History
Ingersoll Golf Course opened September 2, 1922, becoming the Rockford Park District's second public course. In 1919, the district purchased land at West State Street and Daisyfield Road and the Ingersoll family donated $50,000 for the old Plin Smith estate to be converted into a recreational park in honor of their son, Lt. Clayton C. Ingersoll, who died in 1918 when his plane crashed during an Army Air Corps training exercise in France. In 1921, a severe drought killed much of the newly-planted grass at Ingersoll, spurring the development of a state-of-the-art watering system. With the grass restored, Ingersoll Golf Course officially opened to the public with a patriotic ceremony honoring the memory of Lt. Ingersoll. The golf course was designed by Thomas Bendelow, who designed the country's first public course located in New York City. Bendelow also designed the famous #3 course at Medinah Country Club in Chicago.
Specialties
Ingersoll Golf Course is an 18-hole course, covering 6,228 yards. It's known for its narrow, tree-lined fairways, and gently undulating terrain. It includes sand bunkers, but does not have any water hazards.