Blackstone Golf Club
9700 St. Andrews Drive in Marengo, 815-923-1800, www.blackstonegc.com
18-hole, Public, Par 72, 6,727 yards Bronze 68.8 (120), Silver 67.7 (125) Gold 70 (131), Black/Gold 71.7 (136) Black 72.8 (139)
Opened in 2006, this 18-hole course has nine holes that stretch through dense forests of oak and hickory, and wetlands come into play on 13 holes. With bent grass fairways, tees and greens, the views are beautiful and the course demanding. The 9th hole is the most difficult, with a kidney-shaped green that has two levels.
Boone Creek Golf Academy
6912 Mason Hill Road in Bull Valley, 815-455-6902, www.boonecreekgolfacademy.com
27-hole, Public, Par 71, 6,524 yards 18-hole Blue Course: Blue 69.8 (120) White 67.4 (115), Red 69.1 (114) 9-hole Red Course: Blue 34.1 (117) White 33 (112), Red 33.3 (110) This prairie-type course doesn’t have many trees or hills. The former sod farm has two creeks and an all-grass driving range, one of the nicest in the county. The Boone Creek Golf Academy has the largest junior golf program, with 250 participants in the spring and fall.
Bull Valley Golf Club
1311 Club Road in Woodstock, 815-337-4411, www.bullvalleygolfclub.com
18-hole, Private, Par 72, 7,325 yards
Tip of the Horn 77.2 (151), Grey 75.6 (145), White 73.7 (141) Green/Ladies 77.7 (145), Greenhorn 72 (133)
Bull Valley’s unique topography makes for a rolling terrain in the namesake golf course. There is a marsh, forest and prairie all in one course. The 13th hole is their signature hole. It is a par three and 220 yards from the back tee. Players hit over a pond and onto a forested green. The course is one of the most visually impressive in the county. Players feel like they are the only one on the course.
Cary Country Club
2400 Grove Lane in Cary, 847-639-3161, www.carycountryclub.com
18-hole, Semi-private, Par 72, 6,140 yards
Blue 69 (119), Red 71.5 (120), White 74.5 (126)
One of the oldest courses in McHenry County, the course has small greens and rolling hills. The 14th hole, a par three, is the club’s signature hole. Golfers begin at an elevated tee, continue through a narrow pass and over a small creek in front of the green.
Chalet Hills Country Club
) 943 W. Rawson Bridge Road in Cary, 847-639-0666, www.chaletgolf.com
18-hole, Public, Par 73, 6,877 yards Men: Black 73.6 (137), 72.3 (134), 69.4 (126) Ladies: White 75 (134), Gold 69.1 (121)
Chalet Hills has mature oaks and hardwoods, sculpted fairways, bent grass from tee to green and scenic lakes and ponds. The layout and topography of the course are unique, and the surroundings give the player a feeling of being in a forest. The clubhouse has a country club feeling, great views and offers a tasty menu and indoor and outdoor seating.
Chapel Hill Golf Club
2500 N. Chapel Hill Road in McHenry 815-385-3337, www.chapelhillgolf.com
18-hole, Semi-private, Par 70, 6,182 yards Blue 68.9 (120) White 67.5 (118) Red 70.6 (122)
Chapel Hill’s course is a traditional, tree-lined course with undulating, true greens. The club claims the longest hole in Illinois, the 17th.
Craig Woods Golf Course
5815 S. Rt. 47 in Woodstock (located immediately across the street from Crystal Woods Golf Course), 815-337-3116, www.crystalwoodsgc.com
9-hole, Public, Par 34, 2,400 yards
This is a great course for someone who either doesn’t have the time to play 18 holes or is a junior player. The signature island green on the third hole tests shot-making ability, but an adjacent green surrounded by terra firma offers an easier option.
Crystal Lake Country Club
721 Country Club Road in Crystal Lake 815-459-1237, www.clcountryclub.com
18-hole, Private, Par 71, 6,738 yards Blue 73.1 (135), White 71.5 (132) Gold 69.6 (128), Red 72.4 (126)
The club offers a tree-lined course that puts a premium on driving the ball. Greens, which average 3,600 square feet, require accuracy and are traditional front-to-back sloping with the focus on playability and pin locations. The Prestwick dining room overlooks the 9th green and offers a varied menu. The club also has tennis and swimming pool facilities.
Crystal Woods Golf Club
5915 S. Rt. 47 in Woodstock 815-338-3111, www.crystalwoodsgc.com
18-hole, Semi-private, Par 72, 6,450 yards Blue 70.2 (123), White 69 (120) Red/Ladies 71.1 (118)
Crystal Woods’ course is more than 50 years old, so the fairways are lined with mature trees. Players can walk the course of rolling hills because greens and tees are fairly close to one another. The front nine challenges your shot-making ability, while the back nine features a unique balance of three par-threes, -fours and -fives. The signature hole is the 12th, a 405-yard par four that is played over water to a two-tiered green. It is one of McHenry County’s most difficult holes.
Foxford Hills Golf Club
6800 S. Rawson Bridge Road in Cary 847-639-0400, www.foxfordhillsgolfclub.com
18-hole, Public, Par 72, 7,023 yards Men: Black 72.8 (129), Gold 70.9 (125) Green 68.5 (120), Blue 66.3 (114) Ladies: Blue 70.9 (122), Silver 68 (115) Foxford’s first six holes are open, links style and prepare the golfer for the final 12 holes, which are played through mature woodlands, natural wetlands and elevation changes that enhance challenges for each golfer. Foxford also offers a full-service clubhouse, fully stocked pro shop and full-service practice range.
Fox Hills Resort
250 W. Church St., Mishicot, Wis. 800-950-7615, www.foxhillsresort.com
45 holes on two courses, Public
The National features 18 holes on 7,010 yards and combines the best of Scottish links courses, with vast, sandy areas, sculpted mounds and double greens with 16 acres of water hazards. The 27-hole Fox Creek is the original course at Fox Hills and features 9,265 yards. The villa-lined fairways, with mature weeping willows surround the resort. The resort is open year round and features 336 lodging rooms and suites, restaurants and many amenities, and a banquet and event space for small and large meetings, conferences and weddings for up to 500 guests.
Geneva National Golf Club
1221 Geneva National Ave. South, Lake Geneva, Wis., 262-245-7000, www.genevanationalresort.com
54 holes on three courses, Public
Geneva National Golf Club offers 54-holes of legendary golf designed by the masters – Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino. The Palmer Course may be the toughest. At 7,171 yards, the Palmer course features elevated tees, somewhat narrow fairways and mature roughs that can be challenging. The beauty of the course, however, is breathtaking, with the last three holes ending on the lake. The Trevino course, at 7,120 yards, plays to Trevino’s natural fade with some great dogleg right holes. The Player course is probably the most serene one of the three, winding through wetlands with only a few holes home to real estate. The shortest of the three, at 7,008 yards, the Player course is big on beauty and enjoyment for all levels of play. Enjoy casual dining during the golf season in the Grill Room and fine dining all year long at Hunt Club Restaurant. The clubhouse facilities accommodate weddings and events.
Golf Club of Illinois
1575 Edgewood Drive in Algonquin 847-658-4400, www.golfclubofil.com
18-hole, Public, Par 71, 7,041yards Men: Black 73.9 (132), Blue 71.8 (128) Burgundy 69.6 (124), White 67.3 (119) Ladies: Blue 75.2 (131), Burgundy 72.4 (125), White 68.4 (117)
The course is a classic links-style course featuring high fescue grasses, treacherous sand bunkers and strategically placed mounds on each hole. The course has earned a reputation for being a stern test for all skill levels. The clubhouse is also available for banquets and weddings.
Grand Geneva Resort and Spa
7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, Wis., 800-558-3417, www.grandgeneva.com
36-hole, Par 72, 7,000 yards
Regarded as one of the top award-winning golf resorts in the country and ranked as one of the top five northern U.S. golf resorts by Condé Nast Traveler, Grand Geneva is home to 36 holes of championship golf on The Brute and The Highlands courses. The magnificent Brute, at more than 7,000 yards, is one of the most challenging layouts in the Midwest and is considered one of Wisconsin's best golf courses. Enhanced with 68 bunkers and huge rolling greens, averaging over 8,000 square feet, this par-72 course is perfectly manicured and immaculately maintained. The Highlands, a Scottish-style course originally designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye, was transformed in 1996 by Bob Cupp and was recently updated in 2006 by Bob Lohmann, with major renovations completed on holes 9, 12 and 15.
Marengo Ridge Golf & Country Club
9106 Harmony Hill Road in Marengo 815-923-2332, http://marengoridgegolfclub.com
18-hole, Public, Par 72, 6,629 yards Blue 72.5 (129), White 70.9 (125), Gold 68.2 (119), Red 71.5 (125)
The course’s front nine present water hazards, bunkers, environmental areas and large undulating greens, while the back nine feature a more traditional style course with mature woodlands, rolling hills and doglegs.
Turnberry Country Club
9600 Turnberry Trail in Lakewood 815-455-0501, www.turnberrycc.com
Blue 73.1 (137), White 71.4 (133), Red 74.0 (132) 18-hole, Private, Par 72, 6,900 yards
Designed by famed course architect, E. Lawrence Packard, Turnberry opened in 1972. This course features challenges for golfers at all levels, with mature trees, water on 10 holes, elevation changes and plenty of bunkers protecting extraordinarily well-maintained greens. The panoramic view from the elevated 11th tee is spectacular and the challenge of making par at the 220-yard 3rd and 544-yard 17th holes are among the many delights of playing Turnberry. Turnberry has played host to several USGA, CDGA and PGA events. In addition to challenging golf, Turnberry offers swimming and tennis facilities, first-class dining and spacious banquet facilities.
Whisper Creek Golf Club
12840 Del Webb Blvd. in Huntley 847-515-7680, www.whispercreekgolf.com
18-hole, Public, Par 72, 7,103 yards Willow/Ladies 71.4 (124), Birch 69.3 (123) Pine 71.5 (128), Oak 73.7 (133)
Whisper Creek’s fairways and greens wind through groves of mature oak trees and more than 5,000 strategically placed character pine and specimen hardwood trees. All carts are equipped with Global Positioning Systems so golfers can get accurate yardages, record scores and keep track of matches. The system also enables golfers to order food at the turn.
Woodstock Country Club
10310 Country Club Road in Woodstock, 815-338-2191, www.woodstockcountryclub.com
9-hole, Private, Par 70, 5,968 yards Men’s 70.3 (128), Ladies 73.5 (130)
Woodstock Country Club claims the best greens in the county. Golf World ranked it No. 19 among the top 25 9-hole courses in the United States. The very subtle, true and quick greens are challenging to the player. Established in 1916, the course is one of the oldest, designed by Tom Bendelow. The course features unique terrain and rolling hills. Small greens put a premium on approach shots and the short game.
