Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[geochitown]

Has anyone played Schaumburg GC recently?

Looking to get a reading on current conditions.

Thank you

[DavePelz4]

> @geochitown said:

> Has anyone played Schaumburg GC recently?

> Looking to get a reading on current conditions.

> Thank you

 

Played it about 3 weeks ago and it was in very good conditions. The recent weather should be a great test of the new drainage system. The greens on the Baer side are only a year old now so set your expectations accordingly. Think you'll enjoy the new green complexes as the moved/changed about 5 greens and added run off areas, etc. all of which should help the drainage challenges.

[geochitown]

Thanks,

My alternative is to play the Preserve which would be good as well, although Salt Creek crested at 12 ft yesterday :o

I'm interested to play Schaumburg though, and would just need to adjust my expectations for the conditions on the new Baer 9, like you said.

[cpeck12]

> @B-Man said:

> SW Michigan golf coming up this weekend with rounds at Hawkshead, Harbor Shores and Ravines.

 

The Ravines is one of my favorite courses, and I love Hawkshead too. Usually get a handful of rounds in at both each year.

[DavePelz4]

> @geochitown said:

> Thanks,

> My alternative is to play the Preserve which would be good as well, although Salt Creek crested at 12 ft yesterday :o

> I'm interested to play Schaumburg though, and would just need to adjust my expectations for the conditions on the new Baer 9, like you said.

 

Let me clarify please. The new greens are really firm and didn't hold well. They were fast as all get up with is a Schaumburg tradition. Overall, conditions were really good but that was before the rain of the weekend.

[geochitown]

thanks. I had heard that they were areas that still needed to grow in as well (but that is to be expected).

understood on the greens,

[Argonne69]

Rain forecast for Saturday afternoon. I hope it stays that way, or starts even later. Ravisloe on Saturday morning, and Sportsman's on Sunday morning.

 

[mci711]

What is everyone's thought on Sheperd's Crook Vs Thunderhawk? If you could only play 1. I've never played either and might try something new this weekend or next week.

[MountainKing]

I'd take Thunderhawk any day of the week.

[Shriner]

MCI - I can't speak to Sheperd's Crook but I cannot imagine being disappointed with Thunderhawk. Conditions were great, price is cheap due to location (Wow, just looked and it is $39 tomorrow) and each hole is fairly isolated from the other holes. The scenery is gorgeous and it is a good test of golf. Think Pine Meadow or Stonewall for comparison sake. The 9th hole is just a complete mess but let's be honest, there is no course out there with 18 perfect holes. I think you would enjoy it.

[Apindara]

Thunder hawk is a lot like Stonewall. Shriner, nice call. Shepherds is like the younger cousin of thunder hawk. Pretty generous fairways. Smaller green complexes. The par 5s are interesting. 9 and 18 are doable. 14 is pretty hard. The par 3s are pretty easy at Shepherds. Much harder ones at thunder hawk.

[mci711]

Thanks for the input, unfortunately, it looks like Shepherds has tee times when I want to play and Thunderhawk does not. I'll have to decide if it is worth the drive.

[TheBear95]

I like Shepherd's more than ThunderHawk. I'm not a big fan of the back 9 at ThunderHawk, though #18 is a good closer. The first four holes at Shepherd's are pretty pedestrian, but the course gets better from there. The green complexes are much more interesting at Shepherd's and I find the greens typically run a bit faster there than at ThunderHawk.

[DavePelz4]

Playing the Hill of Settler's tomorrow. Anyone played it recently? Already thinking about the tee shot on 11.

[VNutz]

> @DavePelz4 said:

> Playing the Hill of Settler's tomorrow. Anyone played it recently? Already thinking about the tee shot on 11.

 

With all the rain we've had lately I'd be concerned about some of those holes on the front. I can't remember if Settler's worked on drainage recently or not, but in the past I've played several times after better stretches of weather than we've had recently where some fairways were nearly flooded out.

[DavePelz4]

> @VNutz said:

> > @DavePelz4 said:

> > Playing the Hill of Settler's tomorrow. Anyone played it recently? Already thinking about the tee shot on 11.

>

> With all the rain we've had lately I'd be concerned about some of those holes on the front. I can't remember if Settler's worked on drainage recently or not, but in the past I've played several times after better stretches of weather than we've had recently where some fairways were nearly flooded out.

 

Good call. Email sent. We have an opening if you're interested BTW.

[VNutz]

> @DavePelz4 said:

> > @VNutz said:

> > > @DavePelz4 said:

> > > Playing the Hill of Settler's tomorrow. Anyone played it recently? Already thinking about the tee shot on 11.

> >

> > With all the rain we've had lately I'd be concerned about some of those holes on the front. I can't remember if Settler's worked on drainage recently or not, but in the past I've played several times after better stretches of weather than we've had recently where some fairways were nearly flooded out.

>

> Good call. Email sent. We have an opening if you're interested BTW.

 

On TBall duty again but thanks.

[geochitown]

> @mci711 said:

> What is everyone's thought on Sheperd's Crook Vs Thunderhawk? If you could only play 1. I've never played either and might try something new this weekend or next week.

 

Just to weigh in with another vote, I like both courses, with a nod to Shepherd's, just try to avoid a southeast wind day because you'll get the stink from the adjacent landfill.

 

Very different courses. Thunderhawk is Robert Trent Jones, lots of bunkers, and a mix of holes in the woods, prairie and marsh. Back hole stretch of 12-14 feels a bit "shoe-horned" in, but I think 15-18 is a good set of closing holes, even if it goes 3, 5, 3, 5.

 

Shepherd's Crook is a Keith Foster design, one of few in the area (he was an Arthur Hills guy before striking out on his own), He worked on Highlands of Elgin as well.

 

Shepherd's start is just ok as mentioned, 3 par 4's and a beast of a par 3 for the first four holes (back and forth), but then there is an interesting stretch of par 4's (5-7), nice par 3 in the trees with 8, and a beaut of a par 5, number 9 (one of the pair of par 5 closing holes for each nine).

 

I think you can't go wrong with either course.

I'd encourage you to make the drive to Shepherd's.

[mci711]

> @geochitown said:

> > @mci711 said:

> > What is everyone's thought on Sheperd's Crook Vs Thunderhawk? If you could only play 1. I've never played either and might try something new this weekend or next week.

>

> Just to weigh in with another vote, I like both courses, with a nod to Shepherd's, just try to avoid a southeast wind day because you'll get the stink from the adjacent landfill.

>

> Very different courses. Thunderhawk is Robert Trent Jones, lots of bunkers, and a mix of holes in the woods, prairie and marsh. Back hole stretch of 12-14 feels a bit "shoe-horned" in.

>

> I think you can't go wrong with either course.

> I'd encourage you to make the drive to Shepherd's.

 

Thank you. I think I'm going to. I really like the other Keith Foster courses I've played, The harvester in Iowa being over of my favorites. I think I'll enjoy it.

[geochitown]

My annual visit to the Preserve tomorrow morning.

Moved up the tee time to steer clear of any afternoon precip.

 

First round of "fall" golf.

 

 

[@_the_crook]

forecast is 52 and cloudy for 7 am start. might have to spike the morning coffee.

[mci711]

Played my first "fall" golf of the year. Made the drive north to Shepherd's. First time playing it, really enjoyed it. Fun layout, greens were tricky but in good shape. No complaints about maintenance anywhere. Teed off at 730 and finished is just under 3.5 hours. Played with 2 older guys, very enjoyable pairing. Would have been quicker, but we waited a few holes throughout the 18 on a 4some. Course reminding me of Gateway national, my favorite course in St. Louis. 43-37. Really struggled getting started in the early/cold.

[mci711]

Everytime they update this site it is worse than before - no edit button? Anyway thanks for the suggestions to play there.

[greg]

> @mci711 said:

> Everytime they update this site it is worse than before - no edit button? Anyway thanks for the suggestions to play there.

 

It'a on the widget on the upper right hand side of the post box. ;-)

[Argonne69]

Nice fall morning at Ravisloe. The course was quite wet, but oh so green. Leaves aren't yet a problem, but they're starting to fall. Greens were slow. Ugh. I was hoping for the speedy greens that usually come in the fall with the cooler temps, but I guess they didn't cut them this week.

 

Solid day tee to green with 10 fairways and 11 greens. Only one birdie though as I couldn't get the speed dialed in on the greens. Very happy with the +3 round.

 


 

[mci711]

> @greg said:

> > @mci711 said:

> > Everytime they update this site it is worse than before - no edit button? Anyway thanks for the suggestions to play there.

>

> It'a on the widget on the upper right hand side of the post box. ;-)

 

For mobile?

[Argonne69]

> @mci711 said:

> > @greg said:

> > > @mci711 said:

> > > Everytime they update this site it is worse than before - no edit button? Anyway thanks for the suggestions to play there.

> >

> > It'a on the widget on the upper right hand side of the post box. ;-)

>

> For mobile?

 

Rotate the screen to landscape mode. It doesn't show up in portrait mode for me.

 

[geochitown]

It was great to play the Preserve this morning, 1030 start was just about perfect

 

Cart path only so I walked

 

Not much roll out there but the fairways weren’t squishy at all

 

Greens rolled quick and were in great shape

 

Nice to see the course maturing

 

 

[stasek]

Everyone’s favorite Carriage Greens this afternoon. We had a 60 person charity outing (shotgun start but okay your own ball). Unfortunately, while we tees off on front 9, there was another small outing on the back. What a cluster-you-know-what.... Started at 11:30, and finished the last hole at 5:10. 5 hours, 40 f-ring minutes to finish 18. Yes, it was slow, and CPO, but give me an f-ing break.

Actually, got into it a bit with the guys from our outing, who decided to play as a 5-some, when an extra guy showed up late (while being 2 holes behind). Their reasoning was - the foursome behind them just got to the tee box, while they were in the middle of the fairway. My response - don’t you f-ing worry about what’s happening being you. Worry about the foursome in front....

Anyway......

Course was WET (needless to say). Lots of either plugged balls or no release at all even with the driver.

The greens, however, must have been cut/rolled. Hardly any release, even with longer irons, but they were FAST! Probably some of the best greens I played all year long.

My putting, especially at the beginning, was atrocious. How do you miss the hole completely from under 3 feet (fairly straight putts)? Salvaged the round (77) with 2 straight birdies on last 2 holes (did it in style, too. 20 footer from the fringe and holed out bunker shot). What a stupid game.

Club championship at George Dunne tomorrow at noon. I sure hope we finish.

 

[ldchristopher]

I hadn’t played in three weeks because my wife gave birth to our daughter on 9/23 and, while I love her to death, the concept of free time pretty much disappears with a newborn. After some negotiating, I got out this morning at the drenched sponge that is Foss Park. I figured I’d play badly and didn’t want to spend a lot of money stinking. Calling the course saturated would be an understatement. It was a swamp with standing water everywhere and moisture coming up with every step, but the greens were really good. The line in the pro shop was hilarious. They announced that it was cart path only to the jorts-wearing clientele and everyone complained. One guy, in the whiniest voice imaginable, screeched out, “Not even 90 degrees?!” Uh guys, it was so wet the carts would’ve gotten stuck. Anyway, despite some early struggles it really only took me a couple of holes to get back in a groove. No birdies but I struck the ball alright and managed a 77.