Northbrook Park District's par-3 course offers a great setting to introduce golf to juniors or tune your short game. Anetsberger has a useful practice area with bunkers and an area for wedge shots up to 50 yards.
The Arboretum Club is a shot-makers course that puts a premium on accuracy. Intriguing holes with well-defined landing areas implore you to hit good shots. You'll need your entire bag of tricks to score well here.
Arlington Lakes definitely lives up to its name. What it lacks in length, it more than makes up for with water hazards and tight fairways. This site was actually a military base until the course was built in 1979.
There's truth in advertising at Big Run; this course is long if you want to play it that way. Hilly terrain and two holes at 600+ yards make for an awesome challenge. The clubhouse is dated but you can have a great time here.
For city-dwellers, this fun 9-hole track in Chicago's Edgebrook neighborhood is convenient to play before or after work and has some tricky holes. It's adjacent to the Chicago River, and sometimes gets flooded after heavy rain.
This historic club has everything you need for a great day of golf: a beautiful clubhouse, a solid pro shop, good practice facilities, a fun golf course, and good food.
Built in 2002, Bolingbrook provides a wonderful golf experience with a massive clubhouse, impressive practice facilities, and an incredible links-style golf course. The 600-yard 5th hole will test you, as will the island green on the 17th.
This 9-hole executive length course run by the Bolingbook Park District is only 2,227 yards but provides a challenge with water in play on 7 holes. Boughton is good for a relaxed golf experience.
As the name implies, this track has a lot of bridges, and therefore a lot of water. But don't let that dissuade you from playing this excellent course or using its fantastic practice facility.
Narrow fairways and interesting hole layouts defend par here at Buffalo Grove GC. In addition, a small tributary named Buffalo Creek runs through the heart of the course and spices things up quite a bit.
One of ten courses owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve, Burnham Woods is coming up on its 100th birthday! The course is nestled up right against the border between Illinois & Indiana. Tall, mature trees line every hole.
This short and very unique 18-hole course is deeply woven into the communities of Evanston & Wilmette, where you'll play along the Chicago River and cross numerous city streets while doing so. A relaxed and fun atmosphere awaits; you're likely to see families and pets enjoying the course during your journey.
With a max course rating of 74.2 for men, this club asks tough questions of a golfer, even though water only comes into play on two holes. The clubhouse at Carriage Greens shows its age.
Narrow fairways defend this historic, yet relatively short 18-hole course in Morton Grove. At 5,634 yards, length off the tee is not a requirement, but accuracy is.
The amazing golf mecca known as Cog Hill has four great courses, awesome practice facilities, three separate golf shops, and everything a golfer could want. Course #4, Dubsdread, has been a premier midwestern golf destination since it was built in 1964.
This historic 9 hole track was built in 1910 and is owned by the Chicago Park District. It offers a relaxed, modest, and unpretentious golf experience. There is no pro shop, barely any trees, and the holes are mostly straight lines.
Deerpath's been a pillar of Lake Forest for almost a century, but constant renovations and additions since 2015 make the course feel fresh as ever. The property is in great shape, and the massive new 30,000 sq ft putting green called "The Lawn" is a triumph.
Though it's now a 9-hole course, this property was the site of America’s very first 18-hole golf course, built in 1892 by legendary architect Charles Blair MacDonald. The course is changing its name to Belmont Golf Club in 2023.
The golf course at the Eaglewood Resort is short but is overflowing with character and flair. The hilly terrain here makes this track stand out, and the dramatically deep bunkers add panache.
Hilly terrain adds flavor and drama to the golf here at Fox Lake CC. Originally built back in 1925, the course is historic and was a private club until 1983. And it's very playable, topping out at 6,359 yards.
This historic club recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary. With tree-lined fairways on practically every hole and more undulating greens than most Chicagoland public courses, Glencoe tests your ability to score.
Owned and operated by the Village of Glendale Heights, this course is tougher than its 6,186 yards of length imply due to the omnipresent water throughout. Bring some extra balls for the round!
At only 6,113 yards from the tips, Glenview Park's length won't challenge you as much as the many bunkers and tight fairways will. And rent a Finn Golf Scooter to really have some fun on the course.
The premier golf facility within Chicago's city limits, Harborside has two exceptional links-style golf courses and a magnificent practice area, with more greens than I can count.
The club formerly known as Sportsman's re-opened in 2021 after $12 million in renovations, and golfers are the beneficiary. This beautiful course features thoughtfully designed and challenging holes, along with a great practice facility.
Owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve, Indian Boundary offers a casual golf experience. A great course to start learning the game on. You can rent a golfboard to spice things up!
This Dick Nugent designed course is not considered lengthy by modern standards but will give you fits unless you strike the ball accurately. 35% of the bunkers here have been removed since 2019 to make it more playable.
There is something very satisfying about the straight fairway lines on this well-groomed course, which you can appreciate from the aerial photo. Water rarely comes into play at Lake Bluff, but narrow fairways provide the primary course defense.
This par-3 course offers 18 holes of low stress golf, perfect for kids learning the game or adults wanting to tune up their short game. The longest hole is 115 yards, so leave your woods in the trunk.
One of the most ambitious land reclamation projects in the midwest led to this beautiful golf course. Lost Marsh has a great 18 hole track, an incredible clubhouse, and a 9 hole youth academy course.
This beautiful and challenging golf course has one of the nicest clubhouses in the Chicagoland area. Hills and water abound throughout the landscape, making this a particularly tough test.
This absolute gem in Romeoville has won numerous awards and deserves every one. Mistwood is cleverly designed and imposes all sorts of challenges on a golfer. Try to play with someone who's played the course before, this place is tricky!
This hilly and fun par 3 course has a major claim to fame. Walter Payton lived nearby and ran up and down the the hills here to work out. There is a hill here named in his honor.
Located adjacent to Butler National, Oak Brook GC is is a beautiful golf course with a solid practice facility to match. The double dogleg 16th hole is one of the trickier holes in all of Chicagoland.
Built in 1926 with trees everywhere, Old Oak lives up to its name. This historic course has rolling hills and a fine practice facility with four separate greens. Water is in play on at least 8 holes.
The word River is in the name, so you know there's lots of water on this course. Indeed, water hazards are on 7 holes here. With interesting hole designs and challenges everywhere, this 9 hole course is to be taken seriously.
This 9-hole course tucked into Chicago's West Ridge neighborhood doesn't have many amenities, but it's a good value for the price and perfect for beginners learning to play the game.
This Pete Dye gem is a glorious test of golf in Lemont, next to Cog Hill. Now 30 years old in 2022, immaculate greens and fairways traverse the property. Challenges abound, especially the par-3 island green 11th hole.
The pride of the Mundelein Park District, this well-groomed course has massive whimsically-shaped bunkers, oodles of water, and hilly topography all looking to thwart your day.
This masterpiece of a course in Grayslake was designed by storied architect Arthur Hills. The beautifully maintained property has hosted 4 US Open qualifying tournaments. The 615-yard 18th hole is an incredible finisher.
Villa Park's short and fun 9 hole course is great for golf beginners and laid-back players who don't view their game super seriously. The full driving range is a nice touch for a 9 hole course.
Extensively renovated in 2018 for $7 million, Sunset Valley is a beautiful course that's exquisitely maintained. The Heathland-style design provides a stern test and has a rich history dating back to 1921.
Sydney R. Marovitz offers Chicagoans a convenient and fun place to play 9 holes by the lake. The course has developed a reputation for slow play, as its popularity has perhaps become its Achilles heel.
Tam has an amazing history you might not expect for a local 9 hole muni. It originally opened in 1925 and hosted the first nationally televised golf tournament in 1953. Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and Arnold Palmer all played here.
Tom Fazio transformed this former naval base into one the premier golf properties in the state. Hilly terrain and complex greens challenge golfers on this impeccably maintained course. The Glen Club hosts a Korn Ferry Tour event and is also the home of the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame.
Glen Ellyn's magnificent golf property offers both 18 and 9 hole courses and excellent golf practice facilities. While both tracks are great, the 18 hole course is a real gem and wonderfully maintained. Water's in play on 14 holes and bunkers are abundant.
Owned by the village of Worth, this course runs along the Cal-Sag Channel canal, hence its name. Mature trees line most fairways and six separate water hazards provide a stern test. Has a large driving range and practice area.
Part of the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort, Willow Crest offers a beautiful and challenging golf course, upscale restaurant, and stocked pro shop to make your round of golf a great experience.
A north shore classic originally built in 1922, Wilmette is well-maintained and has a nice practice facility. The layout makes the 6,363 yard track play longer than it is.