Chicago Area Golf Courses (Dubsdread)

[Robert Kimball]

Gentlemen:
  I am going to be in Chicago on business next month.  I am in the process of making my travel plans and, of course, would like to take a day off and play some golf.  
  What are some good courses in the area?  Obviously, I would love to play some of the classic courses -- Chicago GC, Butler National, Medina, Beverly CC -- but don't have a connection.  
 
   So. . .I was thinking seriously about Cog Hill #4 (Dubsdread).  I am sure someone could offer their opinion on this course.  
  Some questions I have to consider:
  1.  Do they allow walking?
  2.  Is it difficult for a single to get on?
  3.  Is it worth the money? (I will be playing on Wednesday).
  Their web site is not too specific on these items.  I haven't heard back from them as of yet.
  
  Also, are there any other courses that would warrant consideration?  I appreciate any help I can get from our expert panelists!!  
  Thanks, Rob

[A_Clay_Man]

Rob-Dubs is walkable and a single has a much better chance and is worth the wait. As for the rate, I haven't been since it was $54.

If you can handle the all day aspect of a trip to Kohler wisc., There is no better value for awesome public golf.

[Michael Choate]

Rob:

You can walk at Dubs.  The green fee is north of $100.  I do not think you can book a tee time for a single.  If you don't have luck at Dubs, try "The Glen" located in Glenview, Il.  It is a new Fazio design.  They allow walking, green fee for non-resident is $150. You may be able to play as a single or get paired with a "member" easier than at Dubs.  Other courses to consider, although not in the class of Dubs, are:

1. Pine Meadow  $85 walking;
2. Stone Wall Orchard walking allowed but difficult to walk.  I do not know the green fee;
3. Thunder Hawk walking allowed I think the green fee is $100.
  

I concur in the recommendation to drive up to Kohler if you have time.  Its about three hours or so from downtown Chicago without traffic.

Good luck.

[Robert Kimball]

Thank you for the heads-up.  Dave, I can't believe all that earth was moved on The Glen??    That is very interesting indeed.  
  I would love to go to Kohler, but I probably won't have the time.    But, I am sure that they have good off-season packages there!!  

[Jeff Goldman]

Dubs is $125, and as a single they give you a beeper and a bucket of balls to warm up if you have to wait.  Easier to get to I think than the Glen Club from downtown Chicago as I-55 has less of a chance of being a parking lot than 94.  You can try Harborside, which is the closest to the city (94 south to 111th street), has 36 treeless holes and can be fun (about $80).  A single can call 48 hours in advance, and I don't think there would be any problem at all getting on, so this could be a safety.

                    Jeff Goldman

[Paul Richards]

Rob:

My order for Chicago public courses:

1. Dubsdread
2. Kemper Lakes
3. Glen Club
4. Harborside Port
5. Harborside Starboard

All can be walked, but most charge the same with or without a cart, I believe.

[Paul Richards]

Rob:

Also, Cog #4 is a real treat.  It has all the classic course look and feel, especially because the trees are so large!  Enjoy!!

[Steve Hyden]

I moved away from Chicago in 1994 but I liked the Golf Club of Illinois in Algonquin, a faux links sculpted out of a cornfield.  When I played it, it was pretty new and now may be overrun with housing, and I don't know about the walking situation.  And unfortunately I always found it overwatered.  But there are 10 or 12 terrific holes where you think you're in the Old Country, although there are more clunkers than one would like.  Certainly nowhere near the best public course in Chicago (I'd vote for Dubs) but an interesting alternative.

[A_Clay_Man]

Steve- I used to play the golf club of illinois, alot. But since Dye designs sold it to the Japanese, it has lost alot of its character.  They changed the routing and from what I've heard altered the holes enough to classify it as ruined.

One idea for Rob may be to play Dubbs and Big Run. They are close enough to make for a great day of golf. Some don't care for Big Run but I used to play there every week. The best way to describe it is that they took every hill in illinois and put it on this course. It's a ma and pop shop that has unique enough holes to make it fun and interesting. Besides it is the psite of my first ace, seven years earlier, to the day, Tiger won his first Masters, Apr, 13th.

[Paul Richards]

Rob:

Do yourself a big favor and stay with the ones on the list I mentioned.  

Steve mentioned Golf Club of Illinois.  Don't bother coming to Chicago if this is going to be your impression of golf in Chicago.

AClayMan mentioned Big Run.  Like him, I played this course many, many (TOO MANY) times over the years.  If I had one round left to play in my life, and the only course available was Big Run, I would choose to not play golf.  That's how much I don't like this course.  As above, do yourself a favor and stick to the ones I mentioned.  Big Run isn't in the top 150 public courses in the state, so stay away.

[A_Clay_Man]

Paul has thrown down the gauntlet, While Big Run is not your typical golf course, that is not neccesarily a bad thing given the standardized crap that has been produced in the last 30 years. Big run is no dog track it is just different. A great mix of holes with wonderful terrain and movement. The greens are also full of movement and are challenging.

Surely if you only prefer the mass marketed over manufactured type courses, heed Paul's advice, but if you care to push the envelope and see something unique and different that isn't house riddled, and mostly natural, try Big Run.

[THuckaby2]

I've read this thread with great interest... all the recommendations sounded great to me.  I've played a bit of golf in and around Chicago, but not in over 10 years.

My last trip there my connections to private courses had ceased (gone with the gal who dumped me!) and so whilst there for a wedding (no, not hers), a group of us had one available golf day and.... we played Dubsdread.  

We did NOT regret it.

It kicked our ass and big time, but damn it was fun.

I'm big on the "when in Rome" school of course choosing.  Rob, if you do only have time for one round, play the mandatory first.  Dubsdread is a course you just MUST play at least once in your life.

TH

[SL_Solow]

I'm with Shivas on this one.  Dubs is the best of the public courses.  While Big Run is very natural and has some interesting holes it is not near the course for difficulty or strategy.  I am not as high on the Glen as most.  Too many containment mounds, bunkers just for eye candy etc.  Great job of engineering, beautiful too look at, a few interesting green complexes but the whole package doesn't work.  For my money, if I didn't go to Dubs or Harborside, I might consider Pine Meadow.  While Kemper justifiably is viewed as having been overrated over the years, it nevertheless contains many fine golf holes.

[Will E]

agree, go to Dubs. I like Ruffled Feathers too and it's right across the street.
If you're on the way north side, Sheperd's Crook is the best value around ($20 twilight). The Crook is a really interesting Keith Foster design not far from Thunderhawk.

[Robert Kimball]

Thanks everyone!!  
  Dubs it is.  I shouldn't have a problem getting on as a single on a wednesday, I can walk, and the weather should be great (Mid October)!!  
  Now, if only the Cubs were in the World Series, that would make it perfect. . . . . .sorry that topic is for another day!!

[Keith Costello]

Was visiting Chicago in late July.  played on a Sunday afternoon at 3:00.  no tee time, went right out.  It was 95 degrees, though.  $125 with cart.  not sure about walking.  very nice, enjoyed the course. classic design.  not extremely difficult, lots of sand.

Gentlemen:
  I am going to be in Chicago on business next month.  I am in the process of making my travel plans and, of course, would like to take a day off and play some golf.  
  What are some good courses in the area?  Obviously, I would love to play some of the classic courses -- Chicago GC, Butler National, Medina, Beverly CC -- but don't have a connection.  
 
   So. . .I was thinking seriously about Cog Hill #4 (Dubsdread).  I am sure someone could offer their opinion on this course.  
  Some questions I have to consider:
  1.  Do they allow walking?
  2.  Is it difficult for a single to get on?
  3.  Is it worth the money? (I will be playing on Wednesday).
  Their web site is not too specific on these items.  I haven't heard back from them as of yet.
  
  Also, are there any other courses that would warrant consideration?  I appreciate any help I can get from our expert panelists!!  
  Thanks, Rob

[Paul Richards]

Keith:

Not very difficult?  I find that surprising.  Which tees did you play?

[David Kelly]

Just wanted to mention this.  I played Cog Hill #4 in the last week of July with a friend of mine.  You can only book a tee time as a foursome so even though we were only two that is what we did.  Even though it was a weekday we figured that it might be like Bethpage Black or Torrey Pines and there would be a bunch of singles waiting around trying to get on. Wrong. There wasn't anyone waiting to get on.  Luckily we had become a threesome because a friend of ours was in town but we still needed a fourth because they we going to make us pay for the fourth tee time.

After paying for four tee times we were getting ready to tee off on the first hole when the starter said that a local guy showed up and did we mind playing with him.  Well the "local guy" turned out to be Bo Jackson. He lives close to the course and plays there a lot. He also told me that Joe Jemsek had made him a deal with him where Bo only has to pay for a cart when he plays.

Well I can report that Bo definitely knows golf.  He shot an 83 and was completely different as a player than what I expected.  He said he has been playing for about 12 years so I expected his natural athleticism and strength would mean that he would crush the ball but have more difficulty with the short game and finesse shots.  The opposite was true. He was pretty long but no incredibly so - I out drove him most of the time and I am not really that long off the tee.  His short game however was exceptional.  He got up and down from all over the place while using a variety of shots, made everything from 10' in and stuck a number of wedges and short irons very close.  

Bo's only problem was that he hit a huge hook off of the tee (but not with his irons) and occasionally would lose it right off the tee when the ball failed to hook.  In fact on the 10th hole Bo hit his drive over the street on the right, over the fairway on the other side of the street and into the next fairway - probably 200 yards off line - when he double-crossed himself and sliced the ball.  He hooked the ball so much that he often started the ball off well right and brought it back. On some of the holes that were lined with trees next to the tee box he elected to hit a long iron off of the tee.

He was a really nice golfing companion and didn't mind posing for pictures with our group. He told me he plays a lot as a single during the week so if any of you Chicago guys are looking for a game with one of the greatest athletes of the century head on out to the Dubsdread course and keep an eye out for the local guy.

[A_Clay_Man]

Did they refund the extorted green fee?

[David Kelly]

>>Did they refund the extorted green fee?

Yes.   I don't consider it extortion because they told us about the policy when we made the tee time.  But I still don't like the policy.

[Nick Kokonas]

Re:  

1) The Glen Club... Very, very nice course given what Fazio had to work with, and seems more mature than it is.  Still, not at the level of Dubs or several of the others you have mentioned.

2) Thunderhawk, suggested by another poster, is a wonderful course and an especially great value.  Weekday before 9 am is $35 which has got to be the best value in the Chicago Metro... if you can call it in the Chicago Metro.... It is WAY up north.

3) Feel free to email me if you wish.

-- Nick

[David Lott]

You won't have any trouble getting on any Chicago courses in October as a single.

Avoid GC of Illinois--ok but nothing special. Harborside is faux links. Dubs is your best bet for sure.

How much time do you have? You are less than 3 hours from Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits, which could be a real treat in mid October if you catch some decent weather.

[Paul Richards]

Rob:

Did you make the trip to Chicago yet?

Which course(s) did you end up playing?  

What were your reactions?

[Robert Kimball]

Hey, I leave Oct. 23rd.  I promise to give an update then.
  I haven't gotten much response from the people at Cog Hill, but the pro at Harborside was very nice.  He said that the Starboard course will be the only one open that day and it's $75.  That's comperable to Atlanta golf prices, so that's not too bad, I guess.
  I really appreciate all the help and advice from everyone.