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WCPGG 2025 MONTH BY MONTH REVIEW - I made the most of the 2025 golf season by playing 55 different Windy City courses plus in 8 states outside Illinois, spanning from Hawaii to North Carolina.  CLICK HERE for the highs and lows of a great year of golf...

PHOTO TOUR - KANKAKEE ELKS - Approaching the 100 year anniversary, the Elks remains one of the top courses within 50 miles of Chicagoland, a timeless Langford & Moreau classic.  CLICK HERE for the updated Photo Tour...

PHOTO TOUR - ODYSSEY - Water on 12 holes, including the island green par 5 16th, provides the challenge, and the "Golf for the Greater Good" support of veterans is a worthy mission.  CLICK HERE for a recent tour of the south suburban course...

COURSE REVIEW - GLENCOE IS A CLASSIC PARKLAND WINNER - The par 72 course is a public golf oasis on the north shore, with a sparkling new clubhouse set to open in 2026.  CLICK HERE for my thoughts on why you should play GGC...

PHOTO TOUR - MILL CREEK - A challenging and unique layouts in the west suburbs, Mill Creek had gone through an extended closure but is operating at a high level now.  Always one of the more scenic courses with an abundance of wetlands, it provides a great value for local golfers.  CLICK HERE for a Photo Tour of the Roy Case design...

PHOTO TOUR - FOX BEND -One of the top value plays in the west suburbs, the Oswegoland Park District facility features an expansive practice area and soon to be updated bunkers to complement a really good layout.  CLICK HERE for a recent Photo Tour of a personal favorite...

 

LAKE SHORE DOUBLE PLAY - GOLFING GEMS AT THE ENDS OF THE WINDY CITY - The Chicago city limits is relatively barren when it comes to public golf courses, but there are two classic 9-hole layouts at either end of Lake Shore Drive that are worthy of the Windy City.  CLICK HERE for my day at Sydney Marovitz and South Shore

PHOTO TOUR - STONEWALL ORCHARD One of 2 Arthur Hills designs in the Windy City is a sprawling high-end challenge filled with scenic views.  CLICK HERE for the complete Photo Tour from a recent round at the Far North suburban layout...

1 MINUTE READ - COG HILL #2 The Ravines course at Cog Hill utilizes the dramatic topography to maximum effect and provides a less expensive (and challenging) option to Dubsdread.  CLICK HERE for my take on CH2...

PHOTO TOUR - MAKRAY - The upscale Barrington layout on Northwest Highway is known for the swift, undulating greens and is one of the more scenic tracks in the area.  CLICK HERE for the Photo Tour showing the course in all its glory...

1 MINUTE READ - CHAPEL HILL - Although it won't be on any lists of Chicagoland's best, Chapel Hill is a fun layout for the masses with decent conditions at one of the lowest price points in the Windy City.  CLICK HERE for the quick read on the McHenry County course...

PHOTO TOUR - WHITETAIL RIDGE - Located in the open spaces between Plainfield and Yorkville off Route 126, WTR has carved a niche as an upscale option in the far Southwest suburbs.  CLICK HERE to view the shot by shot tour...

   PHOTO TOUR - CHEVY CHASE - The near 100 year old course in north suburban Wheeling is loaded with history and 21st century updates have kept the traditional feel and improved the aesthetics.  CLICK HERE for the Photo Tour of the popular layout... 

1 MINUTE READ - ARLINGTON LAKES - The Arlington Heights Park District course is short on distance (5,432 yd par 68) but avoiding the ever-present water hazards and penal bunkers is a challenge.  CLICK HERE for the quick read on the northwest suburban layout...

PHOTO TOUR - OLD ORCHARD - Originally opened in 1932, Old Orchard has an old school feel with tree-lined fairways and smallish, well-guarded greens, but the 6,200 yd par 70 layout will require shot-making skill to score well.  CLICK HERE for the Photo Tour of the Prospect Heights PD course...

   

30 WINDY CITY COURSES I PLAN ON PLAYING IN 2024

At the start of every golf season, I make a list of which courses I want to visit, based on playing the ones I haven't and returning to the ones I've been away from for too long, so I can reinforce my self-appointed expert status on Windy City Public Golf.  CLICK HERE to see what courses you're likely to find me at this summer...

WCPGG 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW

2023 continued the resurgence of golf in Chicagoland, and was a great year for me personally as I played more rounds than ever and carded my 1st hole-in-one.  CLICK HERE for the full story of my best moments from last season... 

HOW HARD IS IT TO GET A HOLE-IN-ONE? IT TOOK ME 53 YEARS AND WAS TOTALLY WORTH THE WAIT

I've been golfing since I was 13 years old but the Holy Grail for golfers, the Hole-In-One, had eluded me...until a 4th of July weekend round.  CLICK HERE for all the details of the special day and my love story with Chicagoland golf...

BANG FOR THE BUCK - THE TOP VALUE PLAYS IN CHICAGOLAND - The Windy City is loaded with top notch public golfing options, but what are the best values for your time and money?  CLICK HERE for my swing at the top value plays in the Windy City.

PHOTO TOUR - STEEPLE CHASE

Steeple Chase flies under the radar in a crowded north suburban golf scene, but the Ken Killian design should be included in the conversation of the best public courses in Chicagoland.  CLICK HERE to see why the Mundelein Park District course is worth the drive...

PHOTO TOUR - HARBORSIDE PORT

One of the 2 Dick Nugent gems on the shores of Lake Calumet is a perfect example of the midwest prairie links style with a hint of Scotland included.  CLICK HERE for the shot by shot recap of a top Chicagoland course in all it's native grass glory...

THE PROCESS - NAVIGATING THE COMPLEX MAZE OF BUYING NEW IRONS

Trying to find the right equipment for your game can be a confusing, frustrating experience.  CLICK HERE to read a comprehensive review of the process I used to buy a new set of irons...

WINDY CITY PUBLIC GOLFERS GUIDE INCLUDED IN LISTING OF TOP CHICAGO GOLF BLOGS AND WEBSITES

The WCPGG has been identified as one of the top golf websites in Chicagoland.  CLICK HERE for the complete list, as compiled by Feedspot...

SUB 70 - PREMIUM, CUSTOM, AFFORDABLE CLUBS IN THE SHADOW OF CHICAGOLAND

Sub 70 is located in Sycamore, just beyond the Windy City limits, and has made its mark in Direct-to-Consumer club sales in a very short period.  CLICK HERE for an overview of the Sub 70 story...

1 MINUTE READ - BONNIE DUNDEE

Bonnie Dundee dates back to 1924, but it took a late season visit for my 1st trip to the sporty course of the Dundee Township Park District.  CLICK HERE for the quick take of this fun Northwest suburb layout...

AN EPIC WESTERN GOLF ROAD TRIP - 5 STATES, 1,600 MILES, 5 GREAT COURSES IN 8 DAYS

On a recent drive from Las Vegas home to Chicago, I played 5 fantastic courses in 8 days, all ranked in the top 20 of Golf.com's Courses You Can Play for under $150.  CLICK HERE for the full recap of this amazing buddy golf adventure...

 

WELCOME BACK! NEW AND IMPROVED SETTLER'S HILL RETURNS AFTER GREG MARTIN UPDATE

The renovated Kane County Forest Preserve course reopened on August 5th and new greens, tees and bunkers and improved playability, plus a couple of cool new holes, could bring Settler's Hill to the next level in the Windy City golf scene.  CLICK HERE for all you need to know about the updated west suburban course...

COURSE SPOTLIGHT - RANDALL OAKS STANDS TALL IN NORTHWEST SUBURBAN GOLF SCENE

Randall Oaks has been the cornerstone of the Dundee Park District since it opened in 1966, and the course has only gotten better with age. Click Here for all the details of a top Northwest suburban play...

COURSE SPOTLIGHT - HUNTLEY PARK DISTRICT WINS BIG WITH PINECREST   The Huntley Park District purchased Pinecrest Golf Club in 2003 and all indicationd are that it was a good investment.  Click Here to read the evolution of a Pinecrest from its opening in 1972 to today...

COURSE SPOTLIGHT - TRADITIONS ABOUND AT CHEVY CHASE CC  North Suburban Chevy Chase has a rich history dating back to the Roaring 20's, Prohibition and maybe even Al Capone, and beyond the classic clubhouse lies a very good traditional parkland golf course.  Click Here for the full story on Chevy Chase...

FEATURED STORIES

THE MOST EXPENSIVE COURSES IN THE WINDY CITY...AND THE BEST TIMES TO PLAY

The Windy City boasts hundreds of public courses, but a handful are able to command over or near triple digit green fees from local golfers.  Click Here for a list of those select few, with the best times to play at rates far below prime time that will fit into most golf budgets...

NO "GIMME'S" HERE...WINDY CITY AMATEUR TOURS OFFER COMPETITIVE GOLF FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS

Several Amateur Golf tours operate in the Windy City, largely below the radar of most area golfers.  Click Here for a detailed review of 5 organizations that offer tournament golf using the USGA rule book to players of all skill levels...

LET'S PLAY TWO! 36 HOLES OF GREAT, BUDGET FRIENDLY WINDY CITY GOLF

To borrow a famous phrase from a Chicago sports legend, playing 2 rounds of golf on a beautiful summer weekday in the Windy City is a great alternative to a day at work.  Click Here to view an updated and expanded list of 29 combinations of courses from all corners of Chicagoland, all for under $90 (carts included) and within a short drive (less than 30 minutes) of each other, with plenty of time for lunch in between... 

 

Course Directory

North   Near North   FarNorth   Northwest   FarNoWest

West       Near West     Far West  

South   Far South   Southwest   Far Southwest    

   

         

COURSES PLAYED 2026

JANUARY

KAPALUA PLANTATION (Lahaina, Maui) - Stunning Coore/Crenshaw bucket list course sprawls across 600 acres with million $ ocean views... PHOTO TOUR

WAILEA EMERALD (Wailea, Maui) - One of 3 courses at upscale resort provides an entertaining play with plenty of eye candy scenery...  PHOTO TOUR

POIPU BAY (Koloa. Kauai) - Beautiful Robert Trent Jones Jr layout over rolling terrain plays along ocean at the southern end of Kauai...  PHOTO TOUR

PUAKEA (Lihue, Kauai) - Inland course framed by big mountain backdrops a relatively affordable option near the Lihue airport...  PHOTO TOUR

WAILUA (Lihue, Kauai) - Signature 17th hole next to ocean one of the best in Hawaii at top U.S. muni...  PHOTO TOUR

CLICK HERE for 2025 list of courses played...

WCPGG MONTH BY MONTH 2025 GOLF YEAR

Golf is part passion and part pain.  I always think I'll play well on the 1st tee, but most times there is that one hole were things go sideways and my 20-handicap skill level can't recover.  But the anticipation of that special round is what encourages me to play as much as time and budget allows, and of the 96 I played in 2025, there were a few that reinforced "I can do this!" counter-balanced by just as many that reminded "I have no idea what I'm doing!".  And that's what I love about golf, keep the expectations real and it's a magical experience.

I played 55 different 9 & 18 hole public courses in Chicagoland last year, and though that is down from the over 70 I visited in 2024, still plenty of variety to support my self-proclaimed status as one of the foremost experts on the Windy City public golf scene.  From Pine Meadow to Meadowlark to Mistwood to Minne Monesse, I do my best to hit all the courses from each corner of the area.  Besides Illinois, I played in 8 other states, and my experiences suggest the quality and depth we have here in Chicago can match any public golf in the USA.

My handicap index bounced between 15.4 and 20, which is not bad for someone who is the poster child of a bogey golfer.  I broke 90 19 times, or 22% of the 18-hole rounds played, an improvement from the 17% in 2024, so the arrow is pointing up.   My best score was an 84 at Cog Hill #3 during a Tuesday night golf league (truth be told, 7 of my under 90's were at Cog 1 & 3), but I had some memorable rounds away from my home courses.  Here is a timeline of my favorite golf experiences in 2025:

JANUARY - ALOHA FROM HAWAII

Is there a better way to start the golf season than in Hawaii?  I spent a week each on Oahu & Maui, with 7 courses visited in total.  Maui is known for the big 3 resorts, Kaanapali, Wailea and the Big Kahuna, Kapalua, but I found some hidden gems that offered a big payout at a reasonable price.  Oahu has more choices but not the upscale quality of Maui, but an engaging oceanfront 9-hole muni and a jaw dropping jungle paradise were highlights.

Kahuka is tucked away on the northeast coast of Oahu, one of the 6 courses operated by the City and County of Honolulu and about as far away from the hub of the island as you can be.  This is the place the locals play, a total no frills experience that happens to sit on prime real estate along the coastline.  The 2,700 yd par 35 walking only layout is as quirky as it gets, with 4 par three's, 3 par five's and only 2 par four's, but million dollar views of the ocean from almost every hole made for one of my most memorable golf moments in 2025.

Hidden east of Honolulu is Royal Hawaiian. 
Designed by Pete and Perry Dye, this is more like a golf safari as the fairways are cut through thick jungle foilage with stunning green mountains up close in every direction.  Someone told me to bring a dozen balls and this was not said in jest, a shot off the fairway and you're likely reaching in the bag for another.  Not overly long at 6,600 yards, the 140 slope indicates plenty of challenge, but it is the scenery that takes center stage here, and I'm not being hyperbolic when I say Royal Hawaiian may have the most spectacular views of any course I've played.

The 7 courses at the major resorts in Maui dominate the golf scene, and I did play Kaanapali Kai, the par 70 sister course to Royal Kaanapali, but they are all over $200, with Kapalua Plantation currently sporting a bucket list $475 price tag.  I opted for 2 lower level courses and I was quite happy with my choices.  

Waiehu is a County of Maui muni that straddles the ocean about 7 miles northwest of the Kahului airport.  You'll have to work to get a tee time as you can only book 2 days in advance, but it's worth the effort.  The front nine covers the lower end of the property, and the signature 6th hole borders the water with the green just yards off the edge.  The back nine rolls up into the foothills with more amazing views.  At under $80, this is a great value at a beautiful layout.

At 1,100 feet elevation, Pukalani lies on the side of Mount Haleakala, the ancient volcano

that sprawls across east Maui.  Just a few yards short of 6,900, the course offers a parkland style layout with plenty of elevation change and great views of the Pacific and the West Maui mountains in the distance.  The par three 3rd has two different holes to choose from, one downhill to a green tightly surrounded by traps and woods and the other over a ravine, a pretty cool feature.  An extra bonus was teaming up with a former PGA teaching pro the last 12 holes, he passed along a few tips that definitely helped.  I found an early afternoon deal online at Hawaii Tee Times for $78 (I also used this website for tee times at Royal Hawaiian and Pearl at Kalauao in Oahu).  The next time I'm in Maui I may break my piggy bank and play the Plantation course and one of the 3 at Wailea, we'll see.

APRIL - TOURNAMENT GOLF SUCCESS!

I joined one of the several golf organizations that run events locally in 2024, with varying levels of success.  Tournament golf is different, and playing strictly by the rules for a higher handicap like myself can be daunting, but I enjoy it, I like the competition and I've met some good people.  The first tourney of 2025 was at Cog #3, a course I've played many times living in the south and southwest suburbs my entire life.  It was sloppy wet conditions on an early spring morning, a cart path only mess (I ended up just walking) and it was a slog the whole way.  But I played the last 6 holes in a really good for me 3 over par and ended up winning my flight of 30 golfers.  I'm pretty sure my local knowledge helped me, but it felt great to finish on top.

A few weeks later I teed it up at Pine Meadow in Mundelein, a course I really like but rarely play, and a par on the 18th hole got me to a tie for 2nd at a net +1 (89 gross).  I'm hooked.  I didn't have nearly as much success the rest of the year and a couple of rounds I totally busted out and finished near the bottom, but the anticipation (and a little nervousness) the morning of an event is something I look forward to.  Maybe I'll never win another but that's OK, I plan on trying again in 2026.

MAY - NORTH OF THE BORDER

I headed up to Wisconsin a few days before Memorial Day for a quick trip to Geneva National.  The 54-hole resort features courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Gary Player, all premier layouts in their own right.  This year we played the Palmer and Player tracks, which I think most would rank the top 2 here (although I tend to like the Trevino 18 over the Palmer).  The Palmer course features Lake Como prominently on the 17th hole, a par five that the water borders the entire 568 yards on the left (and one of my 4 pars for the day) but the rest of the round was mostly forgettable.

The next day at the Player course, however, was one of my highlights for the year.  I started out with a shaky double bogey on the 1st hole, but a birdie on the short par 3 4th boosted my confidence and with the exception of another double on the par 3 15th, it was all pars and bogeys and I finished with an 85 and a 14.3 differential, my 3rd best round of the year.  There are numerous risk/reward options on the Player course and I made good decisions to avoid those score killing blowups which are around every corner here.

Though Geneva National doesn't carry the national recognition of Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run or Sand Valley, it's a really good, more affordable option in Lake Geneva that I highly recommend.

JUNE - ROAD TRIPPIN'

Winnetka Golf Club is one of the older public courses in the area, with origins dating back to 1917.  The course underwent an extensive renovation that was completed in 2024 and architect Rick Jacobson's team and their work here is similar to what they accomplished 5 years earlier at nearby Sunset Valley: 2 north shore courses prone to flooding that were reimagined for the 21st century.  Although I didn't play well, my visit to Winnetka was an A experience.

My wife and I loaded up the station wagon and headed south to North Carolina to visit good friends and as we always try to do, we worked in a few rounds of golf on the way.  The first stop was at The Trophy Club north of Indy, a linksy beast of a course designed by Tim Liddy (a Pete Dye protege) and Patriot Hills, about 40 miles east of Knoxville in the Smoky Mountain foothills.  We got to Patriot Hills just before 4 pm and were instructed that the carts had to be back by 8 (not sure what would happen if we were late).  Luckily it wasn't very crowded and we made it in by a good 10 minutes.  The layout was an unusual 6-6-6 par 3/4/5 configuration that I liked and it was a blast to play and the best $33 round I had in 2025. 

My first time playing in North Carolina where at Verdict Ridge and Rock Barn, both within an hour drive north of Charlotte.  The semi-private courses featured rolling hills and excellent conditions and facilities.  We also spent a rainy day with a drive to the hallowed ground of Pinehurst, a little over 2 hours away.  Although the weather kept us from seeing much of the massive property, we were able to stop in the pro shop to buy some swag and snap a picture of the famous Payne Stewart statue.  Hope to get back there some day and play one or two of the 10 courses.

JULY - HOT FUN IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN

My Windy City highlight in July was a round at Thunderhawk, which I consider one of the top 5 courses in Chicagoland.  The Robert Trent Jones Jr design flows beautifully through wetlands and woods with wide fairways and challenging approaches and an unusual par 3-5-3-5 finish that I find very cool. The 74.2/141 Rating/Slope from the 7,000 yard tips make it one of the hardest courses around. Just a few miles from the Wisconsin border and Lake Michigan, I highly recommend the drive to Beach Park to check out this amazing layout.

I've flown out to Phoenix the last 3 years to play the courses that I refuse to pay for in the winter.  The range between seasons can often be $200+, which I find crazy except when I think others may think I'm the crazy one for golfing in 110 degree temps.  But the lure of the deal (I paid between $87 to $117 per round) called and this year my itinerary was Dove Valley Ranch, Wildfire Palmer, Whirlwind Cattail and Grayhawk Raptor, and a quick check of January rates shows $195 $219, $199, plus a budget busting $413 at the Raptor course, almost $300 over the summer rate!  Wildfire, Whirlwind and Grayhawk have sister courses so next summer I can cross those off my list.  

AUGUST - FOREST PRESERVE'S FINEST 

I was one of those guys back in the 1980's waiting in line in my car at 2 am for the sun to rise and the gates to open to book my tee time for later that day at Forest Preserve National, the hottest new course in the Windy City.  40 years later and the now renamed George Dunne is still one of the best pure parkland layouts around.  I had my 2nd best score by index, a 13.9 on a score of 87, with a blistering 6 par front 9.  I faded a bit on the back with triples on 11 & 18 (one of the toughest finishers in all of Chicagoland), but I was still thrilled with the way I played. The bad news is that the bunkers were about as poor as I've ever seen (and there's a lot of them here).  The good news is the starter shared there are plans to fix them within the next year.  I've heard this before, but George Dunne deserves the best conditions possible, it's that good a layout.     

SEPTEMBER - SAMPLING WINDY CITY'S BEST

I squeezed in a quick 3 day trip to southwest Michigan, a region loaded with good golf.  Ravines is a tough Arnold Palmer design loaded with forced carries and native areas.  Diamond Springs is one of the most unique courses I've played, with the two grass cut lengths (tees/fairways and greens).  It was an overcast, rainy day and we had enough just before the fun started at the par 3 14th, where the featured ravine snakes thru and causes havoc the last 5 holes. The 3rd course on our rotation, Beeches, was a surprise.  The front nine has gigantic sandy waste areas and 6 ponds across the layout adds to the difficulty.  Add in some of the wildest greens I came across in 2025 and this was a memorable round.  I didn't play well on the trip but it was a great time with good friends.

Some of my favorite plays locally were featured in September, including Blackstone, Village Links of Glen Ellyn and Mistwood.  Blackstone is a Bob Lohmann beauty in Marengo, closer to Rockford than downtown Chicago, but definitely worth the drive.  A shorter course by today's standards at 6,700 yards from the back tees, the course winds thru 26 acres of protected wetlands and thick woods for an exceptional play.  A semi-private club, Blackstone was in excellent condition the day I played.  A birdie on the short par 4 16th and a scrambling par on the tough finishing hole got me in with an 88 and a 15 differential, my 4th best of the year.

Village Links of Glen Ellyn is a 27-hole facility in the western suburbs, with the championship 18 and the full length 9, one of the better combinations in Chicagoland.  Opened in 1967, the 7,200 yard course has been home to dozens of PGA and USGA events over the years, including Western Open and US Open qualifying.  This course has good holes from start to finish and is still somewhat affordable, and although I may be in the minority, I consider the Village Links in the top ten public courses in the Windy City area. Plus the restaurant patio is a great place for an after round drink and a bite to eat.

A good friend was in town from upstate New York in late September and we went upscale to Mistwood, one of my favorites and a top 5 public play in Chicagoland.  Our 3some was joined by an engaging member of the semi-private club who gave us plenty of tips, and maybe that's why I had my best round of the year.  I had one of my rare birdies (19 total, 1.14% in 2025) on the par 3 9th for a blistering front side 41.  I cooled off a bit on the back with doubles on 11 & 14, and 3 putt bogeys on 16 & 17 had me a little wobbly on the 18th tee.  Two mediocre shots had me 200 yards out, but I pulled out one of my best swings of the year, a 3 wood over the creek that found the green and a 2 putt par for an 86 and a 13.4 diff on a 135 slope layout.  I did have my moments!

OCTOBER - ABOVE MY SKILL SET

The last tourney of the year was at Broken Arrow, another course I've played many times.  I qualified for the 2 day event with my win at CH3 in April, but this wasn't a flighted field and I was paired with a 1 handicap golfer, and the difference between my skill level and his was wa as wide a the Grand Canyon.  Early on I was more worried about doing something stupid to screw up his game then I was about mine, but I scrambled to a 45 on the North 9, and with my handicap in a position to move on to the next day.  A par on the 10th (#1 South) had my confidence sky high...and then it all went sideways.  A terrible triple on one of the easiest holes on the course and a drive in the pond on 12 and I was done.  I finished the back with a 57 and just felt like crap, but that's what a bit of pressure can do to a not so good golfer.  The 1 handicap shot 3 over and I don't think he was very happy with that score, I hope I didn't drag him down.

I went across the state line to Indiana to play two of my Hoosier favorites, Palmira and White Hawk.  Palmira has a heavily wooded landscape over rolling hills, a very good layout with fun and memorable holes.  This is one of my best value plays, $46 weekday and $62 weekends (cart included), a rare find for a course with this level of character.  The only downside is the clubhouse, which is a small shack that is seemingly held together with duct tape and chicken wire.  

White Hawk features four distinct 9 hole tracks of varying difficulty, although most would agree that the Silver is by far the most challenging.  This 600 acre golf & housing development in Crown Point is an upscale Dick & Tim Nugent collaboration with a wide variety of holes and scenic views throughout as the course winds thru wetlands and forests.  As with most Nugent designs, there is plenty of challenge, with the Black/Silver 18 sporting a monstrous 76.3/149 Rating/Slope.

NOVEMBER - GOING LOW (ALTITUDE WISE)

My last round outside of Illinois was on a trip to Las Vegas to help celebrate a neighbors milestone birthday, but I didn't play in Nevada.  Mrs Z & I took the 2 hour drive west to Death Valley National Park and snuck in a quick 9 holes at Furnace Creek.  Hard to believe a golf course exists in one of the hottest places in the world, but spring fed lakes make this particular area of Death Valley hospitable to growing grass in a region that averages 2-3 inches of rain annually.  Earlier in the week over an inch fell and conditions were still wet in spots and 2 holes on the front nine were closed so I teed off on #10.  A pretty good layout with views of the surrounding mountains, Furnace Creek is significant for being the lowest course in the world, lying 214 feet below sea level.  That alone was worth driving to California, but the views in the park were amazing.

Weather in Chicago in November is always a hit or miss proposition, and this year was much more miss than hit, but I squeezed in a round near the end of the month at an old favorite, Lincoln Oaks in Crete.  This is a true neighborhood course, winding through the far south suburban landscape of mid 20th century homes with a unique par 71 layout.  The front 9 starts with 2 short par 4's before an alternating par 5's & 3's seven hole stretch that is as unique as it sounds.  It was wide open and we played the front side again, a 27 hole finish to a great year of golf.  2026 is right around the corner, look for more stories and photos in the coming year.  See you at the first tee!