SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A House Joint Resolution has been adopted in Springfield that urges the Illinois Office of Tourism to do a feasibility study on linking together seven golf courses in Illinois into a golf trail that could bring much-needed revenue to Southern Illinois.

The measure calls for Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Gateway National in Madison, Governors Run in Carlyle, Kokopelli in Marion, Rend Lake Golf Resort in Whittington, Stone Creek Golf Club in Urbana, and Stonewolf Golf Club in Fairview Heights into The Abraham Lincoln Golf Trail that would boost tourism and revenue to the region.

Alabama created the highly successful Robert Trent Jones Trail; Iowa and Ohio have also connected many of their golf courses and have seen tremendous positive economic growth by doing so.

Belleville Democrat Rep. Jay Hoffman sponsored the measure, HJR-62, which says the success of linking golf courses into a statewide golf trail, is dependent upon ease of use and so one internet portal would enable golfers to reserve tee times and book lodging at all seven golf courses.

Illinois state parks and lodges could utilize additional revenue streams, which could be used for maintenance, repairs, and improvements or to enhance the image and marketing of their facilities.