Here is a detailed review of the 14 Best Chicago Golf Courses.
Golfing has been one of the best ways for families and friends to bond.
Going out with your friends and family to soak up some sun and knock a few balls around a golf course will surely make for an unbeatable day even if you are going to lose more balls than holes.
And if you plan to visit Chicago, you will easily realize that there are a lot of golf courses in the area.
While it is often overlooked in the debate for the places with the best golf courses, the Chicago area is surely one of the best regions for golf.
Some of the best architects, including Donald Ross, Seth Raynor, and Tom Bendelow design outstanding courses around the city.
In this guide, we will shine a proper spotlight on the best Chicago golf courses. Our research is based on a critical analysis of several courses in the area as well as ranking by golfers.
These Chicago golf courses offer a welcome escape from the fast pace of the Chicago city. The good thing is that most of them are only a few miles from the city.
List of Chicago Golf Courses
- Beverly Country Club
- Butler National Golf Course
- Chicago Golf Club
- Cantigny Golf Course
- Cog Hill & Country Club
- Harborside International Port Course
- Olympia Fields Country Club
- Prairie Landing
- Shoreacres
- Stonewall Orchard Golf Club
- Thunderhawk
- Bob O’Link Golf Club
- Old Elm Club
- Conway Farms Golf Club
Best Chicago Golf Courses
1. Beverly Country Club
- Location: 8700 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60620
- Length: 7016 yards
- Par: 70
- Designed by: Donald Ross
- Established: 1908
- Championships hosted: four Western Open championships (1910, 1963, 1967, and 1970) and one U.S. Amateur championship (1931)
Beverly Country Club is a well-established Chicago golf course that has been around since 1908.
In 2002, members revamped the course, which brought back some of the legendary features that got lost over the years.
2. Butler National Golf Course
- Location: 2616 York Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
- Length: 7,523 yards
- Par: 71
- Designed by: George Fazio
- Established: 1972
- Championships hosted: 2006 PGA Championship
This is a private golf course in Oak Brook that is worth our review. The course was first established in the 1970s and was used for the Western Open tournament from 1974 – 1990.
This Chicago golf course is also one of the most challenging courses in the country. So, expect to hone your golfing skills while here.
3. Chicago Golf Club
- Location: 25W253 Warrenville Rd, Wheaton, IL 60189, USA
- Length: 6,950 yards
- Par: 70
- Designed by: Charles B. Mac Donald and Jarvis Hunt
- Established: 1894
- Championships hosted: 2 USGA Championships
This is one of the best Chicago golf courses that is adored across the country. It has a history of being the first 18-hole golf course of 6,200 yards in North America.
Before 1923, members played on a standard 18-hole golf course. Thereafter, Seth Raynor designed it using the ideal hole concept, while still maintaining McDonald’s routing, which leaves all the O.B. on the left.
Unfortunately, even with this great history, it appears to be an invite-only golf course.
4. Cantigny Golf Course
- Location: 27W270 Mack Rd, Wheaton, IL 60189
- Length: 7055 yards
- Par: 72
- Designed by: Roger Packard
- Established: 1988
- Championships hosted: Cantigny hosted the 1998 and 2002 Illinois Amateur Championships and the 2007 US Amateur Public Links, among many USGA qualifiers.
It is one of the largest Chicago golf courses with an impressive 27 holes, organized into three different nine-hole layouts.
The Lakeside, Hillside, and Woodside courses have great surroundings and provoke different challenges.
5. Cog Hill & Country Club
- Location: 12294 Archer Ave, Lemont, IL 60439
- Length: 6,282 yards
- Par: 72
- Designed by: Rees Jones
- Established: 1927
- Championships hosted: PGA Tour’s BMW Championship from 2009 to 2011
This is also one of the best Chicago golf courses due to many reasons. But the most outstanding is the fact that the course is made up of four, 18-hole courses.
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club has also hosted four USGA championships and 20 PGA Tour events.
6. Harborside International Port Course
- Location: 11001 South Doty Avenue East, Chicago, IL 60628
- Length: 7164 yards
- Par: 72
- Designed by: Dick Nugent
- Established: 1995
- Championships hosted: SBC Senior Open, a PGA Champions TOUR event in 2002
Harborside International Port Course is one of the Chicago golf courses with the best layout. As you play golf, you will enjoy views of the Chicago Skyline from a distance.
Another interesting fact is that three of the nine holes border the water of Lake Calumet, providing a fantastic escape as you golf.
7. Olympia Fields Country Club
- Location: 2800 Country Club Dr, Olympia Fields, IL 60461
- Length: 7,353 yards
- Par: 70
- Designed by: Willie Park, Jnr and improved by Mark Mungeam
- Established: 1915
- Championships hosted: Four major championships, including the 2003 US Open, 2015 U.S. Amateur, 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and the 2020 BMW Championship
Olympia Fields Country Club is one of the best Chicago golf courses found in the woods south of the city.
It has a rich history and a picturesque landscape. Additionally, it is a massive golf course with 36 holes and is also among the largest private clubhouses in the world.
8. Prairie Landing
- Location: 2325 Longest Dr, West Chicago, IL 60185
- Length: 6950 yards
- Par: 72
- Designed by: Robert Trent Jones
- Established: 1965
- Championships hosted: N/A
While the Prairie Landing golf course is within a flat surrounding, it offers rolling green hills. But the most outstanding quality of the course is the water system that runs throughout the links.
9. Shoreacres
- Location: 1601 Shore Acres Rd, Lake Bluff, IL 60044
- Length: 6,729 yards
- Par: 71
- Designed by: Seth Raynor
- Established: 1921
- Championships hosted: Pro-Superintendent CPro-Superintendent Championship, Pro-President Championship, and 2022 ILCA 6 Youth World Championship.
Shoreacres is also one of the best Chicago golf courses that intertwines itself with nature. The designers of this golf course didn’t try to flatten or build up the entire landscape.
Instead, they take advantage of the natural formation to test golfers’ limits.
10. Stonewall Orchard Golf Club
- Location: 25675 IL-60, Grayslake, IL 60030
- Length: 7,124 yards
- Par: 72
- Designed by: Arthur Hills
- Established: 1999
- Championships hosted: Illinois PGA’s Section Championship and hosted U.S. Open qualifying in 2003, 2005,2009 & 2015
Stonewall Orchard Golf Club is among the best Chicago golf courses that has hosted the Illinois PGA Section Championship and several US Open qualifiers.
This 18-hole course is also boosted by a rolling landscape, and an abundance of thick forests, wildlife, and wetlands to make the whole golfing experience enjoyable.
11. Thunderhawk
- Location: 39700 N Lewis Ave, Beach Park, IL 60099
- Length: 7031 yards
- Par: 72
- Designed by: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Established: 1999
- Championships hosted: The Nadler Golf Cars Illinois PGA Professional Championship, 2023 and The IPGA (Illinois Professional Golfers Association) Qualifying Tournament for Illinois, 1999
Thunderhawk is arguably among the most beautiful Chicago golf courses. It has also proven to be one of the most challenging courses.
Besides this, Thunderhawk has some prestige, being the first public golf course in Illinois to receive the Audubon International Signature Certification.
What it means is that a significant part of the golf course acts as a forest preserve.
12. Bob O’Link Golf Club
- Location: 1120 Crofton Ave N Highland Park, IL 60035
- Length: 6,713 yards
- Par: 71
- Designed by: Donald Ross and later redesigned by C.H. Allison and Jim Urbina
- Established: 1916
- Championships hosted: Some prestigious golf events, including Western Open, 1933, 1951, 1962, and 1968.
Donald Ross designed this Chicago golf course in 1916 on a compact 125-acre field. After initial redesign, the golf course opened in 1925.
Unfortunately, it experienced challenges with drainage that led to the damage of all 18 greens. Later Jim Urbina redesigned the course by removing 700 tries and improving the drainage system.
13. Old Elm Club
- Location: Highland Park, IL 60035-1104
- Length: 6884 yards
- Par: 73
- Designed by: Harry S. Colt in collaboration with Donald Ross
- Established: 1913
- Championships hosted: The 2020 and 2023 BMW Championship
This is probably one of the male-only golf clubs on Chicago’s north side. Designed by British architect Harry S.
Colt in collaboration with Donald Ross, the course has one of the most unique design pedigrees. Their work has made Old Elm as one of the top Chicago golf courses.
14. Conway Farms Golf Club
- Location: 425 Conway Farms Dr, Lake Forest, IL 60045, USA
- Length: 7,233 yards
- Par: 71
- Designed by: Tim Jackson & David Kahn
- Established: 1991 Championships it has hosted: NCAA national championships, BMW championships, and other big-time amateur tournaments.
Conway Farms golf club re-opened in 2023 after a substantial revamp by David Kahn and Tim Jackson.
These two have worked with Tom Fazio on many golf course projects. Initially, the course has hosted tournaments including several BMW championships.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I get tickets to the US Open by playing on a Chicago golf course?
Yes, you can. Most clubs will provide a way of purchasing tickets for the USGA through their online portal. Of course, you can apply it directly from the main US Open site.
Who are the people who play in Chicago golf courses?
Most golf courses in the Chicago area target golfers in the area who love playing golf on a variety of fantastic golf courses at great rates.
Can I ride in a golf cart on golf courses in Chicago?
Unfortunately, not all golf courses in the Chicago area will allow you to ride a golf cart. Some of them had a general rule that they are a walk-only facility. With that said, you can request limited use of a designated golf cart.
Conclusion
Chicago golf courses often don’t get enough respect yet they are one of the best golf courses in the country. We did some justice by highlighting some of them here.
So, if you are in the Chicago area and looking for the best golfing experience, you can choose any of the above golf courses.
If you are looking for a challenge, then Cantigny Golf Course and Butler National Golf Course are the best fit.
And if you want to play on a golf course with a rich history, then you better choose Chicago Golf Club. Overall, Beverly Country Club offers the best golfing experience.
