Roland Barkau Memorial Golf Course

Roland Barkau Memorial Golf Course in Okawville, Illinois, is a public facility designed by Robert Garard and Gary Hoelcher. The course serves the small community of Okawville, located in Washington County in the southwestern part of the state, roughly fifty miles east of St. Louis. The layout reflects the relatively flat to gently rolling terrain typical of southern Illinois farmland, with the design working within the natural topography of the region. The course provides straightforward golf for local players and visitors passing through the area. As a memorial course, it honors Roland Barkau, though specific details about his connection to the community or the course's founding are part of local history rather than widely documented. The facility operates as an accessible option for golfers in a region where public courses serve as community gathering places and introduce the game to new players. The routing likely incorporates modest elevation changes and mature trees that frame holes, characteristics common to courses built on converted agricultural land in this part of Illinois. Water features and bunkers provide strategic interest without overwhelming the design. The course serves both recreational golfers and local league play, functioning as a practical amenity for Okawville and surrounding Washington County communities. Its role as a public course in a small town makes it representative of how golf is sustained in rural American settings.