In our latest Chicago Golf Report Podcast, Nick Conrad shares how Twilight Golf has built a national league model that now manages more than 250,000 rounds annually — all focused on recreational players .

The concept is simple, but powerful:

Make golf as easy to join as a local softball league.

For decades, organized golf has largely revolved around country clubs, formal leagues, or high-commitment memberships. Twilight Golf flips that model on its head.

Instead of exclusivity, it offers accessibility.

One of the most compelling ideas from our conversation is Twilight Golf’s role as an onboarding ramp for the modern golfer.

Not everyone wants:

But many golfers do want:

That’s exactly what Twilight Golf provides.

Twilight Golf’s structure is also uniquely aligned with golf course operators.

It’s a system designed to increase rounds without increasing workload — something that’s becoming more valuable as public golf continues to grow.

Across Chicagoland, Twilight Golf leagues are already active at many of the region’s most popular public facilities, including George Dunne National Golf Course, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Makray Memorial Golf Club, and Pine Meadow Golf Club.

These courses provide the perfect setting for Twilight’s structured, weeknight leagues — giving local golfers consistent access to well-maintained layouts while building a sense of community among players who return week after week. As more courses look to fill tee sheets and create repeat play, this model continues to gain traction across the Chicago golf landscape.

Despite its success, Nick was candid about one of the biggest challenges facing Twilight Golf today: Marketing.

With rising digital advertising costs and increasing noise online, reaching local golfers has become significantly more difficult.

That’s where partnerships, community engagement, and platforms like Chicago Golf Report can play a role in helping connect golfers with opportunities to play.

The Chicago golf market is one of the most active and diverse in the country.

With hundreds of public courses and a growing base of recreational players, the demand for structured, social, and accessible golf experiences has never been higher.

Organizations like Twilight Golf are helping meet that demand — and in the process, they’re reshaping how the game is played at the local level.

As we continue to explore the evolving Chicago golf ecosystem, one thing is becoming clear:

The future of golf isn’t just about where you play.

And that’s exactly where Twilight Golf is making its impact.

In a rapidly evolving golf landscape, few stories better capture the intersection of tradition and innovation than the return of Mike Mandakas to Olympia Fields Country Club.

Now serving as Director of Instruction, Mandakas is not simply stepping back into a familiar role—he’s leading a transformation. With him comes the full integration of Elevation Golf Academy, a growing, multi-location brand that is redefining how golfers train, improve, and engage with the game.

This partnership represents something much bigger than a traditional instruction program. It signals a shift toward a fully integrated, data-driven performance model—one that blends coaching, technology, fitness, and medical expertise into a single, cohesive experience.

At the heart of this initiative is a simple but powerful idea: golf improvement doesn’t happen in isolation.

Mandakas and his team are bringing a multidisciplinary approach to Olympia Fields, offering members access to a complete performance ecosystem. This includes:

Rather than treating these elements separately, Elevation Golf integrates them into a unified system—allowing golfers to understand not just what to change, but why those changes matter.

One of the most exciting developments at Olympia Fields is the creation of a state-of-the-art biomechanics lab, designed to analyze how golfers move in unprecedented detail.

This lab will measure:

By combining this body data with traditional club and ball metrics, players gain a complete picture of their swing. The result is a more consistent learning environment, immediate feedback, and faster improvement.

Indoor simulators further enhance this experience, allowing for year-round training in a controlled setting. This consistency—often impossible to achieve outdoors—has become a key advantage in modern instruction.

Mandakas emphasized that today’s top players aren’t just practicing more—they’re practicing smarter.

The growth of indoor golf has fundamentally changed how players interact with the game.

What was once viewed as a winter alternative is now a central component of player development. Technologies showcased by initiatives like TGL have helped legitimize simulator golf as a high-performance training tool, not just entertainment.

For Mandakas, indoor environments offer something invaluable: consistency.

Without weather variables, players can:

This shift is also attracting a younger, more tech-savvy audience—one that expects data, feedback, and measurable progress.

The Olympia Fields partnership is just one part of a broader growth strategy for Elevation Golf Academy.

The organization has established a strong presence across the Midwest, with locations including:

With additional expansion planned in Kansas City, Elevation Golf is positioning itself as a regional leader in high-performance golf training.

Each location reflects the same core philosophy: combine elite instruction with advanced technology and physical performance to create a complete player development system.

Mandakas’ return comes at a pivotal time for Olympia Fields.

Founded in 1915, the club has long been one of the most respected names in American golf. Now, it is investing heavily in its future—most notably through the planned renovation of its North Course in 2027.

The renovation aims to strike a balance between:

Interestingly, Mandakas sees this transition as an opportunity. With the course temporarily closed, members may shift more focus toward practice, instruction, and skill development—further reinforcing the value of the new performance infrastructure.

For Mandakas, this return represents more than a career move—it reflects a decade of growth.

Since his original time at Olympia Fields, he has:

He describes himself as a “much more evolved” version of the professional who first worked at the club.

That evolution is evident in his philosophy: improvement is no longer about isolated swing changes—it’s about building a system that supports the entire golfer.

The integration of Elevation Golf at Olympia Fields is part of a broader trend reshaping the industry.

Private clubs are increasingly adopting:

This shift reflects changing expectations among golfers, who now seek faster improvement, deeper insights, and more engaging experiences.

In many ways, Olympia Fields is becoming a blueprint for the future—a place where tradition and innovation coexist, and where players have access to tools once reserved for professionals.

The partnership between Mike Mandakas and Olympia Fields Country Club represents a significant step forward for golf in Chicago and beyond.

It’s a model built on integration, innovation, and a deep understanding of how golfers actually improve.

For players, it offers something powerful: a clearer path to better golf.

And for the industry, it signals what’s coming next.

The golf industry is evolving faster than at any point in the past 30 years—and much of that transformation is happening behind the scenes.

In this episode of the Chicago Golf Report Podcast, we sit down with Mark Mattingly, Executive Vice President at Landscapes Golf Management, to explore how course operators are adapting to shifting consumer expectations, aging infrastructure, and the growing role of technology in the game.

Landscapes Golf Management (LGM) has quietly become one of the most influential operators in the country, managing 70+ courses across 27 states while maintaining a boutique, family-owned approach. Their philosophy is simple but powerful: focus on making a meaningful impact at each property rather than pursuing rapid, large-scale expansion.

Landscapes currently manages six properties in the Chicagoland area:

One of the biggest themes from our conversation is the shift from traditional golf-centric operations to a broader, lifestyle-driven model.

Just a few years ago, golfers primarily joined clubs for access to the course. Today, that’s no longer the case. Social interaction, family-friendly programming, and food and beverage experiences now rank ahead of golf itself for many members.

This shift is forcing operators to rethink everything—from clubhouse design to programming—creating more casual, welcoming environments that appeal to a wider audience.

Hughes Creek Golf Course

While many golfers focus on course conditions and amenities, one of the most pressing issues in the industry is largely invisible: infrastructure.

A significant number of golf courses built during the boom of the 1990s are now reaching the end of their lifecycle. Irrigation systems, in particular, are failing at scale, often requiring replacement projects costing $3 million or more.

For operators, this creates a difficult balancing act:

Mark shares how LGM helps owners strategically phase these investments to maintain both functionality and competitiveness.

Another major takeaway from our discussion is how rapidly technology is changing both operations and the customer experience.

From AI-powered insights to real-time business intelligence dashboards, golf operators are moving away from outdated monthly reporting and toward dynamic, mid-month decision-making.

On the customer side, expectations have shifted just as dramatically.

Today’s golfer expects:

In fact, convenience is becoming one of the primary drivers of where golfers choose to play—sometimes even outweighing course quality itself.

Facilities are also evolving to meet new audiences where they are.

The rise of high-tech driving ranges and entertainment-based golf experiences has created a new entry point for beginners and casual players. These environments—often enhanced with technologies like Toptracer—combine golf with food, beverage, and social interaction.

According to Mark, these experiences aren’t competing with traditional golf—they’re feeding it. They provide a low-pressure way for new players to build confidence before transitioning onto the course.

Despite managing dozens of properties nationwide, Landscapes Golf Management remains committed to a disciplined growth strategy.

Rather than chasing volume, LGM evaluates new opportunities based on one key question:

This approach has guided their expansion, including a growing presence in the Chicago market, where they now manage multiple courses and continue to build relationships across the region.

For golfers in Chicagoland, these trends are already beginning to take shape.

From upgraded practice facilities and more casual club environments to improved booking systems and enhanced overall experiences, the local golf landscape is being reshaped in real time.

And as operators continue to invest in both infrastructure and innovation, the next decade of golf in Chicago could look very different from the last.

In this episode of the Chicago Golf Report Podcast, we talk with Matt McIntee, a longtime golf industry leader whose career spans the Crown family’s golf portfolio, Green Golf Partners, and now Troon, the largest golf management company in the world. McIntee shares an insider’s perspective on how the industry has evolved over the past 30 years—and where it’s headed next.

Our conversation explores the major economic and cultural forces shaping golf today, from the construction boom of the 1990s to the difficult contraction following the 2008 financial crisis, and finally the extraordinary resurgence that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to McIntee, golf became “essential recreation” during the pandemic years, triggering one of the largest participation surges in the sport’s history.

But while demand for golf remains strong, the industry is also facing important questions about accessibility, affordability, and the future of public golf.

Over the past three decades, the golf industry has gone through three distinct phases.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, the game experienced a massive expansion fueled largely by the popularity of Tiger Woods. Golf course construction surged across the United States, with new facilities opening at a pace rarely seen before. In the Chicago region, courses such as ThunderHawk Golf Club and Bolingbrook Golf Club represented the optimism of that era.

However, the years between 2007 and 2019 proved far more difficult. Participation remained relatively flat nationwide while the supply of golf courses remained high, creating intense pressure for operators. McIntee describes this period as one of the most stressful stretches the industry had faced.

Then came the pandemic.

Golf emerged as one of the few recreational activities that could be enjoyed safely outdoors, and participation surged almost overnight. Tee sheets filled, new players discovered the game, and many courses saw record demand.

Today, the industry is still benefiting from that momentum.

One of the most important projects currently underway in Chicago golf is the renovation of Jackson Park Golf Course.

Jackson Park Golf Course

Located on the city’s South Side, Jackson Park holds an extraordinary place in American golf history. It is widely recognized as one of the oldest public 18-hole golf courses west of the Allegheny Mountains and has deep connections to Chicago’s African-American golf community.

The current renovation aims to restore the original design vision of legendary architect Tom Bendelow while modernizing the course with state-of-the-art infrastructure.

The project includes:

The renovation also includes a major upgrade to the practice facilities, including a new putting green and practice area designed to encourage learning and community engagement.

For Chicago’s public golf system, Jackson Park represents a flagship project—a model for how historic municipal courses can be modernized while preserving their heritage.

While infrastructure improvements are important, McIntee believes the most significant transformation in golf may actually be cultural.

For decades, many golf facilities were defined by rigid rules and exclusionary traditions—strict dress codes, limited tee times for women and children, and an overall atmosphere that could feel intimidating to newcomers.

That culture is rapidly changing.

Modern operators are focused on making golf more inclusive, social, and fun. The goal is to create an environment where golfers of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels feel welcome.

Diversey Driving Range

One example McIntee highlights is Diversey Driving Range, one of the busiest driving ranges in the United States. Located along Chicago’s lakefront, the facility has become a vibrant social destination where golfers, beginners, and even first-time visitors come to experience the game.

It’s a powerful reminder that golf can be both a sport and a social experience.

Another key theme of the conversation is the emergence of a new generation of golf professionals.

Today’s leaders are increasingly focused on hospitality, community engagement, and mentorship—skills that extend far beyond traditional course operations.

These leaders view golf not just as a game, but as an experience that can bring communities together.

Chicago remains one of the most interesting golf markets in the United States because of its wide range of public and private facilities.

During our conversation, McIntee highlights several notable properties, including the renovation of George W. Dunne National Golf Course, often described as the “Bethpage Black of Chicago.” The course has long been known for delivering championship-level challenge at a municipal price point.

Other courses discussed include:

Together, these courses illustrate the depth and diversity of Chicago’s golf ecosystem.

Despite the industry’s current health, McIntee also notes a growing concern: the rising cost of golf.

In some suburban markets, green fees have climbed into the $100-plus range. While these prices reflect increasing maintenance costs and demand, they also raise important questions about accessibility.

Maintaining high-quality “value courses” is critical to ensuring that new players can continue to discover the game.

Facilities like George Dunne demonstrate that it is still possible to deliver championship-level golf at an affordable price point—an approach that may prove essential for the long-term sustainability of the sport.

Ultimately, the story of Chicago golf today is one of reinvention.

Historic courses are being restored. New players are discovering the game. A younger generation of professionals is bringing fresh ideas and energy to the industry.

And perhaps most importantly, the culture of the game is shifting toward something more inclusive, social, and community-focused.

As McIntee explains in this conversation, the goal is simple: make golf fun again.

For Chicago golfers, that future may already be underway.

What makes a golf course truly great? Is it length, difficulty, dramatic visuals, or something more subtle that reveals itself only after repeated rounds?

In this episode of the Chicago Golf Report Podcast, we talk with golf course architect Greg Martin, founder of Greg Martin Design, to explore the philosophy, economics, and real-world challenges behind modern golf course architecture.

Martin has spent decades designing and renovating golf courses across the Midwest and beyond. His work reflects a philosophy that places strategy, playability, and sustainability above architectural ego. Throughout our conversation, he explains why the best golf courses aren’t necessarily the longest or the most visually dramatic—but rather the ones that keep golfers coming back.

For Martin, great golf course architecture lives at the intersection of art, engineering, and human experience.

One of the most compelling themes from our discussion was Martin’s distinction between pure art and architecture.

Art can exist solely for expression. Architecture, however, must serve a purpose.

Golf course architecture sits in this unique middle ground. While design aesthetics matter, the ultimate test of a golf course is much simpler: do golfers want to return and play it again?

Martin believes the success of a design depends on how well the course works for players. The routing, the shot options, the visual cues, and even the unseen infrastructure must all come together seamlessly to create an enjoyable experience.

He describes this as the “magic trick” of golf course architecture.

The architect must solve complex problems—drainage, irrigation, grading, and infrastructure—while ensuring that the golfer never notices those solutions. When done well, the engineering disappears into the background and the golfer remains immersed in the challenge and beauty of the course.

One of the biggest misconceptions in modern golf course design is the belief that longer automatically means better.

Martin pushes back strongly on this idea.

Some of the greatest holes in golf history are not long at all. Instead, they challenge players through strategic decision-making and shot execution.

A perfect example is the famous 10th hole at Riviera Country Club, a short par-4 that continues to confound even the world’s best golfers. Its brilliance lies not in distance but in the choices it forces players to make from the tee.

This philosophy drives Martin’s approach to design. The goal is not to overwhelm players with length, but to create holes that require thoughtful strategy and reward precise shot-making.

Equally important, great architecture should be inclusive across skill levels. A well-designed course should challenge accomplished golfers while still being enjoyable for beginners, juniors, and senior players.

The best courses create options rather than obstacles.

Another key topic in our discussion was the economics and lifecycle of golf course renovation.

Like any complex property, golf courses require periodic reinvestment. Infrastructure components such as bunkers, drainage systems, irrigation networks, and cart paths gradually wear out and must be replaced or updated.

Martin compares the process to maintaining a home. Roofs eventually need replacement, floors wear down, and systems become outdated.

In golf, these updates typically occur every 10 to 15 years, depending on the resources of the facility and the expectations of its golfers.

Private clubs often renovate more frequently due to member demand and available capital. Public facilities, on the other hand, must balance improvements against strict return-on-investment considerations.

Failing to reinvest can create what Martin calls “the cost of nothing.” Postponing updates often leads to declining course conditions, higher maintenance costs, and reduced competitiveness in the market.

Modern golf course design is increasingly shaped by operational realities.

Labor costs, equipment expenses, and maintenance demands have risen significantly in recent years. As a result, architects must think carefully about how their designs will function over the long term.

A course can look spectacular on paper, but if it requires unrealistic maintenance resources, it may become unsustainable.

This means architects must balance creativity with practicality, ensuring that the design aligns with the facility’s maintenance capabilities.

Collaboration with operators and management companies has become an important part of the process. Organizations like Troon often provide valuable operational insights, including data on golfer flow, pace of play, and maintenance logistics.

These insights allow architects to design courses that are not only interesting to play but also efficient to operate.

Another fascinating aspect of our conversation involved the environmental potential of modern golf courses.

Projects like The Preserve at Oak Meadows demonstrate how golf course development can provide significant ecological benefits.

The Preserve project involved a complete transformation of the property, incorporating stormwater management improvements, habitat restoration, and water quality enhancements.

Golf courses often occupy large tracts of land in urban or suburban environments. When designed thoughtfully, they can serve as valuable environmental assets, supporting wildlife habitats and improving local water systems.

This approach represents a growing trend within golf architecture—one that aligns environmental responsibility with the golfer experience.

During the episode, Martin also discussed several notable Chicagoland projects that illustrate different architectural challenges.

At Orchard Valley Golf Course, the focus was on respecting the original Ken Kavanaugh design while updating strategy and hazards to meet modern play.

Settler’s Hill Golf Course presented a completely different challenge. Built on a landfill site, the course features dramatic elevation changes and a routing that Martin describes as a “roller coaster ride” designed purely for enjoyment.

At Whitetail Ridge Golf Club, the design takes advantage of two distinct landscape environments, creating visual variety and strategic interest throughout the round.

Meanwhile, Rich Harvest Links represents one of the most prominent private golf facilities in the region, featuring a challenging layout paired with world-class amenities.

Each project demonstrates how architectural strategy must adapt to the unique characteristics of the land.

Martin’s ongoing work at Maple Meadows Golf Course provides a glimpse into some of the most interesting trends in contemporary course design.

Rather than relying heavily on sand bunkers as hazards, the design emphasizes short grass runoff areas that allow the ball to bounce and roll into difficult positions.

This approach increases strategy while reducing maintenance requirements.

The renovation also incorporates larger greens and expanded targets, making the course more accessible while still preserving shot-making challenges.

Martin explained that more than 25 different routing options were studied before arriving at the final plan—an example of the detailed planning that goes into even modest renovation projects.

Despite this extensive analysis, the ultimate goal is simplicity. The routing should feel natural and intuitive, as if the course could exist no other way.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from our conversation is Martin’s view that golf courses are living systems.

They evolve over time as infrastructure ages, player expectations shift, and environmental conditions change.

Good architecture does not freeze a course in time. Instead, it provides a framework that can adapt and improve over decades.

By prioritizing infrastructure integrity, maintenance sustainability, and strategic variety, Martin aims to create golf courses that remain both enjoyable for golfers and viable for operators.

In this episode of Chicago Golf Report, we talk with Bertrand Quentin, one the founders of Megalodome Golf, to discuss one of the most ambitious golf projects ever proposed — the world’s first full-scale indoor golf course.

After seven years of research and development, the Megalodome team is preparing to build a climate-controlled golf facility that allows golfers to hit full driver shots inside a massive dome structure — three times larger than traditional golf domes.

• Each dome measures approximately 300 feet wide by 900 feet long (300 yards) — long enough for full driver play

The full vision includes a four-dome complex:

Unlike traditional private clubs, Megalodome plans to operate primarily on a green-fee model, not memberships.

Key revenue streams include:

Because the course uses artificial turf and trees, maintenance costs are dramatically reduced compared to traditional outdoor facilities — creating a high-margin operating model.

The first target market is the Chicagoland area, particularly the Oswego/Naperville corridor west of the city. The region’s long winter season creates a natural off-season for golf — which Megalodome aims to eliminate.

There is also interest from:

One strategic option under consideration is partnering with existing 27-hole courses and converting nine holes into an indoor Megalodome facility.

The project is currently raising $50–$60 million through a Private Placement Memorandum under Rule 506(c).

If full funding isn’t secured immediately, the facility may be built in phases — starting with the practice dome.

Imagine playing a full round of golf in January… in Chicago.

Palm trees overhead. Blue “sky” ceiling. A two-hour round. Grab a beer afterward — just like a traditional course.

The founders believe this could redefine how and when golf is played, turning it into a true 12-month sport in northern climates.

In this episode of the Chicago Golf Report Podcast, we meet Don Borschel, founder of The Haven Indoor Golf in Palos Heights, Illinois, to break down what it really takes to build and operate a successful standalone indoor golf simulator business.

Opened in December 2021 after Don pivoted from a corporate finance career during COVID, The Haven is intentionally built for serious golfers. Instead of leaning into arcade-style gaming, the facility is powered by high-accuracy Foresight technology, delivering the kind of real ball data competitive players demand.

But the story goes far deeper than just great tech.

Don transformed a former independent drugstore in his hometown into a four-bay indoor golf simulator facility complete with a full bar and food service. The build-out process? Excruciating.

From liquor license requirements (which forced the addition of a kitchen) to ADA compliance and bathroom size regulations, the design went through multiple iterations before landing on the final layout. The lesson: zoning, licensing, and infrastructure decisions can make or break your financial model.

If you think indoor golf is passive income, think again.

Don shares that in the early stages, he was working 80–100 hours per week just to build systems and train staff. Winter is the prime season — and it’s a grind. From screen replacements to mat wear-and-tear (and even protecting screens from Sharpie-marked golf balls), maintaining a premium experience requires constant oversight.

This isn’t absentee ownership. It’s hands-on.

The Haven’s retention strategy focuses on replicating the real golf experience:

Don also partners with instructors to drive lesson traffic — creating a pipeline of serious golfers who return regularly to practice and improve.

And one underrated strategy? Steering beginners toward easier courses so they leave having fun — not frustrated.

In the last decade, the Chicago area has gone from fewer than 20 standalone simulator businesses to over 110. That kind of growth brings opportunity — and saturation.

Today’s customers are far more educated about simulator technology. They expect accuracy. They expect realism. And they’re willing to drive 20–30 minutes for a premium experience.

With the rise of televised indoor leagues like TGL, the legitimacy of indoor golf continues to grow — but summer seasonality and fixed overhead remain major business challenges.

If you’re considering opening a simulator business — or you’re just curious how the indoor golf economy really works — this episode delivers practical, boots-on-the-ground insight from someone living it every day.

Colin shares how outdated, friction-heavy club systems are costing staff time and frustrating members—and how Whoosh was built to fix that.

The future of golf and club management isn’t more tech—it’s less friction. Whoosh is betting that when technology disappears into the background, both staff and members win.

We also talk about the new era of golf media: the fragmentation of content, why it’s a net positive, and how creators are changing storytelling around major events. Roger reflects on the 2025 Ryder Cup, then shares big hopes for the Presidents Cup in Chicago—a chance for a true “redemption story,” stronger team energy, and a global spotlight on the city (and the newly redesigned Medinah Country Club).

Finally, Roger highlights his work making golf more inclusive in Chicago along with KemperSports, and calls out the local courses that matter most—plus his personal philosophy on competition, curiosity, and improving while balancing parenthood.

Alex brings a unique perspective as a former collegiate and professional golfer turned strength and conditioning coach for some of the world’s top PGA Tour players. Throughout the conversation, he breaks down how modern golfers can train like the pros, optimize mobility and strength, reduce injury risk, and build athletic foundations that translate directly to better performance on the golf course. 

Whether you’re a competitive player, a coach, or someone looking to elevate your golf game through physical training, Alex’s insights bridge the gap between sport science and practical golf-specific conditioning. Expect expert tips on effective training routines, the role of power and flexibility in the golf swing, and how mindset and preparation off the course can drive results on it. 

Alex Bennett is the Director of Athletic Performance at the PGA Tour Performance Center, where he develops training programs for elite professional golfers. With a background in competitive golf and advanced performance training, Alex offers a clear and relatable approach to improving golf through physical preparedness.