Woodbine Golf Club - Homer Glen

When it first opened over 20 years ago, Woodbine Golf Course in Homer Glen (Lockport back then) was a regular destination of my friends and I; it was something new and the bent grass fairways and greens were always kept in excellent condition.  As more courses sprang up in this area (Broken Arrow, Sanctuary, Ruffled Feathers), our visits to Woodbine became less frequent.  I had the opportunity to return to Woodbine for a golf outing earlier this year, so I made the short drive from my home in Lemont over to 151st Street.  Besides the original trees maturing to the point where they are now somewhat of a hazard, very little has changed, which may or not be a good thing, depending on your point of view.

The gently rolling farmland that was converted into a par 70 golf course back in 1988 was largely devoid of distinguishing features, so architect Gordon Cunningham created a basic track with 25 (give or take a few) well placed bunkers and water in play to varying degrees on 5 holes.  Nearly every green is slightly elevated, and they've let the grass grow high in spots between holes to keep you focused off the tee and lend a linksy feel to the track.  If there is one hole that could qualify as Woodbine's signature, it is #4, at 512 yards the longest here and with a pond tight to the green and the prevailing southerly wind in your face, a difficult hole to reach in 2 for all but the longest hitters.  The other par 5 on the front, the dogleg left 6th hole, will definitely offer birdie opportunities as the trees on the left side are sparse and the fairway trap at the bend the only obstacle to the green.
The back nine is 100 yards longer and has a little more challenge, with the 12th hole featuring OB left and a water hazard guarding the green off to the right.  The long par four 14th has the same hazard water to the right that might catch a poorly struck drive and a gradual climb (such as it is at Woodbine) to the green, and is correctly designated as the #1 handicap hole.  But although I can remember the three par 5's and the five par 3's at Woodbine (the 3rd hole with a pond prominently in play may get the attention, but I prefer the 17th with the large bunkers flanking the green as my favorite short hole), the par 4's (except for #12) tend to merge into a jumbled mass in my mind and are largely indistinguishable from one another.

Woodbine has traditionally been one of the better conditioned courses in the area, but my visit in late May (before the severe drought had taken hold) found several rock hard sand traps and fairways and greens below their normal standards.  Add in the tight quarters that the course inhabits (14 holes would have been just about perfect) and the lack of diversity and interest to the layout, and there is not a lot of draw to Woodbine in this course laden region.  At a top weekend rate w/cart of $61, the same as Cog Hill #'s 1 & 3, I know where I'm spending my money.  But in the spirit of "There is no such thing as a bad golf course, only some are better than others", Woodbine has a loyal following, the staff is

pleasant, and the lodge like bar is a great place to have a brew and grab something to eat (the Sunday brunch here is phenomenal), and if you're looking for an outing course that won't overwhelm weaker players, than Woodbine will fill the bill.  But for the discerning golfer, there are other southwest suburban tracks in this price range that are better options.  As Woodbine approaches its 25th anniversary, it is badly in need of a facelift to get it back to where it was, and some major renovations to make it better.

Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 5
Playability (20%) - 8.5
Conditioning (15%) - 7.5
Aesthetics (15%) - 5
Amenities (10%) - 7.5
Value (20%) - 6.5

Total Score - 66.25

Woodbine Golf Club

14240 W. 151st St., Homer Glen (708)301-1252
2 tees, 6,020 / 5,098 yds, par 70
68.2 / 115 rating / slope
M-F $36/52 to Noon, $30/46 to 2:30, $24/36 to 5:30, $16/28 after 5:30;
Sa-Su $45/61 to Noon, $34/50 to 2:30, $28/40 to 5:30, $18/30 after 5:30
Seniors (62) $25/40 M-F
7 1/2 minute tee time intervals M-F, 8 minutes Sa-Su