Let's Play 2! 36 Holes of Great Golf on a Budget

One of my favorite golfing pastimes is taking a day off from work in the height of the summer (vacation day, of course) and playing 36 holes at two of the fine facilities that pepper the Windy City Golf landscape, which I recently did the day after the 4th of July.  Following are some of the best combination of courses that won't break your budget (under $90 total green fees, including cart) and within a 30 minute drive of one another (as per Google Maps calculation).  You may have to do a little planning to secure the right tee times to get all 36 in before dark, but all the courses listed start their discounted pm rates no later than 3 o'clock, which will allow you to finish if you book one of the earlier slots.  All the rates are published on the course websites, so additional savings may be scored with coupons, internet bookings, senior/junior discounts, etc.  So leave your cares and the weekend crowds behind and tee it up at:

SOUTH / SOUTHWEST

Big Run (Lockport) / Cog Hill #2 (Lemont) - Big Run has a $45 Early Bird Special before 10 am during the week, so get a tee time around 8 and play one of the biggest, baddest tracks in the Chicagoland area.  Go have lunch at Three Corners Bar & Grill or the Tap House Grill in Lemont (they both offer discounts to golfers with a receipt from that day), then enjoy a round at Cog Hill #2 for $40.50 at 3 pm, a bargain for this pristine parkland layout.  Total Green Fees - $85.50    Driving Distance / Time - 5.3 miles / 9 minutes

Cinder Ridge (Wilmington) / Heritage Bluffs (Channahon) - The quirky, owner designed Cinder Ridge costs $32 before 9 am and offers plenty of challenge (if not always the best conditions).  Head up I-55 for 10 miles to Heritage Bluffs and take advantage of the $34 "9 hole plus" rate after 2 pm and tackle this highly regarded Dick Nugent design.  Total Green Fees - $66    Driving Distance / Time - 10.3 miles / 14 minutes

Glenwoodie (Glenwood) / Coyote Run (Flossmoor) - The 16th hole at Glenwoodie is one of the hardest par 4's in the Windy City area, and there are plenty of other good holes at this classic course.  Reserve a time before 8 am for only $31.  Coyote Run is the remnant of the old Cherry Hills course, and the Greg Martin redesign is infinitely better, always in top shape, and a lot of fun, too.  The $39 rate starts at 2 pm.  Total Green Fees - $70    Driving Distance / Time - 5.9 miles / 16 minutes

The Odyssey (Tinley Park) / George Dunne (Oak Forest) - The Odyssey has a $38 early bird rate before 7:30, a good deal at this challenging course.  Stop in downtown Tinley Park for lunch (I like Ed 'n Joe's for pizza or a sandwich), then cruise a few miles north on Ridgeland Avenue for a twilight round for $46 at George Dunne, the thoroughbred in the Cook County  Forest Preserve golf stable and one of the best tracks in the Windy City.  Total Green Fees - $84    Driving Distance / Time - 5 miles 13 minutes

Lincoln Oaks (Crete) / Balmoral Woods (Crete) - Boost your confidence at Lincoln Oaks, the 6,200 yard, par 71 "neighborhood" course in Crete that's loaded with old school charm and beautiful bent grass fairways ($29 is all you'll pay on a weekday morning), then head south down Route 394 and test your skill at the brawny Balmoral Woods, where the $42 fee after 2 pm is worth every penny at this top far south side track.  Total Green Fees - $71    Driving Distance / Time - 7 miles / 12 minutes

Sanctuary (New Lenox) / Old Oak (Homer Glen) - The $28 all day rate on Wednesday at The Sanctuary is a primo deal at this prairie links style course.  Play Old Oak at 3 for $36 for a totally different experience, as there are possibly more trees per acre than any in Chicagoland.  The par five 5th hole is a jaw dropper.  Total Green Fees - $64    Driving Distance / Time - 6.9 miles / 13 minutes

NORTH / NORTHWEST

Shepherd's Crook (Zion) / Thunderhawk (Beach Park) - Both of these courses in the shadow of the Wisconsin border are highly rated nationally (47th and 32nd on the 2013 GolfWeek top 50 municipal course list), and the $47 twilight rate Monday thru Thursday at ThunderHawk is a steal, as this is one of the best courses I have played, period.  The $40 Early Bird Special before 8 am and 10 minute tee time intervals at Shepherd's Crook is a great way to start the day.  Total Green fees - $87    Driving Distance / Time - 4.5 miles / 9 minutes

Bittersweet (Gurnee) / Steeple Chase (Mundelein) - I've heard that Bittersweet is much improved since GolfVisions took over management, and the $30 rate before 7:30 caught my eye.  Play Monday thru Thursday to couple with Steeple Chase and the inviting twilight rate of $44 at this excellent layout, and stop at Emil's Sports Bar in Mundelein for lunch (the pulled pork cooked in the onsite smoker is delicious).  Total Green Fees - $74    Driving Distance / Time - 11.1 miles / 22 minutes

RedTail (Village of Lakewood) / Whisper Creek (Huntley) - I played RedTail a few years ago and I loved the double green island on the back nine.  $39 is all you'll pay before 1 pm during the week.  Whisper Creek flows through the Sun City complex in Huntley and is one of the few courses in the Windy City area designed by Billy Casper.  It's plenty long (7,100), Audubon Certified, and only $36 at 3 pm.  Total Green Fees - $75    Driving Distance / Time - 8.5 miles / 18 minutes

Marengo Ridge (Marengo) / Blackstone (Marengo) - Marengo is on the outer fringes of the Windy City area, but the two courses here are worth the trip.  Marengo Ridge dropped the green fees in 2013, and a weekday rate before 2 pm is only $35.  Make the short drive to the semi-private Blackstone, a WCPGG favorite, and enjoy the afternoon round at 3 for $44.  Total Green Fees - $79    Driving Distance / Time - 2.1 miles / 4 minutes

Hilldale (Hoffman Estates) / Schaumburg - Start the day (either Monday or Tuesday) at Hilldale, the only 18 hole course in Northern Illinois designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., for $35, grab a beer and burger at The Tilted Kilt on Higgins, then play at Schaumburg GC at 3 for $45.  All three nines are equally good, but the 6th hole on the Player course is the one you don't want to miss.  Total Green Fees - $80    Driving Distance / Time - 3.5 miles / 12 minutes

 

WEST / FAR WEST

Village Links of Glen Ellyn / Klein Creek (Winfield) - The Village Links is one of my favorite courses in all the Windy City, and if you can gather a foursome, the Happy Hour special of $100 total plus $18 per person cart fee is one of the best deals you'll find at a prime layout.  The Friday Happy Hour between 7 and 8 am in July and August works perfectly.  Klein Creek is not my cup of tea, but at $40 at 3 pm it's worth a try to decide for yourself and tell me I'm crazy for not liking this upscale sub-division track.  Total Green Fees - $83    Driving Distance / Time - 7.2 miles / 18 minutes

St. Andrews (West Chicago) / Bartlett Hills - The 2 courses at St. Andrews in West Chicago were built back in the late 1920's and are worth playing for historical significance alone, and the $39.50 rate before 8 am is easy on the wallet.  Bartlett Hills is straight up Route 59 and is a super solid course with an abundance of trees, hills and some excellent holes.  Total Green Fees - $77.50    Driving Distance / Time - 6.5 miles / 11 minutes

Phillips Park (Aurora) / Whitetail Ridge (Yorkville) - This is a Greg Martin double dip, as one of my favorite course architects did wonders with the redesign of Phillips Park in Aurora to create a fun, playable and aesthetically pleasing layout.  Only $44 is the regular weekday rate.  Whitetail Ridge is new on the scene (opened in 2007), and the links style on the front transitions up and around the ridge for a beauty of a back 9, and at $40 after 2 pm the perfect afternoon play.  Total Green Fees - $84    Driving Distance / Time - 12.6 miles / 22 minutes

Hughes Creek (Elburn) / Tanna Farms (Geneva) - The bluegrass fairways at Hughes Creek may be a little on the rough side at times, but the big views of the surrounding Kane County countryside and the $34 price are worth an early morning trip.  Don't let the distance at Tanna Farms (6,500 yards) fool you, this par 71 course can be a butt kicker, especially if the wind is up.  Plus I love the 6 par threes, including the island green to start the round.  $35 after 2:30 makes this a super bargain 36 holes.  Total Green Fees - $69    Driving Distance / Time - 3.9 miles / 6 minutes

I'm certain there are plenty of other combos that I failed to acknowledge, so please use the comments sections to share your favorite 36 hole weekday rounds and get out and golf!