Work on your backswing and unwind at one of the many picturesque golf courses in Illinois. Enjoy country clubs, resorts and summer out on the green with our guide to golfing in Illinois.
Golf in Chicago
Golf in the Heart of the City
Harborside International’s quirky city golf courses were designed by Dick Nugent to bring the great Scottish tradition of seaside links golf to Chicago.
Sure, our sea is a great lake, but this fascinating course, built on a former landfill and scoured by the winds from Lake Michigan, is often compared to the iconic public golf courses of Scotland. Minutes from Chicago’s Loop, Harborside offers two courses, Port and Starboard, a driving range and practice facility.
Golf in Chicagoland
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club + The Glen Club
Cog Hill Golf and Country Club sits southwest of Chicago in the Des Plaines River Valley. There are four courses at Cog Hill, but the reason you’re going is to play the infamous No. 4 course nicknamed Dubsdread, so called because rookie golfers (dubs) dread playing this difficult course.
The 18-hole golf course at the Glen Club in Glenview is designed by Tom Fazio. An old naval air base has been beautifully transformed into an exciting golf course with rolling berms and picturesque vistas of prairie grass, lakes and streams.
Golf in Galena & Rockford, Northern Illinois
PLAY GOLF IN A RESORT ENVIRONMENT
Set amid the rolling hills of northwestern Illinois in Galena, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa has four golf courses. Their jewel is the multi award-winning General, an 18-hole, par 72 course with over 250 feet of elevation changes throughout.
Ingersoll's wooded 18-hole course with narrow fairways and gently rolling terrain offers 6,107 challenging yards on its par 71 course. This course is located on Rockford’s far west side and was selected by the Tiger Woods Foundation to host Tiger Woods for a two-day golf clinic in 2001 and 2004.
Golf in Southern Illinois
BEST GOLF IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
The Links at Kokopelli set the standard in southern Illinois for a great golf experience with family-friendly green fees. Designed by internationally-renowned golf course architect Steve Smyers, Kokopelli has been recognized by Golf Week Magazine as a top course in Illinois which is perfect for walking.
Overlooking 18,000-acre Rend Lake, Rend Lake Golf Course is part of a recreation complex that includes dining and lodging options. Five sets of tees make this course extremely playable for all levels.