Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[propman]

Glen Erin in Janesville?

[ldchristopher]

8 hours ago, propman said:

Glen Erin in Janesville?

Great course. Faux links and always plays fast and firm. Large, multitiered greens, lots of pot bunkers that basically guarantee losing a stroke, the course goes in and out of the woods for a few holes on the back nine, and it’s definitely a course you need to either play more than once or play with someone who has local knowledge since everything is not just right in front of you. Also, they don’t advertise the walking rate but it’s much cheaper than with a cart. Up to $30 less to walk and it’s not that difficult a walk to begin with. 

[TBone0576]

23 hours ago, zer0 said:

Need a rec for a golf course on the way to Milwaukee.  12 person golf trip, everyone flies in next Thursday to O'hare and we are staying overnight in Milwaukee.   Need a course to play.  Tried Brown Deer and they have an outing all day.    

 

Need somewhere that is easy access to the highway.  Was thinking the usual suspects of Thunderhawk and Shepherd's Crook.     I think Stonewall is a little out of the way because after O'Hare the tour bus has to go to my house in Deerfield and pick up 3 of us.

 

Any suggestions for courses I'm not thinking of, maybe something in southern Wisconsin.  We are already playing Wash County on the Sunday.

 

 

My home course Brighton Dale isn't too bad and they have two 18's.  It's roughly 15 minutes west of I-94.   Take a left at Mars Cheese Castle and Hwy 142 takes you right there.  

[zer0]

7 minutes ago, TBone0576 said:

My home course Brighton Dale isn't too bad and they have two 18's.  It's roughly 15 minutes west of I-94.   Take a left at Mars Cheese Castle and Hwy 142 takes you right there.  

 

 

how does it compare to Thunderhawk?

[TBone0576]

1 hour ago, zer0 said:

 

 

how does it compare to Thunderhawk?

It's a step down from Thunderhawk and probably half a step down from Shepherds Crook.   Just a county course facility but for the price I have always enjoyed it and each course is relatively challenging yet playable.   If you are looking for a little bit better course and facility then Thunderhawk or Shepherds would fit the bill a bit better for you. 

Edited May 30 by TBone0576

[TheBear95]

1 hour ago, TBone0576 said:

It's a step down from Thunderhawk and probably half a step down from Shepherds Crook.   Just a county course facility but for the price I have always enjoyed it and each course is relatively challenging yet playable.   If you are looking for a little bit better course and facility then Thunderhawk or Shepherds would fit the bill a bit better for you. 

 

I would concur. ThunderHawk is a significant step above both.

 

But you could make a case for Brighton Dale White Birch over Shepherds. IMO, it is a more challenging course. And they have the greens running fast so far this year. Plus, if your group requires a range for a warm-up, Brighton Dale has really nice newly renovated driving range. That definitely beats firing a couple of balls over Green Bay Road as you have to do at Shepherds.

 

Edited May 30 by TheBear95

[ldchristopher]

On 5/29/2025 at 8:19 AM, zer0 said:

Need a rec for a golf course on the way to Milwaukee.  12 person golf trip, everyone flies in next Thursday to O'hare and we are staying overnight in Milwaukee.   Need a course to play.  Tried Brown Deer and they have an outing all day.    

 

Need somewhere that is easy access to the highway.  Was thinking the usual suspects of Thunderhawk and Shepherd's Crook.     I think Stonewall is a little out of the way because after O'Hare the tour bus has to go to my house in Deerfield and pick up 3 of us.

 

Any suggestions for courses I'm not thinking of, maybe something in southern Wisconsin.  We are already playing Wash County on the Sunday.

 

 

Spring M************ Valley. You owe it to your group to play William Langford’s finest course. 
 

Seriously, Thunderhawk is the best bet. But if you can’t book for 12 there, Brighton Dale over Shepherds. Bittersweet if you don’t like the people you’re playing with. 

[MountainKing]

6 hours ago, zer0 said:

 

 

how does it compare to Thunderhawk?

 

 

If Thunderhawk is top tier Chicago pizza,  Brightondale would be pizza hut. 

[MountainKing]

The original plan today was Prairie Landing, but it looks like they were hosting an outing so we ended up at Seven Bridges.  Course was in top tier conditions, a bit shocking considering last few times I was there it was very mid tier.  Greens rolled nice and picked up a lot of pace as the day progressed, bunkers had a perfect amount of sand, and everything else was just very well manicured.  I haven't been there in a couple years and it looks like a lot of tree removal has taken place, but unfortunately not the trees that should come out.  It's a good start tho, and the course looks better without them.  We managed to get through in 3:30 thanks to a couple really slow groups being kind enough to let us through.  Okay, I told 1 that we're playing through and didn't give them a choice and the ranger (props to him for doing his job!) forced the other to let us through them.   Great front 9 with 1 bogey, an even better back 9 with 3 birdies and 1 double for an even par 72.  Very up and down the last few rounds.  Harborside Starboard bright and early tomorrow. 

[ldchristopher]

17 minutes ago, MountainKing said:

 

 

If Thunderhawk is top tier Chicago pizza,  Brightondale would be pizza hut. 

You misspelled Ives Grove

[mikes919]

Heritage Oaks early tomorrow morning. It’s not my favorite, and conditions were pretty bad when I played last month. But it’s an easy walking course with a great walking rate, and I needed an early/fast round not too far from home. Hopefully the fairways and tees are in better shape than last time.

[@_the_crook]

16 hours ago, mikes919 said:

Heritage Oaks early tomorrow morning. It’s not my favorite, and conditions were pretty bad when I played last month. But it’s an easy walking course with a great walking rate, and I needed an early/fast round not too far from home. Hopefully the fairways and tees are in better shape than last time.

Please give us your review when possible.

[Gdane]

So far this season I've been mostly resigned to weekday golf, but was curious to see what is available late afternoon and when looking at the Cog Hill site saw that Dubs is wide open all day today.  

 

Has anyone been there this year? Is this out of the ordinary? Surprised that Illinois only top 100 public on most publications has an almost completely wide open tee sheet on a chamber of commerce weather Saturday.   I know the rate is higher than any other in the area but I'm not sure its out of control. Maybe it is?

[mci711]

1 hour ago, Gdane said:

So far this season I've been mostly resigned to weekday golf, but was curious to see what is available late afternoon and when looking at the Cog Hill site saw that Dubs is wide open all day today.  

 

Has anyone been there this year? Is this out of the ordinary? Surprised that Illinois only top 100 public on most publications has an almost completely wide open tee sheet on a chamber of commerce weather Saturday.   I know the rate is higher than any other in the area but I'm not sure its out of control. Maybe it is?

 

Cog Hill 4 is always weird to me. It is priced well for what it is and in comparison to other courses in the area. But, I used to jump out on random days when I lived in the area and it was never that busy. I don't know if I got lucky a lot or what, but I had a bunch of similar experiences. Which is weird, because Mistwood down the road is similarly priced and not the same quality and was always packed. 

[mikes919]

2 hours ago, @_the_crook said:

Please give us your review when possible.

Conditions much better than last time I played. Fairways in much better shape, rough is grown out nice and long near the greens and around bunkers. Some ground under repair but nowhere near as much as before. Tee boxes were fine. Only one or two where I needed to hunt for a good spot. So not perfect, but improving for sure.

 

Greens are relatively slow but smooth, besides the abundance of unfixed pitch marks. Seems to be the case everywhere nowadays. Bunkers in great shape, well maintained.

 

Pace was decent for an early morning weekend round, I finished in 3:45 walking. The guys I got paired up with were all riding.

 

Wedges and putter were working fairly well for a change, problem today was I couldn’t get any distance off the tee. Left myself a lot of long approaches. Still shot an 80, really good round for me!

[MountainKing]

Harborside Starboard this morning.  Interesting how different the weather was in Oak Brook vs there.   Howling winds off the lake and don't think it got over 50 degrees.    Course conditions continue to improve,  really solid all around and the greens rivaled Arrowhead with speed and roll.   The waste bunkers need some work,  but the main bunkers were great.   Cart paths still look rough,  but I don't golf on paths and didn't ride.   Pace was excellent at 3:45.  Not sure it's possible to get around any faster by foot with how spread out the course is,   we were clipping.    A lot of shapes on the card today with 5 birds and 6 bogies.    I'll take the 73, but what could have been with a bit more focus.  

[ldchristopher]

Whisper Creek this morning with Bear. The course has a fungus that’s impacting the tee boxes and some greens. The rest was spotty but not awful. They’re either putting fresh sand in bunkers or treating them as ground under repair and letting nature take them over. No in between. The greens were slow but they can’t run them that fast with the bare spots they’re dealing with. I hit the ball okay, including 13 greens. Left myself some super long lags putts that I had to absolutely smash to get to the hole. Bear and I both birdied 18 though and I was feeling really fresh considering the 4:20 AM wake up call. I farted around at the Tour Store then played Stonehenge. I’m really liking the course. It’s tough, plays longer than it is, the greens move at a much better clip than I expected, and they added a ton of sand to the bunkers. I’m told it used to be kind of janky with a giant trash pile, hard pan traps and sloooooow greens. That’s definitely not the case anymore. 11 more greens and 3 birdies for a 75. 

[DavePelz4]

Peyton Manning makes me feel better about my driver. Zero houses hit this year.

 

https://nypost.com/2025/05/30/sports/scottie-scheffler-couldnt-contain-himself-after-peyton-mannings-tee-shot-struck-house/

Edited May 31 by DavePelz4

[DavePelz4]

GCI today. Many moons ago, used to play GCI a few times a year.  Course is in rough condition, starting with the range. Great to not hit off mats, but it would be wonderful to hit off grass vs dirt. Lots of roll though.

 

The first tee box is horrific with some kind of fungus. Several other areas on the course were GUR related to the conditions. Lots of ball marks, lots of rocks, and minimal sand in bunkers. Pace was 4:45 and the 5some certainly didn't help. Watched 2 people and a cart get plunked from errant shots, thankfully, not from me or our group. On 8, watched a guy drill a house, pull out another ball, and congrats to him on the consistency to hit the house again. On 10, he hit another house about 50 feet off the tee and left again.

 

The highlight of the day was not getting caught up in the Schaumburg traffic, but that's because the Roselle to Higgins bypass was worth the time. Also delighted to learn that my niece and goddaughter is now playing in a regular group. That was a bigger highlight than the traffic.

 

SLCC tomorrow for a 4 man team event. Based on Friday and today, will temper expectations. 

[MountainKing]

34 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

Peyton Manning makes me feel better about my driver. Zero houses hit this year.

 

https://nypost.com/2025/05/30/sports/scottie-scheffler-couldnt-contain-himself-after-peyton-mannings-tee-shot-struck-house/

 

My double at Seven Bridges came on hole 14.   Pushed a 3 wood miles right, tried to cut a 5 iron into the green to get around a tree and it did not cut.   End result was a direct hit on a house on the left,  luckily no windows.  Of course i was dumb enough to try the same shot with my drop, much more success the 2nd time. 

[MountainKing]

3 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

GCI today. Many moons ago, used to play GCI a few times a year.  Course is in rough condition, starting with the range. Great to not hit off mats, but it would be wonderful to hit off grass vs dirt. Lots of roll though.

 

The first tee box is horrific with some kind of fungus. Several other areas on the course were GUR related to the conditions. Lots of ball marks, lots of rocks, and minimal sand in bunkers. Pace was 4:45 and the 5some certainly didn't help. Watched 2 people and a cart get plunked from errant shots, thankfully, not from me or our group. On 8, watched a guy drill a house, pull out another ball, and congrats to him on the consistency to hit the house again. On 10, he hit another house about 50 feet off the tee and left again.

 

The highlight of the day was not getting caught up in the Schaumburg traffic, but that's because the Roselle to Higgins bypass was worth the time. Also delighted to learn that my niece and goddaughter is now playing in a regular group. That was a bigger highlight than the traffic.

 

SLCC tomorrow for a 4 man team event. Based on Friday and today, will temper expectations. 

 

 

A few ranges I've been on this year are brutal.  Along with other items of etiquette, golfers have no clue to properly use a range  End results is divots all over  and patchy grass.  Really frustrating.   I really wish courses would just start kicking people off that can't figure this out, not replacing divots and repairing ball marks and playing slow.    I'm not really sure why golf courses want to keep these type of customers.

[Holy Moses]

Arrowhead yesterday. Course was in great shape with some of the firmest fairways and greens around. They have an unusual mix of poa and bentgrass that I’ve never quite seen before. Shot a 79 with 39 putts which was a first for me, but not unexpected because I never putt well at Arrowhead.

Edited June 1 by Holy Moses

[DavePelz4]

Interesting 4 man team event today at SLCC South where you actually play with the team and you have an idea of where you are. The format was 1 best ball on par 5's, 2 best balls on 4's with 3 best balls on par 3's. With 6 par 3's on the south course, it's imperative to do well on those holes.

 

The D player in the group, who played off a 22 index, was nothing short of amazing. Net eagle on 1, net birdie on 2, net birdie on 4, net birdie on 11, net birdie on 12 (which was a 3 putt from 15 feet), and finished with a GROSS birdie on 17 and a GROSS birdie on 18, which turned into net eagles. The A player, shot his lowest round of the year and while I contributed a mere 6 net birdies, I pretty much sucked TBH. As a team, we shot -13 and won by 1 shot. 

 

So can you believe this, won today, going to get a nice fat envelope next Friday and going to b*tch about the round and the A player.

 

I've been working on flighting the ball, usually going up 2 clubs, choked down to nearly the shaft, very short backswing and the ball goes VERY straight, hits and 1 hops. And I've learned that the position of the club face either slightly closed can create a draw that will run out a bit, or if open, move a bit left to right. If there's any appreciable wind, that's become my go to flight. 

 

Being a team event, it was permissible to share whatever info you wanted. When I responded to the A player's question on the first par 3 of what I was hitting on a 125 yard shot and I said a flighted 9, he asked what I was doing. Honestly, missed the shot, ended up on the fringe, not my best effort. Hit multiple others throughout the round and he "coached" me saying he didn't like that flight.

 

He wanted to read everyone's putts and proclaimed himself as the "best putter" in the league. Personally, I like the confidence, but when he attempted to read my birdie putt on 2 and offered guidance, my response was, "Do you know how hard I intend to hit it?"

 

On the 8th hole which plays to around 410, with water to be carried on the second shot, on occasion I've laid up if the yardage wasn't comfortable. After the rare nice drive, I had 162 front and 181 flag. He came over to me and said, "what's your intention?" I responded with, "Going to open a great bottle of wine, make her a great dinner and probably have wild sex all night." He didn't find that funny. For the record, the 7W hit, ended up 15 feet, the birdie putt which he told me I wasn't reading correctly, stopped on the left edge, yep, could have hit it 1/32nd of an inch more. Damm me.

 

As if that wasn't enough, what really dry roasted my Planters was on 16 when I had a 15 foot uphill birdie putt and he had a 25 foot uphill eagle putt. Inside the competition, there is still a gross/net skins component which is in the back of my mind. He insisted I putt first to give him the line. OK, it IS a team event, I'll play along. Went and fixed a ball mark about 6 inches short and to the right of the hole. He commented "If that is your line, there is NFW you'll make that putt as it breaks right." Of course, I asked if he knew how hard I planned on hitting it. 

 

The ball finished just behind the hole, having broke right to left and a bit less speed and it might have had a chance. Now, having gone to school, there's no way he's going to miss, right? His putt finished 18 inches left of the hole. 

 

The reality is the D player won this for the other 3 and we all had small contributions to the W.

 

Minor health issue to deal with tomorrow (hopefully), and then comp rounds (hopefully) F, Sat, Sun at Heritage Bluffs, 7 Bridges and then SLCC North next Sunday.

[DavePelz4]

Forgot to share that at least on the South Course, SLCC has beautiful sand in ALL the bunkers! Found 6 or 7 bunkers today which allows all kind of creativity. Best bunkers I've played from all year.

[ldchristopher]

8 hours ago, Holy Moses said:

Arrowhead yesterday. Course was in great shape with some of the firmest fairways and greens around. They have an unusual mix of poa and bentgrass that I’ve never quite seen before. Shot a 79 with 39 putts which was a first for me, but not unexpected because I never putt well at Arrowhead.

My parents’ neighbor is a member at LaGrange CC and he said part of the current renovation (this is like the 75th course reno there) is that all the greens will now be a bent/poa combo. I guess that’s becoming a thing. 

[Holy Moses]

17 hours ago, ldchristopher said:

My parents’ neighbor is a member at LaGrange CC and he said part of the current renovation (this is like the 75th course reno there) is that all the greens will now be a bent/poa combo. I guess that’s becoming a thing. 

I’m not sure if it’s intentional at Arrowhead since poa just invades everything anyway

Edited June 2 by Holy Moses

[MountainKing]

18 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

On the 8th hole which plays to around 410, with water to be carried on the second shot, on occasion I've laid up if the yardage wasn't comfortable. After the rare nice drive, I had 162 front and 181 flag. He came over to me and said, "what's your intention?" I responded with, "Going to open a great bottle of wine, make her a great dinner and probably have wild sex all night." He didn't find that funny. For the record, the 7W hit, ended up 15 feet, the birdie putt which he told me I wasn't reading correctly, stopped on the left edge, yep, could have hit it 1/32nd of an inch more. Damm me.

 

 

 

 

If I ask that question and that's not the response I get in return, then what am I even doing playing with you?   I'll take a lot of things on the golf course seriously, but that is a world class answer to a dumb question.  

[Chicago Lefty]

On 6/1/2025 at 11:14 AM, Holy Moses said:

Arrowhead yesterday. Course was in great shape with some of the firmest fairways and greens around. They have an unusual mix of poa and bentgrass that I’ve never quite seen before. Shot a 79 with 39 putts which was a first for me, but not unexpected because I never putt well at Arrowhead.

 

I played the west course a week ago and it was the worst condition I've ever seen Arrowhead in.  Firm?  I'd go closer to concrete.  Greens rolled slow and bumpy af, even the bunkers were missing sand.  

On the flip side, Village Links that got their superintendent from Arrowhead 3 years ago is in probably the best shape I've ever seen it.

[B-Man]

On 6/1/2025 at 11:14 AM, Holy Moses said:

Arrowhead yesterday. Course was in great shape with some of the firmest fairways and greens around. They have an unusual mix of poa and bentgrass that I’ve never quite seen before. Shot a 79 with 39 putts which was a first for me, but not unexpected because I never putt well at Arrowhead.

It's a pity with the great conditioning there that more than a few greens are genuinely unplayable.

[parbung]

On 5/29/2025 at 8:19 AM, zer0 said:

Need a rec for a golf course on the way to Milwaukee.  12 person golf trip, everyone flies in next Thursday to O'hare and we are staying overnight in Milwaukee.   Need a course to play.  Tried Brown Deer and they have an outing all day.    

 

Need somewhere that is easy access to the highway.  Was thinking the usual suspects of Thunderhawk and Shepherd's Crook.     I think Stonewall is a little out of the way because after O'Hare the tour bus has to go to my house in Deerfield and pick up 3 of us.

 

Any suggestions for courses I'm not thinking of, maybe something in southern Wisconsin.  We are already playing Wash County on the Sunday.

 

 

Maybe Bittersweet, White Deer Run, steeple chase? 

since youre deerfield and heading north. 

or a slight detour and head towards lake geneva / elkhorn maybe?