Since this has segued into the early history of golf in Chicago and I have extensively researched this for the book I'm working on, here is the early chronology of golf courses in the Chicago area. I'm still filling in a few blanks but this is pretty complete and well documented.
1875 CBM and friend sink 3-4 cans and play on the grounds of Camp Douglas, a notorious Civil War POW camp located at 31st and Cottage Grove on the south side of Chicago. No other reports of CBM playing golf in Chicago until April 1892.
1887 first reported golf match in Chicago played by members of the Tweedie family (James, L.P. and Alec) and friend R. W. Chanler on informal links set up in Jackson Park close to the site of the Jackson Park links, the 1st public golf course in Chicago which opened 1899.
1887 Tweedie family members also play on informal links at the Wanderer’s Cricket Field. The 39th Street Grounds aka South Side park served as the playing field of the Chicago Wanderers cricket team during the 1893 World's Fair. It was located on the north side of 39th Street (now called Pershing Road) between South Wentworth Avenue and South Princeton Avenue.. After Charles Comiskey built a wooden grandstand on the site in 1900, it became the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League. It served as home to the White Sox first in 1900 as a minor league team, and then from 1901 to June 27, 1910 as a major league team. Park later became home to Chicago's negro league teams.
April 1892 Chatfield Taylor gets CBM to lay-out stakes for a course on bluff of Lake Michigan on the Lake Forest estate of Sen. Farwell. Takes 2 years for Chatfield Taylor to build interest in golf. CBM quoted in August 1892 "A number of men are pretty keen on golf here and have found a course on Senator Farwell's place along the lake where we have got a fairish links of about 10 holes" The links are not without some disadvantage: they are too far, to small “but until we can do better they answer the purpose.” “The ground is slightly rolling, has almost no underbrush, and although smaller than many other links having only ten holes, is as good as can be easily obtained.”
July 18, 1893 Chicago Golf Club charter filed.
July 1893 Riverside GC organized but not incorporated. Oldest Western Club still located on its original grounds.
August 26, 1893 Chicago Tribune reports golf played on new links in Belmont. Not sure if this is the date of Sir Henry Woods playing there.
May 1894 Belmont links described as "16 holes, 8 out and 8 returning and are marked with white flags going out and red flags coming back. Holes have names First Hole, Road, Hillside, Stile, Schoolhouse, Smith, Puffer, Osage, Swamp, Fence, Field, Gap, Deadhorse, Orchard, Old Home, Home distance is from 100 to 400 yds."
August 4, 1894 first competitive team match played between Chicago Golf Club and players from Lake Forest who had yet to form a club. Held at Belmont where “There were 18 holes each about seven inches deep and four inches in diameter, surmounted by flags which made them distinguishable from a distance.”
August 11, 1894 return match played in Lake Forest on the links on Sen. Farwell's estate. Note. CBM did not play in these matches.
January 1895 CBM and CGC purchase Patrick Farm in Wheaton to replace inadequate links at Belmont. In March James Foulis arrives from St. Andrews as CGC greenskeeper/pro and work on championship 18 hole course begins. Course would evolve over first few years and would be the first 18 hole course to host a USGA Championship in September 1897. Map of course published in early 1897, 1st golf map of a links in Chicago. 1st and 18th holes revised between date of map and September 1897 USGA Championships. Hosts 7 USGA Ams or Opens between 1897 and 1912.
1895 Lake Forest Golf Club founded with a 9 hole course on the McCormick Farm
1896 LFGC changed to Onwentsia GC and move to the Cobb's Farm Location. (9 holes in 1896 expanded to 18 in 1897.). Hosts US Am in 1899 and US Open in 1906.
March 1896 Lake Zurich Golf Club founded. 9 hole course.
April 1896 Washington Park 9 hole course laid-out.
Oct. 1896 Exmoor founded 9 hole course laid out in Spring 1897. Expanded to 18 in 1901
March 1897 Glen View Club founded 9 hole course laid-out Spring 1897. Expanded to 18 in 1898. Hosts US Am in 1902 and US Open in 1904.
By 1900 there would be around 30 golf clubs in the Chicago area with Chicago Golf Club, Glen View, Onwentsia, Midlothian CC, Homewood CC (now Flossmoor), and Westward Ho having 18 hole courses.