A view of the 14th green with water coming into play at Pine Meadow Golf Club
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3.1
49 Reviews (49)
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
13
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
6
Conditions
3.1
Value
2.5
Layout
3.2
Friendliness
3.1
Pace
3.4
Amenities
1.9
37.6%
Recommend this course
33 out of 49 reviews
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Average Rating
Avg Rating
0
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
0
Value
0
Layout
0
Friendliness
0
Pace
0
Amenities
0
0%
Recommend this course
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
2.5
2 Reviews (2)
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
1
Conditions
2.5
Value
2.0
Layout
2.5
Pace
2.5
Amenities
2.0
StaffFriendliness
2.5
50.0%
Recommend this course
1 out of 2 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7218 yards
Slope 139
Rating 74.8

Course Details

Year Built 1924
Golf Season Open: 3/01 Closed: 11/30
Architect Joe Lee (1985) Rocky Roquemore (1985) William S. Flynn (1929) Joe T. Jemsek (1985)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $11 - $17
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Reviews

3.1
49 Reviews (49)

What Golfers Are Saying

Course Challenges Include:
Thick Rough 6
Water Hazards 6
This Course's Location is:
In the 'Burbs 6

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Previously Played

DO NOT play here! Awful customer service

DO NOT go to this golf course! Awful customer service just tried to golf there today as a single because tee times looked wide open and the course seemed empty when I got there. Was told I had to wait over an hour to golf by myself or go with a group of three that weren’t teeing off until 25min from then. Over rated course and not worth the $80 for 18 holes on a weekday. Never come as a single or you will be treated awfully.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 23
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Not bad but pricey

Played on a weekday afternoon. Managed to get out before the league, so pace wasn't bad...although we had to play through a 5-some. After they let us play through, they hit over our heads on the same hole!
Good fairways, good greens. Rough was thick.
Twilight rate was a bit high for this type of course. Other area courses are much nicer and only a little more expensive.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
4.0
Previously Played

Could be a lot better

Once upon a time the Jemseks ran the best courses in Chicago. Today they are still decent but they have a tired, getting ready to sell the property quality about them that is sad. Pine meadow was in fine shape both days I played. Greens fast, tees adequate, fairways good, etc. but the traps are beach sand at best. The range was in great shape too. The pin placements were challenging to be kind but that’s a matter of opinion I suppose. I am not a big fan of needing to hole every downhill putt or else see a 10 footer coming back, or have it roll off the green altogether. In terms of value an $84 round of golf needs to include GPS in 2022 or it better be a perfectly marked course with reliable flag colors and pin sheets along w less rocky sand.. Like all the Jemsek properties the clubhouse is tired and food is limited ($8.50 for a hotdog is what I’d expect at wrigley not a golf course). This course should be the best in the area like it once was but they need to care a bit more or charge a bit less.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0

Fun course but slow play

The starter was sending groups out every 5 minutes. When we made the turn at the two hour mark, we quickly grabbed our food order which was placed via phone at the 9th tee box. We were waiting to tee off on the 10th since the group ahead of us had just hit out of the fairway and approaching the green when the starter went out of his way to come over and tell us to speed it up. Nothing more aggravating! We cannot control the pace of play of other groups and we should not have to compromise the safety of other players just so the starter can keep stacking the course. Fun course but not sure that I would go out of my way to come back.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Course ok - clubhouse staff needs customer service training

Have been to course many times and thought the "attitude" in the clubhouse might change if enough people wrote about it but it still hasn't. Called the clubhouse ahead of time to see when the range closed as the range is one of the better ones in the area. The recording when you call said that the last bucket was sold at 7:00 p.m. Given it gets dark around 7:20 I thought that was a bit late but worst case scenario it would be 6:30. When we got there it was 6:10 and there was a sign in the coming up to the clubhouse that said last balls sold at 6:00. The pro was coming out of the clubhouse and I explained that I had just called and the recording said 7:00. I asked him politely if we could still get a bucket. His answer was no. It's as if the staff has no incentive whatsoever to take care of their customers. Any normal person given the situation would have said yes and it was our error with the recording. but not at Pine Meadow. Never has been and never will be. As to the course itself, it's a decent layout but the conditions have always been suspect. In particular the greens have had problems over the years. The course is about $20 to $30 overpriced. It's a $90 course that really should be priced at $65. You are better off driving a few more miles to Stonewall or Thunderhawk.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 08/19/2023

No purchase, No practice. Terrible attitude. Been golfing all my life, never experienced.

Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/01/2021

This course combines one of the best designed and conditioned golf courses (and practice facilities) with the worst clubhouse and course staff imaginable. The staff could not be more crabby or disagreeable. It's a real shame.

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Not what it used to be

This course used to be considered one of the premier courses in the Chicago area but it has gone steadily downhill. Very pricey for what it is. $93.00 with no GPS. Greens are in terrible condition and the rest of the course is just so-so. Unfriendly staff and a bare bones clubhouse. There are much better courses in the area for less money. PM is still living off of being named best new course in 1986!

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Not anytime soon

All of us (6) have played Pine Meadow previously. Used to be a really good track. This review represents a consolidation of our opinions. Course conditions were not good. Lots of burned out areas, The greens were terribly marked up, bumpy and slow. We play a different course every week in the Chicagoland area, and will not be returning to Pine Meadow anytime soon. There are lots of great courses in the area,, but unfortunately Pine Meadow is not one of them.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing

top 10??? keep looking

played here to celebrate a cousins bday based on golfweek’s top 10 list of courses you can play in illinois. played first 18 at thunderhawk (great course btw), then second 18 here at pine meadows. first off, clubhouse/proshop looks like a double wide from the outside that reminds me of cook county proshops. second, they were running 1 hour behind on tee times because cart availability. i could overlook easily the first 2 reasons for the poor review. but the course was sub par like everything else at pine meadows. tee boxes were beat up, greens bumpy like they were just aerated and but they weren’t. layout was not impressive at all. it would be an ok county course but not a top 10 in any sense of the imagination. they should ask to be removed from this rating to improve expectations for those who aren't one of the old gentlemen and women regulars that the course was packed with.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

JMH

Have not played Pine Meadow in 2 years, came back to play twilight with my son. Now I know why I do not play here anymore. Made reservation over the phone the day before, got to first green and the greens were aerated with sand!!! SLOW as can be. NOo mention when making the reservation, NO mention when paying, SOOO Pine Meadow!! Finished the 18, thought twilight was play as many holes as you can, as long as you are not impacting others, went to 1st tee, not a golfer in sight, attendant says have to check in the clubhouse to play more, SOOO Pine Meadow, as beautiful as the course is they cannot help but screw up with their crappy customer service, the whole reason our group left....will likely NEVER play there again....oh and enjoy the stale hot dog buns when you get your brat, a Pine Meadow staple, So long

Conditions Good
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Perfect weather
Used cart

Enjoyable round

Nice picturesqe course. I played as a single was paired with a pleasant group. Conditions were great as was the staff. Living in the city, it was a bit of a drive but definitely worth it. I look forward to returning.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 24
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Twice a year
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

MOST OVERRATED OVERPRICED IN STATE

Absolute travesty this place charges $80 on a Weds AM. Pine Meadows isnt anywhere near being elite.

Water in Sand. Ones without water unraked and hard.

Fairways with many muddy /damaged spots.

Greens slow and choppy.

We have played 22 different courses this year. This was most expensive and not in top 15.

For this money, play Stonewall. Thunderhawk. Shepards Crook. Prarie Landing. Arrowhead. Highlands of Elgin. Bowe's Creek. Those are $80 worthy and charge less.

Do not play here (11.8 handicap)

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 13
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Excellent Course

Pine Meadow is a terrific course and you'll enjoy it immensely if you know exactly what to expect. This is not a high end resort course. Its all about golf -- no frills. The clubhouse is small and old, restaurant is hot dogs and beer, carts are old without GPS, cart paths are bumpy... you get the picture. But the course itself is fantastic. There are no houses anywhere near the course. Tall trees line every hole, but there is still plenty of width/forgiveness. There is a surprising amount of elevation change for a course in this area (specifically, holes 13-16). The best hole is probably the 14th -- a par four elevated tee with water all down the right. Its a make or break tee shot. Find land and you've got a short iron and a birdie chance. Otherwise, double or worse.

As for conditioning... The fairways and tees are like carpet. Greens are a mix of poa annua and bentgrass (likely a poa infestation of the originally pure bentgrass greens). Greens are fantastic early in the morning but get bumpy late in the day. They stimp the greens regularly at 11-12 (meaing - FAST!). You should expect heavy wet sand in the bunkers (drainage is lacking). Overall, I believe the superintendent does a great job with what feels like limited resources.

Driving range is huge. Multiple putting greens, practice bunkers and chipping greens. Great place to practice.

Staff is friendly and pleasant, but don't expect anyone to bend over backwards to kiss your backside. This is not an uppity country club!

They take pace of play seriously. If you're slow, the ranger is going to force you to move faster (which I appreciate but clueless slow players sometimes find it abrasive/rude).

Pine Meadow is definitely a diamond in the rough. Its my understanding that the Catholic Church owns the land and leases it to Jemsek Golf. The rumor is that the Church only agrees to short term leases which makes Jemsek reluctant to make a long tern investment in the course. Its a shame -- Pine Meadow has the potential to be a Golf Digest Top 100 Public Course with a well thought-out renovation (in fact, it was the #1 new public course as per Golf Digest when it opened in 1986).Regardless, its still pretty darn good and worth a visit.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great parkland style course!

Played as a single but joined up with a father/son twosome on the 6th hole. Had a great time playing this course. It's got good length from the back tees and some very fast greens. Tee boxes, fairways and greens are in excellent condition. Some really scenic holes on the back 9. Will definitely be playing again when we are back down here.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 25
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played

This course is certainly not worth the money. The management team should really spend some money upgrading the GOLF CARTS. I’ve been playing golf for over 20 years and these carts have got to be over 25 years old. They have no windshield on the majority of the carts and much wear and tear on all of them!!!!

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 31
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Nevada Advisor
Previously Played

Very Solid!

Pine Meadow used to be the talk of Chicagoland but a few years ago they’re rates were too high compared to the course conditions. Decided to give Pine Meadow another shot and so happy I did.

Played on 5/15/19 at 730am. Course was in absolute incredible conditions. This course is just great from start to finish. Huge, long, and brawny parkland style track. Course protects par by the length but very fair with their larger fairways and their massive greens. Did I say massive? Yea biggest greens in Illinois, prove me wrong.

Bob Powers was very friendly along with the rest of the staff. 80 bucks is a bit steep but you get what you pay for. Great pace of play with one of the best practice areas around.

Is Thunderhawk and Stonewall Orchard better? Yes, perhaps but will definitely put this on my list of normal stops this year.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
9a429ee3-4e9d-557e-b069-10175b34c09e
Commented on 06/18/2019

Thank you for your comments in regards to your experience at Pine Meadow. We are glad you enjoyed your round of golf and look forward to seeing you again this summer!

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Open in January!!!

Pine Meadow was open in January which was great. The staff were warm and friendly to us, and grateful to see us out at the course. For January the course was in great shape and the greens were rolling at about a 10. I couldn't believe it!!!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Pine Meadow is a great track. Playing at the end of the season is a great value. Great condition, no leaf issues losing balls.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
9a429ee3-4e9d-557e-b069-10175b34c09e
Commented on 11/19/2018

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in the spring!

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wonderful operation is only getting better

As a lifelong golfer here in the Chicago area, I have played many of the public and private courses. Like many golf lovers I like to hit the road and seek out new course to play around the state and into the bordering states as well. When I asked my wife earlier in the week where she would like to play, she said what I was thinking.... Pine Meadow GC !

It's a beautiful piece of land and a great layout. Generally speaking the golfers that play there are knowledgeable and courteous, and they know how to keep pace or invite you to play through. The starters do a great job of getting you set up to play the course as well. They are typical of the staffing in general. I have always found the Pine Meadow people to be welcoming and professional. They are real golf people!

The greens are really good now! The current keeper of the greens is a "keeper" for sure. I have never seen them better and they have been consistently good all year.

By every measure that matters to me, Pine Meadow GC is a wonderful golf experience and a great value for the price!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
9a429ee3-4e9d-557e-b069-10175b34c09e
Commented on 11/19/2018

Peter - Thank you for your outstanding review of Pine Meadow and the staff. It is our goal to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your experience at the "Pine" and look forward to seeing you soon.

Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Outstanding Overall Experience

Played Pine Meadow for the first time this year and was very impressed at the course conditions. Greens were in excellent shape and rolled fair and true. Staff was outstanding and helpful as they always have been in past years that I've played there. I understand they have a fabulous fitting program. This is one of the top public golf courses in the Midwest. Anyone who says otherwise simply doesn't know what they're talking about.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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