Barrington Hills Country Club

[JR Potts]

I was recently playing with a friend and he was discussing his other club, Barrington Hill Country Club in Barrington Hills, Illinois.  He mentioned that Doak has been doing some work over there and I didn't believe it.  A quick google search shows that he was correct.

Has anyone played it?  Any pictures?  Is it any good?

 I grew up 10 miles away but I've never really heard much about it.

[PCCraig]

I played there years ago in a high school match/practice as a team member's parents were members out there. It was a long time ago but I don't remember much about it other than it reminded me of other north shore country clubs a la Evanston / Exmoor.

How recent was T. Doak's work there?

[Mark Smolens]

I played there once after doing some work for a the client of a guy in my office. Has to be 15 years ago now. Nice greens and pretty hilly terrain. I was reminded of Medinah #1 (lots of tree-lined fwys). Certainly not a place you hear a lot about.

[JR Potts]

http://www.renaissancegolf.com/work/Consulting/

Seems to be 2000 to current.

[PCCraig]

Never thought I would see Tom doing work on a course designed by the great Joe Roseman.

[RJ_Daley]

I had a cousin that was the golf pro for a short stint there in late 50s or early 60s.  He was very disinterested in the topic of GCA. 

[Dan Moore]

Never thought I would see Tom doing work on a course designed by the great Joe Roseman.

Pat,  I think it was Roseman and George O'neil of Beverly fame, probably with O'Neil as the principal designer.  I have not played it but heard good things. 

[Chris Flamion]

Didn't even know it existed, and my wife has family there.

[Adam Clayman]

It's been reported this is a special place. Tons of movement, variety with some plateaued, almost squarish greens. It was described to me as Parkland, but with plenty of width, as the trees are not choking the corridors.

Knowing how good the ground can be in that area, the questions is, why aren't there more "special' places in and around Chicago?

Never thought I would see Tom doing work on a course designed by the great Joe Roseman.

I might be wrong here Pat, but, Tom and team don't seem to take jobs at anything but special places.

[PCCraig]

Never thought I would see Tom doing work on a course designed by the great Joe Roseman.

I might be wrong here Pat, but, Tom and team don't seem to take jobs at anything but special places.

Adam,

Not a knock on Tom or BHCC. More of a comment as to seeing his name listed among the great GCA's on Tom's restoration/renovation page. Joe Roseman designed the muni I worked at through high school on the North Shore.

[JR Potts]

So I played here yesterday - and what a good golf course.  This place certainly deserves to be in the "hidden gems" category.  It's a unique place with a wide variety of par 4s and ground/hole movement.  The conditioning was impeccable and the greens were a blast to putt on.  That said, the greens were rolling quite slow due to the heat/humidity - and I suspect when sped up to 11ish, they would be quite devilish.

The course only had 3 par 3s and two par 5s.  It sported two drivable par 4s and had a ton of elevation - moving through hills on the front nine into a parkland/prairie on the back. 

I was blown away by it - in fact, I think it is my 6th favorite course in the Chicagoland area.  If you get the invite, go.  Plus, it's a neat club with great vodka lemonades.

[J_ Crisham]

So I played here yesterday - and what a good golf course.  This place certainly deserves to be in the "hidden gems" category.  It's a unique place with a wide variety of par 4s and ground/hole movement.  The conditioning was impeccable and the greens were a blast to putt on.  That said, the greens were rolling quite slow due to the heat/humidity - and I suspect when sped up to 11ish, they would be quite devilish.

The course only had 3 par 3s and two par 5s.  It sported two drivable par 4s and had a ton of elevation - moving through hills on the front nine into a parkland/prairie on the back. 

I was blown away by it - in fact, I think it is my 6th favorite course in the Chicagoland area.  If you get the invite, go.  Plus, it's a neat club with great vodka lemonades.

Care to share the top 5 with us?

[JR Potts]

Sure.

1. Shoreacres.
2. Medinah #3 (sentimental reasons likely)
3. Chicago Golf
4. Butler National
5. Olympia Fields - North

I have not played Old Elm, Skokie, Onswensia, Exmoor, Rich Harvest or Black Sheep.

But, I did like it a bit more than Beverly, Butterfield, Olympia Fields - South and Knollwood...four courses that are in my Top 10.

[J_ Crisham]

Try Elgin CC and Naperville CC if you are looking for real Chicago area sleepers. Maybe not top 10 but close. Also Skokie is a must play -firmly in my Chicago top 5 behind Chicago Golf, Shoreacres, Butler, OFCC North. As an aside Medinah is top 10 -just too hard for my daily game/abilities, similar to Butler.

[JR Potts]

I've played Elgin and Naperville.  Both fun golf courses.  Elgin has a few kinky holes that detract from the overall course a bit I certainly enjoy playing it.  Naperville is just a little too repetitious for me to slip it into my Top-10.  That said, I haven't played it since the re-do.

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Sure.

1. Shoreacres.
2. Medinah #3 (sentimental reasons likely)
3. Chicago Golf
4. Butler National
5. Olympia Fields - North

I have not played Old Elm, Skokie, Onswensia, Exmoor, Rich Harvest or Black Sheep.

But, I did like it a bit more than Beverly, Butterfield, Olympia Fields - South and Knollwood...four courses that are in my Top 10.

What's the story with Butterfield?  In looking at overhead images, the differences between the current view on Google Maps and the one on Bing is striking.  Looks like a lot of work was done there... I'm sure there's a thread here somewhere, so i'll look for it, but I never really "hear" anyone talk about it.

thanks.

[Howard Riefs]

What's the story with Butterfield?  In looking at overhead images, the differences between the current view on Google Maps and the one on Bing is striking.  Looks like a lot of work was done there... I'm sure there's a thread here somewhere, so i'll look for it, but I never really "hear" anyone talk about it.

thanks.

Extensive work on all 27 holes by Steve Smyers and a cast of others from 2008 to 2010.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45148.0.html

http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/smyers_to_update_butterfield_cc

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48973.0.html

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

What's the story with Butterfield?  In looking at overhead images, the differences between the current view on Google Maps and the one on Bing is striking.  Looks like a lot of work was done there... I'm sure there's a thread here somewhere, so i'll look for it, but I never really "hear" anyone talk about it.

thanks.

Extensive work on all 27 holes by Steve Smyers and a cast of others from 2008 to 2010.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45148.0.html

http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/smyers_to_update_butterfield_cc

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48973.0.html

thanks, Howard.  Has anyone played recently as these renovations have "matured" for a couple years?

[JR Potts]

I've played it a few times.  It's a perfectly nice golf course.  The changes are interesting to say the least.  I liked it better beforehand but understand why they made the changes they did.

That said, of all of Smyers work I've seen (5 different courses/renovations), it's my least favorite.