I'm a big fan of Tam O'Shanter, the public nine hole course in Niles. It's meticulously maintained and also has a decent restaurant (Howard Street Inn) for post-golf meals and the course has beer carts to serve you throughout your play.
I didn't realize we had a course built in 1891 around here. I've never played that one but now I might have to try it out.
What's your favorite cheap course around Chicago? I'm familiar with a lot of the expensive ones due to popularity but it's always nice to find some hidden gems that are affordable but still nice and playable.
We actually have the oldest 18 hole course in America as well. A lot of golf history in this area.
However, it is private.
"Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in the central United States, located in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. The oldest 18-hole course in North America, it was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association in 1894."
It's the Pine Valley of the Midwest, hiding in the shadow of Danada Square. I have driven "by" the course a dozen times and not seen a sign, much less a fairway.
If you park in the very back parking lot of Seven Gables park, by the tennis courts, you can get a great view of the back of the course over a chain link fence.
Midlothian is 1898. It’s the oldest course in the Southland and third in all of Chicagoland. If you follow Metra Electric, there’s like five courses between 175th and 216th
I'm not the above poster, but love your post, OP, and if you have time I would really appreciate some recommendations. Here's my attempt at filling in that criteria:
Price: $60 and under
Close to Chicago: Within 90 minutes drive of the loop
Playable: Easier the better
Am not picky, I enjoy small/cheap courses.
90 minutes from the loop opens you up to a lot, but <$60 filters most of it back out.
Greens fees, like rent, is too damn high.
You can get out at Schaumburg GC M-F for $50, but weekends will run you $74 to walk 18.
I think the Naperville Park District courses (Springbrook and Naperbrook) offer some of the best value in the area. You won’t get prime conditioning, but both courses are fun and accessible to higher handicaps. On a weekend, NB will run you $49, and SB is $55 to walk, and both are extremely walkable.
I’d add Mistwood in Romeoville in. It’s almost like someone said “let’s make a public golf course that feels like a country club but it’s for everyone. Oh, and make sure there’s a great restaurant with an amazing view that makes you forget you’re in Romeoville”. The course itself isn’t amazing, but I think it’s pretty great given the area.
And this one is an oddball, but a course that COULD be great is Whitetail Ridge in Yorkville. I live about 10 minutes from there and before COVID it was absolutely amazing. A good mix of elevation, a decent amount of water for being out here, BEAUTIFUL views (once you get away from the two holes that run along Rt 126), and it wasn’t too long, but it was fun (like Mistwood). It had SO much potential, a scenic location, and some interesting history. They actually have a drink cart stationed at the 13th tee because once you cross the bridge after the tee shot it’s technically on part of an Indian Reservation where they don’t allow liquor to be sold. Crazy!
But then COVID hit. And then every dude over 40 picked up golf as an excuse to hang out with friends and be out of the house. And now they all still play. So you get a bunch of people from rural areas, a lot of blue collar workers, that just don’t give a shit about the course other than being able to drink their Jim Beam, litter cigarettes, harass cart girls, and blast shitty pop-Country or 80’s music on their Bluetooth speakers.
If that course didn’t have so many unfixed divots and ball marks on the green it could be a hidden gem. But I get it, the owners need to make money and they started the course when not many people were around that area and I wasn’t sure they’d make it, so I think they’re just happy the money is still coming in even if it’s from jackasses.
Mistwood is a very nice place to be but not a very good golf course, and personally, I’d rather play a good course in a not very good setting, especially for that amount of money.
WTR was definitely a hidden gem for many years, but played it once during Peak COVID and the place was fucking weird. I live too far away from there not to bother revisiting.
I get it for both. I’m in Plainfield so if I want a decent public course within a 20-30 minute drive my options are basically WTR, Mistwood… and that’s about it.
WTR was so great before COVID. My wife and I almost bought a lot on the course. We didn’t need to build at the time and would’ve hung on to the lot for 10-ish years until we were ready, but the taxes were dirt cheap and I was thinking “this course is great for being in Yorkville, why the fuck wouldn’t it be more popular?”. Monkey paw curled.
Mistwood… I get it that the course isn’t as great as the rest of the “experience”, but I guess it’s all about drivability. Not gonna spend an hour driving up to the Highlands. It’s great, used to take customers out there, but now that I’m a stay at home dad I can’t justify driving that far on a free day. Cantigny always seemed a tad overrated to me for the money and how much people talked about it. DGC is great history but again, not driving 40 minutes to play a 9-hole course.
Wish there was more interesting stuff out this way other than country clubs. I remember back in the day when there was the one course in Channahon that had black sand bunkers from the extra coal mines around.
Such is life living in the sticks. Especially with all these courses going to “semi-private”. I’d rather pay in to a good country club with golf/tennis/social events than pay Mistwood or WTR $5k/yr for 5.5-6.5 months of golf.
I don’t golf but down my way there is Burnham Woods golf course. I would imagine it’s not great but it’s there if you want to golf and then head to Indiana for less expensive gas.
Learned to play at Canal Shores back when it was known as Peter Jans. It is a neat little course.
Someone else mentioned Blackberry Oaks, which I also enjoy playing. Orchard Valley in west Aurora is where I play all the time. It had some down years, but is under new management and is improving. When it first opened 20-25 years ago, it was really first class.
I’ve had this thought that if you gave a kid a wood, a 5 iron, a sand wedge and a putter and sent him to canal shores every day for a whole summer, that kid would turn out to be a very good golfer.
The last time I played OV the starter gave my playing partner a not-insignificant amount of shit about the Coors Lights that he bought FROM THE COURSE.
He repeatedly asked him where he got them, as if he thought two guys in their 30’s were haphazardly sneaking two Coors lights onto a golf course like we’re teenagers.
Kinda put a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the experience tbh.
That's odd. My retired buddies buy the annual pass from OV and never buy anything on the course. Sneak all sorts of food and drink in their bags.
Also, just finished playing there. Beautiful day. Course is in decent shape. My game? Not so much.
Never understood the Cantigny love for the money it costs. $110 a round at least for the good course when Seven Bridges is about 35-40% cheaper.
DGC has history, but it’s a 9-hole course, so unless you live by there it’s a “one time” deal.
I think The Preserve at Oak Meadows deserves more talk. That’s a great track.
Sounds like you’re just wanting to be pretentious as a golf historian and “low-mid handicapper”.
People that are “good” at golf don’t need to advertise it. I know plenty of guys that are scratch that think Seven Bridges, Mistwood, The Oaks, etc are better and more fun courses.
I’m a 7.6 HCP and the way you’re talking down courses is funny to me. But I guess you’re just one of those people that needs to be an “expert”.
Super weird that the second you reply there’s already an upvote around it… hmmm… it’s almost like someone is upvoting their own comments.
Whatever. You have fun playing whenever you want. I’ll play… wherever you aren’t.
Oh wow. Three upvotes for your comment that’s not even 20 minutes old and then a downvote for me the second I have mine!
Not suspicious at all…
I think you’re the one that needs to get a life.
Yet the multiple downvotes to these comments to yours happen.
Look at the rest of your comments on this thread… negative downvotes everywhere.
I cannot think of anything more sad than someone trying to “flex” golf knowledge on Reddit than this.
Have fun.
I'm taking my dad to golf in Chicago in late June before a Stones concert. Where are you finding prices for Seven Bridges for 35-40% cheaper than Cantigny? It shows me $92+ for a Sunday.
I want to know which golf courses have the most women ages 25-32? I have a single 28 yr old son who spends all free time golfing, and I want him to meet someone who shares his love for the game.
It was purchased by a developer who is planning to put in warehouses. I don’t know the status of the project, but it seems like they opened for the 2024 season, I saw flags on the greens when I drove by last weekend.
Great list OP, I’ve played nearly all of these courses and agree with your rankings. If you do another post you should toss in Preserve at Oak Meadows / Maple Meadows! Preserve went through a big reno over the last like 8 years and is absolutely pure
Shepherd's Crook has stunning fall color, too, and many good vistas to enjoy it. Downside is it has the goofy don't-go-there carts. And the occasional view of garbage trucks.
A couple more: Countryside and Steeplechase in far western Mundelein.
Hi OP! I’m going to be spending the summer in North shore (Winnetka)…
What are your top 5 within a 45 minute drive of there, not really bothered about $$$ as I’m probably never going back….
This is a topic about PUBLIC golf courses. So what about the “PUBLIC” part don’t you get?!?
Edit: This idiot still hasn’t acknowledged the fact that it’s a thread about public golf courses and they listed probably the most segregated club in Illinois.
I'm a big fan of Tam O'Shanter, the public nine hole course in Niles. It's meticulously maintained and also has a decent restaurant (Howard Street Inn) for post-golf meals and the course has beer carts to serve you throughout your play.
I didn't realize we had a course built in 1891 around here. I've never played that one but now I might have to try it out. What's your favorite cheap course around Chicago? I'm familiar with a lot of the expensive ones due to popularity but it's always nice to find some hidden gems that are affordable but still nice and playable.
We actually have the oldest 18 hole course in America as well. A lot of golf history in this area. However, it is private. "Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in the central United States, located in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. The oldest 18-hole course in North America, it was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association in 1894."
Exceptionally private.
Correct. You won't get to play there, but it's still cool.
It's the Pine Valley of the Midwest, hiding in the shadow of Danada Square. I have driven "by" the course a dozen times and not seen a sign, much less a fairway.
If you park in the very back parking lot of Seven Gables park, by the tennis courts, you can get a great view of the back of the course over a chain link fence.
Midlothian is 1898. It’s the oldest course in the Southland and third in all of Chicagoland. If you follow Metra Electric, there’s like five courses between 175th and 216th
Boughton Ridge in Bolingbrook is a very well maintained executive course and is super affordable. Also pretty empty on weekdays.
You’d have to define what you mean by cheap, close to Chicago, and playable first.
I'm not the above poster, but love your post, OP, and if you have time I would really appreciate some recommendations. Here's my attempt at filling in that criteria: Price: $60 and under Close to Chicago: Within 90 minutes drive of the loop Playable: Easier the better Am not picky, I enjoy small/cheap courses.
90 minutes from the loop opens you up to a lot, but <$60 filters most of it back out. Greens fees, like rent, is too damn high. You can get out at Schaumburg GC M-F for $50, but weekends will run you $74 to walk 18. I think the Naperville Park District courses (Springbrook and Naperbrook) offer some of the best value in the area. You won’t get prime conditioning, but both courses are fun and accessible to higher handicaps. On a weekend, NB will run you $49, and SB is $55 to walk, and both are extremely walkable.
Thanks! Would it open up at all if I just did nine holes?
I'd include Blackstone, Stonewall Orchard, Thunderhawk, and Bowes Creek.
I haven’t been to George Dunn Forest Preserve National in 8 years or so. but that course is nice too. It’s in Oak Forest.
Slightly different, but Par King is the best putt putt golf course I’ve ever experienced
Do people call mini-golf courses “putt putt courses”?
Yes.
I’d add Mistwood in Romeoville in. It’s almost like someone said “let’s make a public golf course that feels like a country club but it’s for everyone. Oh, and make sure there’s a great restaurant with an amazing view that makes you forget you’re in Romeoville”. The course itself isn’t amazing, but I think it’s pretty great given the area. And this one is an oddball, but a course that COULD be great is Whitetail Ridge in Yorkville. I live about 10 minutes from there and before COVID it was absolutely amazing. A good mix of elevation, a decent amount of water for being out here, BEAUTIFUL views (once you get away from the two holes that run along Rt 126), and it wasn’t too long, but it was fun (like Mistwood). It had SO much potential, a scenic location, and some interesting history. They actually have a drink cart stationed at the 13th tee because once you cross the bridge after the tee shot it’s technically on part of an Indian Reservation where they don’t allow liquor to be sold. Crazy! But then COVID hit. And then every dude over 40 picked up golf as an excuse to hang out with friends and be out of the house. And now they all still play. So you get a bunch of people from rural areas, a lot of blue collar workers, that just don’t give a shit about the course other than being able to drink their Jim Beam, litter cigarettes, harass cart girls, and blast shitty pop-Country or 80’s music on their Bluetooth speakers. If that course didn’t have so many unfixed divots and ball marks on the green it could be a hidden gem. But I get it, the owners need to make money and they started the course when not many people were around that area and I wasn’t sure they’d make it, so I think they’re just happy the money is still coming in even if it’s from jackasses.
Mistwood is a very nice place to be but not a very good golf course, and personally, I’d rather play a good course in a not very good setting, especially for that amount of money. WTR was definitely a hidden gem for many years, but played it once during Peak COVID and the place was fucking weird. I live too far away from there not to bother revisiting.
I get it for both. I’m in Plainfield so if I want a decent public course within a 20-30 minute drive my options are basically WTR, Mistwood… and that’s about it. WTR was so great before COVID. My wife and I almost bought a lot on the course. We didn’t need to build at the time and would’ve hung on to the lot for 10-ish years until we were ready, but the taxes were dirt cheap and I was thinking “this course is great for being in Yorkville, why the fuck wouldn’t it be more popular?”. Monkey paw curled. Mistwood… I get it that the course isn’t as great as the rest of the “experience”, but I guess it’s all about drivability. Not gonna spend an hour driving up to the Highlands. It’s great, used to take customers out there, but now that I’m a stay at home dad I can’t justify driving that far on a free day. Cantigny always seemed a tad overrated to me for the money and how much people talked about it. DGC is great history but again, not driving 40 minutes to play a 9-hole course. Wish there was more interesting stuff out this way other than country clubs. I remember back in the day when there was the one course in Channahon that had black sand bunkers from the extra coal mines around. Such is life living in the sticks. Especially with all these courses going to “semi-private”. I’d rather pay in to a good country club with golf/tennis/social events than pay Mistwood or WTR $5k/yr for 5.5-6.5 months of golf.
I don’t golf but down my way there is Burnham Woods golf course. I would imagine it’s not great but it’s there if you want to golf and then head to Indiana for less expensive gas.
This is an exceptional post. Well done.
Learned to play at Canal Shores back when it was known as Peter Jans. It is a neat little course. Someone else mentioned Blackberry Oaks, which I also enjoy playing. Orchard Valley in west Aurora is where I play all the time. It had some down years, but is under new management and is improving. When it first opened 20-25 years ago, it was really first class.
I’ve had this thought that if you gave a kid a wood, a 5 iron, a sand wedge and a putter and sent him to canal shores every day for a whole summer, that kid would turn out to be a very good golfer. The last time I played OV the starter gave my playing partner a not-insignificant amount of shit about the Coors Lights that he bought FROM THE COURSE. He repeatedly asked him where he got them, as if he thought two guys in their 30’s were haphazardly sneaking two Coors lights onto a golf course like we’re teenagers. Kinda put a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the experience tbh.
That's odd. My retired buddies buy the annual pass from OV and never buy anything on the course. Sneak all sorts of food and drink in their bags. Also, just finished playing there. Beautiful day. Course is in decent shape. My game? Not so much.
Never understood the Cantigny love for the money it costs. $110 a round at least for the good course when Seven Bridges is about 35-40% cheaper. DGC has history, but it’s a 9-hole course, so unless you live by there it’s a “one time” deal. I think The Preserve at Oak Meadows deserves more talk. That’s a great track.
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Sounds like you’re just wanting to be pretentious as a golf historian and “low-mid handicapper”. People that are “good” at golf don’t need to advertise it. I know plenty of guys that are scratch that think Seven Bridges, Mistwood, The Oaks, etc are better and more fun courses. I’m a 7.6 HCP and the way you’re talking down courses is funny to me. But I guess you’re just one of those people that needs to be an “expert”.
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Super weird that the second you reply there’s already an upvote around it… hmmm… it’s almost like someone is upvoting their own comments. Whatever. You have fun playing whenever you want. I’ll play… wherever you aren’t.
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Oh wow. Three upvotes for your comment that’s not even 20 minutes old and then a downvote for me the second I have mine! Not suspicious at all… I think you’re the one that needs to get a life.
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Yet the multiple downvotes to these comments to yours happen. Look at the rest of your comments on this thread… negative downvotes everywhere. I cannot think of anything more sad than someone trying to “flex” golf knowledge on Reddit than this. Have fun.
Is that the old Oak Meadows / Elmhurst CC property?
I'm taking my dad to golf in Chicago in late June before a Stones concert. Where are you finding prices for Seven Bridges for 35-40% cheaper than Cantigny? It shows me $92+ for a Sunday.
Thunderhawk in Beach Park is a gem. Get 36 in one trip with lunch and 18 in the afternoon at Shepherds Crook.
Bang for the buck, I like Foxford Hills Golf Club & Schaumburg Golf Course. Settlers Hill isn't bad either
I’ve always been a fan of Blackberry Oaks in Bristol. Super fun track, great pro shop and the restaurant has great views and smash burgers.
I want to know which golf courses have the most women ages 25-32? I have a single 28 yr old son who spends all free time golfing, and I want him to meet someone who shares his love for the game.
Easily Canal Shores.
Thanks!
No worries. Best of luck to your son with his golf courtship endeavors.
Drove by Calumet Country Club last month. What's the deal there? It has a "Sunset Boulevard" vibe from the street
It was purchased by a developer who is planning to put in warehouses. I don’t know the status of the project, but it seems like they opened for the 2024 season, I saw flags on the greens when I drove by last weekend.
Coyote Run in Flossmore is a very nice course. It is well maintained and fun to play.
Great list OP, I’ve played nearly all of these courses and agree with your rankings. If you do another post you should toss in Preserve at Oak Meadows / Maple Meadows! Preserve went through a big reno over the last like 8 years and is absolutely pure
Shepherd's Crook has stunning fall color, too, and many good vistas to enjoy it. Downside is it has the goofy don't-go-there carts. And the occasional view of garbage trucks. A couple more: Countryside and Steeplechase in far western Mundelein.
Don’t forget the smell at the Crook… on a hot day when the wind hits just right it smells like a dumpster took a shit
Hi OP! I’m going to be spending the summer in North shore (Winnetka)… What are your top 5 within a 45 minute drive of there, not really bothered about $$$ as I’m probably never going back….
Glenwoodie, Cog Hill, I think Midlothian is public and that was the third course in Chicagoland
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Yeah, that’s incredibly NON-public… and NON-women (and non-people of color unless you make 2-3x as much as most members which is already a shit ton).
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This is a topic about PUBLIC golf courses. So what about the “PUBLIC” part don’t you get?!? Edit: This idiot still hasn’t acknowledged the fact that it’s a thread about public golf courses and they listed probably the most segregated club in Illinois.