Rejuvenated George Dunne Returning to Must Play Status

The stories you may have heard of the early years of the Forest Preserve National Golf Course are true, and I know because I was one of the crazed golfers who slept in their cars along Central Avenue waiting for the gates to open and grab a coveted tee time for that day.  This course was a star in the '80's, a great layout in top condition that was a "must play" Windy City destination.  But blatant neglect over an extended period tarnished the luster of this Ken Killian design and led to "don't play" status, as the subpar conditions, coupled with the late century golf course building boom, provided more and better options for south suburban golfers.

A slow but steady process of course improvements over a number of years eventually brought golfers back to Oak Forest to play the undisputed gem in the Cook County Forest Preserve stable of courses and one of the jewels of Chicagoland public golf.  Renamed after former Cook County Board President George Dunne, the layout stretches to nearly 7,300 yards from the back tees, a length matched by only Pine Meadow and Cog Hill #4 among local public tracks, and a U.S. Open qualifier held at Dunne National in 2014 is a perfect indicator of the quality of the venue.

The course sprawls over a vast area of rolling Cook County forest preserve, and the thick stands of remaining woods are home to numerous deer that will occasionally wander along the edges of the fairways.  The landing areas off the tee are typically generous, but it's risk / reward options created by the ponds on the dogleg left 4th, 11th and 18th holes that gives George Dunne its edge.

The tips play to a robust 75.4 rating / 142

slope and are meant for only scratch or low handicap golfers, but the three other tees spaced 600 to 700 yards apart provide the less accomplished player a chance to experience and survive this mega course.  I opted for the 6,700 yard Blue tees (72.7 / 136) over thee 6,150 yard Whites (70.3 / 130) the last two times I've played George Dunne, a bit of a stretch for my skills, but I finished a few shots over bogey, an acceptable score on this difficult but fair layout.

The ample available spaces makes every hole a separate entity, with only an occasional drive hit away from the water on #4 and skipping into the 5th fairway the most common spot where a ball may end up on the wrong hole.  Over 60 strategically sited sand traps, water hazards on 10 holes and large, heavily contoured greens are the main obstacles you'll encounter, and George Dunne can bite at any time if you're not fully engaged in the task at hand.

The 11th hole is a great example of how fortunes can turn quickly.  The double dogleg par five has drama on every shot, as the fairway is sandwiched between 2 ponds.  The water on the right extends up to and tightly fronts the green, and any approaches from middle right are full carries to a wide, shallow green.  I had a good round ruined a few years ago when my 130 yard third shot flew the green and landed behind both a tree and a bunker, and my psyche and score was in shambles after I finally holed my 9th shot.

The longest par five, the 586 yard 6th hole, embodies all the features the course offers.  Prairie and native grasses are to the left near the tee, with a pond hidden off to the right.  Fairway bunkers are about 150 yards out left, with several more traps fronting the green, with deep woods tightly bordering the green on the right.  The shortest par four, the 392 yard, dogleg right 8th, has a downhill tee shot that needs to be positioned left to have the best angle to clear the pond and reach the green in regulation.

Arguably the toughest stretch is saved for the finish, as the last four holes all have score wrecking potential.  The 15th is a long par 4 with a slight turn to the right, with the drive funneled through the forest which runs along the length of the right side to a huge, tilted green.  The 16th is the other par 4 under 400 yards and features the tightest drive on the course, with the continuation of the woods and a series of traps skirting the left side, and more sand surrounding the angled, elevated green.

The 17th is a beautiful par 3 at the edge of the property, all carry over water to an extremely wide putting surface allowing numerous creative pin placements.  The 18th is one of the most difficult finishes anywhere in Chicagoland.  The large pond left lets you choose how daring you want to be off the tee; I normally try to play safe to the right and short of the bunkers at the far side of the fairway, which turns this 454 yard monster into a short par 5, but whatever strategy you decide, you'll have to work hard for a par.

George Dunne has a large driving range east of the 9th hole, and I'd advise a few swings to prepare for the challenge ahead.  As with most of the Cook County Forest Preserve courses, the clubhouse amenities are modest, though the smell of grilled burgers and hot dogs along the path to the 10th tee is a nice, inviting touch. 

The course conditions, though much improved, are still a little rough in spots, and a few of the traps were under repair, most noticeably the fairway bunkers on #16.  The pace of play is a struggle at times with the 8 minute intervals, and 5 hour weekend rounds tend to be the norm on this high traffic test, so if possible, a weekday tee time is the way to go to avoid the crowds.

Whatever day you get there, once you walk up to the first tee you're transferred to a first rate Windy City golf experience, far from the nearby bustle of south suburbia.  A recent article in Chicagoland Golf suggested George Dunne as a likely candidate should the USGA decide to transform an area course into a potential U.S. Open site, and it's not that crazy to visualize the thought of the world's best at a beefed up Dunne National from fantasy to fact.  But in it's current state, George Dunne is a top local layout with a bright future and worth the trip to the south suburbs.

 Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 9.5
Playability (20%) - 8
Conditioning (15%) - 8
Aesthetics (15%) - 9
Amenities (10%) - 7.5
Value (20%) - 9

Total Score - 86

George W. Dunne National
16310 S. Central Avenue, Oak Forest
708-429-6886   www.georgedunne.forestpreservegolf.com
4 tees 7,262 - 5,452 yards, par 72
75.4/142 - 70.3/130 rating / slope (men)
71.6/126 (women)
M-F $49 walk/$65 ride, $29/45 twilight
SA-SU $55/71, $33/49 twilight
SENIORS (62)  / JUNIORS (17 and Under) - $21/37 M-F
(w/purchase of Forest Preserve Golf Card)
8 Minute Tee Time Interval
Driving Range On Site