Best golf courses: Around Chicago

Chicago's architectural experimentation and innovation is regarded the world over. How do the designs of golf courses here compare to the awe-inspiring skyscrapers dotting the city's skyline? An instant recommendation would be Cog Hill Golf & Country Club featuring four championship golf courses, with excellent tree-lined fairways, several ferocious bunkers and a number of water hazards. Others include the two British links style courses at Harborside International and Olympia Fields Country Club, a private club and one of Illinois' finest championship layouts. To make the most of your golfing trip, and to help in your planning, you can look up the location of the best courses in Chicago on our customised maps.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Wagstaff, Charles

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Original 18-hole layout was designed by Charles Dudley Wagstaff (1925). The current nine-hole layout was created by Niles Park District and opened in 1974.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Fazio, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Tom Fazio

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Robert Trent Jones II (lead designer Bruce Charlton).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Robert Trent Jones II (lead designer Bruce Charlton).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Flynn, Lee, Roquemore & Jemsek

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Original 9-hole course laid out by Cardinal Mundelein and extended to 18-holes in 1929 by William S. Flynn. Course significantly redesigned and remodelled by Joe Lee, Rocky Roquemore and Joe Jemsek (1985).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Kavanaugh, Ken

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Ken Kavanaugh

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Rich & Martin

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Jerry Rich (RHF's owner) & Greg Martin

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Nugent, Dick

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Dick Nugent

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Nugent, Dick

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Dick Nugent

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Hills & Forrest

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Arthur Hills & Steve Forrest

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Dye, Pete & P.B.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Father/son team of Pete & P.B. Dye

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Packard, Roger

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Original design by Roger Packard (1989), updated by Jacobson Design (2003).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Macdonald, Charles B.

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Original design by "the father of American golf course architecture" Charles Blair Macdonald (1893); improved by Seth Raynor (1923).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Fazio, George & Tom

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Uncle/nephew team of George & Tom Fazio.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
McIntosh, Coghill, Lee & Roquemore

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

The Cog Hill course designers:
No.1 Blue - David McIntosh (1927).
No.2 Ravines - David McIntosh & Bert Coghill (1929), later redesigned by Joe Lee & Rocky Roquemore.
No.3 Red - Dick Wilson (1963).
No.4 Dubsdread - Dick Wilson & Joe Lee (1964), later redesigned by Rees Jones (2008).

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Wilson, Lee & Jones.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

The Cog Hill course designers:
No.1 Blue - David McIntosh (1927).
No.2 Ravines - David McIntosh & Bert Coghill (1929), later redesigned by Joe Lee & Rocky Roquemore.
No.3 Red - Dick Wilson (1963).
No.4 Dubsdread - Dick Wilson & Joe Lee (1964), later redesigned by Rees Jones (2008).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Bendelow & Jones

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

No.1 course: designed by Tom Bendelow (1924).
No.2 course: original design by Tom Bendelow (1927); renovation by Rees Jones (2017).
No.3 course: original design by Tom Bendelow (1928); redesign by Rees Jones (2003, 2009).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Bendelow & Park Jr.

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

North course designed by Willie Park Jr (1923); modifications by Mark Mungeam (2014). South course designed by Tom Bendelow (1915) and renovated by Steve Smyers (2007).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chicago
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Arthur Hills

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Chicago
Raynor, Seth

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Chicago

Designer

Seth Raynor

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Tournaments

Presidents Cup: Geoff Ogilvy’s International Team take on Brandt Snedeker’s USA Team at the revered Medinah Country Club, near Chicago. The Internationals are trying to halt a run of 11 consecutive American wins. (Sept 24-27).

French Open: Continental Europe’s oldest national championship, dating from 1906, is once again staged on the Albatros Course at Le Golf National, near Paris. Defending champion is America’s Michael Kim. (Sept 24-27).

Recently visited

Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.

The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.

The Dutch GC, The Netherlands

The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.

Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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