Annual Chili Open Golf Classic Rescheduled Due to Ice

The snowy and cold winter appeared to be setting up near perfect conditions for the  41st annual Doc Haznow Chili Open. However, when park district crews set out to build the fairways on the frozen Crystal Lake this week, they found unfavorable conditions. The has rescheduled the event  for Saturday, Feb. 19.

The problem is that there are two thin layers of ice, with water in between, making it impossible for equipment to get out on the lake and make the fairways.

“There’s one thin layer of ice with water underneath, breaking through the first layer and water is gushing out. We can’t get the machinery out to set up the golf course,” said Joe Davison, recreation supervisor for the park district.

Davison had expected that all the snow on the lake would make this the best year ever for the event.

“We’ve played in rain. There were years when the lake was so slick people were on their stomachs crawling and  falling left and right,” Davison said.

He expected that the only challenge would be finding balls hit in snow piles.

“We dip the golf balls in paint so you can see them, but if somebody hits one into the snow, it may be impossible to find,” he said.

The lake was shaping up to provide good conditions for the golf course.

“In January and December, we had enough ice. There were years where in  late January the lake was not iced over. This year everything was falling into place for perfect weather, the best we ever had for the event in the seven years I’ve been here. Then we get a setback like this . . . We can’t control the weather,” Davison said.

The park district is offering full refunds for golfers who registered and cannot make the rescheduled date.

The forecast this week is for warmer weather. Davison said he can’t predict how that will affect conditions on the lake. He said some people have told him it will help, others that it will be worse.

The annual Chili Open consists of two, nine-hole golf courses on the frozen lake. The fairways are lined with leftover Christmas trees that are drilled into the frozen lake and the greens are indoor-outdoor carpeting.

The event started back in the ‘60s when a group of residents went out on the lake to make a golf course. Afterwards, they went to Haznow’s Restaurant for chili. Eventually the park took over the event and it grew.

The event is open to foursomes, which receive a bowl of chili and a chance to win prizes. Foursomes are encouraged to decorate their sleds for a chance to win the Best Sled contest. The cost is Cost is $115 per foursome for residents and an additional $10 for every non-resident on the team. Tee times start at 8 a.m.

For more information, call Davison at (815) 459-0680, ext. 228.