Courtney Trimble and her husband relocated to Barrington less than two years ago. The couple has had lengthy careers in the golf world with Trimble having coached women’s golf at the collegiate level, most recently at the University of Louisville. So it should be expected that one of the first things she was looking for when she got to town was a great place to play golf.

“It was this incredible surprise to find that the Barrington Park District golf course is this gorgeous, tree lined, five-hole gem,” she says. The par-3 course at Langendorf Park is owned and operated by the City of Barrington.

“What I love most about this course is that it’s accessible to so many people,” she explains. “A lot of people give up on the idea of playing golf because it takes so much time. But you can literally play this entire course in about an hour. It’s great for beginners, children, families, or golfers who just love to play. And right now you can just jump on the course and play—there’s no need to reserve a tee time.”

Trimble is currently working with six other community members, in conjunction with the city’s park district, to develop a strategic plan for the Barrington Park District golf course—including enhanced programming to spotlight what golf can offer to the community.

This fall, under Trimble’s company, Fore Leaders, Barrington Park District introduced a junior golf program for children ages 7 to 12. Fore Leaders uses an approach that helps players learn, and fall in love with, the sport of golf. The Barrington Park District has also supported the First Tee program. First Tee is a national golf initiative with a mission to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

“Given our current world with the pandemic, the more people we can expose to golf at an earlier age, the better,” Trimble says of one of the few sports people have been able to participate in this year where no contact and social distancing are the norm. “This sport creates lots of opportunities for people and I love seeing young girls getting involved. This is a sport you can play for life.”

Raising awareness of Barrington’s five-hole course is at the cornerstone of the initiative Trimble is consulting on. “I have a hunch there are people who have lived in Barrington for years who don’t know this course is here,” she says. “We really believe that if we build the programming, with the help of the Barrington Park District and the First Tee Program, the golfers will come.”

To learn more about the efforts in place to support the Barrington Park District golf course, contact Courtney Trimble at [email protected].