[Jordan Wall]

Does anyone have pictures of Butler?

Also, what are opinions of the course?

Thanks

[jonathan_becker]

Jordan,

When I caddied there a few years ago, I was told that photos were not allowed.  But I never saw one person ask and I never saw one person attempt it.

[Paul Jones]

You can see the aerial view from here -

http://www.bing.com/maps/explore/#5003/0.5040=rtp:adr.~pos.41.8412_-87.9434_Butler+National+Golf+Club,+IL_Butler+National+Golf+Club,+IL___-479744637:rtop:0~0&1.6002=q:Butler+National+Golf+Club,+Chicago,+IL:lat:39.3397967458155:long:-79.5036997273564:nosp:0:adj:0&2.6002=q:Butler+National+Golf+Club:lat:35.3056630990984:long:-93.8832150399685:nosp:0:adj:0:ld:1&3.6002=q:Butler+National:lat:29.762882924579:long:-95.383003235:nosp:0:adj:0:notr:0:pg:1&o=&a=0:1:2:3/5872/style=auto&lat=qz64qm&lon=7p47r3&alt=169.048714&z=17&pid=5874

If the link does not work, you can go www.bing.com/maps and type in Butler National Golf Club, Chicago, IL in the search.

[PThomas]

a VERY difficult golf course Jordan!  very modern-style

[Jud_T]

Great test if you're a big-hitting single digit player (male)...Otherwise, I'd steer clear of the place....

[jonathan_becker]

Jud,

The tree in your second picture has been removed.

Jordan,

#9 and #10 are probably the two hardest back-to-back par 4s that I've ever seen.

[Kalen Braley]

I was recently invited to go play it...but I got Punk'd when I showed up and no one was there with a foot of snow on the ground.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Check this out:

http://www.theitinerantgolfer.com/Courses.aspx?ID=100

[Jim_Kennedy]

Kalen,
You got punk'd so you chewed a hole in the wall ? 


Anthony,
I've never thoroughly read a blog from one of these 'Top 100' chasers. Seems like it'd be a never ending quest (not that that's a bad thing) as there are several lists and they all change from year to year. 

[JR Potts]

Jordan:

It's one of the 3 hardest golf course I've ever played.  That said, I love it.

It's the type of place where you can make 5 birdies.....and 5 triples.

And all of those triples will come out of nowhere.  It's fair......but it's very very hard.  In fact, it's so hard on a day to day basis that I would suspect that it is one of a few clubs (Oakmont included) that can close on a Wednesday and have a US Open on a Thursday.

All of the par 3s are difficult with strange angles of attack and treacherous hazards if you take the wrong line.  The 10th hole is the hardest Par 4 in America.  

In short, you're going to love it if you put it on your itenerary when you are coming to Chicago.

[Kalen Braley]

The wall was as I found it.  I'm guessing the cold temps do some damage on that bad boy every winter.

[Mike Demetriou]

Jordan:

It's one of the 3 hardest golf course I've ever played.  That said, I love it.

Ryan, what are the other two?

[jonathan_becker]

Ryan,

Great post.  The "angles of attack" is very true and that's always my first memory of the course.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but when Butler hosted the Western Open, the average winning score was higher than every major for the same time span.  I think that covered 17 years.

[JR Potts]

Jordan:

It's one of the 3 hardest golf course I've ever played.  That said, I love it.

Ryan, what are the other two?

Whistling Straits & Medinah from the backs.

[PCCraig]

Hard is the name of the game at Butler. But it's a very good golf course and IMO I'd rather get beat up there than at Medinah 

[Jordan Wall]

So definitely worth playing?

[JR Potts]

But it's a very good golf course and IMO I'd rather get beat up there than at Medinah 

Keep that up and Butler may be the only one of the two you play.

[Phil Benedict]

Who designed Butler?

[jonathan_becker]

Phil,

George Fazio and nephew Tom.

[Thomas McQuillan]

Phil,

George Fazio and nephew Tom.

So Tom Fazio actually designs golf courses and not just landscapes?

[Jim Tang]

Jordan -

I've never played there but I do have maybe 15 loops under my belt at Butler.

The course itself sits directly in the middle of a very busy commercial area.  The course is just south of a huge mall, roads and highways surround the golf course.  The entrance of the club is shared with a local public muni.  Driving down the road, a half mile from the course, you would never guess there is a great golf course nearby.

As mentioned, the course is incredibly demanding.  You have many odd or weird angles off the tees and into greens.  The par 5's are tough to beat up becasue they tend to dogleg one way or the other and are hard to get at in two.  The course has many mature trees, but there are some open areas as well.  There isn't a huge amount of elevation change throughout the course, but it isn't dead flat either.  I know the course went through some renovations some years back.  I haven't see the place since those renovations.

I think each year Butler had the highest scoreing average of any tournament on tour when the Western Open was held there.  I know some of the back tees were not even used for the Western.  The course is very, very hard.  The course just never lets you get comfortable as a golfer.  You always seem just a little off balance.

With all that said, I think Butler offers a fantastic golfing experience and if you can gain access, by all means, tee it up.

[jonathan_becker]

Phil,

George Fazio and nephew Tom.

So Tom Fazio actually designs golf courses and not just landscapes?

I would consider this one of his few!! 

Jordan,

If you have the opportunity to play, do it.

[J_ Crisham]

Jordan,  I have played Butler a few times in the past, been to the Western there at least a dozen times, and worked at the Western at least 8 yrs there. I guess I probably know it well enough to say it is the hardest course in the Midwest, bar none. Originally when the WGA moved the tourney to Butler as the permanent site the tour pros didn't care for it as it was just too hard. Today they have a world class club that could hold any event  at a moments notice. It is by far the best of the 4 all -male clubs in Chicago. The driving range is simply one end of a polo field- nothing fancy. The property has a number of large hole crossings by a significant creek/river. There is also a sizable lake that has the 5th,13th and 14th very much in play. The 1st hole is probably the only easy hole -  as stated before the strtch of #7-10 is just brutal. The greens at Butler are as fast as any I've seen -anywhere. This is the only course that I've played that is harder than Kiawah or Carnoustie. And no, we are not playing here when you visit this summer, I am too old and lazy to play this beast anymore!      Wish you well,   Jack     Almost forgot to say that I have some nice pictures of the times I've played here- never heard it said that cameras were not allowed.

[Brad Swanson]

The Western at Butler was the 1st PGA tour event I attended and the 1st Tour quality course I ever saw (back in 1990 I believe).  It blew me away and was one of the formative experiences as a golfer.  That year the creek/river that bordered one side of the property was nearly out of its banks from a glut of rain.  The course played long for the pros (I wish we could see these guys hitting long irons into par 4s now like they had to back then).  I recall a loooong dogleg par 5 on the back, and seeing more large #s  from the pros than I expected.  I followed Curtis Strange around much of the day, as he was prepping for his eventual failure at 3-peating at the U.S. Open a few weeks later.  I'd say Butler is #1 or #2 on my list of Chicago area courses I hope to play someday.  Its a smashmouth, big stones golf course.

[David Whitmer]

I'm not adding anything new here...it's very difficult. I played it last August. I'm a 3-handicap who hits a big ball, and I struggled. It was a great experience, though. The staff treated us unbelievably well. That, combined with the great course, made for a fantastic day. I would play it if given the opportunity. Go take your lumps, soak it all in, and enjoy where you are.

I mentioned this in a post last year...my only complaint was that all four par 3s played within about 8 yards of each other, and they all either go west or southwest. I hit a 5-iron for all four tee shots. That fact certainly didn't diminish the experience, though. When I was there I got the feeling I was doing something not many people get the chance to do.

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