Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round2)

[zer0]

Nice, Buddha. 'Gotta work on getting the tee shot in the fairway. If you get your fairways up to 7 or 8 you'll be breaking 80 on a regular basis. Have you tried teeing the ball lower, and possibly choking down a bit on the driver?

 

I have recently started trying to not fight my natural fade, so at least my miss is consistent to the right. Lots of time, it is just a slight slice, the ones that miss. For the most part, I'm not missing the fairway by much. I just recently started teeing higher after a few real bad driver rounds. Could consider choking down.

 

 

As one slicer to another, love the spin job, but it's only a fade if you do it on purpose :tongue:

[daveltb]

I'm going to be out in Kirkland, IL next Saturday afternoon, so I figured I'd play a round out that way. It's located between Rockford and Dekalb. Any favorite courses out that way? I was looking at Sycamore GC, but they don't allow singles to book. There's also Hughes Creek GC in Elburn. I guess I could always play a round in the Rockford area (Sandy Hollow), or possibly the Byron area, and backtrack to Kirkland. Is PrairieView, Silver Ridge, or Lost Nation worth the trek?

 

Silver Ridge and Lost Nation aren't as nice as Prairie View but both are pretty good layouts. Lost Nation has no range, big greens and very few bunkers. Silver Ridge has a little tighter front nine and a more open back nine also has a range. Nice views and elevation from the bluff above the Rock River down to river level.

[zer0]

I recently hung up the skates and retired from men's league hockey. Been desperately trying to find a new workout without much luck since. Decided to take the plunge today and just bought a clickgear 3.5+ so I can at least start walking for exercise.

 

Playing Saturday with a buddy who is orthodox jewish so he can't ride in a cart or use electricity till sundown. Perfect chance to try out the new clicgear.

[Argonne69]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Prairie View has an outing on Saturday, so I'll be teeing it up at Silver Ridge GC in Oregon, IL.

[Argonne69]

I see that Golf Digest released their 2017-2018 Best in State lists today. Exactly 1 public course in the top 25 listing for Illinois. I've been lucky enough to play 4 of the courses on the list....wish there was more public access to the most revered courses in the state, although one has to wonder if these clubs are pulling some strings to get on these top course lists.

 

 

No surprise there, unfortunately. By comparison, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan have a high percentage of public courses on the list.

[golfer912]

I see that Golf Digest released their 2017-2018 Best in State lists today. Exactly 1 public course in the top 25 listing for Illinois. I've been lucky enough to play 4 of the courses on the list....wish there was more public access to the most revered courses in the state, although one has to wonder if these clubs are pulling some strings to get on these top course lists.

 

 

No surprise there, unfortunately. By comparison, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan have a high percentage of public courses on the list.

 

How do you feel about the courses listed? I know last time I played Cog Hill is was in terrible shape. Not sure how it made the list. I've never played Rich Harvest Farms but from the NCAA tourney coaches and players had nothing but bad things to say about it. What adjustments would you make to the list?

[Argonne69]

I see that Golf Digest released their 2017-2018 Best in State lists today. Exactly 1 public course in the top 25 listing for Illinois. I've been lucky enough to play 4 of the courses on the list....wish there was more public access to the most revered courses in the state, although one has to wonder if these clubs are pulling some strings to get on these top course lists.

 

 

No surprise there, unfortunately. By comparison, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan have a high percentage of public courses on the list.

 

How do you feel about the courses listed? I know last time I played Cog Hill is was in terrible shape. Not sure how it made the list. I've never played Rich Harvest Farms but from the NCAA tourney coaches and players had nothing but bad things to say about it. What adjustments would you make to the list?

 

No idea on how the courses stack up, as I've only played one private course on the list. Given that the vast majority of golfers don't belong to private clubs, and don't have access to the private courses, I find the list rather pointless.

 

I agree that Dubs has taken a turn downward. I'll likely play it again this summer to see if the conditions have improved. It may have been an outlier last year. I still love the layout and experience, but poor conditions on a regular basis should certainly knock it off the list. I'd say that The Glen Club and TPC Deere Run belong on the list.

[DavePelz4]

Golf.com does their list every two years and 2016 was the most recent. Here's their list of courses you can play, which is more relevant to us daily fee golfers.

 

1. Cog Hill (No. 4), Lemont

 

2. The Glen Club, Glenview

 

3. TPC Deere Run, Silvis

 

4. Eagle Ridge (The General), Galena

 

5. WeaverRidge, Peoria

 

6. Orchard Valley, Aurora

 

7. Cantigny (Woodside/Lakeside), Wheaton

 

8. Thunderhawk, Beach Park

 

9. Highlands of Elgin, Elgin

 

10. Pine Meadow, Mundelein

 

11. Ravisloe, Homewood

 

12. Mistwood, Romeoville

 

13. Harborside International (Starboard), Chicago

 

14. Stonewall Orchard, Grayslake

 

Their list doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Orchard Valley and Pine Meadow don't belong on the list at all. HoE needs to be higher rated. Bowes should be on there as should Aldeen (yeah I know no one likes it). Dubs is over rated, Arrowhead should be on there, and the General should be higher rated.

 

Because no one rightfully cares, here's the DP4 list brought to you by no one who gets any additional advertising revenue by putting a certain golf course in their publication:

 

1. The General at Eagle Ridge

 

2. TPC Deere Run

 

3. Blackstone

 

4. Highlands of Elgin

 

5. Arrowhead

 

6. Bowes Creek (VNutz convinced me of this)

 

7. Prairie Landing

 

8. Oak Grove

 

9. Aldeen

 

10. Prairie View

 

11. The North Course at Eagle Ridge

 

Honorable mention:

Cantigny

Prairie Bluff

Dubs

Whitetail Ridge

Foxford Hills

Mistwood

Orchard Valley

Harborside

[VNutz]

FTFY

 

 

Because no one rightfully cares, here's the DP4 list brought to you by no one who gets any additional advertising revenue by putting a certain golf course in their publication:

 

1. Tanna Farms

 

2. TPC Deere Run

 

3. Blackstone

 

4. Highlands of Elgin

 

5. Arrowhead

 

6. Bowes Creek (VNutz convinced me of this)

 

7. Prairie Landing

 

8. Oak Grove

 

9. Aldeen

 

10. Prairie View

 

11. The North Course at Eagle Ridge

 

Honorable mention:

Cantigny

Prairie Bluff

Dubs

Whitetail Ridge

Foxford Hills

Mistwood

Orchard Valley

Harborside

[Argonne69]

No Thunderhawk or Stonewall Orchard? I'd certainly move Cantigny into the top 11, and bump Arrowhead down or off the list into the honorable mention. The Glen Club belongs on the list.

 

Aldeen is a decent course, but not top 10 material unless one has a Top 10 Values in Illinois list.

[ldchristopher]

I was with you until you included Aldeen and Prairie Bluff and made no mention of Thunderhawk (the most aesthetically pleasing course in the area) or Stonewall Orchard. I realize some of you tried to compare PB to one of the ten best courses in the country (I want to say Sand Hills in Nebraska) but I'm sorry, that's crazy talk. There's nothing special about Prairie Bluff except for the fact that it's right next to Stateville Prison, has a gun range nearby, and is open year round. I understand the whole "different strokes for different folks" thing but that's high praise for a mediocre course. As for Aldeen, an old guy once referred to it as "Mickey Mouse golf," which I think is old man code for "too much target golf, especially on the front nine." I wholeheartedly agree.

[VNutz]

Nobody compared it to Sand Hills, nobody even mentioned Sand Hills, it was Wildhorse, and a guy local to that course said PB reminded him of it, didn't compare it.

 

Just like Kate Hudson reminds me of her mother Goldie Hawn, but there's no comparison between the two.

[Buddha]

Late, but anyone want to get out this afternoon?

[zer0]

I take it DP4 has never played Ravisloe.

 

Some of the courses listed in the honorable mentions are real head scratchers.

[VNutz]

I take it DP4 has never played Ravisloe.

 

Some of the courses listed in the honorable mentions are real head scratchers.

 

Nah, they're just the only ones the old man can remember.

[DavePelz4]

No Thunderhawk or Stonewall Orchard? I'd certainly move Cantigny into the top 11, and bump Arrowhead down or off the list into the honorable mention. The Glen Club belongs on the list.

 

Aldeen is a decent course, but not top 10 material unless one has a Top 10 Values in Illinois list.

 

You're right...Thunderhawk should definitely have at least made HM status. Not sure I'd put Stonewall on there though. It's funny, V and I were playing with someone a few weeks ago who said Chicago had a lot of "good courses" but few that were really great. I think we have a lot of great courses to choose from.

[Waterboy]

No Thunderhawk or Stonewall Orchard? I'd certainly move Cantigny into the top 11, and bump Arrowhead down or off the list into the honorable mention. The Glen Club belongs on the list.

 

Aldeen is a decent course, but not top 10 material unless one has a Top 10 Values in Illinois list.

 

You're right...Thunderhawk should definitely have at least made HM status. Not sure I'd put Stonewall on there though. It's funny, V and I were playing with someone a few weeks ago who said Chicago had a lot of "good courses" but few that were really great. I think we have a lot of great courses to choose from.

 

I think the options that Chicago has are great. You have your lows and your highs, but there are a lot of courses that if someone said lets go play it, I would jump at it.

 

It just sucks we really only get to enjoy them year round.

[DavePelz4]

I take it DP4 has never played Ravisloe.

 

Some of the courses listed in the honorable mentions are real head scratchers.

 

Ravisloe is literally 10 minutes from the office and I haven't played it yet since it went public.

 

As far as the head scratchers, keep in mind that VNutz is right...at my advanced age to remember even that many courses is a plus.

 

So let's see everyone else's list. That was just one old guy's thoughts.

[CMCSGolf]

I would argue Shepherd's Crook should deserve some consideration. Not the top of the list, but I think it can with those middle tier tracks.

[VNutz]

No Thunderhawk or Stonewall Orchard? I'd certainly move Cantigny into the top 11, and bump Arrowhead down or off the list into the honorable mention. The Glen Club belongs on the list.

 

Aldeen is a decent course, but not top 10 material unless one has a Top 10 Values in Illinois list.

 

You're right...Thunderhawk should definitely have at least made HM status. Not sure I'd put Stonewall on there though. It's funny, V and I were playing with someone a few weeks ago who said Chicago had a lot of "good courses" but few that were really great. I think we have a lot of great courses to choose from.

 

I think this area has a ton of great courses. But with the introduction of premium and destination public courses, what constitutes a "great" course has changed in the golfing public's perception, raised the bar.

[chisag]

... Thanks to DavePelz4 for inviting me to this thread because I didn't know it existed. Played Prairie Bluff yesterday and although it was insanely windy (around 25mph+) it is in the best shape I have ever seen. Greens are rolling much faster than normal and very true. I had the craziest front 9 with zero pars, 4 bogies and 4 birdies with an eagle on #9 holing out a King Utility from 181 into the wind. Hit a low stinger that landed maybe 10yds in front of the green and rolled up and in. Back 9 was more normal starting with a birdie, then 7 pars and finishing with a bogie as the wind was dead into us. I was repairing several ball marks per green as I would love to see these conditions next time I play there. I also think it is one of the most picturesque courses I play, especially the view from the 15th tee and always lots of wildlife including the sight and sounds of Redtail Hawks screeching over head.

 

... Without reading the 186 pages :stink: have you guys ever put together a Chicago outing?

[zer0]

I guess if we're gonna make fun of DP's list we should at least submit one of our own. But if you don't want to please don't take this post to mean that you should stop making fun of DP.

 

 

Here's my top 10 of public courses in Illinois that I've played. I'll also list the big ones I haven't played so you know why they didn't make the list

 

Not putting them in order since its hard for me to rank a course like Dubs which I've only played once in terrible conditions vs a course like HOE which I've played over 10x.

 

So here are my top ten, not in any order...

 

-Highlands of Elgin: Pound for pound, best value of any course in the state.

 

-Bowes Creek: Back 9 definitely better than bland front 9, but overall a great course with even better facilities

 

-Dubs: It's dubs, it has to be on the list.

 

-Blackstone: I can see an arguement for this being best course in the state.

 

-Ravisloe: Donald Ross, nuff said.

 

-Thunderhawk: Closest course we have to a Wisconsin/Michigan cut out of the woods type of course

 

-Cantigny: Top notch facility, only course on list with 27 holes to choose from

 

-Stonewall Orchard: Great course, awful finishing hole

 

-Prairie Landing: Fun, sporty course with added bonus of watching some really cool planes land next door.

 

-Mistwood: Only played it once and don't remember much, but it seems like it belongs on this list.

 

 

Courses I haven't played yet: TPC, Galena courses, Weaver Ridge, Oak Grove, Aldeen, Glen Club

 

Honorable mentions:

 

Shepherds Crook (hurt to leave this out, but in the end the lack of range and my dislike a few holes at the start of the course kept it off)

 

Arrowhead

 

Lake Bluff

 

Balmoral Woods

 

Kankakee Elks

 

Chalet Hills

 

Edgebrook

[DavePelz4]

Doesn't VNutz do a good enough job of making fun of me for all of you? Please, be kind to an old, decrepit, bald, sucky golfer.

[VNutz]

I guess if we're gonna make fun of DP's list we should at least submit one of our own. But if you don't want to please don't take this post to mean that you should stop making fun of DP.

 

Pretty much the only reason I come around WRX anymore.

[TheBear95]

I would argue Shepherd's Crook should deserve some consideration. Not the top of the list, but I think it can with those middle tier tracks.

 

The greens and green complexes are really good, but I find a number of the holes to be rather pedestrian. And it needs to be mentioned, but when the wind is blowing in from the dump, then you're gagging on a bunch of the holes. Points off.

[zer0]

I would argue Shepherd's Crook should deserve some consideration. Not the top of the list, but I think it can with those middle tier tracks.

 

The greens and green complexes are really good, but I find a number of the holes to be rather pedestrian. And it needs to be mentioned, but when the wind is blowing in from the dump, then you're gagging on a bunch of the holes. Points off.

 

 

Please refer to that land feature by its proper name when you post or talk, The Bluffs of Zion.

[DavePelz4]

... Thanks to DavePelz4 for inviting me to this thread because I didn't know it existed. Played Prairie Bluff yesterday and although it was insanely windy (around 25mph+) it is in the best shape I have ever seen. Greens are rolling much faster than normal and very true. I had the craziest front 9 with zero pars, 4 bogies and 4 birdies with an eagle on #9 holing out a King Utility from 181 into the wind. Hit a low stinger that landed maybe 10yds in front of the green and rolled up and in. Back 9 was more normal starting with a birdie, then 7 pars and finishing with a bogie as the wind was dead into us. I was repairing several ball marks per green as I would love to see these conditions next time I play there. I also think it is one of the most picturesque courses I play, especially the view from the 15th tee and always lots of wildlife including the sight and sounds of Redtail Hawks screeching over head.

 

... Without reading the 186 pages :stink: have you guys ever put together a Chicago outing?

 

Once at HoE and there were stories. Some of the Motley Crue is pictured below.

 

 

The best story was the former Ohio State player who beat Justin Leonard in the NCAA's, hadn't played in a year and shot something like 67 with a couple of doubles. Played blades that were 20 years old with the dime sized wear spot. If I recall correctly, he had a stretch on the back starting on 11 where he went eagle, birdie, eagle, birdie,

 

 

 

Then there was JMoney's favorite cart girl...who clearly liked Stan...

 

 

 

 

And this is when Chicago Lefty used to hang out with us...and not sit on his cart seat when he was tired...

 

 

 

Didn't BMan say he was going to organize something?

[B-Man]

... Thanks to DavePelz4 for inviting me to this thread because I didn't know it existed. Played Prairie Bluff yesterday and although it was insanely windy (around 25mph+) it is in the best shape I have ever seen. Greens are rolling much faster than normal and very true. I had the craziest front 9 with zero pars, 4 bogies and 4 birdies with an eagle on #9 holing out a King Utility from 181 into the wind. Hit a low stinger that landed maybe 10yds in front of the green and rolled up and in. Back 9 was more normal starting with a birdie, then 7 pars and finishing with a bogie as the wind was dead into us. I was repairing several ball marks per green as I would love to see these conditions next time I play there. I also think it is one of the most picturesque courses I play, especially the view from the 15th tee and always lots of wildlife including the sight and sounds of Redtail Hawks screeching over head.

 

... Without reading the 186 pages :stink: have you guys ever put together a Chicago outing?

 

Once at HoE and there were stories. Some of the Motley Crue is pictured below.

 

Didn't BMan say he was going to organize something?

 

Think that was last year or even before that. I'm hit and miss most of this Summer. Also, where are the originals of those photos? Some of those are doctored...

[Scratch2Plus]

Im down for another Gwrx outing. Might have a few special cigars I'll bring out if it happens.

 

36 on Sunday. Change of plans...Schaumburg Friday morning and Bowes on Sunday.

[DavePelz4]

... Thanks to DavePelz4 for inviting me to this thread because I didn't know it existed. Played Prairie Bluff yesterday and although it was insanely windy (around 25mph+) it is in the best shape I have ever seen. Greens are rolling much faster than normal and very true. I had the craziest front 9 with zero pars, 4 bogies and 4 birdies with an eagle on #9 holing out a King Utility from 181 into the wind. Hit a low stinger that landed maybe 10yds in front of the green and rolled up and in. Back 9 was more normal starting with a birdie, then 7 pars and finishing with a bogie as the wind was dead into us. I was repairing several ball marks per green as I would love to see these conditions next time I play there. I also think it is one of the most picturesque courses I play, especially the view from the 15th tee and always lots of wildlife including the sight and sounds of Redtail Hawks screeching over head.

 

... Without reading the 186 pages :stink: have you guys ever put together a Chicago outing?

 

Once at HoE and there were stories. Some of the Motley Crue is pictured below.

 

Didn't BMan say he was going to organize something?

 

Think that was last year or even before that. I'm hit and miss most of this Summer. Also, where are the originals of those photos? Some of those are doctored...

 

The cart pic of Lefty is from a year or two ago. The others are from the HoE event.