[Matthew Sander]

Flossmoor's 17th is fantastic and HARD.

I know it probably isn't in the discussion with the 14th at Olympia Fields North, but does anyone else think the 14th at Village Links of Glen Ellyn is awfully good? The drive is demanding and there are significant consequences that come in to play on the uphill approach if the tee shot isn't executed. Throw in an interesting green and you have one of the best public holes in the area (IMHO). I think I may have a mediocre photo from an equally mediocre camera phone somewhere...if I get around to it I may post it later.

That said, it looks like pretty tough sleddin' for a hole from a public track to crack Judge Lavin's list!

[Sven Nilsen]

Spring Valley?  At least the Lowlands of Elgin is in Illinois!

Here's what Brad wrote regarding the geographical range for this list:

"The magazine reaches a membership from Wisconsin north, Rockford west and Kankakee to the south"

Questions?

[JR Potts]

The 14th at Village Links?  You have to be kidding me? That hole isn't the best 14th hole in Glen Elyn.   And in fact, the 14th at the Links is the poster boy for everything that went wrong in the recent renovation.   The bunkering around the water is abysmal and the horror of the bunkering is eclipsed by the repulsive green.  In fact, the 14th green at the Village Links may be the worst green in Illinois.

The 14th at Glen Oak is a fan and hard par 4....with a neat but suffocating tree chute off the tee.  Great green on that hole.

BTW - 17 at Flossmor should be added.

Is Butterfield out of the discussion because of the lack of traditional hole numbering?

[Matthew Sander]

Nope, not kidding. I guess it's safe to say that you and I disagree on the hole!

I didn't have the opportunity to see the course prior to the renovations. What was the hole like before? Why do you think the fairway bunkering is abysmal? Is it the style (beach bunker) or the placement? Also, what do find so objectionable about the green?

I like the challenge of the tee shot. If you can blow it over the right hand bunker you are left with a shortish uphill approach. A more conservative line right at the left bunker or even left of that leaves a much longer approach to the difficult green. If you find yourself in one of the fairway bunkers or too far left on that side slope it is a difficult approach. However, since I know darn well it doesn't belong on THE list, I shouldn't have mentioned the hole in this thread. I apologize and will commence to hang my head in shame...

BTW - Here is an overhead view...look away Ryan...

[Dan Moore]

I hope Shelly Solow weighs in with some ideas. 

[Terry Lavin]

Spring Valley?  At least the Lowlands of Elgin is in Illinois!

Here's what Brad wrote regarding the geographical range for this list:

"The magazine reaches a membership from Wisconsin north, Rockford west and Kankakee to the south"

Questions?

No, I have no questions about this.  The fact that people from Kankakee or Milwaukee want to know about the best holes in Chicagoland does not mean that they want or need to know about the best holes in Momence Illinois, Wauwatosa Wisconsin or Bridgman Michigan.  I would suppose that they would expect that The Best Holes in Chicagoland would include holes in Chicagoland, not Cheesehead Land, Warren Dunes or Central Illinois.

Along this line, I don't think that Golfweek has a list of Best Courses in Illinois that includes courses that are sort of close to Illinois, in the Tri-State area, or despite their presence outside of Illinois, members of the Chicago District Golf Association.  Those courses would be in lists of Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana courses.

Furthermore, why would one need to go to Michigan or Wisconsin to come up with a list of the 18 greatest holes in Chicagoland?  It's not like Chicagoland is so bereft of good golf that one has to consider courses outside of Illinois.

[Bill Seitz]

Potts,

Thanks for entering the fray.  I was throwing a bone by including 17 at Hinsdale Harborside...er...Chicago Highlands (which looks a little like a Dismal River hole), but can you think of another 17th hole (preferably a par-3), that could substitute for that hole?  Remember, however, that we can't use a course more than once.

I think 17 at Chi Highlands is a good par three, so I'm alright with it, though I think 17 at Spring Valley is better, location considerations aside.  However, almost all of the rounds I've played at Cantigny have been Wood-Lake, which makes #8 Lakeside the 17th hole.  I love the variety of pin locations on that green, so I'll put my vote in for that if it doesn't screw with the integrity of the list.  Come to think of it, all three nines have an 8th hole par three, and they're all fairly decent holes.

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