Unfortunately, or fortunately for some, we had to say good-bye to two old willow trees this winter. One was located on the 1st hole near the creek, and the other was to the left of 5 green. The removal of these trees is one of the changes golfers may notice in 2010.
One of the best parts of working at a golf course is getting to see interesting wildlife every day. At Sugar Creek, we see great blue heron, white egrets, mallards, and green heron almost every day during the season. These birds especially like hanging out by the bridge between the 5th and 6th hole at sunrise and sunset. For most of the day, they hunt for fish in the pond.
Other animals like coyote, beaver, fox, and even deer are seen more rarely at sunrise. Luckily the beaver has not been seen for 3 years!
Over the past few years, I've been able to capture a decent amount of these animals on camera. There are a lot more smaller mammals and songbirds around that have so far evaded the camera. Keep your eyes open next time you play Sugar Creek. You never know what you might see!
Kevin Goss is the Superintendent at Sugar Creek Golf Course in Villa Park, IL. Sugar Creek is a fun and challenging 9-hole course and driving range located in the western suburbs of Chicago.