Hughes Creek Golf Club - Elburn

Hughes Creek Golf Club in far west suburban Elburn has an immediate advantage over many courses in the Windy City region -- a varied topography that provides significant elevation changes and several impressive views of the surrounding countryside.  Course designer Gordon Cunningham (Prairie Isle, Woodbine) is known for creating playable courses that will not overwhelm the less skilled, and at Hughes Creek he has succeeded quite nicely.  The 6,500 yard, par 72 layout features water hazards to different degrees on about half the holes, but the mostly spacious fairways are inviting targets and the 25 or so sand traps will not impede access to the greens, and the 6,200 yard White tees that I played sport a 70.2 / 121 rating / slope which is perfect for a 20 handicapper. 

The 1st hole sits at the top of a ridge with Hughes Road bordering the left side, straight downhill to the green with prairie to the right the last 150 yards, a fun opener to the round.  The balance of the front nine is fairly level with a combination of wetlands, wildflowers and woods bordering most fairways.  The 5th and 6th holes stood out, with the former a 415 yard par 4 with one of the tighter, more demanding tee shots on the course between the wetlands and mature trees, and the latter a 200 plus yard par 3 with a big trap to the left of the green.  The 4th hole is the shortest par 4 at 311 yards, but there is a tight landing area between a hazard to be carried off the tee (about 125 yards) and a creek towards the green, but bigger hitters will be tempted to pull driver out of the bag and clear the creek to leave a short chip shot in.  The 9th hole heads back up the ridge, a slight dog leg left with 2 big, side hill fairway traps to the right to a small, two tiered green.

The back nine has a different feel as it meanders through a subdivision at the fringes of the course, with a bit more elevation than the front side and a couple of hundred extra yards.  The 15th hole is a short (484 yard) par 5 with the fairway sloping right to left, definitely reachable in 2 for some, but the steep slopes around the green will make for tricky chip shots if you miss the approach.  The 11th and 17th holes are both really good par threes, with the 11th slightly uphill and just shy of 200 yards and the 17th featuring four sand traps fronting the green, the most heavily bunkered on the course.   

The par four 16th is only 350 yards, but you'll need to get your drive out around 225 to have a clean view as the fairway dissappears over a ridge, sloping down to the green.  The last hole heads home parallel to #9, the only 500+ yarder on the course (517, to be exact), with a wildflower studded wetland fronting the tee grabbing any drives lacking elevation and a large fairway trap catching those pushed right, a good challenge to complete the round.

Hughes Creek covers an ample 170 acres and has good spacing between holes (with the notable exception of the 3rd tee, which is uncomfortably close to the 2nd fairway), and the course is surprisingly walker friendly despite the climbs up to the 9th and 18th greens.  But the conditions will at times remind you

that you're at a public facility, as the bluegrass fairways are far from plush, although the greens and bunkers were in good shape the day I played last summer.  However, with a top weekend rate of $52 with cart, and a mere $34 during the week, Hughes Creek is at the perfect price point. 

     I have to admit that this course will always have a special place in my golf world as I carded my best round ever here, 11 over par, a few years ago.  And as I tend to focus on what a course is, not what it it not, I can overlook the lack of a driving range, the simple clubhouse  and the middling conditions and applaud the playability and the scenic views, and when the wildflowers are in bloom and large swaths of yellow populate the wetlands, this is a really nice place to tee it up.  So for west suburban golfers, I'd recommend giving Hughes Creek a try, you might have one of your best rounds, too.                  

Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 7
Playability (20%) - 8
Conditioning (15%) - 7
Aesthetics (15%) - 8
Amenities (10%) - 6.5
Value (20%) - 8.5

Total Score - 76
 

Hughes Creek Golf Club

1749 Spring Valley Drive, Elburn 60119
3 tees, 6,506 / 5,561 yds, par 72
71.4/123 - 70.0/120 rating / slope
M-Th $34 w/c  F $36 w/c
Sa-Su $52 w/c, $25 walking after 2 pm
Srs (62) / Jrs (17 & Under) $2 discount M-F
Reduced Rates available w/Kane County Resident Card ($10 purchase)

8 minute tee time intervals