For more than 20 years, Canyata was one of those places mentioned only within certain social circles. Even most well-connected, well-informed, plugged-in golfers likely hadn’t heard of it. Or, if they had, it was largely shrouded in mystery—a private golf course with plenty of mystique. If you knew, you knew. More specifically, you had to know the right people.

Really, you had to know Gerald Forsythe.

The energy and auto racing magnate built the ultra-private golf course in 2004. Set within the vast farming plains of east central Illinois, the course began as a three-hole concept but eventually expanded to 18 holes once course architect Michael Benkusky convinced Forsythe that his cornfield was primed for golf and destined to be a championship course.

That respected golf publications and course architecture experts rank Canyata high on their lists of the best new courses built since 2000 speaks volumes, especially given the fact that for two decades the course was all but inaccessible to anyone outside of Forsythe’s social circle. However, the reaction that most first-time visitors have when arriving at the course is no less significant. After entering the gates and traversing a two-mile driveway, passing idyllic pastures and crossing riverbeds, members and their guests are almost always surprised to discover that it’s the property’s general manager, Brent Allen, who welcomes them at the door, and Canyata’s executive chef, Gustavo Miranda, is the person serving them a welcome cup of freshly made soup.

The intimate nature of the Canyata experience continues out on the course, where members and guests feel as though they have the routing completely to themselves. “It’s the type of place you go and you forget what day of the week it is [when you’re there],” Jeff Goodsell, president of Icon Golf, says of the course, which he describes as a billionaire playground. “You don’t know what time it is. You forget about checking emails or voicemails. You just kind of melt into nature. It has that kind of impact on you.”

As for the course itself, Canyata’s 7,200 yards tumble over rolling hills and are distinguished by broad fairways averaging more than 50 yards in width and expansive greens that stretch beyond 7,000 square feet in area. Elaborate water features, dynamic bunkers, and immaculate conditioning further characterize the landscape and make for memorable rounds. Best of all, the course is mostly hidden from Interstate 70 only four miles to the south.

Off the course—though only steps from some of the fairways—a trio of lakes provides equally high-quality fishing opportunities. “There are more fish in there from five to 12 pounds than I’ve ever seen in one spot,” Jeff Goodsell, president of the multi-club membership program Icon Golf, enthusiastically declares. It explains why the club’s spinner rods are popular accessories for members who want to cast for smallmouth and largemouth bass either after their rounds or, sometimes, during them.

World-class golf; incredible fishing; sophisticated food and beverage; and elevated hospitality—these are the amenities and experiences that only a lucky few enjoyed at Canyata for two-plus decades. Last year, however, that changed when Escalante Golf acquired the property, establishing it as the home club for Icon Golf, a multi-club membership program that Goodsell created in 2014. That means that hundreds of Icon Golf members now have the opportunity to experience Canyata in all its glory. Moreover, being an Icon Golf member is the only way you can gain access to those pristine fairways. Yet, there are plenty of additional reasons to join.

When Icon Golf was formed, the concept wasn’t new; other entities offering access to several clubs through a single membership already existed. In fact, Goodsell had first-hand experience as a paying customer with one of them. Yet, it was because of his own membership experiences that Goodsell knew opportunities were out there to create something better.

“By design, I wanted to create something that was different,” he says. That isn’t to say that there weren’t positive aspects to Goodsell’s prior experience. He loved having access to so many different golf clubs all around the country. But it was how he felt when he was at those clubs—how he could sense that the clubs’ staff and their local members viewed him as an outsider—that left him wanting so much more.

It’s for that reason that Escalante created a culture where Icon Golf members are considered guests of the owner. “You start to feel like somebody that’s made to feel welcome,” Goodsell explains. That welcome isn’t incidental. It’s intentional. Icon Golf members are treated as extensions of each club’s own community, greeted warmly by staff, introduced to local members, and afforded the kind of personalized attention that transforms a round of golf into something far more memorable.

Escalante has plans to continue evolving the Icon Golf membership experience, but it also has big plans for Canyata, though they won’t create stereotypical golf club or country club experiences. Eight four-bedroom member cottages are currently under construction, as is a spacious dining hall, bar, and outdoor entertainment area. In the near future, members and guests can also expect a country store, a par-3 course, and a lighted putting green. Those amenities are guaranteed to elevate the member experience at the club even more, which is saying something. After all, Canyata—as Goodsell aptly describes it—is already “very unique and very special.”

This email was produced in partnership with Icon Golf.