is an attractive wildlife habitat.

Connecting with Nature

The Decatur Park District's newest course, Red Tail Run, adheres to this concept by connecting golfers with nature. This signature golf course, designed by legendary hall of fame player Raymond Floyd, features large undulating greens, wide rolling fairways and native plants, flowers and grasses. The native plantings are the hallmark of Red Tail Run. Oak trees stretch their limbs into large fairways while native prairie grasses, like blue stem, paint the landscape. This native terrain is well suited for wildlife. The tall grasses provide shelter for pheasant and quail. Red fox and white-tail deer dart between massive oak trees while the red-tail hawk swoops overhead. "By preserving the environment, we maintain the natural integrity of the landscape," says Rick Anderson, director of golf for the Decatur Park District. "This native setting encourages the wildlife that creates the natural ambience for the golfer. The trees also create a visual challenge by adding dimension to a golfer's game."

In fact, the course name, Red Tail Run, pays homage to the red-tail hawk, a raptor making a strong comeback in Illinois. The nature of the course is reflected as well in the names of individual holes. Hole number two, Cottonwood, embodies the landscaping of the hole. A huge cottonwood tree stands boldly on the left edge of the fairway. Number four bears the name Pheasant Hollow, because pheasants were spotted in the cornfield that once occupied this site. Hole number 15 - Oak Knoll - derives its name from the landscape. It encompasses a grouping of trees spared during the design of the hole with a huge oak looming on the left side of the fairway.

Each hole at Red Tail Run features five tee-boxes, designed to give players of all skill levels a challenging and fair game of golf. The course plays 5,100 yards from the front tees to 7,300 yards from the back tees. Raymond's Turn, holes 13 through 17, play through old established oaks in a traditional parkland setting.

The Clubhouse is Green, Too

The eco-system is also working behind the scenes. Red Tail Run uses naturally occurring temperatures to heat and cool the clubhouse. The course features a geo-thermal heat pump that is environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Pipes are embedded 200 feet below ground surface, using the constant 55-degree underground temperature to heat and air condition the clubhouse.

The golf course also uses wind energy. Windmills on holes 12 and 18 generate oxygen to aerate the ponds, which promotes ideal conditions for plant and animal life. The turf is designed to absorb and filter rainwater runoff during and after storms. Catch basins transfer the overrun to a retention pond, which, in turn, recycles the excess water to storm sewers that lead to an irrigation pond, creating a water recycling site. "Our water recycling program and preservation of the integral landscape benefits our course upkeep by decreasing the amount of maintenance and chemical use needed on the greens," says Anderson.

From Mother Nature's temperature control to native plantings, Red Tail Run optimizes the natural environment. Creating an environmentally sound and tranquil setting for golfers and nature truly makes Red Tail Run a signature course.

For more information, go online to www.redtailrun.org or call 217-422-2211.

Cindy Gutteridge is the communications/marketing manager for the Decatur Park District

www.ILparks.org March/April 2006 31