Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[B-Man]

It's not that hard to get on to any of those courses. Back in the day knowing most of the trainee pros and such we played all of them everywhere and regularly. Kingston Heath is the other gem there but there's a good 10-12 courses very much the same within 20 minutes of each other.

[Chanceman]

Having friends who are members at all the big Melbourne sandbelt clubs I get to play like RM once every year or two, Kingston Heath the same, and similar with the other privates. But there are plenty of other top options for public play. Eg Tom Doak's St Andrews Beach is an absolute cracker at maybe $70. Peter Thomson's Moonah Links is another, There's The Dunes. Trent Jones did Cape Schanck. Nick Faldo has 13th Beach. My own course is closer to downtown but is more river valley/parkland.

The Sandbelt courses are fantastic, especially in winter because it can be very wet here, and they all drain so well with the sandy base. Playable for 12 months.

[DavePelz4]

BMan, with your proclivity for sand play, what's your low score at RM?

[mci711]

My wife and I were making the choice between going down to the Oceania area or Ireland for our next big golf trip. We have decided on Ireland, because of ease mainly. But the following year we may do the other. I've done a ton of research on it and it is high on our bucket list. I think we would need a decent amount more time to be able to fly to NZ and play as well.

Hey - Monday is going to be 47 may actually play golf here! I am 2 rounds from 100, will anything be open we think?

[B-Man]

RM for the Presidents Cup is a combo layout of the 2 courses, the East and West. I've never played the combined layout. I've played the East many times and it's relatively short and if you're striking the ball well you are definitely well-rewarded. On their own, these 2 courses are easier than some of the other courses in the area such as Kingston Heath and Victoria. For me back in the day, Metropolitan always played tough no matter how good the conditions.

[mci711]

Metro is high on my list. The way the bunkering is cut into the greens just blows my mind. It is so pleasing to look at, probably less so when you putt into one.

[bobbo621]

Looks like Saturday is going to be 44* and Sunny. Going to play either Cog Hill 1/3 or Water's Edge in Worth. Hopefully the snow will melt off by then. I think Fresh Meadow stays open year round too but that place is pretty rough.

[mci711]

I forgot about Cog. St Andrew's is always open as well. I think the further north the less snow from this past weekend. Southern area got hit harder. I feel like cantigny randomly opens. I played a December round there 2 years ago.

[geochitown]

I stopped by x-golf in Libertyville to get some club work done last night, and noticed they have Kingston Heath and the Metropolitan Club available on their simulators there.

Kingston Heath is listed just as Kingston though, (X-golf is a Korean company), and location is given, so it's clear that it's Australia and not Jamaica.

[Argonne69]

I'd say Sportsman's needed a redo. Like Sunset Valley and Wilmette, any improvement in the drainage is going to be a good thing. I always walk the course, but they should seriously consider putting cart paths throughout the course. Even with improved drainage, there will always be days that carts will be a no-go, and the loss of revenue hurts. A new clubhouse would be nice. I've played the course dozens of times, but never hung around to have a bite. Ewww. OTOH, Sunset Valley's new minimalistic clubhouse is quite nice.

Just finished my 21st round in Phoenix. I've walked 17 of them, and after 32 years of sitting at a computer and gaining over 50 lbs, I'm finally starting to shed a few pounds. It's frikin awesome to be playing golf in shorts in December. Five birdies today was a nice bonus.

[Chanceman]

RM is easy bogey, hard par. I can play to my handicap there but Kingston Heath and Metro are harder for sure, at least for a mid handicapper. Those sharp bunker edges are a nightmare.

BTW It might be 44 in Chicago but that's Fahrenheit. Here its 41 Centigrade at present. That's 106*F. Too hot to play.

[DeeBee30]

Hitting Naperbrook on Monday...if it plays anything like Springbrook did this time last year, I’m expecting some tough approach shots into the greens. $24 walking rate doesn’t sound like a great winter deal, so I hope the course is in relatively decent shape.

[B-Man]

Yep. Cantigny tomorrow at 10:00am. Cheap AF.

[cpeck12]

What’s the rate this time of year?

[B-Man]

$49. Tee times for the whole day only from 10:00 - 12:20.

[dhartmann34]

Bonnie Brook today again. Only $10 to walk and in pretty good shape! We had the first tee time, but they let a few groups of early... And they unfortunately were slow. Last week we were first off and played in 2:50 walking. Today was 4:05 walking. Blah. I hate when groups don't let you play through. Tomorrow we have the first tee time, but we'll be getting there early. Weather was quite pleasant.

Looking forward to some Christmas day golf down in Florida!

[St Jimmy]

Walked the front nine at Oak Grove Saturday morning. Course was in good shape. Greens were frozen and a bit slow, but once I started shooting for the front edge, it was pretty easy to make par.

I couldn't get a tee into the ground so I moved up a box and hit the 5 wood off the deck.

Parred the first and last five holes, but still shot +6. Oh well, Christmas golf is a gift by itself.

I'll be back again today once the frost melts off.

 

 

 

God bless and merry Christmas to everyone.

[mci711]

I played Bolingbrook yesterday. Course was frozen, so I am not sure why it was cart path only, should have walked. That may the worst course I have ever played for CPO. The greens had so much sand that it was almost impossible to putt. No tee markers or anything. That being said it is golf in late december. The only reason I played is to get to 100 rounds tomorrow at Cantigny. I am breaking my own rule of 50 degrees. It is nice getting outside for a few hours even if it is chilly. Of course this is the first year I am not going home for Christmas and it is going to be almost 70 degrees (st louis).

[ldchristopher]

Broken Arrow today. It was still pretty frozen on the South course but while the hackers waited for the course to allow carts out, Bear and I were able to walk it for $20. My ball striking was really good and it wasn’t that hard to run shots up until the greens softened as we got to the back nine. With the semi-frozen conditions the course was playing really short and, even with no birdies, it wasn’t that hard to make par on 17 of 18 holes. 73.

[ldchristopher]

Also, the following courses are still open: GDN, St. Andrews, Deer Creek, Palmira, Broken Arrow, GCI, Foxford Hills, Chalet Hills, Glencoe, Buffalo Grove, Maple Meadows, Cantigny, Bonnie Brook, Spring Valley, Bittersweet, Pine Meadows, Marengo Ridge, Cog, Prairie Bluff, Oak Grove, and Arboretum (closed tomorrow). That’s off the top of my head. There may be more.

[geochitown]

edit Because I can’t read

[B-Man]

Interesting round at Cantigny Saturday morning on the Lakeside-Hillside combo. Can't say I've played on frozen ground like it was. Should've brought a hammer to get the tees in. When you neck your driver down the 1st hole and it runs out over 320, you know it's gonna be an interesting day. Especially when you have a 30 yrd chip which you thought you played exquisitely that finishes 70' behind the hole. Then when you rip your drive about 380 down the 2nd and roll a 5 iron over the green. At least it was warmish above ground.

 

[MountainKing]

Bolingbrook is up there but I think Prairie Landing is by far the worst CPO course I've played. They try and hide a lot of the cart paths there in the mounds so they're not only well off the fairway in a lot of places you have to climb mounds to get to the playing area. A few years back after 14 holes of that we finally just ditched the cart and walked the rest of the course carrying. I would say Harborside and Cantigny would round out a top 4 lol.

[ldchristopher]

Buffalo Grove today. It was walking only but the course was really crowded. That’s one of the flatter courses in the area so there’s truly no need for a cart there. It was first come first serve so we got around in about 3 hours 15 minutes. I was pretty impressed with BGrove. They moved all the leaves off the course and the greens, while frozen for the first 9 holes, ran very smooth. Sometimes courses don’t roll the greens before they freeze and putts can’t keep a line. Not the case today. One birdie on 11. 77.

[VNutz]

WRX life bro

[B-Man]

Hehe. 73.

[stringbean502001]

Pine Meadow today--first tee times at about 10am for frost. Good shape I thought. Just about every tee time taken but play moved well. Our walking threesome were held up only slightly and finished in about 3:30

[mci711]

Played Cantigny today. Place was packed. What a day it was, can't ask for much better weather! Today also marked my 100th round of the year. A goal I set for myself at the beginning of the year. I didn't think I was going to make it. Some of my favorite courses of the year - St Andrews Old Course, Kingsbarns, North Berwick, PGA West Stadium, French Lick - Pete Dye Course, TPC Scottsdale with the stadium built, Kiawah Ocean course, and locally - The Preserve and Stonewall Orchard were first timers I really enjoyed.

Maybe 1 more round Thursday to end the year

 

 

[Argonne69]

Congrats, @mci711. 100 rounds is an accomplishment for a midwesterner.

[Symphonize]

Officially moved out to Sycamore this past weekend, otherwise would have gotten out in the perfect December golf weather. So a few people out at Chalet hills, wishing it woulda been me.