Village Green Golf Course (Closed)

Village Green Golf Course in Mundelein, Illinois, is one of the more unusual public golf experiences in the Chicago suburbs. Opened in 1962 and designed by Ray Didier, the former superintendent of Tam O’Shanter during its tournament-hosting heyday, the course has historical roots, but those roots are hard to see today. Decades of uncertainty have taken their toll. The course has essentially been in limbo for the last 30 years, with little investment or upkeep. Ownership changed hands when the Mundelein School District bought the land in 2004 for $8.4 million, thinking they might need space for a new school. But the anticipated enrollment boom never happened, and the land has remained a golf course ever since, making it quite possibly the only course in the country owned by a high school.

Since 2007, GolfVisions has managed operations, but the long-term future of the course has been the subject of on-again, off-again sales efforts. From rejected rezoning plans in the 1990s to abandoned redevelopment proposals as recently as 2019, Village Green has existed in a kind of civic purgatory. That transience shows. The course has a dated, time-capsule quality. The tee box signs look homemade and decades old. The pro shop is more of a counter, offering only the bare essentials. And while the modest green fees reflect the lack of frills, it’s clear this course has never gotten the love it deserves.

From a layout perspective, the course plays to a par 70 and stretches just over 6,100 yards. It’s an easy walk, and aside from a few water hazards -- two ponds affecting up to five holes -- it’s a straightforward design. Most holes run parallel to each other, with homes bordering the southern edge. There are trees here and there, but it’s far from wooded, which a lot of people prefer. Village Green has a course rating of 72.7 and a slope of 118, which creates a bit of a contradiction. The rating suggests a tougher-than-expected challenge for scratch golfers, especially compared to peer courses of similar distance. But the slope implies a more forgiving experience for the average player.

The facility includes one large practice green near the clubhouse, but no driving range. Inside the clubhouse is Timmer’s Bar & Grill, featuring a massive wood-paneled bar, lots of seating, and wall-to-wall carpet, a style choice that fits right in with the course's stuck-in-time atmosphere. With tee times spaced every 7.5 minutes, pace of play can be an issue on busy days. But if you’re looking for a laid-back round at a low price, and don’t mind a course with more history than polish, Village Green is still alive and swinging. For now.