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Bradley Anderson

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Skokie CC
« on: May 31, 2009, 11:01:52 PM »
I was in Chicago over the weekend and I had the chance to tour Skokie.

Every year they just continue to make that golf course better and better. They have opened up some the approaches to more ground game options, and everything looked really tight considering how much rain and cold they have had in Chicago this spring.

This club is right up there with the best of the traditional clubs in the midwest when it comes to cross hazards.
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Steve Kupfer

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2009, 11:35:37 PM »
I had the pleasure of playing Skokie last September with Robert Powers, the head pro, and was extremely impressed.  Some great green complexes, particularly the 15th (? I believe) which was massive and accommodates one of the best short par 4s I've ever seen.  I recall Powers explaining that they have made some significant adjustments to greens and bunker positions over the years. 

Does anyone have a context for these changes?
« Last Edit: May 31, 2009, 11:48:51 PM by Steve Kupfer »
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Bradley Anderson

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2009, 11:45:29 PM »
I looked at an old aerial of the course this morning and you could see where the bunkers used to be, but it was impossible to date the aerial precisely.

I really don't know more than that about the clubs history, other than that old aerial, but from it, it looks like the adjustments have been mostly restoration of what was originally there.

A lot of the great cross bunkering was taken out of clubs of this vintage when golf carts came in to vogue and wear patterns began developing where the bunkers limited the traffic patterns. However, Skokie seems to have figured out how to deal with that.

This is one of the best maintained golf courses in the midwest from that respect.

They are doing all the right things there. Put this one on the must play list.
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Dan Moore

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2009, 09:56:32 AM »
Bradley is right, Skokie ranks high among Chicago area courses.  I an looking forward to the return of the Western Amateur to Skokie. 

Herbert Tweedie designed the original 9 holes around 1900 and Bendelow designed 9 a few years later.  Neither of these routings have anything to do with the current course. 

Donald Ross was engaged to design an 18 hole course in 1914 and it was the Ross course which hosted the US Open in 1922 won by Gene Sarazen. 

In the late 1930's the course obtained rights to new land along the Skokie lagoons to the SW and engaged Langford and Moreau to redesign much of the course.  However, today's course remains a hybrid with 9 holes from the Ross Course (1,2,8,9,10,14,15,17,18) and 9 holes attributable to Langford.  The Langford holes rank among his best echoing themes from lawsonia and other courses such as West Bend.  The 240 yard 12th illustrates Langord's inetrest in very long par 3's like the 10th at lawsonia. 

The look of the course today after Ron Prichard's restoration in my opinion is very much that of Langford.  Regarding the excellent 15th cited by Bradley, the bunkering which makes it such a neat shortish par 4 appears to be a Pritchard addition; at least its not arranged that way on the Langford plan from 1939. 

Ross Plan


Langford Plan


1939 Aerial Show work in progress on SW Portion of Course



3rd Hole


4th Hole


15th Hole

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"Is there any other game which produces in the human mind such enviable insanity."  Bernard Darwin

BCrosby

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2009, 12:02:12 PM »
How much of the curent 15th is Langford's hole? I note that Ross' 1922 drawing shows a similar hole (his 12th).

Bob
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Steve Kupfer

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2009, 12:09:51 PM »
Couldn't agree more. Even having the pro standing next to me explaining the layout of the hole, I just shrugged my shoulders, and threw a long iron out there. I wish I had a photograph of the tee shot and the approach, because in combination with a large, extremely undulated green, I can say confidently that it's right there with Nickel and Dime at Ridgewood for my favorite short par 4. 
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Steve Kupfer

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2009, 12:15:18 PM »
It looks to me like the 6th on the Langford routing is around where the current 11th exists.
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Dan Moore

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2009, 12:45:12 PM »
Dave,  Was the 15th configured they way it is currently prior to Prichard's work? 

Bob,   To me it looks like 15th today is pretty much in the same corridor as Ross's 12th and Langford's 15th.  What looks different and makes me think the current hole may be  Prichard creation is the completely different fairway bunkering and position of the green set off to the right.  I'm not sure the green was ever moved however, perhaps the angle of the fairway was moved a little left with the offset created by the fairway bunkering. 

Steve,  Not sure what you mean by the last post.  The course today follows the Langford routing hole for hole. 
« Last Edit: June 01, 2009, 01:08:11 PM by Dan Moore »
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"Is there any other game which produces in the human mind such enviable insanity."  Bernard Darwin

Steve Kupfer

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2009, 01:01:55 PM »
My mistake--the fairway bunkering, as you mention, threw me off.  It does indeed appear that Prichard must have played a role in reconfiguring 15 looking at the current differentiators.

The 6th is also a fabulous short par 4.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2009, 01:13:43 PM by Steve Kupfer »
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Brad Swanson

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2009, 04:11:01 PM »
Do the greens at Skokie exhibit the same wild rumples and folds of those at Lawsonia?  I love the looks of this place!

Cheers,
Brad
« Last Edit: June 01, 2009, 04:31:27 PM by Brad Swanson »
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Mark Chaplin

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2009, 05:31:28 PM »
Dan - my introduction to mid west golf and what an intro. Skokie is a delightful course where tradition design is complimented by modern greens keeping practises. Seem to remember you taking the money as well  >:(
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Cave Nil Vino

J_ Crisham

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Re: Skokie CC
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2009, 08:02:40 PM »
Surprised that nobody discussed the par 4 8th. This is one of the more demanding holes in Chicago. As is 16 the brutish par 3. Par 5's are the only weak link in my opinion.Fun holes but not very hard. I shudder to think of what the kids playing the Western Am will hit into the par 5's. One of the best tracks in Chicago,                 Jack
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