[Sven Nilsen]

Looking to compile a list of the best holes in the Chicagoland area (using a broad definition).

I'll start things off with the following (this is not my comprehensive list, just a starting point):

Privates:

Beverly - 5 (4), 7 (5), 11 (5), 14 (4), 15 (4), 17 (3)

Black Sheep - 2 (5), 13 (3), 25 (3), 27 (5)

Bob O'Link - 17 (4)
Briarwood - 6 (3), 15 (3)
Butler - 7 (5), 10 (4), 16 (4), 17 (4)
Butterfield - White 1 (5), 4? (3)
Chicago - 1 (4), 4 (5), 6 (4), 7 (3), 10 (3), 12 (4), 14 (4)

Chicago Highlands - 7 (5), 9 (4)

Dunes Club - 3 (5), 8 (5)

Evanston - 14 (4)
Exmoor - 8 (3)
Flossmoor - 3 (4), 4 (4), 11 (3), 16, (4), 17 (4)

Glen Oak - 16 (Great Par 3)
Glen View - 2 (3), 17 (4), 18 (4)
Idlewild - 11 (5)
Inverness - 10 (4)
Itasca - 17 (3)
Kemper Lakes - 11 (5)
Knollwood - 2 (4)
Lost Dunes - 4 (5), 11 (4)

Medinah #1 - 9 (Long, fair par 5 that personifies Medinah.  Will be the best par 5 on the property once the green is raised)
Medinah #2 - 8  (Once trees are removed from left side of fairway, may become the second best Par 4 on the property)
(Medinah #3 - 12 (4), 16 (4)(Both spectacular and spectacularly hard Par 4s)
Old Elm - 5 (4), 9 (4)

Olympia Fields North - 3 (4), 11 (4), 14 (4), 17 (4)
Olympia Fields South - 1 (4), 2 (4), 6 (4), 11 (4)
Ruth Lake - 17
Shoreacres - 2 (4), 3 (4), 11 (4), 12 (3), 15 (5)
Skokie - 3 (5), 8 (4), 12 (3), 17 (4)

Publics:

Cantigny - Woodside 2 (5) (currently being renovated), Lakeside 7 (4)
Cog Hill #4 - 2 (3), 6 (3), 13 (4), 16 (4)
George Dunne - 16 (4)
Glen Club - 4 (3)
Highlands of Elgin - 3 (4), 6 (5), 7 (3)

Ravisloe - 8 (4), 13 (5)

Pine Meadow -  15 (5), 16 (4)
Prairie Landing - 4 (5)
Shepherd's Crook - 4 (3), 5 (4), 13 (4), 15 (4)

Thunderhawk - 9 (4)

Misc.

Reverse Jans National - Reverse Alps w/ Tunnel Option

[George Freeman]

Sven - interesting (and challenging) exercise!

I agree with quite a few of your nominations, however a few others are head scratchers (or maybe better put: the inclusion of some while excluding others).

I'll try to put together my list tonight.

[Mark Johnson]

a few off the top of my head

13th at Black Sheep
12th at Medinah 3
3rd at Pine Meadows
4th at Chicago
14th at Chicago

[J_ Crisham]

5 at Beverly is probably the best hole on the front 9 and possibly the course. At OFCC south, the 6th is world class.i would submit that 16 at Flossmoor may be the best hole on the course. 1 and 10 at Chicago Golf are very good, 3,11,14,and17 are the cream of the crop at OFCC north

[Mark Smolens]

Pretty hard exercise compiling something like this. Wasn't there a Golf Digest or Golf Magazine event a long time ago where they had some PGA pros wander around the District playing the "best" 18 holes in Chicago? Took them all day due to driving times. One hole per course. God this getting old and forgetful sux  .

I've always liked 16 at Dubs, and more so now that the brushy jungle to the left of the green has been cleared opening up the sightlines up 15 and the improvement of air flow which has helped the green's condition.

[Jim Franklin]

12th Chicago GC.

[Jim Sherma]

As someone that is not from Chicago it would certainly add to the conversation if some pictures and/or reasoning was included with the holes under discussion. It would be interesting to hear why different individuals would promote one hole over another in order to help understand architectural nuance and how it's liked and disliked by different players. Thanks.

[Jud_T]

Ravisloe #8   

[Bill Seitz]

#14 at Mistwood is a pretty good par 3.  And while I'm thinking of par 3s, #2 at Dubs is a good hole if played from the proper tee.  You don't see much of the green from the tee, but it's a mid-long iron with a green that's a bit deeper than it looks. 

[Tom MacWood]

Back in the day didn't George O'Neil polled the top local (and some national) professionals regarding their choices for the best holes? Obviously times have changed, and courses have changed, but it would be interesting to compare.

[Sven Nilsen]

First post updated.

Jim, I'll try to keep updating the thread with photos and descriptions, perhaps on a course by course basis.  Once we have a good starting point, I'm also going to try to break it down to the best holes by type (short par 3, long par 3, etc.) and compile a list of the best 18 holes by hole number.

[Jim Sherma]

First post updated.

Jim, I'll try to keep updating the thread with photos and descriptions, perhaps on a course by course basis.  Once we have a good starting point, I'm also going to try to break it down to the best holes by type (short par 3, long par 3, etc.) and compile a list of the best 18 holes by hole number.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to it and think that seeing how different guys discuss the various holes could be very interesting.

[Sven Nilsen]

Back in the day didn't George O'Neil poll the top local (and some national) professionals regarding their choices for the best holes? Obviously times have changed, and courses have changed, but it would be interesting to compare.

Tom:

Any idea where I could find that list?  A quick google search didn't turn up much other than an interesting article on an O'Neil course in South Bend:  http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/GolfIllustrated/1925/gi235v.pdf

[George Freeman]

Private:

Beverley - 14 (4), 15 (4)
Shoreacres - 2 (4), 8 (3), 15 (5)
Chicago Golf - 1 (5),  6 (4), 10 (3), 12 (4)
Skokie - 3 (5), 12 (3)
Black Sheep - 2 (5), 25 (3), 27 (4)
OFCC North - 3 (4), 14 (4)
OFCC South - 1 (4), 6 (4), 11 (4)
Butler National - 16 (4), 17 (4)
Flossmoor - 3 (4), 4 (4), 13 (3)
Knollwood - 2 (4)
Briarwood - 15 (3)
Chicago Highlands - 7 (5)

Public to come.

[PCCraig]

How about Kemper Lakes #17 (par-3)?

Glen View Club #17 (par-4) is a fantastic mid-length par 4 and my favorite on the course.

[Sven Nilsen]

I'm glad somebody else agrees with me that on the greatness of No. 2 at Shoreacres. That is one of the most underrated holes around...

Dave:

I'm in on 2 as well (clear oversight in my starting point list).  Love the way the fairway looks like a sliver from the tee.  The way the creek wraps around the left and back of the green creates some serious pucker factor for any pin set anywhere near those edges.

Not so sure if I agree with George on the nomination of Flossmoor #13.  Its not even the best par 3 on the back nine, and if I can par it 6 times in a row there's not a ton of challenge.

[PCCraig]

How about Kemper Lakes #17 (par-3)?

Glen View Club #17 (par-4) is a fantastic mid-length par 4 and my favorite on the course.

I thought a lot about Kemper and Glen Club. If I had to choose, I'd pick  7 at Kemper . I thought 17 at Glen Club was a par 3.  Are you thinking of 16 perhaps?

I think Kemper has become overlooked a bit in recent years. #7 is a good hole but I think I like #11 better of the par-5's.

No, I'm talking about the private Glen View Club.

[Jud_T]

from Ran's writeup on Shoreacres:

#2





#11





#15

[John McCarthy]

Chicago Highlands 9 (4)
Buler 4 or 17  (4s) I always though 10 was just plain hard.  Hit it long and straight off the tee, long forced carry to green.  Too far off left off the tee wet, too far right you have to lay up.  

Publics
Elgin Highlands 7 (3) and 3 (4).  Especially 3
George Dunne 16 (4)

Still thinkiing  

[Mark Smolens]

That friggin 11th hole? I don't know how many times I've had a wedge or a lob wedge in hand -- after negotiating the dog leg and laying it up perfectly -- only to chunk or whiff something into that pond or skull one into the back of that back bunker.

[Bill Seitz]

That friggin 11th hole? I don't know how many times I've had a wedge or a lob wedge in hand -- after negotiating the dog leg and laying it up perfectly -- only to chunk or whiff something into that pond or skull one into the back of that back bunker.

I do.  I've played it twice, and I've done each of those exactly once. 

[Sven Nilsen]

A couple of holes that have been nominated that I didn't want to add to the list without at least a bit of discussion:

Flossmoor - 13 - In my mind, the weakest par 3 on the course
Shoreacres - 8 - same as above
Kemper Lakes - 17 - feels like a low country hole, not a big fan of the completely penal nature
Butler 4 - a nice hole, but is it even one of the best par 4's on the course?

Also open for debate - Kemper 7 v. Kemper 11 or neither or both.

[PCCraig]

8th at Shoreacres? Easiest the weakest of the four par-3's at SA. I could see #6, #12, and #14 included, but not #8. A fine hole but nothing special in my opinion.

I've always said #3 is one of the most underrated holes in Chicagoland. It's just a perfect short par-4. A hard driver will get you close, and a 2-iron will give you no more than a flip wedge, but that green site is a lot of fun and a subpar shot to back or front left pin can lead to a bogey quickly.

Another "sleeper" at Shoreacres is #13. Just two really fun shots. It's fun just flat out snap hooking a long iron off the tee coming out the bottom of the ravine. And the 2nd shot is a fun wedge 2nd shot over the same ravine. Another short par 4 where a back pin makes the second shot a lot more interesting.

[George Freeman]

Re: Flossmoor #13:  I would rank the par 3s at Flossmoor (best to "worst") as follows: tie 11 & 13, 2, 7.  While I really like 11, I think 13 is equally as good in its own way.  I must confess I am usually a sucker for short par 3s.  Lots of fun movement in the green which creates a lot of fun little (and hard!) pin placements, which is ok for a hole of that length.

Re: Shoreacres #8:  Don't let the famous and more popular Raynor templates pull the wool over your eyes!    The Biarritz is cool, although I'm not sure it's long enough to play as it should.  I should also mention the course was pretty soft when I played it, hurting the options for both the Biarritz and the Redan.  The Redan at SA just didn't do it for me.  The Short is really really cool and in a fabulous setting; I could easily see it  making it into the "best of chicago" holes.  But I just really liked the 8th.  Everything from the tee box right off the back of #7 (and the cool little tee box in front of that), to the contours of the green, and the run-offs and bunkers around the green.  It all just added up for me to make one really cool hole.

Pat - I agree with you re: #3.  I almost put that on my list.  Love the options off the tee and LOVE the green.  I played it to a front left pin, which was a blast.

I think I would like #13 a lot better if I had a rope hook in my bag.  The approach is phenomenal.

[Mark Johnson]

Pics

#3 at Pine Meadows


The photo doesnt really do it justice.   very demanding tee shot where do cut off as much lake as you can and still have to land in a narrow fairway.   Approach to a narrow green with a drop off in back.   A miss in either bunker is a sure bogey.

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