Chicago Golf first weekend in May

[Brad Tufts]

Good Morning gentlemen,

I am traveling to Chicago the weekend of 5/5-5/6, and have time for one round on Sat. morning.

As I know very little of the golf in the area, the question is where to schedule a round?

Is Cog Hill Dubsdread the way to go?  I believe it checks in at about $135 this year, so I'm wondering if it's worth it.  I have also heard that Cantigny and Harborside are decent.  Is there anything hidden and/or fun I'm missing?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

-Brad

[K. Krahenbuhl]

If you haven't played Dubsdread it would be worth checking out.  If you are looking for less expensive options let me know and I can suggest a few courses for you.

[Andy Troeger]

Brad,
I have to admit that due to cost and traffic that when I lived in South Bend I played very little in Chicago. Only course I've played is Kemper Lakes because they were going private a year or two ago (I think they are private now?) and I wanted to see it while I could.

Cog Hill Dubsdread certainly has the best reputation (of the public courses obviously) I think, and I'm not sure its really that much more expensive than the next best options. In all honesty, Blackthorn in South Bend (90 mins away give or take) did a fair amount of business when it opened catering to the Chicago crowd willing to drive out of town to play a good course for $50-60.

Not sure if this question will help you, Brad, but for those who know more, what courses are near the airports? I know I'm looking to go back to South Bend at least once or twice this summer and sometimes its easier/cheaper to get a direct flight to Chicago and figure out how to get home from there. Are there any courses that would be convenient from that regard?

[Brad Tufts]

Andy,

I would love to see the Warren Course at ND sometime, but I think it may be a touch outside the approved area for me, as I am staying near O'Hare, and need to be back there around 3 pm on Sat....although I have done crazier things   .

[Tim Pitner]

It's been awhile since I was there, but I liked Pine Meadow an awful lot.  

[Andy Troeger]

Shivas,
I did not realize that just anyone could play the course in question, however. Is that correct?  

[Phil McDade]

But wouldn't that be a bit dangerous, with all of those forced approaches over the roads, cops potentially lurking, commuters on the L having to duck with some potential lob wedge approaches, tunnels occupied by teenage skate board punks?

Oh, you mean playing it from start to finish, in the correct order of holes? Well, that's another matter altogether...

[rjsimper]

I thought that was a seasonal club...and therefore closed by the time Bradford gets to town...

[Brad Tufts]

You found me out, it was a ploy for access to the RPJN.

[Mike Hendren]

I must note that I will be in Chicago this weekend without clubs.  Please feel free to look me and the Mrs. up at Gibson's Sunday evening.  Just look for the gentleman in overalls with a fabulous looking babe at the table.

Kindest regards,

Mike

[John Kirk]

Brad,

I realize that it is private, but I imagine a young private club like Black Sheep might let you play the course for a fee.

Black Sheep really looks good to me in pictures.

[Adam Sherer]

Hey Brad:

I was just in Chicago last week at a Cubs game- it was so cold I left in the fourth inning. (I had to see Wrigley...but, Fenway is better).


I've heard that there is a good Keith Foster course there.I forget the name.

When do you wanna play this summer?

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I've heard that there is a good Keith Foster course there.I forget the name.

I don't know much about the course, but more information can be found here: http://www.shepherdscrook.org/ .

And as a season ticket holder at Wrigley I would ask you to go back on a warm summer day before you judge it.  Fenway isn't even close in my opinion.

[John Kirk]

The hometown ballpark effect in full display.

Believe it or not, I even have a soft spot in my heart for Candlestick Park, where I saw the most baseball games.  It never got so cold you had to leave, but it got close.  In June or July.

[PThomas]

I've heard that there is a good Keith Foster course there.I forget the name.

I don't know much about the course, but more information can be found here: http://www.shepherdscrook.org/ .

And as a season ticket holder at Wrigley I would ask you to go back on a warm summer day before you judge it.  Fenway isn't even close in my opinion.

think it was built on a landfill...played it once when it first opened and can't remember much unfortunately Brad....

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Last week?
 
It's April!

No vines.  No bikini-clad babes in the bleachers.

Might as well rate Augusta when they're playing to temporary greens...

Well said.

[Brad Tufts]

I don't think we want to get into this now, but arguing between Fenway and Wrigley is like arguing between Cypress and Augusta.  I admit I have not been to Wrigley as of yet, but I've been to about 125 games at Fenway.  I watched 4 HR in a row last night go over my head, and would've been nailed by the Youkilis foul liner in the 2nd if the guy in front of me didn't catch it (75-80 mph) bare-handed...

I will say, rivalrly aside, Fenway is a better experience than Yankee Stadium, mostly attributed to the things they have done to improve Fenway in the last few years.

I admit I have been spoiled by Fenway, although I have only been to Yankee Stadium, Olympic (boo), and Philly, with a game scheduled at PNC in Pittsburgh this summer.

[PThomas]

i don't really follow baseball any more....maybe the fact that the cubs will celebrate their 100th anniversary of their last WS win next year..but I do want to see a game in Fenway someday..

[Bill Shamleffer]

This is coming from a Cardinal fan.  I have been to both Wrigley and Fenway (along with 8 other Major League parks and & 10 from the minors), and Wrigley is the better stadium.  Of course any baseball fan wants to see games at both.  And of course all Sox fans will enjoy baseball better at Fenway (as will Cubs fans at Wrigley).

But, if you wanted to spend one season at one of the two, and you had no rooting interest in either home team, the full season experience would be more enjoyable at Wrigley.

They have more day games, there are more good seats in Wrigley (there are some sections in Fenway which are to be avoided due to the poor visibility).  The wind and lake effect result in some crazy games.

AND, nothing beats Friday afternoon, people skipping work to spend an afternoon at the ballpark, and watching the Cards win one at Wrigley.  Then hitting the town for good food and drink.


Also, I recommend 36.  18 at Cog Hill #4 & 18 at RPJN.  Cog Hill is one of the great true public courses and should be played at least once.  But having never played RPJN, and having laughed so hard at some of the great postings related to RPJN, it would be hard to skip, even if that is the only 18 you can play.

[Kalen Braley]

Wrigley jumped the shark when they finally installed the lights  

While I've never been to either, I would make an argument for where the Giants play.  While it doesn't have the history and yes the name of the park sucks, I can't think of a greater setting for baseball.  Awesome views, great ball park food, a short porch in right, right next to downtown, balls hit in the bay....  its just awesome..

[Tom Huckaby]

I have attended baseball games at each of Wrigley, Fenway and AT&T Park (home of the SF Giants).

And while I'd agree with Kalen that the new home of the Giants is a wonderful place to watch a baseball game - for all the reasons he states - well... it's just plain not the other two.  As cool as it is, it remains new.  The other two just exude a history and "baseball-ness" that AT&T Park cannot hope to match.

So for me it's the clear #3 in this comparison.  Perhaps it's the best of the modern parks - I haven't seen enough in person to know - but no way does it surpass those two old gems... not how I see things anyway.

As for which is better between Wrigley and Fenway, that's going to depend on one's team and/or geographical allegiances.  As an outsider I will say however I got a tiny bit more goosebumps at Fenway than I did at Wrigley.  But this is one of those Cypress-PV-Augusta questions... there really is no wrong answer.

BTW, as a Dodger fan I have a special place in my heart for Dodger Stadium.  I just don't expect many to share it.

TH

ps - to John Kirk - if you're a Giant fan, I can understand the loyalty to Candlestick... but with all due respect that place just plain SUCKED as a venue to watch baseball.  It speaks volumes that the best thing one can say is that it got really cold there in summer.  You're right about that though!  

[Jim Colton]

Brad,

  For what it's worth, here's my ranking of Chicago-area public courses.  I've played nearly all of the ones worth playing.

1. Cog Hill
2. Cantigny
3. Pine Meadow
4. Harborside
5. Prairie Landing

Kemper Lakes is now private.  Cantigny (host of the 2007 Pub Links) is $90 to walk/$107 to ride now.  Pine Meadow is $81 to walk.  Don't know about Harborside.  Prairie Landing is $84 to walk, but I think they'll still be in spring rates the weekend you're in town ($62 walk/$74 ride).

[Dan Kelly]

The other two just exude a history and "baseball-ness" that AT&T Park cannot hope to match.

That fancy-pants area behind home plate at Fenway exudes something neither historical nor baseball-nessish.

It exudes "studio audience."

[Brad Tufts]

Thanks for the tips Jim.

As for the "fancy pants area," it isn't much different than the luxury boxes at all the stadiums (stadia?) now.  At least they got rid of the plexiglass and made it all open air now.  We do have astronomical ticket prices now though, as the first to box seat rows at Fenway are something like $250/seat, and the regular box seats are now $100/seat.  I think the bleachers, the cheapest, are now $25.

[Dan Kelly]

As for the "fancy pants area," it isn't much different than the luxury boxes at all the stadiums (stadia?) now.  At least they got rid of the plexiglass and made it all open air now.

Well, that's better.

But I'm still not a fan of luxury boxes. Not that it matters.