Decades ago I lived in Chicago and was fortunate enough to play Medinah #3 dozens of times. A few years back, I was in Chicago and offered up an opportunity to play it again. Nah, no thanks. We instead headed to Wrigley Field.
It was long, difficult, and beyond the few holes crossing Lake Kadijah and a handful of well-sloped greens, relatively featureless. We played #3 mostly because of its competitive history and the club's pride in hosting events. Other guests in our group always wanted a crack at this brute of a course. Much like the past version of Baltusrol Lower, it was a slog and monotonous. Walking off the 18th, the routing to the bar was far more attractive than back to the first tee....each and every time!
A hearty congratulations to those at the club who championed this move to bring OCM on to restore/remodel #3. Like the well-received reworking of #1 years back by Tom Doak, a renewal of strategic interest and playability on #3 will be a huge win for the club and its membership. The club's pride will legitmately swell again when this work is done. Whether or not it is validated by the USGA won't matter a whit. The PGA will probably leap at the chance to bring another Championship or Ryder Cup to Chicagoland...if that's what the club wants.
Unless it's a bleacher seat for a Yankees v. Cubs that day in 2024 or 2025, it'll be a no-brainer to race to Medinah to see #3.