Terry,
I'd probably put Old Elm over Knollwood, which I also like. Agree that Black Sheep is a bit of a stretch. It's about the same distance as the Dunes Club from downtown.
Sven,
What would your list look like if you were recommending a top 10 for a short hitting 16 hdcp buddy who was visiting Chicago?
Terry:
Black Sheep should be on the list for what it represents, prairie golf. Its the only real example of golf on the open fields of the midwest that appears on the list (Chicago GC excepted, which I would argue is a style all of its own in these parts). I thought about the Dunes Club, but I don't think that the sand dunes of the IN/MI lake front should be considered part of the Chicagoland "terroir" (a word that perhaps should be used a bit more when discussing golf courses).
Jud:
The short hitters list is just about the same as the real list, they just need to play the right tees.
For example, OFN is a bear from the blues and blacks, but step up to the whites or greens and all of the hazards are manageable, although the player might have some choices on holes like 3, 9 and 14. Same goes for the South course, even with all of the forced carries. The use of the creek at OFS is worthy of a separate thread, as would a hole by hole comparison of the two courses at the club (OFS is up there on my list of most underrated courses in the country). The 12th at OFS is perhaps one of the best examples of how a hole can present similar challenges to different players at different distances. Played from 200+, it is a beast of a par 3 for even the best of players (and perhaps worthy of being added to the discussion of best inland par 3's). But even from 135 at the women's tees, you see the same stress on the player's need to execute a pure shot.
Shoreacres will fit anyone's game, although holes like 4, 5 and 10 might play a bit strong. Skokie, Beverly and Knollwood are playable for all, assuming you don't get suckered into stepping back beyond your capabilities.
I might swap out Butler and Medinah #3 because of the demands on length and the required carries and replace them with Flossmoor, Exmoor, Old Elm and/or Medinah #1. You are also well aware of my love for Shepherd's Crook, which would offer another example of Foster's work on land that doesn't look like the traditional north shore parkland course, and is playable for even the shortest of players.
Sven