Shepherd's Crook Golf Course

Located directly on the Illinois side of the Illinois-Wisconsin border in Zion, Shepherd's Crook Golf Course opened in August 1999 as a links-style track that has earned consistent praise from golfers who've played it. I’ve literally never heard any of my sicko golfing buddies say a bad word about the place, and they are wildly opinionated. The course was designed by Keith Foster, a prolific architect whose work includes Philadelphia Cricket Club, Southern Hills, Colonial, and the local Highlands of Elgin. The Zion Park District owns the facility along with the 9-hole Shiloh Park GC. It purchased the land for Shepherd’s Crook from a company called BFI, a waste hauling and landfill owner whose former operations still surround the property.

This beautiful course doesn’t feel like a typical muni at all. The course plays as a par 71 layout measuring 6,827 yards from the back tees. With a rating of 72.1 and slope of 130, it presents a challenge comparable to Sunset Valley, Chevy Chase, and Bonnie Brook. The open fairways offer room to swing hard, but plenty of trouble awaits errant shots on this links-style design. Hilly terrain adds challenge and visual interest throughout the round. Trees are present mainly in the center of the property but don't dominate the strategic elements. Your round may hinge on the 14th hole, a par 5 that stretches to 654 yards from the back tees -- the third longest hole in all of Chicagoland! An aforementioned landfill dominates the backdrop.

The spacious holes maintain good separation from each other, and the grounds are really well-maintained. The greens are tricky here and several are multi-tiered. Square tee boxes provide an upscale touch throughout the layout. The facilities include a medium-sized pro shop with logoed merchandise (to commemorate your awesome score here) and a restaurant serving standard bar food. While there's no driving range on-site, golfers can use the range at Big Oaks GC across the street in Wisconsin. The practice area features a massive 23,000-square-foot green installed in September 2023 that accommodates both putting and chipping. The course is walkable, though it’s a good workout considering the hills and the expanse of the property.