Glenwoodie Golf Club

Glenwoodie Golf Club carries nearly a century of golf history in the far south suburbs of Glenwood, Illinois. This historic 18-hole layout began modestly in 1926 with just two holes, expanded to nine in 1927, and eventually grew into the full championship course golfers enjoy today. An August 25, 1925 Chicago Tribune article proclaimed "A new golf club for the south side has been organized. The site consists of 159 acres, is rolling and well wooded, and has a wide creek running through it." The ambitious project came with a hefty price tag of $159,000 for the land purchase alone.

The course was designed by architect Harry Collis, a member of the Illinois PGA Golf Hall of Fame who also served as head professional and greenskeeper. Collis brought considerable experience to the project, having served in a similar capacity at Flossmoor for 22 years prior. Like many courses of its era, Glenwoodie weathered difficult times during World War II and was sold at auction in December 1946 after falling heavily in debt. After passing through several owners, the property was purchased by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. In 1958, legendary golf entrepreneur Joe Jemsek leased the course from the Archdiocese. This Illinois Golf Hall of Famer, who also operated Cog Hill, St. Andrews, and Fresh Meadow, brought his expertise to Glenwoodie's operations. The Village of Glenwood ultimately purchased the course from the Archdiocese in 1995 for approximately $4.2 million.

At 6,902 yards with a course rating of 72.9 and slope of 130, Glenwoodie presents a challenge comparable in difficulty to courses like Water's Edge, Deerfield, and Springbrook. The layout features standard par-72 scoring with two par-5s and two par-3s per nine holes. Deer Creek winds through the northern portion of the property, affecting play on four holes, while three additional ponds demand attention throughout the round. The front nine occupies the southern section of the real estate with narrow fairways that create a slightly claustrophobic feel among parallel holes separated by scattered trees. The back nine proves far more memorable and challenging, with generations-old rumors suggesting the original club built this section first before running short on funds for the front nine construction.

The course's signature challenge comes at the 475-yard 16th hole, widely regarded as one of Chicagoland's most difficult par-4s. This beast features a narrow landing zone with Deer Creek cutting through the final approach in a deep ravine. Position your drive too far left and trees block access to the diminutive, elevated green that feels like it's protected by 2-factor authentication. Stray too far right and you're out of bounds. Good luck!

Glenwoodie underwent a major $3 million transformation in 2011, unveiling a stately 14,000-square-foot clubhouse alongside comprehensive course improvements. The modern facility features a well-stocked pro shop with Glenwoodie-branded merchandise if you feel like repping this place, a wide grass driving range visible upon arrival, and a large practice green situated behind the clubhouse. The restaurant area includes a 12-seat bar, and the facility also offers slot machine gaming (if that’s your thing) and hosts events and weddings.

With 10-minute tee time intervals and walkable terrain featuring rolling hills, Glenwoodie offers solid conditioning typical of reasonably priced municipal courses, though perfection shouldn't be expected. The course even boasts a connection to golf royalty; Tiger Woods and his father Earl played here in 1994 after Tiger missed the cut as an amateur at the Western Open, documented in 2017 by golf writer Tim Cronin of Chicago District Golfer magazine.