White Deer Run, Chicago

« **on:** July 29, 2006, 01:18:08 PM »

I also got a chance to play White Deer Run while in Chicago. Now here is a course that is all smiles and make up with absolutely no character. I should have known something was up when they treated me like some exotic specimen when I told them I was walking.

It is beautifully kept and touted as one of the top courses on the north shore. I however found it a snooze. I played from the gold at about 6700 yards. The course is challenging for sure with forced carries and pinched fairways and endless amounts of gratuitous sand the closer you get towards the greens.

In the end it is a long and tedious test of target golf at its worst. There is literally ONE shot presented almost every stroke of the round. You either hit it, lay up, or screw up, but selecting a bump and run, or kickinig off a slope, or choosing sides of a fairway.... not here, that will be left for some other course.

I want to assure you that my negative opinion followed a pretty good scoring round so this is not about sour grapes. Has anyone else played this place? I am curious what you thought of the course.

« **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2006, 02:21:19 PM »

Quote

. There is literally ONE shot presented almost every stroke of the round. You either hit it, lay up, or screw up

Isn't that the definition of shot values?

Sounds horrible, and that name?? It sounds like some marketing research firm came up with it.

« **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2006, 02:32:31 PM »

Paul

Besides all the housing and the water, what I remember most about that course was the one really interesting hole - #9 maybe?

Can you refresh my memory on that one?

Thanks

« **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2006, 02:53:50 PM »

I actually thought nine was a bit odd. Especially compared to the rest of the course. It did not appear as manicured.

From the back set of tees the tee box sits out on the edge of a marshy pond. The hole is about 400 yards so requires a long hit or driver. It plays into an extremely narrow opening in the trees (maybe 25 yards wide 200 yards away) to a fairway with a subtle dogleg left. The trees are really too tall to mess with and the dogleg is not really sharp enough to cut. There is also a carry between the tee and fairway of about 180 yards.

The result is exactly what I decribed earlier. You have one shot which is about 250 yards straight away leaving you on the left side of the fairway for your approach. Any other result is almost a mis-hit.

The green on that hole is not as heavily gaurded as many of the others on the course.

I think all in all my favorite holes were the par threes.

« **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2006, 03:05:55 PM »

I've lived in the Chicagoland area my entire life....and I've never heard of the course.

Where is it exactly?

« **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2006, 03:08:39 PM »

I think the area is Vernon Hills. It is north of the city and just west of I-94. I think the crossing is Town Line road. It is about due west of Lake Forest.

« **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2006, 04:12:26 PM »

Quote from: Ryan Potts on July 29, 2006, 03:05:55 PM

I've lived in the Chicagoland area my entire life....and I've never heard of the course.

Where is it exactly?

so have I...but I have heard of it...but it sounds like I don't need to be in any rush to play it... $:-\$

« **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2006, 07:53:08 PM »

Paul T and Ryan- I'm going to be in Chicago the first week of Oct. and have a couple of extra days. What are your top recommendations for public tracks after Cog Hill in the greater Chicago area?

« **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2006, 09:24:11 PM »

Apparently, DO NOT PLAY White Deer Run!

Where are you staying?

« **Reply #9 on:** July 29, 2006, 09:45:43 PM »

Ryan- I'm not sure where we're going to stay- we've stayed in Lincolnshire before and it seems to be fairly well located. I don't care about driving up to an hour to play.

« **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2006, 02:02:00 AM »

Shivas- is one of the courses you listed a high end public course in a forest or preserve in the north-east not too far from Onwentsia?

« **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:39:36 AM »

I've also heard good things about Mistwood. I've never played it though.

Harborside is enjoyable as well.

And two more out west. Cantigny (great course) and Prairie Landing (people love it....although I don't care for it).

« **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:44:44 AM »

Somebody call 911 for me? Shivas mentions Big Run and someone calls Cantigny a great course.Ryan-you got some splain'in to do.

« **Reply #13 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:52:51 AM »

Quote from: Adam Clayman on July 30, 2006, 08:44:44 AM

Somebody call 911 for me? Shivas mentions Big Run and someone calls Cantigny a great course.Ryan-you got some splain'in to do.

I think they've worked on both of those recently, but not exactly sure what was done Adam

here's another: there's a Keither FOster public in Zion on an old landfill that I played when it first opened that was pretty good I think....the name is....??

lemme check

It is Shepherd's Crook

« **Reply #14 on:** July 30, 2006, 09:02:11 AM »

Paul, I know that some greens have been softened at Big Run. Wonderful undulations use to exemplify this fmily owned fun course. But the arborists and the surgical genius of Timmy Nugent, plays into the masses notion of what great golf should be. I can gaurantee you, not much of it exists in Chicago.

« **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2006, 09:21:06 AM »

mmmmm, I think I must disagree Adam...note, I haven't played all of these:

CHicago Golf
Medinah
Butler
O Fields
Ravisloe
Bob O Link
Skokie
Butler
Shoreacres
B SHeep

the publics already mentioned

etc........

« **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2006, 09:28:44 AM »

On the north among the Publics I'd go with Pine Meadow above all the others; its really the quintessential public golf course without the overdone CCFAD aspects.

Also very close to Lincolnshire, I think you can still play Kemper Laker where Payne Stewart won the PGA while it transitions to private status.

Ryan, Mistwood is fun, usually pretty empty.

Gleenwoodie and Big Run?

« **Reply #17 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:25:17 AM »

Paul,

The publics already mentioned are merely satisfactory. Not great. Pine Meadows is the perfect example, being one of the few decent enough courses one can settle for, when trying to decide where to play. Cog Hill#4 is a joke when someone mentions how great it is.

Going to Kohler is the closest thing to great courses, one can play.

Of course these comments don't ring true around this crowd because private access appears to be much easier these days, than when I lived there. They were'nt on my call lists.

« **Reply #18 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:32:28 AM »

Adam ' true, "great" doesn't apply to all of them, I agree

Cog isn't great, I also agree...but now that the Open doctor is there...

but some of the privates I mentioned are great, like SKokie, Beverly, B SHeep, etc....

now I gotta go play!

« **Reply #19 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:34:51 AM »

Quote from: Adam Clayman on July 30, 2006, 08:44:44 AM

Somebody call 911 for me? Shivas mentions Big Run and someone calls Cantigny a great course.Ryan-you got some splain'in to do.

Truth be told, I've never played it. That being said, I've never heard a bad word said about it. As such, I felt reasonably confident suggesting it.

« **Reply #20 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:39:59 AM »

Shivas,

I humbly suggest that in the future I clear my Chicagoland public selections with you first.

I am in and out of the city on a regular basis and just try to play courses in the area when I can or up and down through Wisconsin. I had seen a few adds about White Deer Run and I guess I fell for them.

I have to say I haven't found as many nice publics on the north shore as I had hoped there would be. I have yet to try Pine Meadow, it is now on my list. Probably my favorite North Shore so far (not counting southern Wisconsin) is Highland Park CC. It is a little tight on a few holes and has been changed a lot, since it went public,but it is still a rewarding day in the end.

I'd like to find some more good choices on the north side otherwise it is a blistering drive at the end of the day to make a good Wisconsin course.

« **Reply #21 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:46:29 AM »

BTW,

I looked on their website last night and apparently this course is a "Nugent and associates" course. Seems possible it is a Dick Nugent course.

I think I've seen a lot of bad ink spilt in his name on the GCA board. I like the courses at Haorborside (Starboard is my favorite) and I think he did those courses as well.

I am curious what is the rap on Nugent?

« **Reply #22 on:** July 30, 2006, 12:15:10 PM »

Paul

If you like Harborside, check out Lost Marsh at Hammond.

It's a very similar feel to it, for about 1/2 the price.

« **Reply #23 on:** July 30, 2006, 12:22:56 PM »

Paul,

Funny you should mention that. I have a co-worker who plays at Lost Marsh a lot. She says the same thing. We are hopefully going to get out there in the next few weeks or so.

« **Reply #24 on:** July 30, 2006, 01:14:18 PM »

Paul Richards, Have you ever been to Prairie Landing?

I think thats the name. It is the Ress course next to the Du Page Co. airport. t's advertised as a links, and I know how much you like to hold courses to that description.

Paul T,
I've played Skokie, Shore Acres, Beverly, Butler, Ravisloe(I think) and Briarwood. All were different and most were very very good.

I'd give my right nut to play CGC.

Ryan, Tsk Tsk. May that be the last time you do that.

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