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'The Hill' Made Famous by Walter Payton Is Now a Golf Course

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Matt Berklan | Last updated 5/3/23

One of Walter Payton's famous training locations now resides amidst a golf course. Let's take a look back at the history of "The Hill."

Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton left behind a lasting legacy that spans far beyond the gridiron. In addition to his sparkling character and accomplished career, one of Payton's defining traits was his work ethic. During his training regimens, Payton frequently took to "The Hill" in Arlington Heights for conditioning work.

It seems as though Bears' safety Jaquan Brisker knows the tale. He took to Twitter to ask about its location so he could train there too. Jarrett Payton, Walter's son, responded and said it doesn’t exist anymore, as Nickol Knoll Golf Club took over the landscape.

History of 'The Hill'

"The Hill" consisted of approximately 60 yards of black dirt that scaled up a landfill. The Bears' all-time rushing leader said if someone would have stopped halfway up the 45-degree angle trek, they would have started to slip down.

Payton detailed that the way he trained was like he was trying to kill himself. He would know enough was enough when he couldn't walk anymore. "Sweetness" treated it as a goal-setter or a will-setter.

While the training location now sits amidst a golf course and a neighborhood park, there are multiple nearby tributes to the Bears legend.

In 2000, Arlington Heights Park District named the area "Payton's Hill," which is marked by the plaque pictured below.

Nickol Knoll Golf Club also pays tribute with the signage pictured below.

Very few athletes will ever train as hard as Walter Payton did, which is why he achieved greatness so quickly. Any athlete trying to get to that level has to model Payton's work ethic. Hopefully Jaquan Brisker can find a similar place to train and push himself to that level.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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