Spotlight

Chicago - skyline

The Ryder Cup may bring you to Chicago, but the city will make you want to return

The 2012 Ryder Cup will take place at Medinah Country Club later this month and folks traveling to Chicago for the event are in for a real treat -- and not just the golf. Chicago has so much to offer -- from its sites, sports, blues and food -- that you'll want to make a return trip. Where to begin? Dave Berner has some suggestions on what to do, see and where to stay in the Windy City.
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Cantigny Golf - clubhouse

Hard to pronounce, easy on the eyes: 27 holes of golf in nature at Cantigny near Chicago

Cantigny Golf is one of the premier courses in the Chicago area, but golfers have an awful time pronouncing its name. But playing the course is nothing like trying to pronounce it. Sure, the course is challenging, but the beauty of this 27-hole layout can easily erase any unease one might have with correctly articulating its name. The trio of nine-hole courses is nestled into a 500-acre park, teaming with gardens, old-growth trees and several lakes. Cantigny Golf is not just a golf course; it's a nature retreat.
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Schaumburg Golf Club - Tournament Course - no. 1

Schaumburg Golf Club is a muni near Chicago that lives up to the hype

There was a time when municipal golf courses rarely lived up to their own publicity. Over the years, that has changed. And there may be no better example of this transformation than Schaumburg Golf Club just northwest of Chicago. The price is reasonable, the atmosphere is welcoming and the golf is fair yet challenging, Dave Berner writes.
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Illinois Golf Destinations

  • Galena

    Located on the banks of the Galena River, Galena boasts rolling hills, scenic roads, historic charm and a quaint, old-fashioned Main Street. The city also offers 10 beautiful golf courses within a 20-mile radius including the award-winning Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa and Galena Golf Club.

    East at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa
    Situated just outside of Galena, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa offers three 18-hole championship courses and one nine-hole course that are nestled amongst rolling, wooded hills. The General, North, and South Courses are the championship layouts while the East Course is the nine-hole course. The East is not long at 2,648 yards but don't underestimate its level of difficulty.
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    Galena Golf Club
    The 18-hole Galena Golf Club in Galena, IL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1925. Galena Golf Club measures 6613 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 128 and a 72.6 USGA rating. The course features 3 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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  • Southern Illinois

    Golfers itching for an early-season escape or an out-of-the-way vacation will find several other surprises in "down-state" Illinois. In addition to a 12-month golf season, the courses here have in common incredible value, and friendly Southern-style service you just won't find in and around big cities.

    Annbriar Golf Course
    Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo is one of the top 10 golf courses in Illinois. The course was built on rolling farmland covered with native wild grasses. The layout eases you into the challenges with a links-style front nine that is less demanding than the back nine. The fairways are invitingly wide but if you miss them, you'll be faced with thick fescue.
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    Gateway National Golf Links
    Gateway National Golf Club is the top public golf course in St. Louis. The course sprawls across gently rolling pasturelands crossed with ribbons of tall native grasses and sprinkled with mature cottonwood trees. There are also several sparkling lakes that dot the course, providing challenges on several holes.
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    Mystic Oak Golf Course
    Mystic Oak Golf Course in Waterloo has a diverse layout that seems to play a little differently each time you're on it. The layout features long, winding fairways and gently sloping greens, which are framed by a slew of strategically placed bunkers.
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  • Champaign-Urbana

    Champaign-Urbana or Urbana-Champaign? Locals just call it Chambana. Whatever you call it, bargain-priced yet quality golf courses abound. The University of Illinois Orange and Blue courses are home of the perennial Big 10 powerhouse men's team. Stone Creek in Urbana is the most expensive in the area, but also the best groomed. Other area standouts include Brookhill and Willow Pond in Rantoul; Lake of the Woods in Mahomet; RailSide in Gibson City; and Ironhorse in Tuscola.

    Ironhorse Golf Course
    The 18-hole Ironhorse Golf Course in Tuscola, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1997. Designed by Paul Loague, Ironhorse Golf Course measures 7046 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 120 and a 72.7 USGA rating. The course features 4 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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    Stone Creek Golf Club
    The 18-hole Stone Creek Golf Club in Urbana, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1999. Designed by Dick Nugent and Tim Nugent, Stone Creek Golf Club measures 7118 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 131 and a 74.
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  • Chicago

    It's a special town that shares the love of Frank Sinatra, the Blues Brothers and Michael Jordan, but Chicago is just that: special. From Wrigley Field to the Lincoln Park Zoo to the Navy Pier, the Windy City offers something for the entire family. Golfers will have a blast in Chicago, with its abundance and diversity of public golf courses.

    Joe Jemsek Course at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club
    There are two championship golf courses available at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club in West Chicago as well as a top-ranked practice center. The Joe Jemsek Course, formerly known as the Lakewood, was added in 1929, three years after the club opened. Unlike the original St. Andrews Course, the Joe Jemsek Course has a hillier terrain.
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    Brae Loch Country Club
    The 18-hole Brae Loch Country Club in Grayslake, IL is a public golf course. Brae Loch Country Club measures 5876 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 114 and a 67.5 USGA rating. The course features 2 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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    White Deer Run Golf Club
    Situated on the Cuneo Estate in Vernon Hills, White Deer Run Golf Club has a beautiful landscape dotted with sparkling lakes. The rolling terrain provides plenty of elevation changes, meaning there are some uneven lies and the occasional blind shot in store for you.
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  • Bloomington-Normal

    Golfers in Bloomington-Normal are abnormally blessed with affordable, quality golf, along with a host of other entertainment options. You can't hardly swing a rusty sand wedge without hitting a great course at a great price. Standouts here include Weibring Golf Club, home of the Illinois State Redbirds; The Den at Fox Creek, probably the lowest priced Arnold Palmer design anywhere; Highland Park; Ironwood; and Prairie Vista.

    Den at Fox Creek
    The 18-hole Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1997. Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, Den at Fox Creek measures 6926 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 128 and a 72.
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    El Paso Golf Club
    The 18-hole El Paso Golf Club in El Paso, IL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1920. Designed by William J. Spear, El Paso Golf Club measures 6052 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 122 and a 70.
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    Snag Creek Golf Course
    The 18-hole Snag Creek Golf Course in Washburn, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1965. Designed by Maynard Christ, Snag Creek Golf Course measures 6300 yards from the longest tees. The course features 2 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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  • Quad Cities

    Looking for a "sure bet" on a Midwest destination? You might want to roll the dice on The Quad Cities – Moline and Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa. Standout golf courses include the TPC at Deere Run, Emeis Municipal Golf Course, Byron Hills, Highland Park C.C., and Glynn's Creek.

    Fyre Lake Golf Club
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    TPC At Deere Run
    The 18-hole TPC At Deere Run in Silvis, IL is a public golf course that opened in 2000. Designed by D. A. Weibring, TPC At Deere Run measures 7258 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 144 and a 75.
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  • Peoria

    It speaks volumes about your city when it has become a metaphor for wholesome Americana. Just a few hours from Chicago, Peoria is full of small-town charm and Midwestern flavor packed into a suddenly bustling metropolis. Naturally, golfers have plenty of options here, including standouts Quail Meadows Golf Course and WeaverRidge G.C.

    Metamora Fields Golf Club
    Metamora Fields Golf Club has a heathland layout that is woven through a series of lakes and creeks. The classic design presents many risk/reward opportunities that will appeal to low and high handicappers alike. The course closely follows the natural contours of the land and cut with ribbons of native grasses. The bunkering is also strategically placed to complement the undulations of the terrain.
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    Lick Creek GC
    Lick Creek Golf Course
    The 18-hole Lick Creek Golf Course in Pekin, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1976. Designed by Larry Packard, Lick Creek Golf Course measures 6909 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 128 and a 72.
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    Snag Creek Golf Course
    The 18-hole Snag Creek Golf Course in Washburn, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1965. Designed by Maynard Christ, Snag Creek Golf Course measures 6300 yards from the longest tees. The course features 2 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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  • St. Louis

    Sure, St. Louis is in Missouri, but this border city is close enough to Illinois that five southern Illinois counties make up the Metro East suburbs of St. Louis. Golfers have a lot to choose from here, including Emerald Greens Golf Course, Gateway National, and Stonewolf Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus design.

    Mystic Oak Golf Course
    Mystic Oak Golf Course in Waterloo has a diverse layout that seems to play a little differently each time you're on it. The layout features long, winding fairways and gently sloping greens, which are framed by a slew of strategically placed bunkers.
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    Lockhaven Country Club
    Lockhaven Country Club in Godfrey is situated on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. The golf course sprawls across wooded hills that provide a scenic and secluded environment. It has a classic design that favors strategy over strength.
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    Annbriar Golf Course
    Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo is one of the top 10 golf courses in Illinois. The course was built on rolling farmland covered with native wild grasses. The layout eases you into the challenges with a links-style front nine that is less demanding than the back nine. The fairways are invitingly wide but if you miss them, you'll be faced with thick fescue.
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  • Springfield-Decatur

    Springfield, Illinois is where Abraham Lincoln made his name as a lawyer and politician, and it's where he lies at rest today. Not only does Springfield claim this most revered of native sons, it also boasts (along with nearby Decatur) a bevy of excellent public-access golf courses and lots to do off the course as well.

    Hickory Point Golf Course
    The 18-hole Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1970. Designed by Larry Packard, Hickory Point Golf Course measures 6790 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 121 and a 71.
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    Red Tail Run Golf Club
    The 18-hole Red Tail Run Golf Club in Decatur, IL is a public golf course that opened in 2006. Red Tail Run Golf Club was designed by Raymond Floyd.
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    Lake Shore Golf Course
    The 18-hole Lake Shore Golf Course in Taylorville, IL is a public golf course that opened in 1968. Designed by William J. Spear, Lake Shore Golf Course measures 6850 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 117 and a 72 USGA rating.
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