Medinah #1 - Holy smokes!

[PCCraig]

I spent most of the day yesterday at Medinah Country Club and managed to play the "new" #1.


All I can say is holy smokes! I am surprised more folks aren't talking about the course.


There is a wonderful collection of golf holes with a ton of variety as well as significant quirk that I loved.


Overall, the greens are terrific. There is an awesome reverse saucer green on the mid-length par-5 1st, a super neat fall away green at #2 right out of the bat. The greens on #13 and #14 are straight out of White Bear Yacht Club, with the 13th green featuring two distinct tiers bisected by a ridge running through the middle of the green and the 14th is a fall away in the same vein of the 12th at WBYC.


I loved all of the variety...short par-3's like the 15th but also long one shot holes like the 7th to balance the equation. There are a number of difficult par-4's, but there are two fantastic drivable par-4's that appear easy on paper but have their own defenses! In fact, I witnessed a playing partner driver the green on the 13th, only to 4-putt for bogey as he was certainly on the wrong side of the green!


Also, loved the par-3 finisher over water with the benches in the background. What a great atmosphere for a final hole and a last little bit of quirk.


The greens were running very fast, especially for greens that feature as much slope as these and made putting a little too difficult for the mid-to-high handicappers. I wonder if they are always running that fast or if its because we caught them on the perfect time of the year.


Regardless, an awesome experience and a super neat golf course. I would recommend anyone who can to go check it out when in Chicago.

[Jon Cavalier]

My favorite course on the property. Easily.

[Anton]

Looked great from the sky 3 weeks ago.  Hope to play it next Spring! 

[Phil McDade]

I spent most of the day yesterday at Medinah Country Club and managed to play the "new" #1.


All I can say is holy smokes! I am surprised more folks aren't talking about the course.


There is a wonderful collection of golf holes with a ton of variety as well as significant quirk that I loved.




Regardless, an awesome experience and a super neat golf course. I would recommend anyone who can to go check it out when in Chicago.

But....what about the camel?

[PCCraig]

I spent most of the day yesterday at Medinah Country Club and managed to play the "new" #1.


All I can say is holy smokes! I am surprised more folks aren't talking about the course.


There is a wonderful collection of golf holes with a ton of variety as well as significant quirk that I loved.




Regardless, an awesome experience and a super neat golf course. I would recommend anyone who can to go check it out when in Chicago.

But....what about the camel?

I loved it. Quirky and fun...certainly sets the stage quickly for the round.


Some other wonderful features out there such as the principal's nose bunker on #12, and the huge mound/berm on the left side of #6 creating the potential for a blind approach.

[Terry Lavin]

It's stellar. A great break from the grind of #3 and much more challenging than the new #2.

[PCCraig]

It's stellar. A great break from the grind of #3 and much more challenging than the new #2.

I agree, it's is a wonderfully "complete" golf course thanks to a ton of variety. #3 feels very one dimensional to me after a round on #1. Obviously #3 serves a purpose which is to test the best golfers. But I get the sense that #1 is lost a bit in the shadow of #3 by both members and guests. Perhaps if #1 was located elsewhere it would receive the attention it deserves.

[Tom_Doak]

I get the sense that #1 is lost a bit in the shadow of #3 by both members and guests.

As the committee explained the club to me at the start of the project, #3 is where members take guests to play, and #1 has always been more of a members' course.  So we were not really trying to compete with #3.  We were just trying to build something the members would enjoy playing on a regular basis, with enough local knowledge in it that it wouldn't get old after a little while.

[Terry Lavin]

Before the renovations on 1 and 2, as a guest we would almost always play #3 which has all of the rich history and all of the murderously hard golf holes. You'd leave battered and impressed at the same time.


Nowadays, as a guest, we almost always play 1 or 2 and we leave happier after really enjoying either course. Medinah has achieved a terrific balance after decades of paying too much attention to the championship course and very little to the others.

[Jeff Shelman]

For those who have seen both (I have not seen No. 1 yet), how does the new No. 1 compare with Olympia Fields South?


From the sound of it, they are both courses that would get more attention if they were standalone courses somewhere else.

[Terry Lavin]

For those who have seen both (I have not seen No. 1 yet), how does the new No. 1 compare with Olympia Fields South?


From the sound of it, they are both courses that would get more attention if they were standalone courses somewhere else.

I think OFCC is a better course, but I've played it 50 times as much as I've played #1, so I've got some bias there.

[PCCraig]

For those who have seen both (I have not seen No. 1 yet), how does the new No. 1 compare with Olympia Fields South?


From the sound of it, they are both courses that would get more attention if they were standalone courses somewhere else.

It's been a while since I've played OFCC South, but my first inclination is to say #1 is better in my book. But I enjoy the North Course more than #3, so it's a wash overall!