Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[Woodridge]

I had an early afternoon tee-time yesterday at Nettle Creek as a single. I was surprised at how filled the tee sheet was. But, then the round moved pretty quickly on the front. 2 twosomes let me play through on 3 and 4 respectively and another duo let me play through on 10. But, my luck ran out on the 12th when a foursome didn't let me play through on the par 3. I'm not sure why as they were an older group of couples and were moving pretty slow. That had to see me waiting on the tee. I waited for a bit on the 13th tee and the twosome behind me caught up, so I then skipped 13 and 14. I saw no one the rest of the round.

 

The entire course, fairways included was punched a few weeks ago, so it's still coming back. The less said about my golf the better. 2 balls in the water on 11 and a 4 putt from 3 feet on 17 soured the day for me. Too much playing 'golf swing' and not enough just playing golf.

[@_the_crook]

had my nephew play SV this morning.

first time there and third time hitting irons he bought about two years ago.

took a few holes for him to loosen up and get his yardages figured out.

started breezy and got even stiffer.

we hit the turn and 13, 14 and 15 played in our favor.

my second shot reached dead center of 15 green - an unusual event.

as for protege, back nine he hits four out of five fairways including a 300 yd blister on the par 5 seventeen. using a TA titanium driver with a proforce stiff shaft. 310cc head.

examining his bag, I'd bet with tweaks to driver, putter and wedge, he could shoot par fairly often.

it was a joy to watch and be with him.

now to get him walking.

[Holy Moses]

On 4/30/2021 at 1:43 PM, DavePelz4 said:

I'd be happier if it was Mrs. Fields.

Why’s that?

[DavePelz4]

14 hours ago, Holy Moses said:

Why’s that?

 

I understand the athletic traits he brings to the table but he's still in need of a lot of development. OSU is a 1 read offense and that's not the Nagy system. Can you name the last QB that the Bears "developed?"

 

Liked the trade up but would have been happier if they went with Jones. Not as athletic but the smartest QB in the draft and I think more NFL ready.  Will give Pace credit for the 2nd round pick. That kid is dirty and nasty which is desperately needed in the O line.

[DavePelz4]

Played Bowes yesterday.  With the wind, the greens probably went from 9 to 12-13 through the course of the day.  Overall, the course is in great condition and playing really fast. Regularly had 30-40 yards of rollout. Fresh sand in the bunkers, well, that's until my visit.  There a bit less sand in quite a few bunkers. Pace was OK but somehow we ended up with 3 groups on the 16th hole which led to a 15 minute wait.

 

The bar and restaurant is back open and the new bartender, Erin, was really friendly and nice. 

[MountainKing]

Got out to Seven Bridges yesterday, what's already a bit of a tough track was made extremely difficult in the winds.  It was a solid 3 club wind at most times.  The current $50 twilight rate is probably one of the better deals in the area right now, course is in pretty solid shape, there's a lot lesser courses charging more than that.  Greens rolled nice and fast with the windows, the fairways had a lot of run out which added to the toughness.  

 

My game is still very rusty but I managed to put up an 81, which I'll gladly take given the conditions yesterday.  I had a couple shots that were extremely offline and water bound but ended up playable thanks to the wind.  

 

Pace of play was okay, except the yahoos in front of us didn't really seem to think the sun was going to set and they were screwing around big time the last few hours which resulted in us playing 18 in the dark. 

[psygolf]

21 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

I understand the athletic traits he brings to the table but he's still in need of a lot of development. OSU is a 1 read offense and that's not the Nagy system. Can you name the last QB that the Bears "developed?"

 

Liked the trade up but would have been happier if they went with Jones. Not as athletic but the smartest QB in the draft and I think more NFL ready.  Will give Pace credit for the 2nd round pick. That kid is dirty and nasty which is desperately needed in the O line.

Lawrence & Fields have been 1A/1B since they were in high school...it is still that.

 

SF went for a developmental QB, not the bear.

[DavePelz4]

1 hour ago, psygolf said:

Lawrence & Fields have been 1A/1B since they were in high school...it is still that.

 

SF went for a developmental QB, not the bear.

 

Respectfully, if Fields isn't the starter day 1, doesn't that mean he needs developing?  If he's the better QB wouldn't the Bears start him?

[chisag]

1 hour ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

Respectfully, if Fields isn't the starter day 1, doesn't that mean he needs developing?  If he's the better QB wouldn't the Bears start him?

 

... I hope not. Sure worked for KC letting Mahomes learn for a season before becoming the starter. The starting QB I played behind in college made it to the N.Y. Giants and he asked me how much harder it was to play in college compared to high school and I said 10 times harder and he agreed. He then asked how much harder did I think it was to play in the NFL compared to college and I said has to be at least twice as hard so 25 times harder? He laughed and said 100 times harder. 
 

... He said think of the very best defensive player we faced in college and every NFL player is as good and most are even better. Then defenses are more disguised, complex and much faster so throws you have made your entire life will be picks in the NFL. The worst part is if you hesitate or second guess a throw you are toast and it starts to work on you mentally. So best to make all those mistakes against the practice squad and watch film and learn from a veteran like Dalton before becoming the starter. I think Bears fans are going to be surprised at how good Dalton can be with Nagys offense. 

[DavePelz4]

20 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... I hope not. Sure worked for KC letting Mahomes learn for a season before becoming the starter. The starting QB I played behind in college made it to the N.Y. Giants and he asked me how much harder it was to play in college compared to high school and I said 10 times harder and he agreed. He then asked how much harder did I think it was to play in the NFL compared to college and I said has to be at least twice as hard so 25 times harder? He laughed and said 100 times harder. 
 

... He said think of the very best defensive player we faced in college and every NFL player is as good and most are even better. Then defenses are more disguised, complex and much faster so throws you have made your entire life will be picks in the NFL. The worst part is if you hesitate or second guess a throw you are toast and it starts to work on you mentally. So best to make all those mistakes against the practice squad and watch film and learn from a veteran like Dalton before becoming the starter. I think Bears fans are going to be surprised at how good Dalton can be with Nagys offense. 

 

Agree that the line upgrades will definitely help Dalton...and think that Fields has a lot of athletic ability but as you stated perfectly, it's a different level of talent and speed in the NFL. 

[Argonne69]

A nice walk in the park this morning. Overcast and muggy, but it was nice to play in calm conditions. I didn't have a tee time, but when the rain passed I decided to take a short drive down to Jackson Park. Having lived in the South Loop for years, I've played this course more than any other course except for Wilmette over the past 23 years. I guess I have a soft spot for it. Conditions were decent. If you ignore the 57 varieties of turf grass in the fairways, they were in nice shape. A little soft from the rain, which was nice because you could take a nice divot without worrying about breaking a wrist. You could actually see the cut where the rough started. Goose droppings were minimal. The rough was cut to a good length. Bunkers were trash. I didn't detect a single grain of sand, just wet mud and small rocks. The greens looked nice, but they were aerated a few weeks ago, and still healing. Still, I don't go to JP to work on my putting. With the tiny greens it's a good workout for the wedges and short irons. Pace was excellent. There were only a few singles out on the course, so I pretty much had the place to myself.

 

[Shriner]

We made our first trip ever to Big Run,  went with an open mind and excited to see what all the fuss was about.  I can see varying opinions on the layout and fairness, etc. but this was absolutely the worst golf condition I have ever seen a golf course in.  Walking up to the 1st hole and wondering where the actual hole is since there was a forest was hilarious.   We lost four golf balls on the front 9 simply because there were so many weeds in the grass, just awful conditions.  I rarely ever say this but I would not play here again for free, which is a bummer because the staff was excellent and I did like the unique clubhouse. 

[psygolf]

6 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

Respectfully, if Fields isn't the starter day 1, doesn't that mean he needs developing?  If he's the better QB wouldn't the Bears start him?

Respectfully, Dalton will need to play the best football of his life to keep Fields off the field...win/win for the team.

[chisag]

3 hours ago, psygolf said:

Respectfully, Dalton will need to play the best football of his life to keep Fields off the field...win/win for the team.

 

... Amen! Dalton was a top 10 regular season QB with the Bengals but he just sucked once the play offs started. The longer he plays well the better for the Bears. UNLESS Fields progresses so much against the scout team they have him take reps against the starting defense and he does well. I still think the worst thing you can do to a rookie QB is throw him in the fire and he starts thinking after throwing picks. 
 

... Then again Justin Herbert could not have played better after being thrown into the fire so who knows? I do think with Nagy and Pace’s jobs on the line they won’t start Fields until they think he is ready. 

[Argonne69]

Wilmette this morning. Damp with a few early sprinkles, but light winds kept it pleasant. The course is in nice shape. A few fairways appeared to have been sanded. The rough was a decent height. The bunkers were wet, and needed grooming. Greens are healed from the recent aeration, but need to be cut. They were probably rolling 8 at best. Pace was fine. I went out as a single behind a few twosomes, and they kept things moving. They only played 9 holes, so once I made the turn it was wide open.

 

Couldn't get the ball to the hole on the slow greens. Only highlight of the day was a birdie on the 10th after hitting a nice 7 iron out of the right rough to four feet.

 

[PuttCurseRepeat]

21 hours ago, Shriner said:

We made our first trip ever to Big Run,  went with an open mind and excited to see what all the fuss was about.  I can see varying opinions on the layout and fairness, etc. but this was absolutely the worst golf condition I have ever seen a golf course in.  Walking up to the 1st hole and wondering where the actual hole is since there was a forest was hilarious.   We lost four golf balls on the front 9 simply because there were so many weeds in the grass, just awful conditions.  I rarely ever say this but I would not play here again for free, which is a bummer because the staff was excellent and I did like the unique clubhouse. 

 

Yep, it looks like they nearly stopped putting money and effort into most areas of maintenance a few years ago and dozens of trees need to come down, but I've played there 3 times this year and the greens, with the exception of a small area on #13, have been in great shape. I always play after 3:00pm so $45 is the max I pay and for that money you get a layout and challenge that few other courses in the area can provide.

[cpeck12]

Village Links of GE Wednesday Wagglers league starts this afternoon. My first time doing it, sounds fun so I'm looking forward to it.

[Argonne69]

A very nice spring morning today at Maple Meadows. A little breezy, but the sunshine was welcomed. They're offering a $28 prepaid walking rate weekdays, which is hard to pass up. The Preserve is now up to $55. I've definitely noticed that courses are charging more for these early season rounds.

 

The course is in great shape. The fairways were a little soft, but I was still getting some rollout. Sure beats the soggy springs of years past. Rough was a good height. Bunkers were fine. Greens looked great, but were a tad slow. I'd say 9. Pace was excellent. I went out as a single (again) on the 10th, and caught a threesome on the 16th hole. They were moving at a good clip, so I never needed to play through. 2:45 for the round.

 

Monday's round at Jackson Park paid off, as my wedge game was in solid form. I missed a number of makeable birdie putts, but still managed three birdies. I don't recall ever having a birdie on the 16th. I figured out how to take the trees on the par 4 12th out of play. Drive the ball past them. Lol. No idea how I hit a teeshot into a hurting wind a few yards past the left clump of trees, but the hole is sure a heck of a lot easier without the trees in the way. Of course I put another teeshot into the right PA on the par 5 8th. Pffft. The northwest wind didn't do me any favors pushing the ball right, which of course hit the side slope and kicked right into the swamp. 

 

I had never noticed that the course wasn't opened until 1998. That's quite new. What was there before the course? Did they convert a private club to a muni, or was it built as part of that highrise condo/apartment complex?

 

[VNutz]

57 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

A very nice spring morning today at Maple Meadows. A little breezy, but the sunshine was welcomed. They're offering a $28 prepaid walking rate weekdays, which is hard to pass up. The Preserve is now up to $55. I've definitely noticed that courses are charging more for these early season rounds.

 

The course is in great shape. The fairways were a little soft, but I was still getting some rollout. Sure beats the soggy springs of years past. Rough was a good height. Bunkers were fine. Greens looked great, but were a tad slow. I'd say 9. Pace was excellent. I went out as a single (again) on the 10th, and caught a threesome on the 16th hole. They were moving at a good clip, so I never needed to play through. 2:45 for the round.

 

Monday's round at Jackson Park paid off, as my wedge game was in solid form. I missed a number of makeable birdie putts, but still managed three birdies. I don't recall ever having a birdie on the 16th. I figured out how to take the trees on the par 4 12th out of play. Drive the ball past them. Lol. No idea how I hit a teeshot into a hurting wind a few yards past the left clump of trees, but the hole is sure a heck of a lot easier without the trees in the way. Of course I put another teeshot into the right PA on the par 5 8th. Pffft. The northwest wind didn't do me any favors pushing the ball right, which of course hit the side slope and kicked right into the swamp. 

 

I had never noticed that the course wasn't opened until 1998. That's quite new. What was there before the course? Did they convert a private club to a muni, or was it built as part of that highrise condo/apartment complex?

 

Used to be a private club called Brookwood Country Club. I know nothing more beyond that though.

 

I'm sure @DavePelz4 knows the name and landline number of the girl working the bar on Tuesday nights though.

Edited May 5, 2021 by VNutz

[geochitown]

you are taking about Maple Meadows, Arg?

Yes, it was Brookwood CC, which had the land of Maple Meadows and across the street which were the Maple Meadows East 9.

 

I believe the old Brookwood clubhouse must have been on the east side of the road, because I remember my late Dad saying that the 18th at Maple Meadows was altered (shortened) when they built the clubhouse.

 

He had played Brookwood a few times with a vendor rep.

 

The Large apartment building was there.

[geochitown]

The land south of the clubhouse where the holes 4-9 are located were built later after the Forest Preserve bought Brookwood land.

It was called the Draper Property because Draper was either the construction or development company that had planned to build townhomes there.

 

At the last minute, the Forest Preserve somehow got that Draper land and people who may have already pre-purchased units were out.  Some people were angry saying that Jerry Pate Phillips, politician, who lived in the Dominion Tower didn't want to be looking at townhouses.

 

Also, there were mafia ties to the ownership of Brookwood.

[Argonne69]

6 minutes ago, geochitown said:

The land south of the clubhouse where the holes 4-9 are located were built later after the Forest Preserve bought Brookwood land.

It was called the Draper Property because Draper was either the construction or development company that had planned to build townhomes there.

 

At the last minute, the Forest Preserve somehow got that Draper land and people who may have already pre-purchased units were out.  Some people were angry saying that Jerry Pate Phillips, politician, who lived in the Dominion Tower didn't want to be looking at townhouses.

 

Also, there were mafia ties to the ownership of Brookwood.

 

Interesting. So did Brookwood route across the road to the Maple Meadows 9? Without the land for holes 4 - 9, there wouldn't be enough land for an 18 hole course unless they significantly reworked the course.

 

[geochitown]

Yes, the Brookwood routing did straddle Addison Rd, its holes occupying both the west and east sides.

[VNutz]

There is a tunnel that goes under Addison Road so it makes sense that they would have crossed the street. But that would still leave with an odd number of holes, I wonder which holes on Maple 1-3 and 10-18 are newer then. They could have added in holes 1-3, #3 definitely is more modern with the lakes and the fountain, but I could also envision routing straight from 11 green to 15 tee, with 12-14 being another property addition next to the marshy area. Hole #14 definitely has a different feel than the rest of the course with the bunkering up the right hand side.

 

Oddly enough I know I had a HS match on Maple East 9 in 97, and I have zero recollection of the 18 hole course at that time, don't think I ever played it until 2004 or something but I had played Oak Meadows plenty. Makes sense that the clubhouse could have been on the east side as that parking lot was far bigger than needed for the 9 holer that was there.

 

Been missing that East 9 lately. With courses being so full that was always a hidden gem and an easy and cheap course to get on.

[Argonne69]

Wow.

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-02-18-8701130316-story.html

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-02-26-8701160007-story.html

 

 

[geochitown]

Just now, Argonne69 said:

Wow.

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-02-18-8701130316-story.html

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-02-26-8701160007-story.html

 

 

 

The creation of the two courses that are there now and how they got there IS quite the story.

 

[Shriner]

Good to hear about the condition at Maple Meadows, I'll be there Friday.   Had the fescue grown in yet?  The course completely changes based on whether that is cut down.  The tee shot on 1 and 10 is ten times easier when you don't have to worry about the large section between the two holes.  

 

I'm super excited to get in a round under normal conditions with my new Titleist 620CB's.  I got the last set apparently at PGA store in Schaumburg, which had a Project X LZ shaft.  It is heavier but I like it so far.  If anyone is interested in my old Mizuno MP4's, let me know. 

[VNutz]

27 minutes ago, Shriner said:

Good to hear about the condition at Maple Meadows, I'll be there Friday.   Had the fescue grown in yet?  The course completely changes based on whether that is cut down.  The tee shot on 1 and 10 is ten times easier when you don't have to worry about the large section between the two holes.  

 

I'm super excited to get in a round under normal conditions with my new Titleist 620CB's.  I got the last set apparently at PGA store in Schaumburg, which had a Project X LZ shaft.  It is heavier but I like it so far.  If anyone is interested in my old Mizuno MP4's, let me know. 

I was out there a few weeks ago and zero fescue yet.

[Argonne69]

37 minutes ago, Shriner said:

Good to hear about the condition at Maple Meadows, I'll be there Friday.   Had the fescue grown in yet?  The course completely changes based on whether that is cut down.  The tee shot on 1 and 10 is ten times easier when you don't have to worry about the large section between the two holes.  

 

I'm super excited to get in a round under normal conditions with my new Titleist 620CB's.  I got the last set apparently at PGA store in Schaumburg, which had a Project X LZ shaft.  It is heavier but I like it so far.  If anyone is interested in my old Mizuno MP4's, let me know. 

 

Not really. 'Just starting to grow. 

 

[Woodridge]

I'm probably the only board member to regularly play the Ziegfield Troy Par 3 course in Woodridge. My son and I try to get out at least once per month there. He's not an accomplished golfer so the Par 3 course allows him to enjoy the game and have some success. He actually had a 40 yard hole-out last year for a 2. Today was a perfect day to play and the course almost empty when we teed off. I've taken to paying for a 4 some even though there's just the 2 of us because the staff is adamant about pairing people up. My boy has some social issues and refuses to play unless it's just he and I. 

 

Anyway, the course is in good shape. The longest hole might be 140, so it's hardly a test for good players. I took my hickories as I need some practice with them. I actually had one of my better lag putting rounds using a wooden shafted/wooden headed putter. We took our time and had an enjoyable day.  I wouldn't suggest anyone go out of there way to go there, but it's a Par 3 course option for those looking for one.