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Prior to the 1989 opening of Stonebridge Country Club, its heritage was midwestern farming. Today's golf course, tennis courts, pool and clubhouse were soybean, corn and dairy operations of the Laurenz, Frieders and Harris family farms. The most dominant reminder of the land's farming tradition is the picturesque silo on hole #7, originally part of the Frieders' farm.
Aurora Venture purchased several thousand acres in the Aurora/Naperville area including these farmlands. While they slated 712 acres for residential construction, the original plans did not include a golf course. However, with the popularity of Chicago area golf developments like White Eagle and Wynstone, Aurora Venture set out to build a premier, residential golf course community. To accomplish this goal, they were determined to hire a world-renowned golf course architect. Stonebridge golfers are richly rewarded by this decision, enjoying the privilege of playing on a Tom Fazio designed golf course.
Tom Fazio has established himself as the #1 golf course designer in the world including Golf Digest naming him as the 'best contemporary golf course architect' and Golf Course News voting him 'Golf Course Architect of the Year' five years in a row. He has been the golf design business for over 37 years, first with his family, where he co-designed Butler National, and then on his own. Notable courses that Fazio designed around the same time as Stonebridge (1989) include, Barton Creek's Fazio Foothills in Texas (1986), The Black Diamond Ranch in Citrus County, Florida (1988), rated #1 in Florida and #65 in the world, Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas (1990) and The Virginian in Bristol, Virginia (1993).
Stonebridge is an excellent example of a Fazio's key design principle, which is to maximize the natural beauty of a setting, while creating golf holes that are both challenging and fun for golfers of all skill levels. The 168-acre course is known for it's fairway dips and swales and undulating greens, which support a variety of pin placements to satisfy the most demanding playing conditions. Another design priority is to create a harmonious transition from existing topographical conditions. In this case, Fazio took advantage of the higher and uneven elevation area used primarily for cattle grazing. He retained its topographical character, affording golfers the luxury of enjoying a mature stand of trees and using it a central point where several holes converge, including hole #1 green, #5 tee, #14 green and #18 tee.
To enhance the natural beauty of the area and playability, Fazio created all the lakes and creeks, resulting in water hazard challenges on seven separate holes. In fact, these water features resulted in the Stonebridge name. As the course design called for a retention basin between holes #14 and #18 and a stream to supply water, there was a need for a bridge over the stream. This picturesque stone bridge is how Stonebridge derived its name.
Other player friendly features include close proximity between many greens and tees, making it a pleasure to walk the course. And at the end of a round, the view from the clubhouse is striking, with a panoramic view of three par 5's, holes #1, #14 and #18. The course plays 6,902 yards from the championship tees and 5,248 yards from the forward tees, offering a challenge to golfers of all skill levels. Stonebridge received national attention as it hosted The Ameritech Senior Open from 1991 to 1995. Winners in those years were Mike Hill, Dale Douglass, George Archer, John Paul Cain and Hale Irwin.
In addition to golf, Stonebridge members can enjoy a game of tennis on the club's 6 lighted, clay tennis courts or a swim in the 25-meter competition pool. Throughout the day, members can enjoy a quick snack or a gourmet meal in the 30,000 clubhouse. |
