Orchard Valley Golf Course - Aurora

When designer Ken Kavanaugh completed Orchard Valley back in 1993, the Aurora course opened to much acclaim and was heralded as one of the top tracks in the Windy City area.  I was an annual visitor back in the early days, but Orchard Valley gradually fell out of my rotation as the distance (about 30 miles) and the number of quality courses in the southwest suburbs kept me closer to my home in Lemont.  But I was determined to make a return this year, and I made it out on a Sunday morning in late May and discovered that Orchard Valley is still one of the better local plays as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The par 72 course stretches out to a not overly intimidating 6,745 yards, but Orchard Valley packs a ton of features over its 18 holes.  Like risk/reward par 5's with a choice to tempt a watery disaster in the hopes of reaching the green in 2?  See holes 4 and 16.  How about challenging par 3's that either demand full carries or flirty shots with the H2O?  You got it on #'s 2, 12 and 17.  A fan of innovative and imaginative bunkering?  Then you'll appreciate the sandy natural area sprinkled with mounds of native grasses that stretches for a few hundred yards between the 5th thru 7th holes.

The two main focal points are the large lake that fills the entire west end of the property and the aforementioned waste area on the front nine.  Eight holes come in contact with the lake (with additional water in play on holes 11, 12 and 14) and the sand traps (I'm guessing about 40 total) are menacing throughout, with the lengthy hazard (think desert course in Arizona without the prickly plants) the equivalent of another 10 to 15, so sand plays a key role in protecting par.  The number one handicap hole is the 13th, a monstrous 450 yard par 4 that requires a carry over water approximately 175 yards from the elevated green on the 2nd shot (or 3rd or more if you mess up the tight tee shot between mature trees and OB).  Throw in the sand trap and thick grasses to the right and this hole is a beast and by far the toughest par on the course.
But overall Mr. Kavanaugh did a masterful job of limiting the hazards on each hole, as the lengthy 470 yard par four 9th has zero traps, while the short par four 1st, 5th and 15th holes (all between 320 - 345 yards) are loaded with sand, water and prairie.  I really enjoyed the 15th, not only because I scored a four, but because it offers the chance for big hitters to risk a carry over the lake and leave a short pitch in to the green and a good chance at birdie.  (This Punch & Judy 20 handicapper took the safe route and hit a 6 iron over the traps for the 2 putt par.)  The par three 12th hole is commonly considered the "signature" hole at Orchard Valley, with the waterfall a nice landscaping feature, though the traffic along Orchard Road and Galena Boulevard diminishes the aesthetic appeal for me.  But there are several other holes that could fill the signature bill (I'd pick one of the other par 3's).
Orchard Valley plays to a stiff 72.4 / 134 rating/slope from the tips, but the 6,400 yard Blue tees provides plenty of challenge at 70.6 / 130.  But I never felt overwhelmed by this layout, as there is room off the tee and bail space to avoid most of the danger, so good shots are rewarded and bad shots punished, which is the way it should be in my golf world.  A subdivision resides around and within the course, and the proximity of homes and streets on several holes is a little closer than I prefer, with the "Golfers are responsible for all damage caused by errant shots" signs a clear indicator that this may be a problem.  But mounds, woods and

evergreens along the edge of the fairways offers protection at the tightest spots (although that didn't help my over aggressive bunker shot on the 14th hole that grazed the house behind the green).

The top greens fee with cart for 2013 on a weekend morning was upped a few dollars to $80, which is the going rate for the top tier tracks in the western suburbs, and Orchard Valley has coupons on their website and additional discounts available if you book a tee time online.  And if you are a resident of the Fox Valley Park District, you can shave another $20 off the fees, which is a bargain.  The 8 minute tee time intervals are a bit tight, but my 7:20 start on a Sunday morning was completed in a snappy 4 hours 10 minutes.  So if you haven't had a chance to experience Orchard Valley, my recommendation is to give this excellent Windy City layout a try.

Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 8.5
Playability (20%) - 8
Conditioning (15%) - 8.5
Aesthetics (15%) - 9
Amenities (10%) - 8.5
Value (20%) - 8.5

Total Score - 84.75 

Orchard Valley Golf Course

2411 West Illinois Avenue, Aurora

630-907-0500

4 tees, 6,745/ 5,162 yds, par 72

72.4/134 - 68.2/124 rating / slope

M-F $54/70, $43/59 twilight

Sa-Su $64/80, $49/65 twilight

Seniors (60) / Jrs (17 & Under) $43/59 M-F
Drivng Range On Site

8 minute tee time intervals