Columbus Park Golf Course

Columbus Park Golf Course Overview
Located in Chicago's South Austin neighborhood, Columbus Park Golf Course was built in 1910 and is one of the oldest courses in the Chicagoland area. It sits right on the border of Oak Park, but at no point in the round do golfers actually stray into that suburb -- I checked. The non-golf parts of Columbus Park are quite nice. The course is adjacent to the attractive and historic Columbus Park Refectory building. There's nothing golf-related in there though, so don't get too excited. In addition, right across the street from the golf course is the garden area, with the lagoon, waterfalls, and more scenery. Make sure to check these out after you're done playing. You can reflect on all the great shots you could have hit, but didn't.

The golf course itself is mostly a no-frills affair and this is reflected in the low cost to play a round here. Columbus Park Golf Course offers a relaxed, modest, and unpretentious golf experience. There is no pro shop, barely any trees, and the holes are mostly straight lines. The condition of the course varies, but expect to see a healthy amount of wear & tear on the tee boxes and the fairways. You can tell the the greens are a priority here, because they are kept in relatively good shape. There are large bunkers next to every green. Because the holes are so wide open, it's a great course for beginners to learn on. You won't lose many balls here unless you try your hardest.

There is one practice green here to work on your short game. No driving range. There's no restaurant either. But you knew that coming into it. People come here to play golf and then get on with their day.