Harry Mussatto Golf Course

Detailed description of Harry Mussatto Golf Course

The Harry Mussatto Golf Course is a Public 18 hole golf course located in Macomb, Illinois.

The present day Harry Mussatto Golf Course at Western Illinois State Teachers College in Macomb, Illinois first opened for play in 1972. The courses was designed by Ken Killian and Dick Nugent.

The rolling terrain of the Lamoine River Valley provides spectacular views and elevation changes, rare for this part of Illinois. Stadium features greet the golfer with beautifully sculpted mounds and carefully preserved forests of oaks, hickories and cottonwoods. The course also features Ken Killian's trademark of bunkering and creative water hazards that are sure to challenge golfers of all skill levels.

The first course at Western Illinois State Teachers College was built on the lawn of Sherman Hall. It consisted of three rather short holes. During the 1940s, the Western Illinois Teacher College expanded, and a 56-acre tract of land was purchased for the development of a new 9-hole golf course. The course was built on the northwest edge of campus. This course, commonly referred to as "Doc. Beu's Course," served the college for more then two decades. The need for land to further develop and expand the campus of Western Illinois University in the late 1960's created a necessity to move the course once again.

In 1970, the current front 9-hole was designed and constructed on University farmland just north of the Lamoine River. The course officially opened in 1972, and in 1973, the course was named in honor of Oscar L. Champion who coached the golf team from 1934-1943.

The back nine at Harry Mussatto Golf Course is named the Eric Gleacher Nine. Eric Gleacher has been a very good friend to the game. Gleacher, a member of the 1959 NAIA National Golf Championship Team for Western, contributed $1 million to help expand the the then 9-hole course at Western Illinois University to an 18-hole facility. The extraordinary gift has been given to bolster the WIU Leatherneck Golf Program and honor his golf coach, Harry Mussatto who was the head golf coach at WIU from 1950 - 1985.

The Harry Mussatto Golf Course stands as one of the finest 18-hole golf facilities in the state of Illinois. The facility features teaching stations which include a driving range, putting green, practice bunker, and two practice holes.

The Harry Mussatto Golf Course currently serves a variety of clientele, providing instructional recreation services for the students at Western Illinois University along with the campus faculty and staff. In addition, the Harry Mussatto Golf Course is host to the WIU Men's and Women's Golf Team as well as several Intercollegiate Athletic Department events. The golf course is the primary public golf facility in the city of Macomb.

Par for the course is 72. From the back tees the course plays to 6862 yards. From the forward tees the course measures 5069 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 16, a par-5 that plays to 539 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 17, a par-3 that plays to 174 yards from the back tees.

Watch out for # 4, a 416 yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole at Harry Mussatto Golf Course is # 17, a 174 yard par-3.