Big Run Golf Club in Lockport (www.bigrungolf.com) is aptly named, because everything here is BIG...trees, fairways, greens, bunkers, elevation changes, yardage (7,028 from the tips) and difficulty (74.4/138), supersized is the rule at Big Run. The course resides at the southern edge of what I consider the Chicagoland public golfers version of nirvana, a 3.5 mile stretch along Archer Avenue that includes eight 18 hole courses (Cog Hill 1 thru 4, Gleneagles Red & White, Ruffled Feathers, Big Run). The course is celebrating its 80th year of existence (no, I was not at the grand opening!), and has undergone a number of changes since I began playing there in the early 80’s. The esteemed golf architect Dick Nugent has updated the course over the last 3 decades, and took an already good layout up another level, as golf experiences go.
The defining feature at Big Run are the hills, which are numerous and steep and quite unlike most other courses in the Chicago area; all you need is some mountains in the distance and you’d think you were in Colorado. The 4 par 5’s here are among the most daunting group of holes you’ll find, with an average yardage of just over 570 yards from the back tees. Holes 9, 15 and 18 feature steep inclines to the green, which reminds me of a time many years ago in my wayward youth when I walked Big Run after a long night out, and literally crawled up the 18th fairway to the green. WINDY CITY PUBLIC GOLFERS GUIDE WARNING: this course is walkable for only those who are in really good physical condition!
The par 3’s at Big Run have all been redesigned to some extent, and #13 is one of my favorites in the area, a long downhill tee shot set back in the trees to a green protected by a creek, a lake and a bunker, a great hole with a great view. #7 is the exact opposite, a short uphill shot, not much more than a 9-iron, where the flag is often times out of view, and the green (along with #11) is one of the more outrageously sloped (borderline unputtable) surfaces that you’ll come across. And the 160 yard 4th hole is protected by not 1, not 2, but 7 bunkers! (BIG, remember?)
Other highlights are the 2nd hole, a 415 yard par 4 with a lake on the left in play off the tee and a super tough approach over Long Run Creek to an elevated, two-tiered green, and #11, a 425 yard dogleg left with another uphill approach to the aforementioned green that ranks as the easiest to 3 (or more) putt of any I can recall. The par 4 12th hole requires an accurate drive through thick stands of trees framing the fairway, and just in case you don't lose your ball off the tee, there's a pond tucked off to the right (usually out of sight on your 2nd shot) that will help. And both nines end with an appropriate BIG finish, with #9 a 610 yard monster that weaves and rises through a gauntlet of trees to a difficult multi-tiered green, and #18, a bit shorter than #9 at 540 yards, but not necessarily easier, with a 2nd shot over the creek and the rise to the green that is better suited to a mountain goat than a human being.
Although the conditions over the years have been a bit spotty, this is a premier layout that is a must play (at least once) for anyone who appreciates classic parkland courses. But remember to bring your “A” game, or you will be humbled, regardless of which of the 4 sets of tees you decide to play. Big Run will cost you $69 w/cart in prime weekend time, not a bad price for this thrill ride of a course, but for the budget minded golfer, you can ride for $44 after 2 pm Monday thru Friday, or $49 before 10 am during the week or on weekends after 2 pm. At these prices, this is a deal. And remember, unless you run marathons or enjoy torture, take one of the GPS equipped carts and have a good time.
Mr Z Rating
Layout - 9
Playability - 6.5
Conditioning - 7
Aesthetics - 9.5
Amenities - 6.5
Value - 8.5
Total Score - 79
No comments:
Post a Comment