Chicago course recommendations

Where are you staying, how far are you willing to drive, what kind of price point are you looking at, and how difficult of a course you want to play.

If you are staying downtown or nearby, there is nothing good less than a 25 - 30 minute drive, but there are some truly terrific public-access courses (some approaching world class) in the area if you're willing to drive 30 minutes or so.

In no order:

Cog Hill #4
Harborside - Starboard
Cantigny (Woodside/Lakeside)
Pine Meadow
Cog Hill #2
Harborside - Port
Glen Club
Thunderhawk
Stonewall Orchard
Ravisloe
Mistwood
Ruffled Feathers

All of those are a 25 - 50 minute drive from downtown on a weekend morning.

For better or worse, Chicago is known for having perhaps the best - or among the very best - collection of private clubs in the country (Medinah, Olympia Fields, Chicago GC, Butler National, Bob O'Link, Conway Farms, Skokie, Flossmoor, Butterfield, Kemper Lakes, Ivanhoe, etc., etc., etc.), so the public-access stuff probably isn't quite at the level of a South Florida or California, but it's pretty damn good.

Also, it will be crispy when you tee off. Dress accordingly.

You going play the Loop?

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In no order:

Cog Hill #4
Harborside - Starboard
Cantigny (Woodside/Lakeside)
Pine Meadow
Cog Hill #2
Harborside - Port
Glen Club
Thunderhawk
Stonewall Orchard
Ravisloe
Mistwood
Ruffled Feathers

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In addition to this list, i'd put Lost Marsh on it which is in Indiana but only 20-30 away from Chicago. It really depends on where you're staying.

Here's a photo I took of Harborside about 4 weeks ago. It was in great shape. If you can play Harborside which is 15-20 min away from downtown, you should play that. Cog Hill #4 is expensive and a no frills golf course. Their carts are from 1970, barely run and they keep that course in very tough conditions. If that's what you're looking for then go for it. Harborside is also pretty tough but it's also always windy.

Harborside

quote:

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You going play the Loop?

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Point O Woods, Lost Dunes, and Dunes Club

All 3 of those are great courses. Chicago has a ton of really nice courses, the problem is they are all 1-2 hours from the city bc of traffic and the playable months are obviously shorter compared to other regions.

Harborside is tough to beat simply bc it is so close to the city and you can get favorable rates ~$69ish fairly easy.

I play Sydney Marovitz a couple times a week simply bc it is in the actual city. For a city course it is in damn good shape but is only 9 holes. I would recommend it tho it is a fun track and is just so convenient.


ETA if you are literally only coming for golf, I would probably consider staying out in Schaumburg or Oakbrook so you aren't killing yourself in traffic everyday. Or better yet stay up in Geneva and play Grand Geneva, Stonewall Orchard etc