Anybody in a window seat on a flight into Chicago can see there are many golf programs within the space. Notably on the non-public aspect, there are dozens of programs that might land on any participant’s bucket listing.
However what about public-access programs? The place do you have to start?
Because of Golfweek’s Finest annual rankings of high public-access programs in every state, we are able to get away the highest-ranked layouts within the Chicago space. For the aim of this train, we restricted driving time to about 90 minutes. from downtown Chicago. (We used Google Maps for its drive instances, keying in downtown Chicago on a mid-afternoon – take all drive instances round Chicago with a grain of salt, in fact.)
Golfweek’s Finest ranks 15 public-access programs in all of Illinois on our state-by-state rating, and 12 of these match the invoice of being inside 90 minutes of Chicago. Hold scrolling to see how they stack up, and take a look at the accompanying map to get a deal with on roughly the place the whole lot is positioned.
A little bit background: The tons of of members of our course-ratings panel frequently consider programs and charge them on 10 standards on a factors foundation of 1 by means of 10. In addition they file a single, general ranking on every course. These general rankings are averaged to provide all our Golfweek’s Finest course rankings.
The programs on this listing permit public entry in some vogue, be it commonplace every day inexperienced charges, by means of a resort or by staying at an affiliated resort. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.
(Google Earth/Golfweek)
The thirteenth gap at Blackstone Golf Membership presents a scenic drive by means of the Everglades on the S-curved cart path between the tee and fairway. (Photograph: Rockford Register-Star)
The place: Marengo
State rating 2023: No. 15 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Bob Lohmann
Distance: About an hour and quarter-hour northwest of Chicago
The place: West Chicago
State rating 2023: No. 14 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Distance: About an hour west of Chicago
The Woodside 9 at Cantigny Golf Membership in Illinois (Courtesy of Cantigny Golf Membership)
The place: Wheaton
State rating 2023: No. 13 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Roger Packard
Distance: About 45 minutes west of downtown Chicago
The place: Romeoville
State rating 2023: No. 12 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Ray Hearn
Distance: About 50 minutes southwest of downtown Chicago
Ravisloe Nation Membership in Illinois (Courtesy of Ravisloe Nation Membership)
The place: Homewood
State rating 2023: No. 11 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Donald Ross
Distance: About an hour south of Chicago
The place: Chicago
State rating 2023: No. 10 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Dick Nugent
Distance: About 40 minutes south of downtown Chicago
The place: Seaside Park
State rating 2023: No. 8 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Distance: About an hour and quarter-hour north of downtown Chicago
The Protect at Oak Meadows (Courtesy of the Protect at Oak Meadows/Charles Cherney)
The place: Addison
State rating 2023: No. 7 public-access in Illinois
Designer(s): C.D. Wagstaff, Greg Martin
Distance: About 40 minutes west of downtown Chicago
The Glen Membership (Courtesy of The Glen Membership/Patrick Koenig)
The place: Glenview
State rating 2023: No. 5 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Tom Fazio
Distance: About 45 minutes north of downtown Chicago
The place: Grayslake
State rating 2023: No. 4 public-access in Illinois
Designer: Arthur Hills
Distance: About an hour and 20 minutes north of downtown Chicago
Highlands of Elgin in Illinois (Courtesy of The Highlands of Elgin)
The place: Elgin
State rating 2023: No. 3 public-access in Illinois
Designers: Keith Foster, Artwork Schaupeter
Distance: About an hour west of downtown Chicago
Cog Hill’s No. 4 – Dubsdread in Illinois (Courtesy of Cog Hill/Charles Cherney)
The place: Lemont
State rating 2023: No. 1 public-access in Illinois
Different rankings 2023: T-186 amongst all fashionable programs within the U.S.; T-66 amongst High 100 Finest You Can Play within the U.S.
Designers: Dick Wilson, Rees Jones
Distance: About 45 minutes southwest of Chicago
