Chicago - Best Starting/Finishing Holes

[Argonne69]

What's the definition of best? Hardest? Most challenging risk/reward? Easiest (for starting a round)?

 

I'll start by nominating everybody's least favorite course, Lost Marsh, for best starting hole. The 1st is a short par 4 playing from an elevated tee with great views of the surrounding area. It temps you to hit a wood or driver, but the smart play is to simply poke a long iron out into the fairway, and play for par. Bite off too much, or pull/block a longer club, and you're in the pond. 'Not a good way to start the round with the tough front nine.

 

 

 

My nomination for best closing hole is #18 at Dubsdread. With severe fairway bunkering left and right, along with the mounds, you do not want to be playing your approach to the water protected green from anywhere but the fairway. The fairly narrow green, and water left, encourages one to play left into the greenside bunker. The bunker can be terrifying with the pond as the backdrop. The hole is pretty much a carbon copy of #18 at TPC Deere Run.

 

[DavePelz4]

As far as demanding finishing hole, the 18th at Blackstone is a bear. Think it's 460 on the scorecard, almost always plays directly into the wind, has the boomerang green with the pot bunker in front.

Or...the 18th hole at Aldeen. Par 5, water left the entire way up, trees right and a green with multiple tiers and tough pin positions. If you're above the hole, you're done.

[FSCMatt]

If we're talking private too, I'd say 18 at Butler is a monster of a finisher.

[Argonne69]

I'll add another from one of the group's least favorite courses, #18 at Harborside Port. While not long, it's narrow, with water along the entire left side, and unplayable junk along the sloped/mounded right side. The left fairway bunker generally forces one to play out to the right off the tee, bringing the right two bunkers and junk into play. The layup is no gimme, as the fairway is narrow. With a back left pin position, sticking a short iron is tough.

 

[VNutz]

Before they tore it up, I really liked Oak Meadows opening and finishing holes. Nothing crazy ridiculous or special, just nice holes meandering through the forest the way Hogan did it in 1941. 1 was just a simple shortish straightaway par 4, but no easy start for your opening tee shot with thick forest on both sides. 18 was a cool looking hole with a solid drop and change of direction to the right with large old oaks looming on both sides. Played right, both are fairly simple, but played wrong they could hurt your card pretty quickly.

[geochitown]

[quote name='VNutz' timestamp='1447347740' post='12589464']
Before they tore it up, I really liked Oak Meadows opening and finishing holes. Nothing crazy ridiculous or special, just nice holes meandering through the forest the way Hogan did it in 1941. 1 was just a simple shortish straightaway par 4, but no easy start for your opening tee shot with thick forest on both sides. 18 was a cool looking hole with a solid drop and change of direction to the right with large old oaks looming on both sides. Played right, both are fairly simple, but played wrong they could hurt your card pretty quickly.
[/quote]

The Oak Meadows renovation will leave 1 and 18 pretty much as there were pre-renovation.
18 from the tips is pretty long.

[VNutz]

[quote name='geochitown' timestamp='1447347968' post='12589478']
[quote name='VNutz' timestamp='1447347740' post='12589464']
Before they tore it up, I really liked Oak Meadows opening and finishing holes. Nothing crazy ridiculous or special, just nice holes meandering through the forest the way Hogan did it in 1941. 1 was just a simple shortish straightaway par 4, but no easy start for your opening tee shot with thick forest on both sides. 18 was a cool looking hole with a solid drop and change of direction to the right with large old oaks looming on both sides. Played right, both are fairly simple, but played wrong they could hurt your card pretty quickly.
[/quote]

The Oak Meadows renovation will leave 1 and 18 pretty much as there were pre-renovation.
18 from the tips is pretty long.
[/quote]

That's my understanding as well. 18 is long from the tips, can't remember if the tees were there or moved up last time I played there.

[Argonne69]

OM #1 is indeed a tough start. 'Gotta hit it str8.

[Argonne69]

The 18th at George Dunne has to make the top 5. 'Many a decent round has been crushed by that d*mn hole. The approach is fine, and there's nothing tricky about the green. However, getting the ball into position in the fairway requires a darn near perfect tee shot.

 

[geochitown]

Orchard Valley has a great closer in 18.

Choose how much of the water you want to take on on your drive (there is an easy bailout on the left).

And then a smallish tilted green to take on for the approach...

Lots of bunkering protecting the agressive right lines on tee and approach.

 

Foxford Hills has a brutish par 4 18 hole, long with towering oaks on either side of the fairway defining the tee shot., and then a long iron, fairway wood into a tough green with deep greenside bunker left, and water hazard off to the right a ways away from the green, but still a challenge...

 

I like White Deer Run's closer, again, a long par 4 with a significant carry across water to fairway angled almost perpendicular to the line of the drive. The 2nd shot is not so special, though.

 

Big Run - I love the elevated tee shot and then way elevated green, with valley floor below of their 18th. Great recurring theme at Big Run, elevation change, elevated tee boxes to fairway below, 2nd shot must carry hazard to set up a 3rd shot to an elevated green.

 

18 at Bowes Creek is a beauty...starting from when one leaves the 17th green and there is a break in the trees on the right side of the cart path which gives a fleeting look to the sprawling 18th fairway and green. The trees come back and the quick peek is over (did you see that?).

Elevated tee to a massively wide fairway with water far right, center and fairway left bunkers. As mentioned above the back left pin placement is a great tester. Lots of different tee shot lines available to set up or penalize approaches to the elevated green.

 

Shepherd's Crook 18th has always eaten me alive...From a relatively non-demanding shot from a teebox nestled back in towering oaks to an open priarie for the rest of the hole, this Par 5 hole becomes more challenging as one nears the elevated green with a massive drop off short of the green, and bunkering and native grasses as fairway ends shy of the green.

 

Lots of great closers...

 

As far as demanding finishing hole, the 18th at Blackstone is a bear. Think it's 460 on the scorecard, almost always plays directly into the wind, has the boomerang green with the pot bunker in front.

 

I agree 18 is a bear! Luckily the last time I played it, it played downwind.

 

The 18th at George Dunne has to make the top 5. 'Many a decent round has been crushed by that d*mn hole. The approach is fine, and there's nothing tricky about the green. However, getting the ball into position in the fairway requires a darn near perfect tee shot.

 

 

Absolutely on the short list

[Argonne69]

IIRC, the 18th at Chalet Hills is no pussycat.

[apprenti23]

Great idea for a thread!

We really are lucky to have so many good courses in our area to play from! I'm a sucker for a good par five, so my list will be biased towards that.

[u][b]Best Starting Holes:[/b][/u]
I can't think of any where I just said "wow" that's a great first hole. But Harborside Port and George Dunne have a good start/finish combo.

[u][b]Best Finishing Holes:[/b][/u]
[b]Par Four Finishers[/b]- Cantigny Lakeside, Ruffled Feathers, Dubsdread, George Dunne, and TPC Deere Run.
[b]Par Five Finishers[/b]- Thunderhawk, Prairie Landing, Steeple Chase, BIG RUN, and Harborside Port/Starboard (perfect right by clubhouse and shared green just awesome).

[Thunder Dan]

[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1447343758' post='12589126']
As far as demanding finishing hole, the 18th at Blackstone is a bear. Think it's 460 on the scorecard, almost always plays directly into the wind, has the boomerang green with the pot bunker in front.

[/quote]

Sometimes it is. I played it this year with a nice helping wind and drive it into that front bunker.


I like both Harborside's for finishing holes. Love ending with a 5 par so you can close the day with a birdie

I honestly don't think there is a single good hole on Lost Marsh so I have to respectively disagree with the first post.

[TheBear95]

[quote name='Thunder Dan' timestamp='1447354067' post='12589960']
[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1447343758' post='12589126']
As far as demanding finishing hole, the 18th at Blackstone is a bear. Think it's 460 on the scorecard, almost always plays directly into the wind, has the boomerang green with the pot bunker in front.

[/quote]
I honestly don't think there is a single good hole on Lost Marsh so I have to respectively disagree with the first post.
[/quote]

Haha. That might be a little harsh, but I agree, the first at Lost Marsh is terrible.

Surprised that #18 at Stonewall has not been mentioned yet.

[MountainKing]

For me a good finishing hole is one you can score on with a couple of good shots, a little forgiving in that it doesn't require two perfect shots to avoid killing around but tough enough that if you go too far off it will kill the round. If it's a par 5 give you the option to make a run at it in two (big run being an exception)

Dubs
George Dunne
Cantigny Lakeside
Big Run
Stonewall Orchard
Chalet Hills
Heritage Bluffs
Bowes Creek


Starting holes - I guess I tend to prefer starting holes that are pretty forgiving, easy to make par on but birdie is a good possibility

George Dunne
Waters Edge
Prairie Landing

[B-Man]

Village Links 18th. Meh.

[B-Man]

Best 18th hole. Bartlett Hills. Made birdie to get into playoff.
Best 1st hole. Bartlett Hills. Made birdie to win playoff.

[Argonne69]

I agree that Waters Edge #1 belongs on the list, but not because it's easy. I think it's a difficult starting hole, as you need a good drive to take the hazard out of play on the 2nd shot. Hit your drive in the corner bunker, or in the rough, and you risk dumping one in the creek for your second.

[Argonne69]

Lol. No love for Heritage Bluffs #18?

[stasek]

[quote name='MountainKing' timestamp='1447355804' post='12590126']
For me a good finishing hole is one you can score on with a couple of good shots, a little forgiving in that it doesn't require two perfect shots to avoid killing around but tough enough that if you go too far off it will kill the round. If it's a par 5 give you the option to make a run at it in two (big run being an exception)

Dubs
George Dunne
Cantigny Lakeside
Big Run
Stonewall Orchard
Chalet Hills
Heritage Bluffs
Bowes Creek


Starting holes - I guess I tend to prefer starting holes that are pretty forgiving, easy to make par on but birdie is a good possibility

George Dunne
Waters Edge
Prairie Landing
[/quote]
I've actually played with a guy who hit driver, 2i to the back of the 18th green at Big Run (only to 3 jack it for a solid par). Of course, he also went driver, driver on 9th and came up couple yards short.

[Argonne69]

I also like starting on a par 5 to allow some chance to recover from a poor tee shot. Harborside Starboard, George Dunne, and Sportsman's come to mind.

Don't care for long par 4s to start the round, especially if they play into prevailing headwinds.

[jimwgt26]

I love GD, but I don't like 18. There's no landing area off the tee. If you hit the fairway, you'll probably be blocked out by the trees on the right. I agree 1 and 18 at Oak Meadows are great holes. I'll add 18 at Balmoral Woods as great finishing hole.

[MountainKing]

[quote name='stasek' timestamp='1447357121' post='12590272']
[quote name='MountainKing' timestamp='1447355804' post='12590126']
For me a good finishing hole is one you can score on with a couple of good shots, a little forgiving in that it doesn't require two perfect shots to avoid killing around but tough enough that if you go too far off it will kill the round. If it's a par 5 give you the option to make a run at it in two (big run being an exception)

Dubs
George Dunne
Cantigny Lakeside
Big Run
Stonewall Orchard
Chalet Hills
Heritage Bluffs
Bowes Creek


Starting holes - I guess I tend to prefer starting holes that are pretty forgiving, easy to make par on but birdie is a good possibility

George Dunne
Waters Edge
Prairie Landing
[/quote]
I've actually played with a guy who hit driver, 2i to the back of the 18th green at Big Run (only to 3 jack it for a solid par). Of course, he also went driver, driver on 9th and came up couple yards short.
[/quote]

Guys like that make me wonder why I even bother! That's impressive...

[MountainKing]

[quote name='Argonne69' timestamp='1447357283' post='12590292']
I also like starting on a par 5 to allow some chance to recover from a poor tee shot. Harborside Starboard, George Dunne, and Sportsman's come to mind.

Don't care for long par 4s to start the round, especially if they play into prevailing headwinds.
[/quote]

Agreed, I like a shorter part 5 or a shorter par 4. Something to ease you in, give you a chance to score with some decent shots and get some confidence for the round and if hitting the range isn't an option even gives you a chance to warm up at least a little.

[Argonne69]

[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1447343758' post='12589126']
As far as demanding finishing hole, the 18th at Blackstone is a bear. Think it's 460 on the scorecard, almost always plays directly into the wind, has the boomerang green with the pot bunker in front.
[/quote]

#18 at Lost Marsh is similar, playing 449 back to the clubhouse into a prevailing west wind. The hole is visually uninteresting, but plain 'ol long.

[Argonne69]

#18 on The Brute at Grand Geneva lives up to the name. Long, with water right, think rough on a slope left, and a deceptively tricky green.

 

[Argonne69]

I know the course is a bit of a goat track, and likely the least played here, but #18 at Joe Louis is a heck of a tough finishing hole. It plays 439 from the blues to a postage stamp sized green with practically no room around it. Add the fact that the fairway is almost always wet, and you wind up with long approach shots. I don't recall too many pars on the hole.

[MountainKing]

Thinking more about Dunne, 17 and 18 are a great 1-2 punch finish. You need 7 solid shots for a par par finish.

[apprenti23]

[quote name='MountainKing' timestamp='1447362991' post='12590812']
Thinking more about Dunne, 17 and 18 are a great 1-2 punch finish. You need 7 solid shots for a par par finish.
[/quote]
Another tough 17-18 is The Sanctuary! Boy those two holes can ruin 16 good ones real fast!

18 at Stonewall is a good one, hasn't thought of that. Just wish the green played larger like most par five greens.

Someone else mentioned 18 at Balmoral Woods. Boy that is a good one as well. Very often over looked golf course. I really like that course, Jewish I played it more or was ever near it! Maybe I need to start betting ponies!

[apprenti23]

[quote name='Argonne69' timestamp='1447361097' post='12590648']
I know the course is a bit of a goat track, and likely the least played here, but #18 at Joe Louis is a heck of a tough finishing hole.
[/quote]
Played there one time. The best part was the free watermelon and fruit at the picnic table by the practice green. Worst part was being stuck behind a five some and then a seven some and neither group didn't want the four of us playing through. Boy that was a scary round. Especially after we told them we were playing through...