Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[DavePelz4]

Played Saturday at Bowes, non-comp round with guys from our group.  Can't say I've ever seen Bowes play that fast and firm, coupled with some difficult pins. It was nearly impossible to stop anything on the green.  Started on 1 where I landed it just short and it went through to the back and pretty much played that way all day.  Hit a lot shorter approaches as the fairways were crazy fast.  Not sure what was going on but other than our group in front of us, there was no one behind us and that's at a 10:30 tee time.  Got around in a tad under 4 which was nice.

 

Monday trekked to Oak Grove.  Such a fan of the layout and such a non-fan of how they take care of people/the course, etc.  It started at check in when I asked for range balls, of course they were terrible, and the person at check in said to grab any bucket you wanted. They were all half filled but full price.  They now have a sign in the pro shop stating that scorecards AND pencils are on the cart.  

 

We decided the big pile of sand they had in the parking lot last year was either sold or is filling a drain/sewer somewhere.  Was in 2 dirt pits and I have more sand in my office at home from a beach vaca then they have in those pits.  Just terrible.  The group in front of us put the OH in slow.  Starting in the second fairway, we waited on every shot on every hole.  These experts were playing the tips and the gentleman that appeared to be even older than me was lucky to hit it 125 or so.  Well, at least it was a nice day.  

 

Post round we were the only ones at the bar and do you think the bartender would put down her book, and see if there was a reason we were sitting at the bar?  Naaaaaa....she was deep into something, but it's clearly not service.  It was a good 5 minutes or so before she checked to see if we wanted anything. Starting to think that Golf Visions has a training program specifically focused on inattentiveness. If so, they're highly effective at it.

 

20 years ago when we started playing Oak Grove, the course was immaculate and the greens were in the top 3 in the Chicago area.  Now, it's a mere shadow of that.

 

Comp round Saturday at Prairie Landing...great to see all the wonderful reviews of it lately.

[ssp]

Played Klein Creek yesterday.  I really like their investment in past couple years.  I played a perm time for a few of the lean years.  Course was in very good shape.  Only knock is the waste areas (reclaimed) bunkers are still a work in progress, but I think they made a good decision and heading the right direction.

 

[Quem24]

3 hours ago, ssp said:

Played Klein Creek yesterday.  I really like their investment in past couple years.  I played a perm time for a few of the lean years.  Course was in very good shape.  Only knock is the waste areas (reclaimed) bunkers are still a work in progress, but I think they made a good decision and heading the right direction.

 

This is good to hear, I’ll give this another try at some point this year. 

[Quem24]

10 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

Played Saturday at Bowes, non-comp round with guys from our group.  Can't say I've ever seen Bowes play that fast and firm, coupled with some difficult pins. It was nearly impossible to stop anything on the green.  Started on 1 where I landed it just short and it went through to the back and pretty much played that way all day.  Hit a lot shorter approaches as the fairways were crazy fast.  Not sure what was going on but other than our group in front of us, there was no one behind us and that's at a 10:30 tee time.  Got around in a tad under 4 which was nice.

 

Monday trekked to Oak Grove.  Such a fan of the layout and such a non-fan of how they take care of people/the course, etc.  It started at check in when I asked for range balls, of course they were terrible, and the person at check in said to grab any bucket you wanted. They were all half filled but full price.  They now have a sign in the pro shop stating that scorecards AND pencils are on the cart.  

 

We decided the big pile of sand they had in the parking lot last year was either sold or is filling a drain/sewer somewhere.  Was in 2 dirt pits and I have more sand in my office at home from a beach vaca then they have in those pits.  Just terrible.  The group in front of us put the OH in slow.  Starting in the second fairway, we waited on every shot on every hole.  These experts were playing the tips and the gentleman that appeared to be even older than me was lucky to hit it 125 or so.  Well, at least it was a nice day.  

 

Post round we were the only ones at the bar and do you think the bartender would put down her book, and see if there was a reason we were sitting at the bar?  Naaaaaa....she was deep into something, but it's clearly not service.  It was a good 5 minutes or so before she checked to see if we wanted anything. Starting to think that Golf Visions has a training program specifically focused on inattentiveness. If so, they're highly effective at it.

 

20 years ago when we started playing Oak Grove, the course was immaculate and the greens were in the top 3 in the Chicago area.  Now, it's a mere shadow of that.

 

Comp round Saturday at Prairie Landing...great to see all the wonderful reviews of it lately.

Re: Oak Grove

 

What a polarizing course. This course needs its own thread for us to debate until the end of time. 
 

Maybe it’s because I only started it playing it 5 years ago, but I love everything about what you said. Terrible service, bad sand, amazing layout, the 11th hole, I’ve grown to love it all.  Cmon, how about that right turn into the place that HAS to have caused a collision or two over the years!

 

If the conditions truly turn to s***, I’ll reconsider, but for now, I’m sticking it out. Whittaker woods on the other hand….

Edited May 31, 2023 by Quem24

[ldchristopher]

2 hours ago, Quem24 said:

Re: Oak Grove

 

What a polarizing course. This course needs its own thread for us to debate until the end of time. 
 

Maybe it’s because I only started it playing it 5 years ago, but I love everything about what you said. Terrible service, bad sand, amazing layout, the 11th hole, I’ve grown to love it all.  Cmon, how about that right turn into the place that HAS to have caused a collision or two over the years!

 

If the conditions truly turn to s***, I’ll reconsider, but for now, I’m sticking it out. Whittaker woods on the other hand….

I loathe the 11th hole. It’s just way past stupid. Last time I played there I hit 3 wood, half a 54° wedge, and PW for a two putt par. Given the horrendous lie I had after my tee shot hit the fairway and rolled backwards, that was my only play. But I agree with everything else. 

[DavePelz4]

15 hours ago, ldchristopher said:

I loathe the 11th hole. It’s just way past stupid. Last time I played there I hit 3 wood, half a 54° wedge, and PW for a two putt par. Given the horrendous lie I had after my tee shot hit the fairway and rolled backwards, that was my only play. But I agree with everything else. 

 

Have to guess since it's opened, I've probably played OG 50-65 times, with almost an equal number of strategies. Monday's round with one of my long time golf buds who crossed into the 70's saw one of the most interesting approaches to the hole. He's got about 170 carry with his driver so he first hit a wedge at the bridge on the left and while a short shot, he had a great angle to hit a full second shot. Some flavor of hybrid left him 130 or so out. He hit an iron to the front edge and 2 putted for par. We laughed at teeing off with a wedge, but life is about results, and on that travesty, 5 is a wonderful score.

 

I hit a hybrid at the flag, was supposed to be 200 yards and shame on me for not putting the scope on that my my tee shot landed beyond the flag, and scooted through into the crap. Put me down for another "Anaconda" bogey.

[ldchristopher]

2 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

Have to guess since it's opened, I've probably played OG 50-65 times, with almost an equal number of strategies. Monday's round with one of my long time golf buds who crossed into the 70's saw one of the most interesting approaches to the hole. He's got about 170 carry with his driver so he first hit a wedge at the bridge on the left and while a short shot, he had a great angle to hit a full second shot. Some flavor of hybrid left him 130 or so out. He hit an iron to the front edge and 2 putted for par. We laughed at teeing off with a wedge, but life is about results, and on that travesty, 5 is a wonderful score.

 

I hit a hybrid at the flag, was supposed to be 200 yards and shame on me for not putting the scope on that my my tee shot landed beyond the flag, and scooted through into the crap. Put me down for another "Anaconda" bogey.

See, this is why GolfWRX exists. Hitting PW off the tee of a par 5 wouldn’t occur to me but that’s a he!! of a strategy. All flat lies and clean views. That dumb hole is all about taking your medicine and accepting par. 

[Shriner]

Count me in the "I love Oak Grove" club.  I played my first round there roughly 20 years ago and it left such an impression.  I think it may be the 2nd most difficult rating of public courses in IL (only Cog #4 higher?), and it plays like it.  There are some monster holes out there, such as 2, 13 and 15.  Agree on the bunker conditions but the fairways and greens are usually good to great so I don't mind.

 

Oddly enough, I used to share the same frustrations on hole 11 until I started playing it differently about 3 years ago.  I started experimenting off the tee and realized that you have a window if you hit it roughly 235-250 (back tees - adjust for other tees).  Find the club that goes that distance and aim right of the bunker which is through the fairway.  If you hit the fairway or even the rough, you now have a long iron into a par 5 with a great angle, as long as you don't play a cut.  There is not much danger around that green so you have a really good chance at birdie if you can just get the drive in the right place.  Easier said than done, but that's golf!

[ldchristopher]

4 hours ago, Shriner said:

Count me in the "I love Oak Grove" club.  I played my first round there roughly 20 years ago and it left such an impression.  I think it may be the 2nd most difficult rating of public courses in IL (only Cog #4 higher?), and it plays like it.  There are some monster holes out there, such as 2, 13 and 15.  Agree on the bunker conditions but the fairways and greens are usually good to great so I don't mind.

 

The fairways are firm but I wouldn’t put them in the “good to great” category. More like below average to average. And the greens are objectively bad. Springy yet soft is a horrible combo for any green complex but it’s especially bad there because bouncing off the greens could mean going into a bunker and the bunkers there are pure trash. As a layout, Oak Grove is phenomenal. But a layout like that needs plenty of tlc and GolfVisions doesn’t grasp that. Or they do but they don’t care. 

[B-Man]

Cog Hill Ravines on Memorial Day. Not sure when they last watered the greens or cut the holes. Looked like no maintenance for over a week. Greens firm, crusty and on the slow side. Fun day overall with the local dads but frustrating putting experience. Was it worth the $81 to ride? For once a year, maybe.

[DavePelz4]

15 hours ago, Shriner said:

Count me in the "I love Oak Grove" club.  I played my first round there roughly 20 years ago and it left such an impression.  I think it may be the 2nd most difficult rating of public courses in IL (only Cog #4 higher?), and it plays like it.  There are some monster holes out there, such as 2, 13 and 15.  Agree on the bunker conditions but the fairways and greens are usually good to great so I don't mind.

 

Oddly enough, I used to share the same frustrations on hole 11 until I started playing it differently about 3 years ago.  I started experimenting off the tee and realized that you have a window if you hit it roughly 235-250 (back tees - adjust for other tees).  Find the club that goes that distance and aim right of the bunker which is through the fairway.  If you hit the fairway or even the rough, you now have a long iron into a par 5 with a great angle, as long as you don't play a cut.  There is not much danger around that green so you have a really good chance at birdie if you can just get the drive in the right place.  Easier said than done, but that's golf!

 

Being an old guy and not a big hitter, we play it a box up.  My former strategy was to hit a 5W at the right edge of the bunker and let it fade a bit.  Have gotten home several times in 2 by hitting 5W, 5W, but now the fairways are so firm that the ball rolls 30-40 yards.  IIRC, Monday it was 170 to cover, 192 to the flag. Hit a 6H just trying to cover the 170 and while it did that, it rolled completely through the fairway into the junk.  I'm a high ball hitter and the bounce it took was death.

 

Maybe next time I'll tee off with a wedge.

[Is Golf Fun or Work]

1 hour ago, B-Man said:

Cog Hill Ravines on Memorial Day. Not sure when they last watered the greens or cut the holes. Looked like no maintenance for over a week. Greens firm, crusty and on the slow side. Fun day overall with the local dads but frustrating putting experience. Was it worth the $81 to ride? For once a year, maybe.

Ravines is formerly known as #2 course, correct?

 

When I lived in Orland Park, Cog was my second home, haven't been there in over 20 years, so I guess $81 is the norm at Cog now, except for Dubs?

 

Of course I recall playing #2 back in the day for like $18, and Dubs was $35 or so.

[Argonne69]

16 minutes ago, Is Golf Fun or Work said:

Ravines is formerly known as #2 course, correct?

 

When I lived in Orland Park, Cog was my second home, haven't been there in over 20 years, so I guess $81 is the norm at Cog now, except for Dubs?

 

Of course I recall playing #2 back in the day for like $18, and Dubs was $35 or so.

 

Yes, #2 is the Ravines. 

 

Lol. My old playing partner refused to play Dubs with me. He used to tell me ad nauseum how he'd queue up pre-dawn and play for less than $50 in the early 80s. No way in heck he was paying $150+.

 

[Shriner]

52 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

Being an old guy and not a big hitter, we play it a box up.  My former strategy was to hit a 5W at the right edge of the bunker and let it fade a bit.  Have gotten home several times in 2 by hitting 5W, 5W, but now the fairways are so firm that the ball rolls 30-40 yards.  IIRC, Monday it was 170 to cover, 192 to the flag. Hit a 6H just trying to cover the 170 and while it did that, it rolled completely through the fairway into the junk.  I'm a high ball hitter and the bounce it took was death.

 

Maybe next time I'll tee off with a wedge.

 

Yep, I think you have the strategy nailed down.  I could see that hole being more difficult with the firm fairways!

[ldchristopher]

5 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Yes, #2 is the Ravines. 

 

Lol. My old playing partner refused to play Dubs with me. He used to tell me ad nauseum how he'd queue up pre-dawn and play for less than $50 in the early 80s. No way in heck he was paying $150+.

 

Gotta pay big for the redesign that brought in a US Open. Oh…wait…nevermind. 

Edited June 1, 2023 by ldchristopher

[Is Golf Fun or Work]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Yes, #2 is the Ravines. 

 

Lol. My old playing partner refused to play Dubs with me. He used to tell me ad nauseum how he'd queue up pre-dawn and play for less than $50 in the early 80s. No way in heck he was paying $150+.

 

First time we played Dubs it was $28 riding

[Scratch2Plus]

Bowes on Friday

[propman]

Played Butler on Wednesday. Rare experience for me to have a caddy. He probably saved me from having a dozen brain cramps around and on the greens.

Actually played well but due to lightning, we had to stop on the 13th hole.

Just a beautiful complex. 

[St Jimmy]

I'm finally headed south next week.  

First round ever at HoE (not that far south, lol) Wednesday.  

[MountainKing]

First round of the weekend was at Dubs this morning.  Everybody's favorite course to hate on.  Overall I"d say the course was in great shape, had a nice brown sheen to it which I love.  Rough was thick, bunkers were shockingly great (and I was in enough of them).  Greens were slower but rolled nice.  Is it worth $180?  Probably not, but it's still a public layout that can compete with some of the top country clubs, and the only course we can get on that has had a PGA event.  It's cool to hate dubs, but I still stand by it being one of the top courses in state.  I honestly think most of the hate stems from people being mad they paid what they paid to get their butts kicked.

 

My overall game was not as sharp as it was last weekend, and Dubs is a very unforgiving course.  It does not play nice with shots that aren't hit well. I caught multiple bad breaks today with brutal kicks from shots that were just slightly off line.  Those bad kicks helped me put 3 doubles up on the card.  Ended up with an 85, hard to be mad about that when there's three doubles and 3 three putts.  Off to HoE tomorrow.

[Scratch2Plus]

Played Bowes on Friday and overall the course is in very good shape but the greens were on the medium-slow side. 

 

Makray on Wednesday and Hilldale on Thursday…

[TheBear95]

Out in the western burbs this weekend, so a great opportunity to continue the quest to play every course with "Creek" in the name in Illinois. With that, first trip ever to Hughes Creek.

 

Gotta say, #1 is a bit of a tease. Nice opener and made me think Hughes Creek was going to be a bit more interesting than I expected. Umm, no. It delivered on my meh expectations. 

 

Played the front in 70 minutes, but the back 9 was a death march at 2:30. All the usual reasons. If I can punt a golf ball further than your drive, perhaps get off the tips.

 

The course was very firm, bunkers ok and greens decent. I missed a ton of good birdie looks, but that's a me problem, not a Hughes Creek problem.

 

Finally, I didn't realize how close Hughes Creek was to Tanna Farms. Drove right by it after the round. Man, what could have been this afternoon!!

Edited June 4, 2023 by TheBear95

[ldchristopher]

Broken Arrow this morning. The fairways were soaked, the bunkers all had puddles, and the rough was baked. Greens were running at about an 8 and no one there repairs ball marks. In other words, pretty standard BA conditions. I was a little loose with my driver but got things squared away as the round progressed. South and East were playing very short from the Blues. It’s almost 6600 on the card but was playing maybe 6400. I didn’t want to be the one guy playing off the tips in a foursome but I probably should have. It was shortened for the Club Filipino Golf Tournament. I think if I registered as my father-in-law, I could’ve won. Then again, people may have had some questions. Oh, two birdies on 6 South and 4 East for a 73. 

[mci711]

19 hours ago, MountainKing said:

First round of the weekend was at Dubs this morning.  Everybody's favorite course to hate on.  Overall I"d say the course was in great shape, had a nice brown sheen to it which I love.  Rough was thick, bunkers were shockingly great (and I was in enough of them).  Greens were slower but rolled nice.  Is it worth $180?  Probably not, but it's still a public layout that can compete with some of the top country clubs, and the only course we can get on that has had a PGA event.  It's cool to hate dubs, but I still stand by it being one of the top courses in state.  I honestly think most of the hate stems from people being mad they paid what they paid to get their butts kicked.

 

My overall game was not as sharp as it was last weekend, and Dubs is a very unforgiving course.  It does not play nice with shots that aren't hit well. I caught multiple bad breaks today with brutal kicks from shots that were just slightly off line.  Those bad kicks helped me put 3 doubles up on the card.  Ended up with an 85, hard to be mad about that when there's three doubles and 3 three putts.  Off to HoE tomorrow.

 

I also really like dubs. People hate on it because Phil opened his big mouth about it years ago. Though, no, it can't compete with the top private clubs. Public, I think it is pretty clearly the best in the area. Glen Club is nice, but you have to deal with the pretentious a**holes of the north Suburbs..I'll take Cog all day. 

[propman]

2 hours ago, mci711 said:

 

I also really like dubs. People hate on it because Phil opened his big mouth about it years ago. Though, no, it can't compete with the top private clubs. Public, I think it is pretty clearly the best in the area. Glen Club is nice, but you have to deal with the pretentious a**holes of the north Suburbs..I'll take Cog all day. 

Why anyone would listen to Phil about anything is beyond me. And I'm not a Phil hater. 

[mci711]

43 minutes ago, propman said:

Why anyone would listen to Phil about anything is beyond me. And I'm not a Phil hater. 

 

He got the ball rolling on the Cog hate. I was partially kidding, but if he keeps doesn't rip it like he did, I kind of think things may play out different. 

[chisag]

12 minutes ago, mci711 said:

 

He got the ball rolling on the Cog hate. I was partially kidding, but if he keeps doesn't rip it like he did, I kind of think things may play out different. 

 

 

... I was there the day McCumber and Watson played Dubs and made their recommendations to Joe. Just lucky enough to be heading to the first tee while they had a conference and I eavesdropped. Basically they said great course and loved the layout. But Joe had to cut the willows at 6 feet from above the ground so Pros can have a swing. No Pro wants a willow hanging to the ground if it is in play. And you need to replace all the sand. Here is the business card for the guys that supply the sand in the Midwest as we want all our bunkers to be uniform so Pro's don't have top adjust from site to site. 

... As big a babies as the Tour players are, I have to admit both changes made Dubs a better course and I am sure those that were stuck under a willow with no swing or completely buried in that soft beach sand would agree. It wasn't unusual to lose a ball in those bunkers. 

[Scratch2Plus]

Looking to play Whistling Straits sometime this summer, maybe add the Irish or Rivers?
Any takers?
 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Scratch2Plus

[MountainKing]

Highlands of Elgin today, really nice day with the breeze keeping the humidity down a bit compared to yesterday.  Highlands is turning into a nice shade of brown, hopefully they leave it this way, love to see it playing more like a links course.  Greens were faster than Dubs, but they were bumpy as hell and not rolling great, probably been my biggest gripe about the course the last two years.  Pace for a Sunday afternoon was fantastic at 4 hours.  Of course we had to deal with knuckleheads behind us who kept thinking they were good enough to hit approach shots into the green while we were walking to our carts.  They also liked driving up on us on the tee box with their loud music, now I'm all for playing music on the course, but I turn it down or off anytime I'm driving up near a group.  By 7 I was pretty much ready to throw it back 20 years and throw down with these guys.  Etiquette is long gone in the game.

 

I was really looking to go low today after my great round last week, and been hitting it fairly well.  I hit it great again today, but I had some alignment issues, and got a lot of really awful kicks.  Could not catch a break anywhere. Crazy side hill lies, balls flying off cart paths, balls staying on hills that made no sense instead of rolling back into the bunker.  Ended up with an 81, a real bummer to be north of 80 on Highlands.  Still a great weekend of golf despite it all.

 

 

[Springsteennut]

On 6/3/2023 at 6:11 PM, Scratch2Plus said:

Played Bowes on Friday and overall the course is in very good shape but the greens were on the medium-slow side. 

 

Makray on Wednesday and Hilldale on Thursday…

I played Makray last week after playing slow greens at Bowes. Good luck with that.