[J_ Crisham]

Another active thread got my mind wandering as to what is considered to be the best collection of par 5's in our state of Illinois. I have a bias towards our 4 at Beverly but some other fine choices are the monsters at Big Run. Skokie's are fun but not overly tough.  I felt the same about the group at Bob O'Link. What say you all?                             Jack

[JWinick]

Jack,

There is no question that Beverly's collection of Par 5s is the most challenging of a 72-hole golf course in IL.  They are great.  However, I do wish at least one of them were reachable in two.....

[Chris Flamion]

I have not played Beverly so I can't judge it.  But, I can't see how any course could be considered when it doesn't have "reachable" par 5.  I feel in order to be considered it needs to have a "reachable" par 5, a true 3 shotter, a half par hole where layup leads to an easy par but a under GIR is possible but the miss is leading to a double or more. 

I have yet to run into this combination anywhere in Chicago.

[Phil McDade]

Chris:

Beverly's par 5s from the tips go: #2 --  582; #7 -- 574; #11 -- 604; #18 -- 599. #2 has a decidely downhill tee shot; from the member's tee, is plays 533, so I can imagine a pretty good player could reach that in two (esp. with a helping summer wind -- the hole runs north/northwest). #7 tee shot is decidely uphill (really, really uphill) -- from the member's tee, it's 529 -- harder to hit in two than #2. #11 runs over rolling terrain, and it's 572 from the member's tee -- a true three-shotter for anyone. #18 is 557 from the member's tee -- over generally flat terrian, although the last 10 yards or so gently rises to the green. Another true three-shotter.

Still, you'd be hard-pressed to argue any of Beverly's par 5s are truly reachable in two for most players.

[PCCraig]

Old Elm of course! There are five of them and every one is reachable, equal chance eagle to bogey, all have great greens, and bottom line they are fun.

However the best stand alone par-5 in Chicago IMO is 15 at Shoreacres.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Jack,

There is no question that Beverly's collection of Par 5s is the most challenging of a 72-hole golf course in IL.  They are great.  However, I do wish at least one of them were reachable in two.....

I would think that a couple of them could be reachable for a long hitter.  Beverly has the best group that I've played.

[Mark Chaplin]

Pat - spot on with Old Elm, what a lovely place for a round of golf and lunch, I cannot wait to get the opportunity to return. The par 5s are just like the Red course at The Berkshire the chance to shoot 3 under or 3 over with very little difference in shots.

[Phil McDade]

Still, you'd be hard-pressed to argue any of Beverly's par 5s are truly reachable in two for most players.

Phil, since when are par 5s supposed to be truly reachable in two for most players? 

That's called a par 4.

Dave:

I was attempting to respond to Chris' argument that "best" couldn't include Beverly, because of the argument that none of its par 5s are reachable. Depends on the tee -- have you reached Bev's par 5s in two from the back tees? If so, I'm guessing you're in a minority. I'm guessing most members playing from the whites consider at least two of those pretty hard to to reach (arguably three, and probably all four).

I don't necessarily agree with the argument that the best ensemble of par 5s has to include a reachable one. The ones at Beverly aren't, by most people's standards, and it's a pretty good collection.

[JWinick]

If you hit a 280-yard drive and a 240-yard 3-wood, you are at 520.... Only if you have an extremely generous wind can you then reach a Par 5 at Beverly.   550 or less is about the number in which Par 5s can be reached in two.   

[Dan Moore]

I'm pretty sure they play 10 as a par 4 at Old Elm when its an event involving low handicappers. 

And the 18th at Skokie is an uphill 464 monster of a par 4 from the championship tees.  The 5's on the back at Skokie are 11 (557) and 13 (524), 3 (568) and 7 (517) on the front.  An exceptionally good set of well bunkered Langford/Ross holes held back only by the fact 3 and 11 are quite similar.  The shorter 7th is quite good as it snakes it way throiugh some trees.  Perhaps not as difficult as Beverly's but having more variety. 

[mark chalfant]

Jack  Dave, Dan  et al,

Im hoping to play Black Sheep and Kankakee Elks next year, do these courses have some well designed par fives  ?

[Dan Moore]

Black Sheep


Kankakee Elks Great Par 4

[J_ Crisham]

Chris:

Beverly's par 5s from the tips go: #2 --  582; #7 -- 574; #11 -- 604; #18 -- 599. #2 has a decidely downhill tee shot; from the member's tee, is plays 533, so I can imagine a pretty good player could reach that in two (esp. with a helping summer wind -- the hole runs north/northwest). #7 tee shot is decidely uphill (really, really uphill) -- from the member's tee, it's 529 -- harder to hit in two than #2. #11 runs over rolling terrain, and it's 572 from the member's tee -- a true three-shotter for anyone. #18 is 557 from the member's tee -- over generally flat terrian, although the last 10 yards or so gently rises to the green. Another true three-shotter.

Still, you'd be hard-pressed to argue any of Beverly's par 5s are truly reachable in two for most players.

Phil,  Just a short story I can share about a young man that I hosted at Beverly last Summer who is  a Division I collegiate golfer. He insisted on playing from the just inside the plates as the distance 7000 yds is pretty typical for him. I thought suit yourself, I'm not going back there-ever! On 2 he hit a tee shot that left him with 265 yds to the green. 3 wood to 8 feet ,he makes the putt for eagle. On 7 he hits a bomb about 325 downwind and hits hybrid from 250 to the center of the green and 2 putts for birdie. On 11 another driver , 3 wood to 20 yds in front of the green-another birdie. On 18 he flies it over the tree on the corner of the dogleg-a 285 yd carry, and hits 3 wood into the wind into the left greenside bunker. Gets above the pin and is dead for a par . My point is that it is amazing what these young kids can do distance wise. I'm convinced that only thick rough and hard greens can slow these bombers down. It's a shame the USGA Senior Am shall be played at only 6500 yds this week -I would like to see what these guys can do-I know they are damn good,                  Jack

[Phil McDade]

Jack:

Today's collegiate players are freaks of nature -- University Ridge up here near Madison, run by the University of Wisconsin, just added 400+ yards to the course in an effort to lure more tournaments, including the NCAA Div. 1 golf championship, sometime down the road. At 6,800+ yards, it was viewed as way too short.

I tend to frame my comments within the realm of what the course is like for most players most days -- at Beverly, for its members, or at my muni haunts up here in Wisconsin, the daily-fee player.

Have fun with the Senior Am this week!

[Adam Clayman]

I have not played Beverly so I can't judge it.  But, I can't see how any course could be considered when it doesn't have "reachable" par 5.  I feel in order to be considered it needs to have a "reachable" par 5, a true 3 shotter, a half par hole where layup leads to an easy par but a under GIR is possible but the miss is leading to a double or more. 

I have yet to run into this combination anywhere in Chicago.

Can you are argue that formulas like this, especially those dependent on distance, are quality GC?A?

[Paul Richards]

Beverly has as fine a set of five pars as any course in the country, let alone Chicagoland.

That being said, I have reached #2 and 7 and been on the fringe in 2 on 18.  Eleven I have not really ever sniffed...

For the Senior Am, the tees on the fives are not set all the way back, in fact, the tee on #7 is all the way up.  It will be interesting to see these fine players in action and how many of them 'reach'.  I think 7 will be a 'go/no-go' decision based on this tee.

 

[mark chalfant]

Dan,

Thanks for posing those pictures on 9/6. That land at Kankakee looks very fun to play on. I am glad you and others mentioned Skokie CC.  Langford and Moreau paid a lot of attention to creating sporty and well designed par fives  !!   Wakonda, Lawsonia, and West Bend all have some beauties.

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