30 WINDY CITY COURSES I PLAN ON PLAYING IN 2024

I pride myself on being familiar with and having golfed at almost every one of the over 200 public golf courses in the Chicagoland area, but the only way to maintain my self-appointed standing as a Windy City expert is to play as many as possible each year.  In 2023 I golfed 53 different local layouts, and I hope to get to as many in 2024. 

I admittedly play more often in the south and west regions that are in closer proximity to my home in Lemont, but I'm hopeful to catch up on the north side scene this season.  Here is a list of 30 courses that I either have never played, haven't been to in a while, or were recently renovated that you'll likely find me this summer.  Not all will rank on lists of the top area courses, but they all have merit and are worthy of a visit:

NORTH / NORTHWEST

ARBORETUM / Buffalo Grove (Last Played 2017) - Not a long layout by today's standards (6,447 yds from the tips), the Arboretum sports a stout 71.7 rating / 139 rating.  Tight fairways, over 70 bunkers and water hazards prominently featured on 15 holes tests your shot making skills.  I hope to visit in the spring when the hundreds of trees on the former nursery are in full bloom. 

ARLINGTON LAKES / Arlington Heights (Never Played) - I didn't even know where this course was located until I happened to drive by last summer.  A 2016 renovation improved playability and incorporated 3.6,9 and 18 hole loops.  The 5,252 yd par 68 Arlington Heights PD course looks like a fun but challenging (water on 13 holes) layout, looking forward to my first visit this summer.

BITTERSWEET / Gurnee (Last Played 2016) - Acres of wetlands border many of the holes at this 6,900 yd par 72 layout.  Playing from the back tees will challenge the best golfers, but the Blue (6,300 yds) or White (5,600 yds) tees make it a bit more palatable to the average golfer.  Easily accessible from the Tri-State Tollway, the green fees top out at $52 weekdays and $72 weekends (w/cart), making Bittersweet both a scenic and value play.

BLACKSTONE / Marengo (Last Played 2016) - Upscale facility in the far northwest suburbs hit triple digit weekend green fees in 2024, but the Bob Lohmann design provides great variety over rolling terrain thru acres of protected wetlands.  If you can sneak out on a weekday afternoon, the $62 w/cart rate after 2 pm ($72 after 3 on Fridays) is a good deal at this scenic, well-conditioned course.  

BONNIE BROOK / Waukegan (Last Played 2013) - Closing in on its 100th Anniversary, "The Brook" is a classic parkland course that's been owned by the city of Waukegan since 1931.  Four sets of tees caters to a variety of skill levels and the top rate of $65 w/cart (plus discounted resident rates) makes this a WCPGG top ten Windy City value.

GLENCOE (Last Played before 2013) - Established in 1921 as a public access alternative to the private north shore clubs, GGC borders the east edge of the Chicago Botanical Gardens and is a certified Audubon (and Monarch Butterfly) Sanctuary.  Tee times can be hard to come by at the popular 6,600 yd parkland layout, so I'll have to plan ahead and grab a coveted 3 pm weekday twilight time for $53 w/cart.

MIDLANE / Wadsworth (Last Played 2014) - Midlane winds through residential housing and you can take a few steps off the 12th tee and grab a beer at a backyard barbeque, but the layout is top notch and when the conditions are good the course is a solid and affordable option in the far north suburbs.  The Senior rate ($35 w/cart in 2023) is one of the best in Chicagoland.

MT. PROSPECT (Last Played 2018) - The acclaimed renovation by David Esler about 10 years ago restored a Golden Age shine to a pedestrian north side course, with fanciful green templates straight out of the 1920's that often make putting an adventure.  The 6,300 yd par 70 layout is just fun to play, a unique and different Windy City public golf experience.  

OLD ORCHARD / Mt. Prospect (Last Played before 2013) - Dating back to 1932, the par 70 course is jigsawed into a tight suburban footprint, but the tree-lined fairways provide plenty of definition to keep errant shots where they belong.  Only 6,200 yds, several ponds in play on half the holes ratchet up the challenge, and the mid-century clubhouse is a cool place for an after round drink.

STONEWALL ORCHARD / Grayslake (Last Played 2014) - One of the few Arthur Hills designs in the area, Stonewall Orchard has hosted 4 U.S. Open Qualifiers, a testament to its status as one of the top public courses in the area.  Four tees (plus 2 combo tees) provide the right length for your game.  A bit on the pricey side ($118 weekends, $95 weekdays, including cart), the daily 3 pm twilight rate of $72 w/cart is a good price point to experience a really good layout.

SYDNEY MAROVITZ / Chicago (Never Played) - Squeezed in between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan, the regulation length 9 hole course offers fantastic views of Montrose Harbor, the Chicago Skyline and the Lake.  I may pair up a visit here with South Shore, another Chicago PD nine located 13 miles south down LSD.

THUNDERHAWK / Beach Park (Last Played 2017) - Just a few miles from the Wisconsin border, the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is one of my favorites in the Windy City, and the par 3-5-3-5 finish is unique and a ton of fun.  The Lake County Forest Preserve facility tops out at $99 w/cart on the weekend, which feels reasonable for the quality offered.  

WEST

BELMONT / Downers Grove (Last Played 2014) - Formerly known as the Downers Grove GC, the original site of the Chicago GC is one of the top 9-hole layouts in the Windy City.  6 holes remain from the 1890's and the ridge that runs east/west, hundreds of mature trees and native grasses creates a high dose of scenery at this historic golf landmark. 

BLISS CREEK / Sugar Grove (Last Played before 2013) - On the short side at 5,600 yds from the White tees, the par 70 course comfortably falls within the sporty category.  $43 w/cart weekdays ($59 weekends) is a fair price for this fun play a few miles south of I-88 in Sugar Grove.

CANTIGNY / Wheaton (Last Played 2015) - I actually played 9 holes back in 2020, but it has been 9 years since I played a full 18 at arguably the best public golf facility in Chicagoland.  The prices reflect the hype, but the experience is stellar from start to finish.  Try to include the Lakeside 9 in your round, my favorite of the three, but the Hillside & Woodside are also worthy plays.

MILL CREEK / Geneva (Last Played 2018) - Mill Creek was closed a few years ago but underwent some upgrades to improve playability and conditions.  The course winds through a vast Geneva sub-division and some of the homes are a bit close to the action, but there are some epic holes found within an uneven but interesting layout.  

POTTAWATOMIE / St. Charles (Last Played 2015) - Robert Trent Jones Sr designed Pottawatomie back in 1939 and incorporated the east bank of the Fox River prominently into the course layout.  The par 35 includes the island green par 4 3rd hole and the other eight are all good in their own right.  The St. Charles PD course is another excellent 9 hole option.

SEVEN BRIDGES / Woodridge (Last Played 2016) - One of the most difficult layouts in the Windy City, the back 9 is a golf ball graveyard with water in play on every hole.  I've always struggled at Seven Bridges, but it is a beautiful course and a few good shots is a reason to celebrate at this Dick Nugent designed monster. 

WING PARK / Elgin (Last Played 2013) - The oldest 9-hole municipal course in Illinois (established 1908 and designed by Tom Bendelow) features rolling terrain and small greens.  The 571 yd 6th hole is a standout at this regulation length Elgin muni.

SOUTH / SOUTHWEST

FOX BEND / Oswego (Last Played 2019) - Renovations on several green complexes are complete, a good reason to drive out to Oswego to check out the work.  Fox Bend is a good layout that successfully straddles the challenge/playability matrix, with very friendly green fees that had it in the WCPGG 2023 best value list. 

FOUNTAIN HILLS / Alsip (Never Played) - Nine hole Alsip Park District course has some teeth with a 35.6 rating / 129 slope from the 3,200 yd Blue tees, plus a nice driving range and practice area, too.  The $18 w/cart special on Monday & Wednesday is very inviting and I might pair a visit with The Meadows, just around the corner on 123rd Street.  

HARBORSIDE STARBOARD / Chicago (Last Played 2015) - The pricey green fees tend to steer me away, but I played the Port course last summer and was reminded how good the Dick Nugent links layouts are at the south Chicago facility.  An afternoon round on the Starboard when the rates are friendlier will be well worth the return trip to the wind-swept shores of Lake Calumet.  

JACKSON PARK / Chicago (Never Played) - Dating back to the end of the 19th century, the par 70 course is on the shorter side at 5,500 yds, but a 559 yd par 5 and 212 yd par 3 adds to the challenge.  The only 18 holer operated by the Chicago PD was set to be incorporated with the neighboring South Shore 9 into a Tiger Woods signature design, but that project is in limbo, so time to make a visit to this historic course which is built on the original site of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. 

MEADOWS / Blue Island (Last Played 2015) - Opened in 1994, the Meadows is a links style, par 71 track built on reclaimed land.  Very affordable rates ($50 weekdays, $60 weekends) and an onsite grass driving range makes this a popular southside destination.  A 27-hole day paired with nearby Fountain Hills is very likely this summer.

OAK HILLS / Palos Heights (Last Played 2018) - Originally an 18 hole layout that I played in my youth, Oak Hills transitioned to a very nice 9 holes on the edge of a townhome community.  The par 34 course has 2 par 5's, 3 par 4's and 4 par 3's and the challenging 380 yd 4th hole would fit well into any upscale routing.  

SOUTH SHORE / Chicago (Never Played) - Across Lake Shore Drive from Jackson Park, South Shore is a sporty 2,700 yd par 33 with views of Lake Michigan an added bonus.  I plan on either a 27 hole day with Jackson Park or maybe an 18 hole south / north duo with Sydney Marovitz, 13 miles north up LSD.  

SPRINGBROOK / Naperville (Last Played 2018) - Opened late last season after a $3.5 million Greg Martin refresh that included new tees and bunkers, Springbrook pairs with Naperbrook to provide a parkland and prairie links dynamic duo for the Naperville PD.  The course tips out at over 6,900 yds and has a grass tee driving range and expansive practice area, making it a top facility in the southwest suburbs.   

STONY CREEK / Oak Lawn (Last Played before 2013) - The par 65 Oak Lawn PD course is just over 5,000 yds and features 8 par 3's, and the 4 in a row on the front nine (holes 2-5) and the 3 at the end (holes 16-18) adds to the quirkiness of the layout.  But the par 4's and the lone par 5 are legit with the creek bordering and crossing several holes, making for an entertaining and at times challenging play.

UNIVERSITY / University Park (Last Played 2017) - Intermittently closed over the last few years, University (the old Urban Hills) is a good layout when there is some semblance of maintenance in play.  The website says the course is open but there weren't any tee times listed and no one answered the phone on a recent call, so if it is open in 2024, I plan on going out there and finding out the full story.

WHITETAIL RIDGE / Yorkville (Last Played 2014) - The front 9 on this course off Route 126 in Yorkville is mostly flat with an abundance of water and wetlands in play, while the back climbs up, over and around a ridge to add a totally different feel, and it all adds up to a really good layout.  The rates have skyrocketed here over the last few years, but I'll find a time and price within the dynamic pricing model to fit a long overdue return visit.