Willow Pond Golf Course, formerly known as Chanute Air Force Base G.C. When Chanute closed in 1993, it then became Willow Pond Golf Course. Golf course architect E. Lawrence Packard, designed Chanute in 1963, and designed 145 other courses worldwide (including Brookhill GC, Mattoon CC, Danville CC, and Lincolnshire Fields). He had a hand in remodeling 77 other course (including Champaign CC, Butler National and Olympia Fields CC) before his retirement in 1990. Packard courses are designed so that both men and women will have a very pleasant golfing experience. His philosophy was: “Easy pars but difficult birdies”.