Prairie Landing GC - West Chicago

The “prairie links” course, the Midwest version of the seaside links that we see on our tv’s every year at the British Open, have become popular in Chicagoland over the last 25 years.  One of the best examples of this style is Prairie Landing in West Chicago, hidden just north of Roosevelt Road near the DuPage County airport.  The layout was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and is one of the few in this area, and accordingly carries a steep price tag ($96 w/cart top rate), but this includes access to the driving range and the 3 practice holes to get ready for your round.  And after playing Prairie Landing recently, I suggest you take advantage of the extra swings, as this rugged moonscape of a course will challenge you at every turn with a wild combination of humps and bumps, craters, wetlands, lakes, prairie and several risk / reward opportunities that will make or break your round.

The front 9 is a pure links experience, with not a hardwood in play, while the back nine weaves through woods on holes 10 thru 13, then transitions back to the open prairie through the end of the round.  The

decision making begins right out of the box on the drive from the elevated tee on the short par 4, where you can choose to go left (the safe shot with a short iron over a hazard to the green) or right (a long carry over water to a small landing area but with a better angle and a clear path to the pin). But the ultimate risk / reward opportunity at Prairie Landing is #5, 406 yds from the tips, but with 2 distinct fairways separated by a creek that runs vertically up the middle of the hole; the safe shot is to the right, but then you have a longer, tougher approach shot to a smallish green, while the left route requires a longer tee shot over the hazard, but a much simpler shot into the green. The 2 par 3’s on the front are both substantial at just under 200 yds, with #3 slightly downhill with the green surrounded by mounds and bunkers, and #6 featuring 3 different sets of tees (we played the center set) that are rotated and each provides a distinct look to the hole. The 7th hole is a beast at just under 600 yards and moderately uphill, and if playing into the southerly wind, a challenge to par. #8 may be my favorite on the front, a dogleg right par 4 with water the length of the hole right and the green perched above the hazard.

The 1^st few holes on the back have a totally different feel, as trees are present and in play.  The 11^th hole is a slight dogleg where drives too far right will be blocked out by thick stands of woods, and a waste area across the fairway about 100 yards from the green and a pond right must be navigated, and #12 is the signature par 3 of the 5 on the course, 218 yards from the back tees (and still 195 from the middle) and all carry over the pond, a formidable hole.  The 13^th hole is probably the tightest drive on the course, with woods to the left and mounds and several traps to the right, and there’s a creek that runs diagonally in front of the green to catch wayward approaches.  The other 2 par 3’s on the back, #’s 14 & 17, are tough, with 5 sand traps guarding the right side of the 14^th green, and 17 topping out at 224 yds, the lengthiest 3 par on the course.  The final hole returns to the risk / reward theme, a par 5 dogleg left that wraps around a lake; a big drive toward the left side of the fairway will let the heroic go for the glory.

Prairie Landing is without a doubt a superior layout, and all the bells and whistles that one would expect from a near triple digit greens fee club are featured here.  Although this course is very penal (73.8 / 139 from the back tees) and certainly not for everyone, there are 5 tees to choose from so you should be able to find the set that best fits your skill level.  As opposed to other courses of this style, there are a number of memorable holes, and although golfers on a budget may balk at the price, there are periodic specials that make it more palatable on the pocketbook (we payed $47 with a fall twilight rate).  So keep your eyes open for the right deal and take a trip out to West Chicago to play Prairie Landing, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 9 

Playability (20%) - 8

Conditioning (15%) - 8

Aesthetics (15%) - 8

Amenities (10%) - 9.5

Value (20%) - 7.5

Total Score -82.5