Mr. Z's 2014 Golf Year in Review

My 2014 golf year began with a round at the Starboard Course at Harborside in mid-April and ended with the Turkey Shoot at Glendale Lakes in early November, and all told I managed to tee it up 637 times from start to finish, a little less than two-thirds of my annual goal of 1,000.  But I played 26 different public courses, including some of the very best that the golf rich Windy City has to offer.  Shepherd's Crook, Midlane, Downers Grove, St. Andrews #1, Whisper Creek and the Starboard Course were all first time visits, and I returned to my roots at Marquette Park, a course I played often in high school that I hadn't been to in 40 years.

I again experienced 9 of the 13 courses on my annual list, missing Bittersweet, Cinder Ridge, Chevy Chase and Randall Oaks, and I pledge that I will finally get to Romeoville to play the highly regarded renovation at Mistwood in 2015, as I somehow failed the last 2 years.  Here are my 10 Windy City rounds that provided the best combination of golfing pleasure and pocketbook value in 2014:

Ravisloe (Homewood) - The only public course in Chicagoland on the Donald Ross Society list, this formerly private club opened its gates to the public in 2009, and delivers a magical touch of the master architects genius.  Updated in 2002 by David Esler to unlock some of the Ross features that were lost over time, the $40 I spent to walk this track in September was one of the highlights of my year.

Cog Hill #4 (Lemont) - I was way over my head with my 20 handicap game at Dubsdread, which I found infinitely more difficult on my first visit since the Rees Jones update.  The only Illinois course ranked in the latest Golf Digest top 100 Public Course listing (#53), this is a must play for serious Windy City golfers.  The $55 discount at 4 pm provides some relief off the steep $155 rate at the former regular stop on the PGA tour.

George Dunne (Oak Forest) - I was one of the golf nuts who spent nights in my car outside the gates of the old Forest Preserve National to grab a tee time back in the 80's, and the renamed George Dunne is still one of the absolute best layouts in the Chicagoland area.  On my visit over Memorial Day Weekend a few sand traps were borderline unplayable, but the fairways and greens were in good condition.  The 75.4 / 142 slope / rating from 7,200+ tips confirms that George Dunne is one of the toughest tracks around.

Shepherd's Crook (Zion) - This Zion Park District layout just shy of the Wisconsin border was well worth the trip.  Ankle high native grasses and undulating greens are the main impediment to par, and old growth hardwoods in the middle of the course are used by architect Keith Foster to break up the monotony that at times plague links courses.  Extremely reasonable prices for the quality delivered, Shepherd's Crook played fast and firm on my mid-summer visit.

Big Run (Lockport) - You'll be hard pressed to find a more dramatic layout in the Windy City than Big Run, as the holes wind up, over and around the hilly southwest suburban topography.  Conditions have been a wild card in the past, but the course was in great shape for my end of June round.  Pick the right tees for your game or you could be in for a long day at this big time challenge.

Midlane (Wadsworth) - I'm a little leery of "resort" courses, but Midlane exceeded my expectations.  Water and wetlands are in abundance, and the three par fives were among the best trio I played all year.  Homes are uncomfortably close on a few holes for my erratic game, but the variety of holes and above average conditions more than made up for any layout deficiencies.  Oh, and the $29 w/cart rate I found on their website for an early afternoon weekend round made the trip worthwhile.

Stonewall Orchard (Grayslake) - Acclaimed architect Arthur Hills has worked sparingly in Chicagoland, but Stonewall Orchard is a fine example of his style.  Wetlands and water are in abundance, and the course has an overall upscale feel that emboldens the near $100 price tag.  Spring and fall are good times to find bargains, and a 55 and over in season senior rate also works for me.

Harborside Starboard (Chicago) - Dick Nugent turned a blighted south suburban landscape and turned it into a taste of true links.  This was not the ideal course for my first round of the year, but I took advantage of the spring discount to avoid the $100 plus summer fee.  In-season twilight is a good time to score a reduced rate at top conditions.

Downers Grove - The 9 hole course has loads of historical significance (first 18 hole course in America and original home of the Chicago Golf Club) and was a pure joy to play.  Plenty of big views and good holes packed in the west suburban landscape.

St. Andrews #1 (West Chicago) - Dating back to the 1920's, St. Andrews provides a classic parkland play and the conditions and service one expects from a Jemsek owned facility.  Extensive practice area is one of the best around.

Whisper Creek (Huntley), Whitetail Ridge (Yorkville), Willow Crest (Oak Brook), Glenwoodie (Glenwood), Water's Edge (Worth) and Wedgewood (Joliet) were also good courses that I visited in 2014 and worthy of top ten consideration.

My biggest disappointment was a fall visit to the Gold course at Green Garden in Frankfort.  I new something was amiss with the near empty parking lot on a picture perfect October morning, and I quickly discovered why as the greens on the first 2 holes were strewn with pock marks that made them borderline unputtable.  The weedy tees and fairways indicated widespread neglect at a good layout that suits my 20 handicap game well.  A lot of work is needed to reclaim the 45 hole facility and encourage south suburban golfers to return.

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I played 432 different holes in the metro Chicago area in 2014 (not including the 63 at Eagle Ridge from a Memorial Day weekend trip to Galena), and here is my "dream 18", a sampling of the most memorable holes from my Windy City play in 2014:

Par 5's

Midlane (Wadsworth) 18th Hole 540 yards - Midlane was a big surprise for me, and the 18th hole was a fitting ending.  The tee is set back in the trees with wetlands to the left, with a sharp turn right revealing an impressive view of the fairway below and the green in the distance tucked behind a pond.  A perfect drive over the ridge will have low handicappers weighing the risk / reward of going for the green for a big finish, but most will play this double dogleg as a true three shot hole.

Ravisloe (Homewood) 13th Hole 550 yards - Perfect example of the Donald Ross style as deep bunkers alternate along both sides of the fairway on this beautiful hole.  A par was the highlight of my visit to this excellent layout.

Big Run (Lockport) 9th Hole 610 yards - One of the most audacious holes in the Windy City area, 3 near perfect shots are needed to reach the green on this tight, uphill monster.  Once there, the two tiered green is an adventure.

Shepherd's Crook (Zion) - 18th Hole 570 yards - Downhill from the elevated tee with traps liberally spread along the way, the fairway appears to vanish, only to reappear with a big view of the green perched above a waste area with the clubhouse in the background.  A 10 on my first crack in mid-May on this intimidating hole ruined a decent round.

Water's Edge (Worth) 11th Hole 570 yards - OB left along the Cal Sag has a big payoff at the end, as the green is tight to the pond that borders the last 200 yards on the right.  The flower strewn hill behind the green is a visual bonus.

Par 4's

George Dunne (Oak Forest) 18th Hole 454 yards - A thin ribbon of fairway lies beyond the water that dares you to choose how much to cut off on the drive.  One of the hardest pars on any finish in the Windy City.

Cog Hill #4 (Lemont) 13th Hole 480 yards - The characteristic cavernous, penal traps border both sides of the fairway, but the 2nd shot is the bomb as you must carry a ravine that replaced the grass wall to reach the long, sloping green.

Glenwoodie (Glenwood) 16th Hole 475 yards - A perfect drive to the end of the fairway is needed to have any chance to reach the green, as the creek curls below before the small, elevated green.  Properly considered one of the toughest par 4's in Chicagoland.

Downers Grove 1st Hole 414 yards - The view from the elevated tee is a sign of things to come on this historic track.  A meandering creek is in play to the left, and it's all uphill to the green with  mature hardwoods and evergreens tight to the fairway.

Stonewall Orchard (Grayslake) 4th Hole 341 yards - A hybrid or long iron is the preferred club on this strategic short par four.  A mound left will help keep overcooked tee shots in play as the fairway tilts towards the hazard, and the 2nd shot to a green placed on the edge of the lake demands precise accuracy.

St. Andrews (West Chicago) 18th Hole 404 yards - A scenic pond borders the right side with woods left, with a shallow green at the top of the hill not the easiest to find at the finish to an old classic course.

Village Greens of Woodridge 5th Hole 426 yards - The green is out of view from the tee, and the 2nd shot has protected wetlands left and a huge elevated green guarded by a deep trap right.  My favorite hole on a good muni layout.

Gleneagles Red (Lemont) 17th Hole 461 yards - I always have butterflies standing on the tee on this difficult hole as my best drive between the hardwoods is required to provide a chance to clear the pond on the  second shot.  I've ruined a couple of good rounds here on this par 70 course.

Par 3's

Harborside Starboard (Chicago) 13th Hole 225 yards - The 17th hole may be the signature par 3 at the Starboard course, but I found the 13th offered more drama, as Lake Calumet lies below the cliffs to the right.

Willow Crest (Oak Brook) 6th Hole 182 yards - Wide, shallow green lies beyond watery wetlands with a sandy waste area in between at this Dick Nugent design at the Oak Brook Hills Resort.

Whitetail Ridge (Yorkville) 17th Hole 172 yards - Two sets of elevated tees provide different looks as water wraps around the left and back side of the heart shaped green on this picturesque hole at the rural edge of the Windy City.

Whisper Creek (Huntley) 17th Hole 189 yards - Wetlands border the left side to a large multi-tiered green, and make sure you enjoy the view back towards the tee on this Audubon certified layout in the sprawling Sun City subdivision.

Cog Hill #4 (Lemont) 6th Hole 240 yards - At the far edge of the mega Dubsdread layout, the green is ringed by the typically deep traps, but the middle tees in the 180 yard range gives hope of a par to the average golfer.  A beautiful old favorite that survived the controversial Rees Jones renovation.

Total Course - 7,303 yards Par 72

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As I explore the nooks and crannies of Windy City Golf, I always enjoy an after round beverage and food at a colorful local establishment.  Here are a few that I uncovered in 2014:

York Tavern - Oak Brook (after Willow Crest) - The burgers are the draw at this small bar and grill on York Road about a mile south of Oak Brook Golf Club.  Not a secret to locals who have been frequenting the York Tavern for years.  3702 York Road, Oak Brook 630-323-5040  www.yorktavernoakbrook.com

Tap House Grill - Lemont (after Big Run) - An extensive list of craft beers and imaginative menu makes this a great place to visit after a round at any of the Lemont area courses.  www.taphousegrills.com

If you prefer to stay at the course, the on-site restaurant / bars at Gleneagles (Lemont), Carillon (Plainfield), Tanna Farms (Geneva) and Whisper Creek (Huntley) offer good food and plenty of big screen TV's.  And the Adirondack style chairs on the covered patio overlooking the 9th and 18th holes at Shepherd's Crook was a great way to relax after completing a round.

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I love digging for bargains almost as much as playing, and there are plenty of great deals to be found on tee time sites such as Golf Pipeline or Golf Now, through discount cards like Chicago Golf Pass, or on the course websites.  Here were a few of my favorites from 2014:

$12 w/cart at Tanna Farms in Geneva on a weekday afternoon using the pass provided by Golfvisions at the Chicago Golf Show.

$25 w/cart at Shepherd's Crook on a weekday afternoon in May to take advantage of the spring rates.

$29 w/cart at Midlane on a Saturday afternoon in June with a prepaid special on their website.

$30.75 at St. Andrews #1 on a late summer weekday.  Great course to walk and enjoy the parkland setting.

$39 w/cart at Big Run using the Senior rate on a Friday afternoon was a good deal at this scenic layout.

$40 walking rate at Ravisloe on a glorious Sunday in late September was a magical experience at a great value.

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My 20 handicap skill level means that rounds under 90 are the exception and not the rule, but I did have a couple of memorable rounds and shots to relive from last season.

I played Shepherd's Crook on a cold, windy, drizzly day in May and scored an even 100 after a disastrous 10 on the final hole, but a return trip in July found the course in perfect links condition, and I kept the ball between the fescue and carded an 85, a really good score that pushed my index down to 17 at the end of the year.

I was able to squeeze in 18 holes with a 3-1/4 hour race around the Red course at Gleneagles on an after work round on July 1st, and a par on the last hole would have bested my top score, but a 10 footer in the dusk barely missed and I settled for an 82.

Nine days earlier I made my return to Cog Hill #4, and though Dubsdread is a stones throw away from Gleneagles down Archer Avenue, there is no comparing the level of difficulty as my 106 felt more like 120 on this monster course.  But somehow I stumbled upon 2 of my best holes of the year on the back nine.  A 4 wood over the ravine to the edge of the green and a chip shot that stopped a foot from the pin left a tap-in par on the very difficult par four 13th hole, but I topped that three holes later on the 16th.  My 5 iron approach missed the green to the right, but a tricky downhill pitch and run was dead center in the cup for my most unlikely birdie of the year.

Shots like that keep me coming back to the first tee, and I can't wait for the 2015 season to start.  Good golfing to all in the Windy City, see you on the course!