Sven, I would agre with the tree trimming at Big Run. I played here many times as a kid and again last year. Which clubs in Chicago have a better set of par 5s. I struggle to think of them- maybe Butler .
Jack
Jack:
I agree the area is certainly lacking in quality sets of 5's, with Beverly, Skokie, Old Elm, Butler, Kemper and Highlands of Elgin jumping out from the pack. If we expand the area, I'd include Lost Dunes. From a minimalist standpoint, I'd add in Shepherd's Crook (despite having only 3 par 5's).
Big Run may have the bones to match any of the above, but in its current condition its hard to see what's there through the omnipresent foliage. There was one hole (No. 9) that left me seriously questioning if I was still on the golf course or had wandered into a nearby forest preserve.
I've copied below the descriptions of the par 5's at Big Run from their website and added a little bit of commentary to each:
5
The first par 5 on the course is a slight dogleg left. The prevailing wind is normally to your back. This par 5 can be reached in two but
accuracy is a premium. The green is heavily trapped and if you end up on the wrong side of the green, you might not be able to putt
directly at the pin. Driver off the tee anywhere in the fairway, if you miss the fairway then miss to the right. Second shot short of the trap on the left which is 100 yards from the middle of the green. Short iron to the pin. Grab the driver, and lay the hammer down. Second shot to the green could be anywhere from a driver to a six iron, depending on how pumped up you can get. One to three putts later you're bragging or complaining.
Probably my favorite of the group. I thought there was interesting movement in the fairway, and a myriad of pinnable locations on the green that could change the way the hole was played. A back pin could be 2 to 3 extra clubs.9
A very long Par 5. This hole has never been reached in two shots. Selected as one of the 18 toughest holes in Chicagoland. A rolling
hill of a fairway that is protected virtually tee to green biy gigantic oaks. When you finally locate the green, you will find a two tiered
green that is heavily bunkered. Enjoy! Driver, 3-wood, 3-iron, Sand Wedge, Putt, Putt. (You'll be happy with a 6.) Breathe deep, coil, shoulder turn, wrist cock, let the hammer loose, grunt and follow thru (and that is only the practice swing). You gotta
get deep baby, or you have no chance of seeing this green in regulation.
I hope the "Enjoy" planted in the middle of that paragraph is sarcastic. This hole is a monstrosity. There's a sports talk show in Chicago that replays suggestive comments made by sports broadcasters (ala "he's really handsy" or "she's been working her all over the court"). The last sentence in the description above would take the number one spot on their countdown.15
Par 5, requires good distance off the tee if you intend to hit your second shot over Long Run Creek. Your approach shot will be uphill
to a small green that slopes back to front and is bunkered left and right. (You'll probably need one club extra to reach the green.) Be
sure to look back at the 4th hole from this green, this is one of the most scenic spots on the course. Driver off the tee is a must. If your not sure whether you can clear the water or not but intend to try, favor the left side. Another green that can not be reached in two, and you call yourself the "Big Hitter".
I found this hole to have an unfinished feel. It just didn't look polished, and offered little of interest other than trying to clear the creek in two.18
Par 5, elevated tee, lake on left will swallow errant tee shots, willows on the right will block them. Prevailing wind is normally at your back. Second shot must carry Long Run Creek. Approach shot to green is usually made from an awkward stance caused by the steep hillside fronting the green. A small heavily sloped green will prepare you for the clubhouse. Driver favoring right side of fairway. Second shot must carry Long Run Creek, again favoring the right side of the fairway. Approach shot to green must be below the hole. If the wind is behind you, and you really are "The Big Hitter", then tell that ball to buckle up! Hit a high hard draw over the willow trees on
the right edge of the fairway, drawing the ball back to the right edge of the fairway. Load up the cannon one more time and go for the
green. Make the putt and take your 3.
Words from the above I don't like in my golf course descriptions: "swallow" (see last sentence of my comments on 9 above), "willows," "block," "carry," "awkward," "steep" and "heavily sloped." And then they close with "buckle up" (surprised they didn't ask me to unbuckle and depants the hole), "hard" and "load up the cannon." Not sure if I should be scared of this hole or turned on by it. Call me old-fashioned, I'll take a straight away three shotter with some nice fairway curves and some playable greenside mounding over a hole that sounds like it dropped from the pages of Swank. And did I mention they could use some "foliage maintenance?"