Chicago, here I come!

[David Harshbarger]

The golf Gods have gifted me two opportunities to play in Chicagoland next week, Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon.  Timing is key: Wednesday flight arrives before 8 at Midway, and meeting starts at 1:30 in Naperville.  Thursday, meeting ends at 10:30 Naperville, flight leaves Midway at 8. 

My current plan is to get in 9 at Wing Park in Elgin (sounds like a relatively untouched Bendelow 9-holer from 1908), but no plan for Thursday.  I figure Thursday I could get to anywhere within 1 1/2 hours of the city and still make my flight. 

Questions:

1.) Is Wing Park worth it, and can I make it there and back in time allotted?
2.) Recommendations for Thursday round?
3.) Anyone want to join me?  (Just PM).

Thanks, Dave

[Mark Johnson]

Elgin is quite a hike from Naperville and the Wing Park is unimpressive.

For 9 holes on Wednesday morning,  see if you can get in 9 or even 18 at Cantingy in wheaton.  due to its 27 hole layout, you can sometimes get 9 in midday.

For thursday midday,  you can search other threads here but the top publics in some order are generally regarding as

- Dubsdread
- Pine Meadow
- Elgin Highlands
- Prairie Landing
- Cantigny

Or just look at Jim Colton's website here 

http://www.wegoblogger31.com/2007/05/chicago-golf-definitive-guide-to.html


I generally agree with Jim, but he likes thunder hawk ALOT more than me.

[Matthew Sander]

David,

A more convenient 9 holer for you may be Downers Grove Golf Course http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45309.0.html . It sits upon the site where Chicago Golf Club was founded. There is little if nothing left of the early routing(s), but it can still be a fun round. It is on interesting, rolling land with a few good holes. More importantly, Downers Grove is much closer to Naperville than Elgin.

Cantigny may be a good fit on Thursday considering your time constraints. It is quite close to Naperville and you could get in all 27 holes. It is a little pricey, probably about $125 to play all 27, but very convenient for your situation. Dubsdread is also down in the south suburbs, so you'll have a reasonable drive back to Midway. I really like The Highlands of Elgin, but driving all the way out to Elgin and back to Midway is a pretty good haul. You still have plenty of time for HoE and I think you'll like the course.

[Mark Smolens]

I'm not certain that the full 27 holes at Cantigny are open yet, so getting in 9 there could be a problem. There  is a 27 hole facility in Wheaton, which borders Naperville, at Arrowhead GC. I have not played there since I was in high school, but some friends were there fairly recently and thought it was nice for the value. I've also enjoyed Matt's suggestion of the Downers Grove nine on many occasions. Some nice terrain, esp. for the flatlands of Illinois.

I played Dubsdread a week ago Saturday (my suggestion for your Thursday round), and the new superintendent has the place in really great condition considering the heat and lack of rain we've experienced. Wish I could join you, but I'm off to Silvis on Friday for a couple of days at the TPC at Deere Run -- hoping the PGA Tour didn't make them kill the grass like they used to do at Dubs for the Western Open back in the day.

[Matthew Sander]

Mark,

I believe the Woodside 9 is open. I'm playing at Cantigny tomorrow and the Woodside is their 9 hole option.

[Sven Nilsen]

On Wednesday, you'll be off the plane by 8:00-8:15.  Baggage collected by 8:30-8:45 and in a rental car and on the road by 9:15 at the earliest.  Cog is probably your best bet, but rounds on Dubs are not short even on a weekday.  Assuming an optimistic 4:00, you're off the course by 1:15, with 15 minutes to shower, change and make the mad dash to Naperville.

Basically, go for a 9 hole option on Wednesday.  Cantigny works and Downer's Grove is another good but less interesting option.  

On Thursday, playing Cog will put you in good shape to get to Midway in time to make your flight.

[Jim Colton]

Or just look at Jim Colton's website here 

http://www.wegoblogger31.com/2007/05/chicago-golf-definitive-guide-to.html

I generally agree with Jim, but he likes thunder hawk ALOT more than me.

Mark,

 Those rankings are a collective view of about 12-15 GCAers. Send me a ranked list of publics and I'll fold your opinion in. Feel free to add some commentary as well.

[David Harshbarger]

Thanks, everyone, for the input.  Must say the public options are much interesting in Chicagoland than, say, Los Angeles, where they boil down to two:

Drive to Moorpark or
Drive to Ojai, but stop when you get to Moorpark.

Sounds like Bendelow will have to wait, but Highlands of Elgin, maybe.

Jim's comprehensive guide is excellent.  Not sure if this was the intended effect, but I now feel I need to play an Arthur Hills course to better understand what all the fuss is about.

Thanks again, Dave

[PCCraig]

Mark,

I believe the Woodside 9 is open. I'm playing at Cantigny tomorrow and the Woodside is their 9 hole option.

Why is Cantigny closed?

[Matthew Sander]

Pat,

From what I've heard, they are flattening out portions of the fairway on the par 5 2nd of the Woodside 9, making it a bit more receptive on the tee shot. I haven't seen it yet, and I'm not sure where they are in the process. I hope they don't change the character of the hole as I think it is one of the best at Cantigny.

[Howard Riefs]

Here's a recent thread on Chicago golf options:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,52523.0.html

Also, here is Golf Digest writer Pete Finch's feature on the Chicago public golf scene that ran in the current issue.

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/golf-travel/buddies/2012-08/away-game-chicago

[Quinn Thompson]

Quinn here, a south-sider..
I'd give Ravisloe a gander, an old Ross club turned public a few years ago; located in the southwest suburbs as well, you can tidy up your round and be at Midway in 45 minutes...
Nice old clubhouse.
Good rates. (50 bucks )
Cross bunkers.
Great back 9.
Awesome.

[Mark Smolens]

Pat,

From what I've heard, they are flattening out portions of the fairway on the par 5 2nd of the Woodside 9, making it a bit more receptive on the tee shot. I haven't seen it yet, and I'm not sure where they are in the process. I hope they don't change the character of the hole as I think it is one of the best at Cantigny.

I'm told that Woodside has re-opened. I saw the work being done on #2 from the other nine a month or so ago. The landing area was indeed flattened a bunch and it looks as if tee shots will now actually stay in the right side of the fairway rather than kicking down to the creek.  Tho I haven't played the hole, I thought it looked nice from a distance.

[David Harshbarger]

Thank you everyone for your advice. Clearly there are many workable options,which is great to aee. The Western Am is a great event and checking it out would be very interesting.  Ravisloe, too, is intriguing. Downers Grove looks like the top choice for me for 9, as 1) my home course is a 9-holer, 2) 9 holers deserve some love and 3) playing old clubs seems to suit them.

Thanks again everyone, Dave

[Tim_Cronin]

Pat,

From what I've heard, they are flattening out portions of the fairway on the par 5 2nd of the Woodside 9, making it a bit more receptive on the tee shot. I haven't seen it yet, and I'm not sure where they are in the process. I hope they don't change the character of the hole as I think it is one of the best at Cantigny.

Woodside 9 is open again, including the refurbished second hole. Spectacular. Recommended if you can swing it.
Downers Grove is fun but, as noted, there's little left of the earliest known routing (which may or not have included some original holes) of the course.

[Howard Riefs]

David,

How was your trip to Chicago? Where did you play?

Pat,

From what I've heard, they are flattening out portions of the fairway on the par 5 2nd of the Woodside 9, making it a bit more receptive on the tee shot. I haven't seen it yet, and I'm not sure where they are in the process. I hope they don't change the character of the hole as I think it is one of the best at Cantigny.

Woodside 9 is open again, including the refurbished second hole. Spectacular. Recommended if you can swing it.

More details on the renovation work via Catigny's website:

For avid Cantigny golfers, the long wait is over! The Woodside course opened for play on May 25, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. The Woodside nine was closed last October to accommodate the total reconstruction of Woodside No. 2, a 555-yard par 5 and one of Cantigny Golf’s signature holes. Reconstruction was prompted by a serious erosion problem along the banks of the stream running the length of the hole. The streambed and shoreline have now been stabilized and planted with grasses and native wetland species to hold the soil in place.

http://www.cantignygolf.com/news.aspx#Woodside2

[David Harshbarger]

Howard,

I played "walk the course with Shivas and watch the Amateur players at Exmoor," which was an absolute treat.  Dave could not have been a nicer host, and their course is fabulous.  I found myself rooting for Peter Williamsen from Dartmouth, who opted to carry his own bag.  He made it to the semis, no less.  Beautiful day, beautiful course, great company, can't beat that.

On a different note, thank you for collecting the photo tours on Delicious.  A couple of months ago I started a project to map content on GCA.com. Your 960 odd photo tour links were invaluable to me in sifting through the DG content.  4 years on, and I know it must be a labor of love, but one that really enabled my labor of love.  Thank you so much.  (You can see the via the link in my signature, if interested).

I've been flying through Chi-town a bit, and have to say it's a blast to see the courses on the flyover.  Black Sheep was right on the way West, and boy it looks awesome from 10,000 feet.

Dave