Country club recommendations in northern suburbs of Chicago [ Long Grove]

[Jay001]

Has anyone played the following private courses and have any thoughts/recommendations on the golf course and the social activities. I'm primarily looking for golf but also a social scene ( tennis/pool) for the wife and the kiddos

 

1. Hawthorn woods
2. The Grove
3. Royal Melbourne 
4. Twin Orchard  
5. Kemper lake 

 

I have reached out and received pricing info from all except Twin Orchard and will plan tours once it warms up a bit more.

 

Another option I'm kicking around is to forget the CCs and sign up for a annual pass to a public course like White Deer Run etc.

 

Thanks! 

 

 

 

 

[psygolf]

Twin is still predominantly a Jewish club, which could make the social aspect of the club potentially more challenging, unless it is something you are interested in.  Nice to have 36 holes.

 

Kemper is the best course, but golf only I still believe.

 

Hawthorn Woods might have the most well-rounded club for a young family …golf, social, tennis/pool, junior programming.

 

Wynstone is one to look into as well, maybe a tick above Hawthorn/Royal.

[Jay001]

Thanks @psygolf

Everyone on that list responded to my membership inquiry except Twin Orchard...go figure 🙂

you are spot on about Kemper. Hawthorn has been most proactive in reaching out but I am not sure if the golf course is as nice. Wynstone is by invitation. It is making me wonder if i should just get an annual pass at a public golf course but the thought of all year 4.5-5 hour rounds is not encouraging

 

Would be nice to hear from any current members......

[underwaterDMS]

I'm not a member at any of these, but have spent tons of time at Royal Mel.  Hopefully my comments are helpful.

 

I've only played it once, but I did NOT like Hawthorn... to the point that I'd never willingly go back.  I didn't care at all for the layout.  It features some outrageously small greens.  Conditions on the day I played were bizarre.  At least five of the greens had a significant amount of sand on them.  I'm not talking about what you would expect shortly after punching.  I'm talking 1-2 inches deep.  I had to putt through it twice.  For what it's worth, the other guest in my group wholeheartedly agreed that it was on his no-fly list.  Our host (who is a member at Royal Melbourne, and gets access to Hawthorn Woods) was a bit kinder to the overall experience, but still doesn't feel a strong pull to get back there anytime soon.

 

Kemper is a better track than Hawthorn, but I'm nearly certain it is golf-only.  If you're looking for more of a full service CC, this ain't it.  I've only played it once.  Would certainly enjoy another few cracks at it.  Compared to Hawthorn, I much preferred the layout, greens, conditions, fewer homes seen, etc etc etc.  Hands down a better golf course compared with Hawthorn.  

 

I've played Royal Melbourne with my friend 30+ times.  He joined ~4 years ago and he/his family are really enjoying their experience.  Overall, I enjoy the course quite a bit.  It's built in and around a housing community, so you are seeing homes on 75+% of the holes.  Not my favorite arrangement, but in and around Chicago, this is not terribly uncommon.  Challenging green complexes and plenty of OB and water are the primary teeth.  They get the greens RIPPING fast for the majority of the year, and they roll pure.  Anything above the hole requires the utmost respect or you risk blowing it by.  Slope and rating are quite high when you factor in the relative lack of length... it is a challenging course.  I play to a 7 and have yet to crack into the 70s in all my rounds there.  It is a full service country club.  I haven't used the pool.  They just built four paddle tennis courts and have a new racquet hut.  This is the first year that they've had a paddle tennis program, and I expect it to continue to expand in the next few years.  

 

A huge selling point for Hawthorn and Royal Mel is that you have access to the other course AND significantly reduced rates at the Glen Club.  We played the Glen Club quite a bit before he joined RM, and play there even more now.  I believe he plays for 25$ during the week and 50$ on the weekends.  As his guest, I get the same rate that I'd get if I were accompanying a Glen Club member.  It's an outrageously great perk.  I'm not sure where you live, but if the Glen Club is reasonably close, having that rate at an outstanding track is something to consider.  Also, having a track available to you when you home course is closed on Mondays (or during ladies league, etc) is very nice.  He also supposedly gets some rate reduction at Sand Valley, Streamsong, etc, but I don't think he has taken advantage of that, and I would imagine there is enough restrictions and red tape associated that I wouldn't put too much value in that.

 

I've played WDR a dozen or so times.  Like Royal Melbourne, it's built into a housing community, with homes visible on virtually every hole.  I've known a guy who was an annual pass holder there before pulling the trigger on joining the Glen Club.  Unless you are going to play an insane number of rounds to make it financially sensible to be a "member" at WDR, I'd personally opt to just play it a bunch and keep your options open for courses from time to time.  

[The-Hawk]

@Jay001 - I almost joined The Grove last year.  I enjoyed the layout of the track, how low key people seemed to be, and most importantly I could get 18 holes done with in a fast pace of play.  I've played all the courses listed, but The Grove is closest to me location wise.  Having a reciprocal to Royal Fox it opens up another club to play if you ever venture down to St. Charles.  I share details they gave me last year if you want to compare costs to see how much they've risen from last year.

[Jay001]

52 minutes ago, The-Hawk said:

@Jay001 - I almost joined The Grove last year.  I enjoyed the layout of the track, how low key people seemed to be, and most importantly I could get 18 holes done with in a fast pace of play.  I've played all the courses listed, but The Grove is closest to me location wise.  Having a reciprocal to Royal Fox it opens up another club to play if you ever venture down to St. Charles.  I share details they gave me last year if you want to compare costs to see how much they've risen from last year.

@The-Hawk That'd be great if you could share! I am more inclined towards the Grove as I'd be 5 minutes away. How was the course?

 

I still haven't given up on Twin Orchard as I would be sharing a property line with them and they have two 18 hole courses that seem devoid of any housing but it's not looking promising

[businessclass]

Hawthorn and Royal have reciprocal.  They are both owned by Kemper Sports.   Royal is a definitely more upscale but Hawthorn's course is way better.  RM is more target golf and has a couple of par 5s that are just aren't good golf holes.   IMO, Kemper's course is better than both but there's no pool or racquet sports.  Twin is good and I do know a few non-jewish people who are members there (27 holes).  Ivanhoe is really good too and has 27 holes.   The grove re-did the inside of their clubhouse.  Course is decent.  I played all of these courses a ton.   Rarely will you have a round over 4hrs. 

 

Also with Royal, HW, you have a reciprocal with the Glen Club in Glenview.

Edited March 11 by businessclass

[Jay001]

18 hours ago, businessclass said:

Hawthorn and Royal have reciprocal.  They are both owned by Kemper Sports.   Royal is a definitely more upscale but Hawthorn's course is way better.  RM is more target golf and has a couple of par 5s that are just aren't good golf holes.   IMO, Kemper's course is better than both but there's no pool or racquet sports.  Twin is good and I do know a few non-jewish people who are members there (27 holes).  Ivanhoe is really good too and has 27 holes.   The grove re-did the inside of their clubhouse.  Course is decent.  I played all of these courses a ton.   Rarely will you have a round over 4hrs. 

 

Also with Royal, HW, you have a reciprocal with the Glen Club in Glenview.

thanks @businessclass

Ivanhoe, Merit club and Twin have too high initiation fees- 3X that of RM or Hawthorn.

 

What did you mean by target golf at RM? I ask since someone else also threw shade at RM.

 

Kemper will be nice but the lack of other amenities is a disqualifier for the fam. It may come down to the Grove and RM with Ravinia as an outlier.

[psygolf]

Ravinia & Rolling Green are both managed by ClubCorp, where there is some level of reciprocity.

 

Rolling Green being the much better golf course.

[Marlo989]

I'm a member at RM. Underwaterdms was pretty accurate summarizing. 

 

RM is a very good family club. Really nice people, a ton of younger families that joined the last 5 years. Very friendly golf groups that are welcoming to have you join. The course is always in great shape but it's not a great design. 

 

On the target golf comment, it's the fact that despite the shorter yardage than the slope & rating might suggest there are quite a few places where you are forced to lay back. There are several holes that aren't great but I would disagree that it's a couple of the par 5's. Only 17 is a bad par 5.

 

Happy to answer other questions. I've played all the others except The Grove.

[orange14]

Anyone have insight into how busy it gets at Kemper Lakes? I feel like I've read rounds are easily 4 hours or more. I could be very wrong, though.

[psygolf]

10 hours ago, orange14 said:

Anyone have insight into how busy it gets at Kemper Lakes? I feel like I've read rounds are easily 4 hours or more. I could be very wrong, though.

I’d be surprised…all of the private clubs around here target 4 hrs or less

[StreaksPeak]

17 hours ago, orange14 said:

Anyone have insight into how busy it gets at Kemper Lakes? I feel like I've read rounds are easily 4 hours or more. I could be very wrong, though.

Unless you’re teeing off before 7:30 am, it’s easily over 4 hours on weekends. Tee sheet is full every weekend day. 15-18 has a tendency to crawl to a halt. 

[orange14]

Are you a member? Any insight on weekdays?

[Schley]

On 2/27/2025 at 6:14 PM, Jay001 said:

Has anyone played the following private courses and have any thoughts/recommendations on the golf course and the social activities. I'm primarily looking for golf but also a social scene ( tennis/pool) for the wife and the kiddos

 

1. Hawthorn woods
2. The Grove
3. Royal Melbourne 
4. Twin Orchard  
5. Kemper lake 

 

I have reached out and received pricing info from all except Twin Orchard and will plan tours once it warms up a bit more.

 

Another option I'm kicking around is to forget the CCs and sign up for a annual pass to a public course like White Deer Run etc.

 

Thanks! 

 

 

 

 

1. Where do you live?  Proximity needs to be considered highly, particularly for family access.

2. Do you know any members anywhere? Certainly this is the best place to start.

3. Age?

[TheModo]

Royal Melbourne is a great “complete” country club for families (e.g., golf, pool, racquets, events, etc.).
 

What are the initiation fees and monthly dues you’ve gathered from each of these places?

[Jay001]

On 3/22/2025 at 11:06 AM, Schley said:

1. Where do you live?  Proximity needs to be considered highly, particularly for family access.

2. Do you know any members anywhere? Certainly this is the best place to start.

3. Age?

We will be in Long Grove so the Grove, RMCC, HWCC and Kemper are all under 10 mins. I don't know any members yet and it will be great if a member from the Grove hit me up as that is one course I haven't yet gotten on. RMCC, HWCC and Kemper have been super welcoming but it's hard to communicate with the folks at the Grove so wanted to see how their member experience has been

[Jay001]

On 3/20/2025 at 2:18 PM, StreaksPeak said:

Unless you’re teeing off before 7:30 am, it’s easily over 4 hours on weekends. Tee sheet is full every weekend day. 15-18 has a tendency to crawl to a halt. 

I played there on Friday and it was a 4 hour round [ tee off at 2:30] but the pace slowed down as I got to 15-18. Nice course!

[orange14]

1 hour ago, Jay001 said:

I played there on Friday and it was a 4 hour round [ tee off at 2:30] but the pace slowed down as I got to 15-18. Nice course!

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Did you play with a member or just ask for a complimentary round while you're considering your options?

[psygolf]

Ivanhoe is only 15 min or so north of Long Grove…great property, 3 unique 9s