The Water's Edge Golf Course, Chicago, USA has reopened following a US$5 million renovation by golf architect Richard Mandell and Aspen Corporation.

The par 72 course now features faster and more durable greens with the addition of A1 and A4 bent grass. New irrigation systems were installed to help maintain the integrity of the greens, with other improvements including the removal of several barrier trees, reworked sand bunkers and enlarged teeing areas.

Set along 13.5 miles of shoreline at Smith Mountain Lake, the course was originally designed in 1988 by the late Raymond Loving, Jr, and is known for a variety of unusual obstacles from its signature island on the seventh hole to the 450-yard finishing hole.

"As a testament to Loving's work, we strived to keep the initial designs as intact as possible," said Mandell. "But by incorporating some of the most cutting edge golf architecture techniques and technology, we were able to take it to the next level, ensuring a truly memorable experience for anyone who has the opportunity to play."