Black Sheep Golf Club

Black Sheep Golf Club in Sugar Grove, Illinois, features a second nine designed by David Esler that complements the facility's broader layout. Esler, a Chicago-area architect who has worked on numerous courses throughout the Midwest, brings regional design sensibility to this western suburban location. Sugar Grove sits in Kane County, roughly fifty miles west of Chicago, in terrain that transitions from the flatter prairie lands closer to the city to more gently rolling topography as one moves toward the Fox River valley. The second nine at Black Sheep likely reflects the agricultural and pastoral character common to this part of Illinois, where golf courses often occupy former farmland. Esler's work in the region typically emphasizes playability and strategic variety suited to daily-fee golfers, with routing that takes advantage of existing land contours and natural drainage patterns. The name "Black Sheep" suggests a club identity that may embrace a more casual or unconventional approach compared to traditional private clubs in the area. Courses in this part of Kane County generally feature tree-lined fairways, modest elevation changes, and occasional water features tied to creek systems or constructed ponds. The second nine would serve as either the back nine in a traditional eighteen-hole round or as part of a multi-nine configuration, providing variety in hole lengths and shot requirements across the property.