History
A Family Buisness
Pine Hills is a family business that’s been serving the Illinois Valley—and beyond—for generations. Built in 1924, Pine Hills is one of the oldest and most scenic courses in the area. Nestled in the Covel Creek Valley, Pine Hills offers 9 holes of natural beauty and challenging golf.
From Humble Beginnings
Pine Hills began as Ottawa Country Club and came to its South Ottawa location in exchange for an original Naplate site purchased by Libby Owens Ford in the 1920’s. Pine Hills Golf Course was designed by Thomas Bendelow and opened in 1924. Bendelow was a Scottish-American architect who’s often referred to as the Johnny Appleseed of Golf. He was a naturalist who traveled the country designing courses to fit into the landscape. He is said to have designed some 600 courses in a 35 year span and was the visionary of Medinah Country Club, Olympia Fields and the Atlanta Athletic Club. In the 1940’s Mike “Pro” Sipula bought Ottawa Country Club and changed the name to Pine Hills.
