Chicago GC

John and Jeannine Henebry
3 Photos

Chicago GC

  • Course Type

    Private
  • GOLF Top 100 World Rank (2023-24)

    17
  • Year

    1895
  • Architects

    C.B. Macdonald, 1895 / Seth Raynor, 1923
  • Par

    70
  • Yardage

    6950

Course Overview

One of the five founding members of the United States Golf Association in 1894, Chicago Golf was the site of the nation’s first 18-hole course; it also was the first course outside of the Northeast to play host to the U.S. Open. Seth Raynor retooled his mentor C.B. Macdonald’s course in 1923 and not much has changed since as its slew of exemplary template holes make it just as relevant today as it was in the hickory era. Holes 1 through 4, which include a Road and Biarritz template, represent one of the game’s most testing starts. Indeed, the par-5 4th can rightly be viewed as Raynor’s hardest three-shotter. (Photo: John and Jeannine Henebry)

3 things to know

  • Hole everyone talks about

    No. 3, par-3, 219 yards: Chicago GC is all about the template holes, and No. 3 is a great example of a Biarrtiz, with a deep swale cutting through the large, rectangle-shaped green.
  • Best non-golf amenity

    Chicago GC is all about the golf, but it does feature a historic clubhouse designed by renowned Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt.
  • Insider tip

    Chicago GC has a strict no tipping policy except, of course, when it comes to the caddies.