New Golf Director Drives Big Plans For Award-Winning Midwest Course

This winter, when a warm day on the greens is a hazy memory, the new director of golf for Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, Ryan Brown, and Thomas Ruhs, general manager, will be dreaming big and making substantial upgrades to the golf experience in 2020. The Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa golf courses and resort won the 2019 Stella Award for “Best Midwest Golf Resort,” but that doesn’t mean that Ruhs and Brown are taking it easy on the back nine.

“Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa has iconic greens and beautiful grounds, but we never want to stop moving forward,” said Ruhs. “That’s one of the reasons we hired Ryan Brown, whose energy and skill will make golf at Eagle Ridge a more outstanding and memorable experience for everyone.”

Brown’s 20 years in the golf industry and 9 years as a PGA Member, brings his experience at major resorts as well as private golf clubs. He’s looking forward to expanding the Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa golf community as well as bringing new technology to the game.

“For the 2020 season we’re implementing Golf Genius, the leading web-based tournament software,” said Brown. “It’s great for groups or corporate events. Each player can see live scoring on the app or watch the results in real-time from the clubhouse.”

Brown also plans to add more opportunities for junior golfers and beginners, including clinics, private lessons, playing lessons, and custom club fittings.

“Junior golfers – those 17 and under – have always played for free at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa if they’re playing with a paying adult,” said Brown. “We are going to grow our junior program through our local schools and using programs like PGA Junior League to do so.”

Physical expansions and improvements

Along with spring program planning, construction will begin during the winter months to treat golfers to new and enhanced facilities by the start of the 2020 season.

• Woodstone restaurant, which offers magnificent panoramic views of the tri-state region, is being enlarged to accommodate more players and maintain the un-rushed atmosphere of the resort.
• The General, the largest and best-known course at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, will house an all-new and greatly expanded buildout of the golf pro shop.
• The General Store and the gas station will be moved up to Woodstone Restaurant for improved convenience.

2020 Season Rates and Packages

Golf memberships, events, classes and day rates for the 2020 season will be posted on the resort’s website at www.eagleridge.com by December. For those ready to schedule a golf event now, regardless of size, call 800-892-2269.

About Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa is located 150 miles west of Chicago within The Galena Territory, a 6,800-acre recreational, residential and resort community six miles from the historic town of Galena, Illinois. Winner of the 2019 Stella Award for “Best Golf Resort in the Midwest,” the resort’s grounds include 63 holes on four award-winning golf courses, and accommodations that range from quaint Inn rooms to a variety of villas and distinctive homes. IACC certified, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa has 15,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space and beautiful conference homes, which regularly accommodate corporate groups, banquets and weddings. Other features include award-winning restaurants, the tranquil Stonedrift Spa, and an incredible selection of outdoor activities including miles of skiing, biking, hiking and horseback riding trails, as well as tennis, hot air balloon rides, boating and fishing on the picturesque 225-acre Lake Galena. For reservations or additional information, call (800) 892-2269 or visit www.eagleridge.com.