Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round2)

[Waterboy]

Making the trek to Oak Grove tomorrow for 17 holes of great golf and the most f'd up hole in Chicago.

 

 

Break it down to three par 3's.

 

Played it as 3 par 3s and posted a 9. Need a different strategy.

 

Long iron/hybrid/high lofted fw towards bunker

 

I think you end up with 150 towards bridge. Aim at it. Short or right is ok.

 

150 over the bridge, aim over mound or bunker. I can't remember what's in the way.

 

2 putt.

 

Go to 12 tee

[Well Played]

Just finished up at Highlands of Elgin, my first trip out here. Love, love, love the layout... What a great layout. But OMFG stop with the water!!!! It was actually soggy the entire round, two plugged drives and one plugged green... in late September... with hardly any rain the last month or so... 80-90 degrees... just weird. And when you put that much water on the greens, every shot in is going to leave a crater on the green, making it bumpy and slow as hell. Sigh. Would love to play this course when it's fast and firm... Awesome layout.

 

And the Grumpy Goat has to be mentioned, as it's a bourbon lover's dream. Very cool place, and they list their bourbons similar to their craft beers. Very cool.

Don't hold your breath on playing it when it's fast and firm. They always drench that place. It's my only critique of HoE.

 

That’s unfortunate, and I likely will not go back because of that.

 

I think some people are missing the point on the over watering... Nobody is saying these courses shouldn’t water, or even adjust their watering schedules to an atypically dry climate or time of year; however it’s the OVER watering that is completely unnecessary and ruining the condition of these courses. You can still over water a course during a really hot and dry stretch, and even after aeration. There really is only one reason why a course should have soggy, muddy and plugging conditions, and that is due to Mother Nature, not some maintenance crew with an itchy sprinkler finger. No matter how dry the climate and in need of water a course may be, balls should not be plugging anywhere on a course outside of a hazard. I was spending 2-3 additional minutes on each green cleaning my ball and repairing fresh or even older giant craters in my line because the greens were so soft and almost swallowed every golf ball upon approach. Even if you don’t want to run them fast and firm, fine. But they should never be soggy, muddy and plugging for any reason other than excessive rain.

 

Ok I’m done b!tching now about over watering...

 

[DavePelz4]

So we did play Oak Grove yesterday. We walked which might not have been the smartest idea. Generally the course was in great shape and it was playing FAST. Drives and second shots on par 5's ended up in places in the fairway that I haven't played from prior. It seems they've given up on the concept of sand in bunkers and are just raking the dirt. The greens were the slowest I've ever seen and maybe that was because there were some pin positions that were extremely difficult.

 

Pace was surprisingly good. Finished in 3:50 which is great on that course with a couple of healthy walks in between holes. This time of year Oak Grove is into shut down mode. Only a couple of draft beers available and there were a couple of guys who came in between 9's that were looking for dogs/burgers and they didn't have any food. On a 95 degree day there was no beverage cart but fortunately I brought 2 40oz Takeya's.

 

Wish it was easier to get to...would definitely play there more.

[Argonne69]

Nice morning at Sportsman's. Other than the wet conditions from overwatering, the course was in nice shape. The moderate speeds on the greens were not unexpected. Pace was decent at 4:10. I think the heat was getting to everybody.

 

Hey, I found my game again. I knew I should have looked under the bed. Lol. Decent off the tee, but solid with the irons and wedges. 14 greens was one of the better ones this season. Started like gangbusters, with birdies on 1, 2, and 4. I had makeable birdie putts on 5 and 6, but lipped them out. A rare par on 9 allowed me to make the turn at two under. Alas, the steamy conditions took their toll, and the birdie fest ground to a halt. I still managed a 1 under round, but it was quite a grind on the back. I did manage a nice par on 17. I drove the ball right, and had a testy downhill lie in the right rough just over the fairway bunker. I needed 185 to clear the hazard, so I had to go with my fairway metal. I don't think the ball got more than 4 feet off the ground, and barely cleared the hazard. I wound up in the left rough, and with the pin way left, I had no real birdie chance. Still, a solid par. On 18 I hit a solid drive, but wound up in the right fairway bunker. I don't think I've ever come close to this trap. I clipped a nine iron cleanly, and stuck it 15 feet over the front pin.

 

Definitely thankful for the invention of air conditioning. Enough with summer already.

 

[jimwgt26]

Fun round at Shepherd's this morning. The greens are really nice. Most of the fairways are firm, and few, including 14, are too soft. "The smell" is only noticeable on the 6 green, 7 tee, 14 green corner of the course.

[ldchristopher]

Making the trek to Oak Grove tomorrow for 17 holes of great golf and the most f'd up hole in Chicago.

 

 

Break it down to three par 3's.

 

Played it as 3 par 3s and posted a 9. Need a different strategy.

 

Long iron/hybrid/high lofted fw towards bunker

 

I think you end up with 150 towards bridge. Aim at it. Short or right is ok.

 

150 over the bridge, aim over mound or bunker. I can't remember what's in the way.

 

2 putt.

 

Go to 12 tee

To go at it in 2, hit 3 wood slightly out right. Not too far obviously but enough. As long as you clear the junk, it's a hybrid or long iron to the green. It's an exceptionally dumb play but I've done it once. The three wood needs to be absolutely blasted though, since it needs to be long and high.

To play it normally, 5 wood or hybrid off the tee, PW/Gap Wedge/52 to the end, 7-9 to the green depending on how far out you are, 2 putt for par.

[Scratch2Plus]

Prairie View GC in Byron on Thursday...

[geochitown]

awesome time at White Deer Run yesterday.

They are running some great deals now.

 

Fairways and tees have been aerated, but greens haven't and are running fast and true (some ball mark repair negligence, but ok).

 

They had the blowers out before our 1:20 tee time and it was nice that they were minimal leaves in the fairways.

 

Sun is getting lower in the sky earlier...can make tracking balls a little tougher...

 

Put the new driver into play (well same head, but with a Matrix TP7HD that was tipped to play stiffer than my previous Matrix F7M2).

Much tighter dispersion a lower ball flight making for some nice drives on the firmer fairways.

 

Also, put 5 g of lead tape on my 3H (22*), which made the club swingweight/balance nicer...

[dhartmann34]

Any of you know of fall scrambles going on? I'm looking to play in a few this year. Thanks!

[St Jimmy]

Any of you know of fall scrambles going on? I'm looking to play in a few this year. Thanks!

 

http://www.jepf.org

 

Saturday at Boone Creek.

[chisag]

... Well the heat is taking it's toll. We played White Tail Ridge today and they usually have fast to very fast greens. They were so s-l-o-w. I have never played there with agonizingly slow greens. At least they were in pretty good shape but oh my were they just silly slow with downhill putts stopping halfway to the hole. And some of the severely breaking putts didn't take the break until they almost stopped and then just took a 90* turn. Very interesting round and we literally had the course to ourselves.

[Well Played]

Anybody know when Arrowhead is punching their greens? Called the pro shop and they weren’t very helpful... Said likely in the next week to ten days but didn’t know for sure. There is a scramble on the 14th some friends and I were looking to do but not if the greens will be in rough shape...

[zer0]

Any of you know of fall scrambles going on? I'm looking to play in a few this year. Thanks!

 

Sportsman has a good one on 10/14. 2 man scramble, 27 holes, alternating format on each 9.

[MountainKing]

Anybody know when Arrowhead is punching their greens? Called the pro shop and they weren’t very helpful... Said likely in the next week to ten days but didn’t know for sure. There is a scramble on the 14th some friends and I were looking to do but not if the greens will be in rough shape...

 

I've been burned by this line a few times only to show up and find the greens punched that morning. In the fall I try to stick to courses that are willing to be full disclosure about their punching schedule. I don't mind playing a course that has been punched, I do mind not being made aware of it ahead of time and paying full rate (even full fall rate). I feel like this should be another Arg thread to go along with the single friendly courses, honest about maintenance courses!

[McMoo]

I played Cog Hill dubsdread last Friday and was impressed. The course was in great condition and the greens were fast and true. It seemed all of the green side bunkers were redone and played very true and consistent. Some of the fairway bunkers didn’t have new white sand, had older brown, but were still in good shape. The left fairway bunkers on #5 were unplayable and being redone completely.

 

Pace of play was decent at 4 hr 15 min but definitely could’ve been faster.

 

I’ll play it again next time I’m in Chicago. I don’t really see why there’s so much hate on dubsdread, at $155 I feel it’s priced decently.

[stasek]

Last minute “the heck with work, let’s go play” round at Gleneagles white. The course was in decent condition, but as has been the case theoghout Chicago, the fairways were soaked. The greens were pretty bumpy, but not too bad and rolled pretty nicely. Shot 74 with 3 birdies, couple lipped out 4 footers and few loose shots here and there. Could have been much better but overall pretty enjoyable afternoon.

[geochitown]

Any of you know of fall scrambles going on? I'm looking to play in a few this year. Thanks!

 

http://www.jepf.org

 

Saturday at Boone Creek.

 

Blackstone and Shepherd's crook have scrambles as well as maple meadows with its Rambo scramble

 

 

[geochitown]

I played Cog Hill dubsdread last Friday and was impressed. The course was in great condition and the greens were fast and true. It seemed all of the green side bunkers were redone and played very true and consistent. Some of the fairway bunkers didn’t have new white sand, had older brown, but were still in good shape. The left fairway bunkers on #5 were unplayable and being redone completely.

 

Pace of play was decent at 4 hr 15 min but definitely could’ve been faster.

 

I’ll play it again next time I’m in Chicago. I don’t really see why there’s so much hate on dubsdread, at $155 I feel it’s priced decently.

 

We had a work group tourney there in 2010 and conditioning was very poor

 

Our group of 28 hasn't been back

 

At that price point, inconsistent course conditioning is a killer for its reputation

 

Glad you had a good experience

 

 

[ldchristopher]

I'm playing Bonnie Brook on Saturday and Brighton Dale and Steeple Chase on Sunday. It'll have been two weeks since I last played and the first couple of rounds might not go that well. However, at least I won't pay that much money.

[Scratch2Plus]

Just finished 36 holes at Prairie View GC in Byron.

Loved the course. Perfect day for golf.

Greens were sandy and on the slow side but overall conditions were very good.

Definitely coming back next season.

[dhartmann34]

Just finished 36 jokes at Prarie View GC in Byron.

Loved the course. Perfect day for golf.

Greens were sandy and on the slow side but overall conditions were very good.

Definitely coming back next season.

I love that course

[chisag]

... Been battling an intestinal bacteria infection so I wanted to play but wasn't sure I could, but a TeeTime deal at Village Greens in Woodridge popped up for $12 so what the heck I booked it. Good news I was able to play all 18. Bad news is I was able to play all 18. I have never played a course in worse condition. The rough on the tee boxes from the back tees, yes rough, was as high as my teed up ball! I have never seen anything like that anywhere in the country. Fairways were light to heavy rough too. Hit a good drive on #2 over the bunker and we watched it disappear in the middle of the fairway. We could not find it. Wet spots and again the grass was so tall it was hard to find any ball in the fairway but this one obviously went under ground on a patch that was just saturated with water.

 

... Felt good to be out of the house and playing but I would not waste my time at VG again for free. In fact if they paid me the $12 to play, it I would pass. My advice is avoid VG like an intestinal bacteria infection.

[krzeczowskimatt]

I am playing Mt Prospect on Saturday morning. Has anyone played there before? If so what should i expect i have heard great things since the course has now re opened.

[zer0]

I am playing Mt Prospect on Saturday morning. Has anyone played there before? If so what should i expect i have heard great things since the course has now re opened.

 

short course with plenty of room off the tee, but extremely tricked out fast greens that make up for that.

[Holy Moses]

Did Ravisloe aerate recently?

[Argonne69]

Did Ravisloe aerate recently?

 

It was fine last week, other than being a little slow. You may want to give them a call to see if they aerated during the week.

[B-Man]

I am playing Mt Prospect on Saturday morning. Has anyone played there before? If so what should i expect i have heard great things since the course has now re opened.

 

short course with plenty of room off the tee, but extremely tricked out fast greens that make up for that.

 

Many elephants died to build those greens...

[geochitown]

I am playing Mt Prospect on Saturday morning. Has anyone played there before? If so what should i expect i have heard great things since the course has now re opened.

 

short course with plenty of room off the tee, but extremely tricked out fast greens that make up for that.

 

Many elephants died to build those greens...

 

Those greens, people love 'em of hate 'em

 

The website has some good info on the holes if you'd like to know which are "template" holes before you play it.

[Waterboy]

I am playing Mt Prospect on Saturday morning. Has anyone played there before? If so what should i expect i have heard great things since the course has now re opened.

 

short course with plenty of room off the tee, but extremely tricked out fast greens that make up for that.

 

Many elephants died to build those greens...

 

I stand with Esler on this one. I love those greens/green complexes.

[krzeczowskimatt]

I am playing Mt Prospect on Saturday morning. Has anyone played there before? If so what should i expect i have heard great things since the course has now re opened.

 

short course with plenty of room off the tee, but extremely tricked out fast greens that make up for that.

 

Many elephants died to build those greens...

 

I stand with Esler on this one. I love those greens/green complexes.

 

Thanks for the help everyone I am really looking forward to the course!