COURSE SPOTLIGHT - TRADITIONS ABOUND AT CHEVY CHASE CC

THE STAGE
Chevy Chase Country Club
1000 N. Milwaukee
Wheeling, IL 60090
847-465-2300

6,610 - 5,084 yds Par 72
71.9 / 128 - 67.4 / 117 Rating / Slope

www.chevychasecountryclub.com

CHEVY CHASE PHOTO TOUR

THE STORY
If you live in the northern suburbs, there is a good chance that you have been to a wedding or other event at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling.  I live in Lemont and have been a life-long south sider and even I've been to a wedding there!  The sprawling, Tudor style building houses 17,000 square feet of event space for groups from 20 to 500.  But directly behind the banquet space resides an 18 hole golf course that provides the perfect complement for the country club setting.

The manager of Chevy Chase since 1977, The Wheeling Park District made a significant investment in 2003 by bringing in golf architect Bob Lohmann to address severe flooding problems caused from the nearby Des Plaines River that left the course unplayable far too frequently.  Along the way, Lohmann installed a much needed sprinkler system and added new greens, tees and bunkers to the course that was originally built by a group affiliated with the Knights of Columbus in 1917. Originally called the Columbian Country Club, the course went through several more name iterations before settling on Chevy Chase in the 1950's.

The story goes that the club was a favored destination during prohibition for Chicagoans looking to

get away from the city, and reputed associates of none other than Al Capone were owners of Chevy Chase (then called Bon Aire) from the 20's into the early 50's and operated as a popular night spot with alleged ties to the underworld.  Whether this is truth or urban legend is part of the rich Chevy Chase legacy.

THE PLAY
A traditional parkland layout, Chevy Chase is defined by the 100 year old hardwoods that frame most of the fairways. The par 72 course plays to 6.630 yds, a bit short for today's game but the abundance of water that comes into play to varying degrees on 14 holes will make bombers think twice about pulling driver out of the bag.  Shot making is a premium here, as I counted over 50 sand

traps dotting the fairways and greens, with the greens having enough subtle slopes and bends to test better putters.

The round starts with a fairly benign par 4, but quickly zips into challenge mode with a short (494 yard)  par 5 that begs for a driver / fairway wood to the green, but a lake bordering the entire left side and 2 well placed fairway bunkers at the right edge, plus a ball magnet green side trap located front right makes this hole more difficult than the distance suggests.

The other par 5's are all memorable in varying degrees.  #4 stretches to 535 yards with a subtle bend to the left, and beware of the wetlands to the left that are more in play than the eye perceives.  #15 shares the same 494 yard distance as #2, and water hazards block the approach about 100 yards out and runs up both sides to the green, placing ultimate value to the wedge into the pin. 

The par 4's range in distance from 300 to 450 yards, with the 3rd and 5th holes standing out as solid 2 shot holes..  The 3rd runs slightly uphill with a pair of bunkers below the fairway right and #5 drops

down to a green tightly protected by a pond. Some of the other par 4's, especially in the middle of the layout, have a similar look and feel, but this in no way takes away from the overall quality of the course, as Lohmann added refined touches like greenside collection areas, fairway mounding and deep sculpted bunkers to add interest and upscale flair.

SHOW STOPPER
The 18th hole is an excellent finish, the longest on the course at 546 yards from the tips.  Water pinches the fairway about 300 yards from the tee, and the shot in to the green has danger on all sides. The view of the stately clubhouse in the background is a bonus, and many afternoon golfers will encounter wedding parties taking advantage of the scenic course views for picture backdrops.

THE EXTRAS
There is no onsite driving range at Chevy Chase so if you need to hit a bucket before your round, the Woodlands Trail Driving Range is about 5 miles south down Wolf Road in Mt. Prospect.  The carts are newer and had plenty of zip and were equipped with GPS, a nice feature that many courses are abandoning with the proliferation of personal yardage devices.

The pro shop is typical for a public course with the usual narrow assortment of balls, clubs and apparel, but a few steps away is the Gable Bar and Grill, a roomy space with a large U-shaped bar and several big screen tv's that's perfect for an after round drink or a bite to eat from the basic pub fare menu.

THE TICKET
Chevy Chase green fee is on the higher end for the North suburbs, but the renovation added enough higher end juice to somewhat warrant the cost.  Prime weekend times climb to the upper 70's w/cart and week day mornings are $65, but the 2 pm twilight rate of $46 is enticing. I scored a great $25 early season walking rate the last time I played, and this is a prime walking layout.  Deals are there if you're willing to dig below the rack rates, and Wheeling residents get additional discounts.

CRITICS CHOICE
Chevy Chase fancies itself as a Country Club and strives to provide the course conditions and overall experience that one expects from a private club, and the upgrades provided by Bob Lohmann gives a tradition rich layout some modern flourishes, but the high end asking price may not fit what they have to offer.  However, the 2 pm twilight deal works well to provide an affordable chance to play a very good layout, and the on site tavern is one of the better course pubs to enjoy an after round drink.

WCPGG RATING

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

Total Rating - 77.75