Balmoral Woods - Crete

I traveled south down Route 394 earlier this summer and somehow ended up in Northern Michigan!  At least that's how it felt after I played 18 holes at Balmoral Woods CC (www.balmoralwoods.com) in south suburban Crete.  This par 72 layout is loaded with magnificient mature trees and elevation changes, utilizing the rolling terrain near the Indiana border to offer a memorable golf experience.

I've played Balmoral Woods several times over the last 30 years, although it had been a while since I made the trek there, so I put it on my courses to play list for 2012 and took advantage of the 55 and older senior rate ($36 w/c after 2 pm) on a Monday afternoon a month after turning double nickels.  The day started auspiciously as I had left my clubs in my wife's car and didn't have time to drive to her work to get them, so I grabbed hers and headed out to meet my friends. (I shot a 41 on the back nine, I should use them more often!)

The course plays to just over 6,600 yards from the back tees (6,300 and 5,100 are the distances for the other 2 sets), certainly not long by today's standards, but Balmoral Woods feels much more substantial than the yardage indicates.  The 9's are split into an unusual par 38 / 34 configuration, with four par 5's on the front, but no hole defines this course more than the 7th, at 548 yards the longest at Balmoral.  A tunnel of trees frames both sides of the fairway from tee to green, with a sharp left turn midway to the hole down a steep hill.  A creek crosses directly in front of the green to discourage thoughts of reaching in 2, and the putting surface is wide, shallow and multi-tiered; this is without a doubt one of my favorite holes in the Windy City area.

The shortest par five, #12, is also one of my favorites here, another tight drive through the woods and over a ridge, with a beautiful view of the slightly elevated green sitting in an amphitheater of hardwoods.  The following hole is the other attention grabber at Balmoral, an intimidating 200 yards over a valley, with off target shots in the woods, and any short requiring a tricky uphill chip shot to the smallish green.  There are plenty more good holes to like here, with the 9th (par 5 with the tee deep in the woods), 10th (long par 4 dogleg left from an elevated tee), and the 11th and 16th (both par 3's over ponds) among the best.  And any good course needs a strong finish, and Balmoral delivers with a 430 yard par 4 with a challenging tee shot between water left and woods right, and

 

a demanding approach to an elevated green.

Balmoral Woods plays to a stout 72.4 / 131 rating / slope from the back tees, and reduces slightly to 70.9 / 128 from the middle tees, still a significant challenge for most golfers.  The knock over the years has been the course conditioning, but on my visit this summer the fairways were in excellent shape and the greens were firm but receptive.  The 30 or so sand traps, however, had not drained well from a rain storm 2 days earlier, but overall the conditions were not an issue.  There are a few homes on the fringes of the 14th and 15th holes, but you would have to get past a bunch of massive trees to reach them.  The layout is spacious, with the 3rd / 4th and 17th / 18th holes offering the only real opportunity to wander into another fairway.

The green fees at Balmoral are a bargain at $44 with cart during the week, but jumps to $62 on the weekend.  Although a bit steep compared to the other courses in this neighborhood, when considering the quality of the layout, this is money well spent.  The lack of a driving range might be a problem for golfers needing a few swings before the round, but that's one of the few amenities missing here.  So if you're looking for a scenic, challenging course in the far south suburbs that's a cut above, then Balmoral Woods is a prime option and worthy of the drive.


Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 8.5
Playability (20%) - 7.5
Conditioning (15%) - 8
Aesthetics (15%) - 9
Amenities (10%) - 7
Value (20%) - 8.5

Total Score - 81.5

 Balmoral Woods Country Club

26732 S. Balmoral Woods Dr, Crete (708) 672-7448
3 tees, 6,648 / 5,147 yds, par 72
72.4/131 - 70.9/128 rating / slope
M-F $35/44 to 2 pm, $30/40 after 2
Sa-Su $55/62 to 10 am, $45/55 to 2 pm, $35/48 after 2
Srs (55) $35/38 before 2 pm, $30/36 after 2 M-F
9 minute tee time intervals