Top Five in the Chicago area

[Evan Fleisher]

Andrew:

Easy!  Just look at the make-up (ie groupspeak mentality and total devotion to quirk and more so to whatever Dr. Klein says) of the Golfweek panel.  Thus for GW panelists the quirkier the better, and Medinah has very little quirk.... and Dr. Klein must not have liked it much.

But that's just MY take.

TH

ps - JUST KIDDING!  But Evan, a broad brush in one direction deserves one in return.  

You got me...and I knew that was coming!!!!!!!!!  

[Andrew Cunningham]

How come no one has commented on Black Sheep?  At 53rd in the US somebody on here has had to play it!

[mikes1160]

To just play off what Terry said, the 18th tee was moved back (it's fairly close to the water now), the green was elevated, the left side bunker is deeper and I believe they put a new bunker on the right side of the green...

Also, another significant change during the renovation was re-doing the drainage system on the course. Certain holes (15 comes to mind) were a quagmire after a storm....

[Andy Silis]

From a Chicagoan:

Chicago Golf
Beverly
Shoreacres
Black Sheep ( What a newcomer------Esler is destined for greatness as a golf course architect-----If he ever gets a "great piece of land"---------------------lookout!!!!! )
Skokie

[Tim Pitner]

Without regard to cost:

1.  Dubs
2.  Pine Meadow
3.  Glen Club
4.  Cantigny
5.  Kemper

With regard to cost:

1.  Pine Meadow
2.  Harborside (the original one)
3.  Harborside (the second one)
4.  Dubs
5.  Cantigny

I'm happy to see Pine Meadow rated highly.  When I lived in Chicago soon after undergraduate school, I didn't play a lot of golf, but Pine Meadow was my favorite course.  A very peaceful setting and enjoyable course to play.  Has Pine Meadow changed at all in the last 10 years?

[Andrew Cunningham]

From a Chicagoan:

Chicago Golf
Beverly
Shoreacres
Black Sheep ( What a newcomer------Esler is destined for greatness as a golf course architect-----If he ever gets a "great piece of land"---------------------lookout!!!!! )
Skokie

Silis,

I'm not sure if your Black Sheep comment was made in jest or in fact you believe that Mr. Esler built a wonderful golf course and that if the opportunity presents itself you're sure he could do it again.

[Gerry B]

the top 5 that I have played are:

Chicago
Shoreacres
Olympia Fields
Medinah 3
Rich Harvest Farms

have not played Skokie, Beverly, Black Sheep,   -therefore cannot comment on those 3

[Wayne Freeman]

Andrew-  I played Black Sheep last fall after playing Rich Harvest and enjoyed Black Sheep a lot more.  I do also feel that Esler has a great future.  It is an outstanding links course with wonderful bunkering, an excellent variety of holes requiring all types of shots, and terrific greens. It's a serious all men's club and well worth the visit.
     

[Andy Silis]

My comment concerning Esler and Black Sheep was meant as the highest of compliments. This is his first solo effort I believe. ( He has done some fine restoration/renovation work on the North Shore ) The land upon which Black Sheep is routed is not particularly memorable. Esler created great flow and movement from basically flat farmland. The bunkering and details around and within the greens is absolutely fantastic. Give him a truly world class piece of land, and I believe he would deliver ala C&C, Doak etc.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Wow, high praise indeed for Mr. Esler.  I'll have to check it out.  The pics on their website are pretty intriguing.  Thanks, Andrew.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Pretty much along the lines of others - in approximate order  , Chicago, Shoreacres, Medinah, (although as the first course I played, I wonder if I would enjoy it emotionally no matter how good the remodel is)  A lot of courses could fill the 4 and 5 slots.

As for quirk, is the nine hole Lake Zurich Golf Club still there?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Shivas,

Shoreacres is probably one of my favorite courses anywhere.  The land is better than Chicago Golf, so it may be a better course, although its a little short.

[PThomas]

Esler also did a fine restoration job at Ravisloe

[mark chalfant]

Chicago GC
Kankakee Elks-   Langford
Shoreacres-  Raynor

Milwaukee-  Alison  especially if youre flying over 400 miles to make a midwest pilgrimage

Old  Elm-  Colt  built by ross

[Gerry B]

shiva:

i understand your opinion on chicago gc -

it might fit into the less is more category

a first time player might miss some of its subtle features.i have played it at least 10 times and always find some feature that i missed previously.

the recent tree removal really opened up some of the holes - 2 and 11 being prime examples.

the fact that the course has not been changed that much over the years coupled with the pure golf experience might be one of the reasons it is held in such high regard by many.

if one were to change / update anything perhaps the bunkers  / mounds could be toughend up a bit as they have probably eroded over the years and the par 5 16th could be lengthened by 50 yards - in fact with the recent addition of a new back tee box on 17 - the new green would be adjacent

on a fall afternoon when the shadows are prominent and the wind is blowing  -it is as good as it gets.

yes, shoreacres is a more interesting piece of property and a joy to play, however imho is not as strong a layout hole for hole.
case in point - chicago gc's  par 3's are superior save and except i might give the 8th at shoreacres the nod over the 13th at CGC. I think CGC'S holes overall are framed better than Shoreacres and the green complexes are superior.

someone once told me that he thought of CGC as Shoreacres on Steroids- i thought it was a good analogy.

I feel the same way about Olympia Fields vs Medinah - in terms of  variety of holes and the best holes at OFCC are superior to the best holes at Medinah imho.

[redanman]

The Golfweek ranking for Medinah is a bit of a mystery

This is the best quote to attach a comment about M#3.  I think a comparison helps.
 
M#3 is like the O Lake.  These two courses are traditional favorites of major championship golf and especially the USGA.  Each is near the very top in its respective city.  Warning!  I have actually lived in both of the respective cities.

Golf Digest  puts a little more emphasis on resistance to scoring  vs. GolfWeek emphasing routing and clever architectural features. (Matt Ward vs. Tom Paul?)

Olympic Lake has made great strives to improve turf quality, firmness and air circulation to improve their golf course.  As to what sort of "changes for the better" M#3 has made, I need a re-vsit to comment, but if they are emulating the character of the changes O Lake has made, the opinions may not vary as much in the next go-round.

Knowing how Chi-Town loves and cherishes its trees, I will keep an open mind.



ShivasDave

I seem to remember that you like trees on a golf course, yes?  Do they make a difference for your stated preference of SA vs. CG?

redanbill