Modest Shepherd's Crook Delivers Classic Links Experience

Shepherd's Crook Golf Course resides a few drives away from the Wisconsin border in far north suburban Zion, a prairie links style course celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2014.  The website suggests design similarities to the classic courses of Ireland, and architect Keith Foster made several trips in the 90's to study and play some of the great layouts in the British isles, and he successfully incorporated enough features into the "Crook" where a vivid imagination may conjure visions of Ballybunion.  Native grasses are ever-present, and wayward shots will be swallowed by the thick seas of penal ankle high prairie, but the typically wide fairways make the course very playable off the tee.  The par 71 track stretches out to 6,800 yards from the tips and sports a 72.1 rating / 128 slope, and the 6,300 yard Black tees that we played is a reasonable 69.5 / 123, but the firm, multi-tiered slick greens are the main impediment to par, and anyone shaky with the putter could be in for a long day.

On my visit this summer (I also played earlier on a cold, drizzly day in the spring), Shepherd's Crook played fast and firm like the links it was modeled on, exactly as I had hoped and expected.  The first 3 holes are straight forward par fours between 346 and 378 yards, "warm up" holes that help make up for the lack of an onsite driving range, but beware of the barely visible water to the left on the 3rd hole, as I discovered when my slightly pulled drive splashed into the hazard.  These holes are indicative of the balance of the course, as undulating fairways, thick grasses and deep bunkers are the norm on most holes.  The

course ratchets up the difficulty on the 4th hole, a mega par three at 245 yards from the tips that had me considering driver off the tee to reach the green.  I settled for a 3 wood from 220 yards that rolled into the left greenside trap, but I managed to sink a downhill twenty footer for a sand save par.

Mature hardwoods occupy the middle of the property at the south edge, and some of the best holes at Shepherd's Crook utilize the trees to great effect, starting with the 415 yard 5th, the #1 handicap hole.  The woods begin the last 175 yards as the fairway turns slightly right and dips towards the huge putting surface, a surprising departure from the previous holes.  The 6th tee is tucked

back in the trees with a carry over the wetlands, one of the few shots on the course over a water hazard, while the short (344 yard) 7th hole features a series of deep traps that splits the fairway about 125 yards from the green, an example of the fanciful bunkering that designer Foster uses again later in the routing.  The 8th hole reenters the woods and is an early contender for my list of the best par three holes I'll have played in 2014, a beautiful 166 yarder over marshland to an elevated, sloping putting surface surrounded by an amphitheater of trees.

The par 36 back nine stretches to nearly 3,600 yards from the Silver tees, one of the

longer nines in the area, with the 14th hole topping out at an eye-popping 654 yards.  Three of the par 4's (10, 13 and 15) are 400+ yards, but it was the shorter two shot holes that made an impression.  The 12th (380 yards) is slightly uphill and the drive needs to carry within 150 yards to view the green, which sits down over the ridge and slightly left of center, with three very deep traps carved into the right side below the green.  The 17th (370 yards) has a steeper climb off the tee, with a 45 degree turn through the trees to a long, narrow green.

Both nines finish with long par 5's (576 and 570 yards, respectively) that run parallel back

to the clubhouse, fitting finishes to each half.  The drive on the 9th from the elevated tee has a wide landing area, but the prairie to the left on the second shot is uncharacteristically on both sides of the cart path and out of sight over a hill, as I found out on my first visit in May.  A series of deep bunkers squeezes the fairway the last 75 yards, with a steep drop off to the right rough.  The 18th hole is a downhill double dogleg with traps strategically placed on both sides of the fairway, and the approach shot must carry a grass filled ditch to a green perched high above the fairway, a difficult par and a memorable end to the round.

The "Crook" was built on property that is situated next to the local waste

management landfill, and the views to the south may not be the most appealing (and yes, you might catch an unpleasant whiff if the wind is blowing from that direction, especially near the 14th green).  The clubhouse offers basic comforts, and the lack of GPS in the carts and the plain black and white scorecards are reminders that this is a low frill park district course.

But what it does have is a friendly and welcoming staff, valued 10 minute tee time intervals, very reasonable green fees that top out at $60 with cart, and a picturesque

view from the lawn chairs on the covered patio to enjoy an after round beverage.  All the positives, however, would be moot if the course was substandard, and Shepherd's Crook delivers above average conditions and a very entertaining play, and it has been included in Golf Week's list of the top 50 U.S. municipal courses as recently as 2013, high praise for this modest layout in the shadow of the state line.  The distance from my home in Lemont (70 miles) will make Shepherd's Crook a once in a while treat for me, but if I lived in this area, I would happily be a regular visitor.

Mr Z Rating

Layout (20%) - 9
Playability (20%) - 8
Conditioning (15%) - 8.5
Aesthetics (15%) - 7.5
Amenities (10%) - 7
Value (20%) - 9.5

Total Score - 84

Shepherd's Crook Golf Course
351 North Green Bay Road, Zion
847-872-2080
4 tees - 6,827 / 4,901 yards par 71
72.1/128 - 67.9/119 rating/slope (men)
73.4/127 - 67.7/115 (women) 
M-SU - $45 walk / $60 ride, $35 w/cart twilight
SENIORS (60) - $35 w/cart M-TH
JUNIORS (18 & Under) $20 walking M-TH
Earlybird Special - $40 w/cart M-TH
10 minute tee time intervals