Illinois Feature Stories
Golf on the Iowa-Illinois border: John Deere Green with envy
Although golf courses aren't the first things that come to mind when you think of the Quad Cities, the sport here is bigger than just the yearly John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run, Zachary Michael Jack writes.
... full article »Flying into Windy City gives golfers first-class options
For the golfing traveler, a short stopover at a Chicago airport can be torture. You know there are more than 200 public golf courses in the Chicagoland area, but you have a day or less in the Windy City before you're back on a plane to your next destination. Here are some of the closest, best bets for a quick round.
... full article »University of Chicago professor studies why some golfers choke under pressure
From Lefty's wayward driver at the U.S. Open, to Jean Van de Velde and Reteif Goosen's recent collapses, choking is an all-too-evident and painful part of golf. Now, University of Chicago assistant professor Dr. Sian Beilock offers a theory as to why "pressure-induced failure" occurs. And according to Beilock, it's not because of the gallery, so lay off 'em Monty!
... full article »Playing nine doesn't have to mean wimping out on real golf
So you want to golf, but are afraid a nine-hole course will ruin your rep? Well, Chicago's nine-holers are worthy of some play. "Squeezing in nine late on a summer day, over a long lunch break, or before work can be just enough to satisfy your cravings or help tune up your game," writes Senior Writer Dave Berner. Here are some of the best small courses in Chicago for you to scratch that itch.
... full article »Golf just west of Chicago shouldn't just be ignored
Chicagoland golfers tend to think Michigan and Wisconsin when considering a weekend golf trip. When it comes to avoiding the dastardly Second City traffic, however, West is the way to go - less traffic, an easier ride and darn good golf. Check out Galena’s Eagle Ridge Resort, Galena Golf Club, Aldeen and PrairieView. In Stockton, you’ll find Black Hawk Run, and Woodbine Bend is a good option near Elizabeth. Lastly, don’t miss Storybrook Country Club in Hanover.
... full article »Springfield: A 'capital idea' for a family golf trip
Abe Lincoln's 24-year presence in Springfield qualifies it as one of the most historic cities in the state. Happily for us, it isn't a bad place for a golf trip, either. The two premier daily-fee courses in Springfield, the Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed Rail Golf Course and Piper Glen Golf Club, represent remarkable values. For even better deals, check out the park district courses in Springfield and, even more notably, in Decatur, just 30 minutes to the east.
... full article »Champaign-Urbana: More than meets the eye
Sure, there was a time when Urbana-Champaign's reputation as a sleepy cow-town surrounded by cornfields was perhaps justified. But today, the home of the Fighting Illini is experiencing a renaissance. All around the "Twin Cities" area, upscale bars and restaurants are opening that are guaranteed to appeal to the tastes of academics, scholars and, fortunately for us, golfers alike. Kiel Christianson runs down what to do in Urbana-Champaign when your round is finished.
... full article »The early bird's best bets for early-season golf in Chicago
Many courses in the spring are itching to open. Some of the higher-end tracks wait it out, knowing the weather can be temperamental, but others open anticipating hungry early-spring players starved for a game. But you have to be cautious about what courses are best for these early rounds. Some facilities simply open too early with grounds that just aren't ready for regular play - not enough time to dry out from the thaw, fairway grass that's still dormant or root-less and greens that are long and bumpy. Here's the best places to play early this season.
... full article »March madness on the links
With the Illinois men's basketball team in the thick of things at the NCAA Tournament, it's hard to think about any other sport than roundball. But knowing how good (and inexpensive) the golf courses can be around the U-of-I campus, golf comes in at a close second. TravelGolf.com takes a look at the best bets for golf in a region currently obsessed with college hoops.
... full article »WeaverRidge's owners love golfers more than golf
Accolades began to roll in a year after WeaverRidge opened. Golf Digest ranked it No. 2 on its 1998 list of best new upscale public courses in the country. A year later, Golf Digest gave it a No. 6 ranking among all the golf courses in Illinois. Jerry Weaver is only half-kidding when he says the golf course turned out so well because he didn't know enough about golf to interfere with designers Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry.
... full article »SMT Golf: 'Swing Hard, You Might Hit Something'
Even if you haven't heard of equipment manufacturer SMT, you've probably unknowingly uttered the company motto to your buddies on the links: "Swing hard, you might hit something." Kiel Christianson visits the company's steel-gray warehouse in a nondescript commercial park 30 minutes outside of Chicago in hopes of discovering the secret behind SMT's surprising success.
... full article »So you want to design your own golf course?
There isn't a golfer among the true lovers of the game who hasn't created the ultimate, coolest, most strategic, hardest, thrill-ride-of-a-golf-hole in his own mind. Maybe it's been a wild, wacky par-4 like the ones on the courses featured in Golden Tee, or an impossible par-3 over the Grand Canyon found in some of the those crazy golf calendars or posters. Recently Dave Berner had a chance to see his dream hole come true.
... full article »Chicago-area offers some great golf as autumn arrives
The winter wind in Chicago is called "The Hawk" for very good reasons - it's fierce and unrelenting. Chicago's winters are not known for being pleasant. But autumn? Chicago, and the entire state of Illinois, can be a delight in those crisp days of the year's third season, especially when you want to play golf. Here are the best autumn settings for golf in Chicagoland.
... full article »St. Louis golfers shouldn't discount a round in the fall
From mid-September until the end of October, there's not a better place to be for golf than St. Louis. The humidity has made its exit, rain is fairly rare, and warm, sunny days and crisp, cool nights are the rule. It's a great season for golfers.
... full article »Need a good round? Try these Chicago-area courses to break 80
Where does it say a golf course has to be hard to be good? Where does it say the number of lost balls is somehow equivalent to layout's challenge? And why is it that so many course designers and developers keep building course's that leave you beat-up, bleeding, and limping off the 18th green with the scorecard reading 120? Hello, isn't golf supposed to be fun? Here's the best places in Chicago to shoot low.
... full article »Hend-Co Hills Golf Club is where Open champ learned to play
Located 220 miles from Chicago in the tiny town of Biggsville, Hend-Co Hills Golf Club proudly boasts itself as the home to British Open Champion Todd Hamilton. Hamilton still returns to practice each year even though he now lives near Dallas.
... full article »Woods prepares for U.S. Open, Western Open; insists he'll 'play great golf again'
As the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and the Western Open outside Chicago await, Tiger Woods insists his game is improving. March and April were troublesome months for Tiger, but May and early June, he says, have been better. "The results are starting to come together," said Tiger. As associate editor Dave Berner reports, criticism and speculation have replaced results in the Tiger Woods camp. But that could all change this week.
... full article »Chicago's best par-3s have it all -- beware!
A simple one-shotter can turn ugly pretty quick. So, how do Chicago's par-3s stack up? When judging the merits of any par-3, one has to look at a least three main factors - beauty, brawn, and memorability. A good par-3 might have two of these qualities, but you need strong scores on all three to rank among the best. Each of these area courses have its own style and grace. Go play them all, and the 17 holes that surround them.
... full article »Legendary Chicago Amateur tournament turns 100 this summer
The long lineage of golf in the Windy City will be celebrated this summer with the playing of Chicago's 100th City Amateur golf tournament. The storied tournament, taking place this July at Jackson Park Municipal Golf Course on the city's south side, will bring together the best amateur players throughout the city and surrounding area.
... full article »Annika goes for three-peat in Chicago
Annika Sorenstam has said openly if she won the Grand Slam this year she would seriously consider hanging up the spikes. But when she didn't win the LPGA Tour's first major this season, that goal, at least for this year, had to wait. As Sorenstam prepares to return to Stonebridge Country Club in Aurora, Ill., in early June to try to win her third Kellogg-Keebler Classic in a row, Dave Berner reports on her year to date.
... full article »- Rockford: The best little golf town in Illinois
- Where is the Golf Center of the World? It's not where you think
- Chicago Golf Show marks start of spring season
- PGA of America faces scrutiny on growing the game
- Windy City Rejuvenation puts Forest Preserve back on the map
- When will Illinois see Wie?
- February is for love and making plans for golf
- Resolving to be a serious Illinois golfer
- Chicago is home of the golf dome
- For Bears quarterback, golf is second love
- Chicago-area college golf courses graduate with honors
- Dr. Jim Suttie has the cure for your game
- Foxford Hills Golf Club welcomes one and all
- Playing Chicago on the cheap
- Big changes come to old Chicago favorites
- The Glen Club heads top 10 places to play in Chicago
- Scratch that itch: Fantasy golf can be the cure for the winter golf blues
- This Fearsome Foursome Will Keep You Coming Back to Illinois
- Winter Golf in Chicago Worth a Second Look
- The Illinois Triangle: Well Worth the Trip
- Best courses for your money in Illinois
- On the Links with Atlanta Hawks Coach Lon Kruger
- Illinois-based Lohmann Golf Designs Continues Renovation Efforts
- Hole Profile: No. 15 on Indian Lakes Resort’s West Course
- Illinois-based Lohmann Golf Designs Continues Renovation Efforts
- Chicagoland Overview: There's Always a Good Place to Play
- Chicago Golf: Six Months of Heaven
- Hole No. 11 at Nettle Creek Can Be Wet
- Family Golf Center
- FAQ for Chicago and Illinois
- A History of Medinah Country Club
- Chicagoland Becoming a Popular Golf Destination
- Indian Lakes Resort Has Two Challenging Courses
- Prairie Landing: The Ultimate Practicing Experience
- Don’t Hit the Ball Straight on No. 5 at Prairie Landing
