EricTee

Great layout with some great views.
Friendly staff. Great food!

We played in an on and off rain but the course handled it very well. Good cart, smooth with GPS to pin which is always a plus. Excellent bunker conditions In and all around. They are also well placed as would be expected of Robert Trent Jones Sr! I assure you that you almost certainly find yourself in at least one! Excellent, well-manicured greens that rolled fast and true even when wet. Nice tee boxes and some very gnarly and penal deep rough here and there where you would expect it.

So the course itself... (the most important part) is overall a winner and I would definitely recommend it.... but at the price, I would expect just a touch better golf club experience overall off and around the course. such as there was no cart service today. The attendant was sick, sadly, and apparently there wasn't a soul that could serve instead. It's not a huge problem, just an unfortunate circumstance that would be better if it wasn't.
Bathrooms, which can be a notable part of any golf course experience, were average.... at best...definitely not a top level Golf Club experience.
This leads to the driving range situation. It's not good at all. Actually it's just bad. Mats only happens at places but this appears to be mats only always. Balls are in bad to awful shape. Top it off with not really bing able to tee up a driver. First, there is no way to set a tee. Secondly, the range maxes out at just over 200 yards! I was charged extra for the balls but honestly, this range should be included free of additional charge. Yes, it's that bad and I would definitely not use that "amenity" again.
All things considered, since GolfPass doesn't provide the ability to submit partial stars I've reached a point where I have to reserve the "5" for courses that excel in all areas at a relative price point. So here I had to knock it down to 4 when it could have been a solid 4.5 otherwise.
Still definitely recommended and I hope to play it again one day.

It's different, challenging and fun. Where the odd mogul-like mounds of despair and odd bunker strips don't get the best of you, the greens themselves will test you from the first green to the last.

Haven't given Fox Run much credit lately and they are due deserve more than they receive. Played a very late afternoon round on a whim and didn't expect much. The place was packed with golfers and I was lucky to find a single spot. There has been a drought ongoing but you wouldn't know it by the conditions. Greens were fast and true but also very receptive to approach shots.
The renovations on and off the course are top quality but the rates are more than reasonable. Love the new clubhouse. All staff are nice as can be and you can see that they enjoy what they do. I look forward to returning again and again.

First time playing Heritage Glen and although I'm two states away and a three hour drive, I'll definitely be back. It's has everything I like in a course layout and conditions and some challenges that I struggle with but appreciate and fully expect.

Most remarkable were the greens. It's obvious that the designer and his team paid extra special attention to these very fast and true greens with undulations and tiers I've experienced very rarely. They are a joy to play and well maintained by people that just have to be experts in what they do. For this time of year, I found conditions to be exceptional. The greens will take a ball mark but repair so nicely and there's this sandy, firm feel when you're doing so that just indicates intuitively that this is how greens are supposed to be.
Away from the greens the greater challenges are some thoughtfully placed, deep bunkers, with some surrounded by tall grasses. Away from the fairway is a thick, but reasonably playable rough that will absolutely test your ability to make solid contact and still have your ball flying with intended direction and distance.

This is a review where I could go on and on, but I'm not going to. You're going to like it, Just play Heritage Glen and thank me later.

P.S. All Staff encountered were very kind, cheerful, and helped to turn a good day into a great day of golf. Thank you!

First time playing JFN and it will not be the last. During travel, we made our tee time from hundreds of miles away and learned upon arrival it was strict cart path only. No complaints, it really needed to be because there were seriously soft conditions tee to green and we learned they had nearly 4 inches of rain in the previous two days. Carts would have destroyed the course in short order. I can only imagine how much this affected the playing experience in terms of ball roll; There was little to none unless the slope of the fairway was downward and in line with the flight of your ball
Fortunately the soft conditions allowed the greens to hold well and the greens were cut and rolled nicely and played consistently. Did that help our putting? No. We had zero course knowledge and those familiar but subtle mountainside differences had us under and over shooting our target again and again until we adapted.
Fortunately, we had plenty of time to analyze each putt in great detail as the two players ahead of us had no intention of letting us play through and very little understanding in regard to course ,cart, and club management in an extreme cart path only situation. They must have been new to the game as they were clearly unaware and unconcerned about pace of play standards given playing ability. While the ranger drove by three times on the front nine, there was zero improvement in pace of play and things actually slowed further heading into the turn. The result was a 3 hour front nine! Yes folks, that's a 20 minutes per hole average. Those players quit after nine and so did my wife who was exhausted so I alone finished the back nine in 1 hour and thereby average out the 18 LOL.
We could have raised a fuss with the Ranger but we were out there to have a good time and it's clear that the ladies ahead were struggling with both the game and the conditions and they were there to have fun too. Back to the course.
Awesome layout, teeming with nature. We saw Birds and bees and wildlife everywhere. At least a half dozen deer were seen roaming about. Just beautiful and we would absolutely love to play this course in the Fall.
Things we loved: Great tee boxes! Flat and square. Excellent fairways, carpet like. and obviously well cared for. Manicured bunkers with some understandably waterlogged. Unbelievable number of bunkers but all very avoidable with smart decision making and proper club choice. Very nice practice area and range. A great place to learn as a beginner or test your skills as an advanced player.
All staff encountered at Jack Frost were kind and welcoming. We'd return for their company alone! Overall what a gem.

Seeing the ongoing transformation at Klein Creek over the past few years has been an eye opening experience in how a handful of interested people making solid, meaningful decisions and wise investments can make all the difference in a golf location.
The overall results are excellent to the point that I would today have to rank it among the best values in golf in all of Chicagoland.
Klein Creek delivers on everything that matters most to me as a golfer; Great conditions, Tee to Green, Fairways Bunkers and every cut that comes intio play.
I have always appreciated that this course offers serious challenges alternating with ample opportunities to score with good decision making and execution. This is what the game is all about.

Things less important to me continue to impress of the course with friendly, helpful staff all around and food which is well beyond average... that's not even fair.. everything I've tried has been excellent. Find is reasonably priced for the quality but drinks may cost more than your local social hangout. The atmosphere approaches upscale without being stuffy or pretentious. Bathrooms are clean which is always a plus.
If I must throw in some drawbacks it would have to be the lack of a full driving range and chipping/pitching practice areas are limited. There are some hitting bays available for warm-up which are appreciated, but I really do prefer my practice routine to include full flight under current conditions. Fortunately, and better than many courses, Klein Creek's practice greens very accurately reflect the conditions you'll find on the course and that's very important to me for expectations early in the round.

My opinion of Klein Creek has not always been positive. I wrote one vey bitter...I think a rare two-star review some years back when they just lost it all and it was an absolute mess and no fun to play. When I heard the course was under new independent ownership and not some mega golf course management company, I actually pityed the fool... but this is what makes this particular transformation so much more impressive. It had to take tremendous patience, vision, and a LOT of money to achieve and I do hope it's paying off.
My hat is off to all involved! Please keep up the great work! I play frequently and all around Chicagoland so I'm confident in stating that --at the price-- you're unlikely to find a much better value in the area for overall great golf. I look forward to playing here again soon!

There was a time when I knocked Klein Creek firmly for the many problems it suffered for whatever reason that led to that. In my negative reviews I always preface the observations by stating that "I only do so in the hopes that it may lead to action and improvements will be made"
Since the people at Klein Creek actually pulled this off, I feel that a detailed follow up is in order. The improvements made over the last several years which appear to be ongoing, are overcoming all of the previous challenges one by one and the overall results are impressive.

Of the many improvements, the ones most important to me are as follows:
1) Course Conditions Tee to Green:
The tee boxes are clean, flat, and well maintained. The fairways are well watered and manicured. The rough has thickened to a healthy state leaving it penal without making it difficult to find your ball; We never had a problem locating our ball and that is in my experience the primary factor for poor pace of play issues.
Sand Bunkers are consistent in play, well maintained, and free of debris.
Most important of all to me are the greens. Whatever they are doing, I hope they keep it up! Today they appeared in near perfect health, speed, and consistency. I would say the best I have seen at Klein Creek for as long as I can remember. Even as we followed a large outing, there were few signs of damage and shockingly, players were actually fixing their ball marks?!? They must have group hypnotized them before the shotgun start. I've honestly never seen anything like it. I expected to seen dozens of ball marks however I struggled to find and repair more than two or three.
Special Mention: The many sand bunkers at were grassed in are maturing nicely and today were clearly marked as GUR. At this pace I'd say they'll be playable before the end of the year. The waste bunkers I thought were an eyesore when they first made the move but now they look like I feel they should...a little grungy with a pebbly base and native grasses growing however they are able to survive and gravely sand and weedy spurge or clover patches and large rocks cast about as if a giant walked through carrying his rock collection with a hole in his pocket. You send your ball in there and maybe you'll have a great lie but maybe you'll be in serious trouble. So yeah...don't go in there!

2) Clubhouse Atmosphere, Service, and Food.
Food is not just good, it's exceptional. Assuming you have no food hang ups, you can honestly throw a dart at the menu and not go wrong. I had a simple club sandwich which was somehow made elegant. I don't expect elegant at any reasonably priced golf course, but that's what I got and it was delicious.

Staff everywhere, regardless of duty is not just friendly, they're personable, light-hearted, and attentive without being overly so or in your face. Best of all is that they appear to genuinely enjoy their work. This—above all—puts customers like me at ease. I've been to far too many courses that the golf itself was soured only by an arrogant or grumbly or otherwise maladjusted pro shop manager, starter or cart servicer attendant who woke up on the wrong side of the bed with their sole focus on the day being to make everyone know that they want nothing more than to be somewhere else. From my experience, such people don't exist at Klein Creek. It's a major feat and reason enough to happily return.

Living in Wheaton, I'm glad to welcome Klein Creek back again as a local favorite and I look forward to playing many more rounds this year and seeing the improvements continue into the future. To everyone involved, thank you for turning it around!

There was a time in the not too distant past when I dreaded when friends booked tee times at Bloomingdale. That has changed and conditions have drastically improved over previous years. The difference in tee boxes, fairways and greens is evident. The rough is no longer a nightmare. Generally speaking, everything appears to be cleaned up and on point.

Keep up the good work Bloomingdale and I'll continue to look forward to playing here again.

In short, the fastest greens I have ever played. I five putted..yes FIVE putted the second par 3 before I adapted. As a 15 handicap I had 27 putts on the front nine. Yes, you read that correctly, 27 of my front nine 55 strokes were putts! On the back nine? 11 putts and a score of 41.It can be done. Chip close. Stay below the hole.
Is it tough? Heck yes. Is it also fun as can be? Absolutely.
Loved everything about this course and really look forward to playing here again..

The layout here is fantastic. About as challenging as a course can be. Regardless of which tee boxes you choose, at some point you will need your best distance and ultimate accuracy to shoot a reasonable score. Note that I didn't say "shoot low" With the rating at the back tees at a stunning 75 and a slope of 144 on a Par 71 course..., there are few who would expect to shoot low... reasonably low is really all one can ask here.

One favorite was #11
Approaching the blue tee 464 yard par 5 #11 I thought, well heck this shouldn't be too hard. Wrong. It's the longest 464 yard par 5 I've ever played with a tight, hard dog-leg right encapsulated fairway with trouble left and right all the way to the green. The tee shot requires essentially a 200 straight away carry with have about 50 yards to work with on the other side of the creek. Then you have trees to navigate over or around on the approach. Frankly, I was happy to take a 1 putt 7 with two penalty strokes. Those were just two of the 7 total penalty strokes I took at Oak Grove this day! Accuracy is a must.

Condition wise, the Tees and Fairways were as expected during a long hot summer and not nearly as bad as earlier reviews purported. The bunker sand were pretty bad and really needs to be cleaned out. On the 603 yard Par 5 # 6 I was in the left bunker in 3 shots and proceeded to splash several large stones toward the flag along with the ball which came up short of the green. You don't really want to have to clean stones off of the green but it had to be done for anyone to putt. Had my first of four 3-putts for an 8 there.

It's unfortunate that Oak Grove is so far off the beaten path because it's clear that they struggle financially. The clubhouse is worn down and outdated inside and out and all around. The grill was lacking help and there was no beverage cart running at all on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with a course packed full of golfers. That makes it a difficult decision to play and only the course itself will bring me back.

Bottom line, it's a great golf course with a layout better than most. I'd play it again and again but it's a haul and it's not a place I can relax comfortably in. On the plus side, we have already decided that it would be a great stop for a stay and play few days in the Lake Geneva region and we look forward to returning to Oak Grove.

Hang in there guys and keep the course in good shape. We hope there is a generous benefactor that will see Oak Grove for all it can be and bring it back to the future.

Shaumburg Golf Club has become a favorite for me and my wife. the Stone or Back Tees provide a reasonable challenge while her Cedar Tees allow her to play on pace with anyone playing any other tee.

What I find most impressive at Shaumburg is the consistency. Every time we play we get quality tee boxes, well groomed fairways, excellent bunker conditions, and reliable, consistent green speeds.
You can't ask for much more.

If there were one issue, the rough is not so consistent. That's fine, but finding your ball can be a challenge at times even when you know where you hit it. I actually like that the rough is so penal however it can affect pace of play to some degree if multiple people in your foursome are missing the fairway.

Staff is always friendly and accommodating but the masks and plexi make it very difficult to communicate and never seeing a smile really has a way of sucking the warmth and charm out of an otherwise pleasant experience. I do look forward to the days when masks are optional.

I cannot understate how impressed I was with the overall design, layout and conditions found at Iron Horse today.

Every hole is a gem and the architect, Dr. Michael Hurdzan is a golf course design genius.

There is no need to detail anything in particular. From the practice areas to the moment you play one of the most challenging Par 4 finishing holes I have ever seen, you'll get a taste of the best of all that a quality golf club has to offer.

The only problem I have with this beautiful place is that I live 500 miles away. I was fortunate to be able to find this location while passing through for work. Provided the opportunity, I will return again, absolutely.

To all at Ironhorse Golf Club in Kansas, thank you, and well done!

Passing through Des Moines and had the time to drop in for 18.
Was surprised by the low slope in combination with a standard rating, however it proves out.

Really enjoyed the back 9 over the front but that number 9 hole is a brute that I was fortunate to 1 putt for par. It's one of the tightest sloping downhill dogleg rights with an uphill approach I have ever seen.
Word from the pro shop was that a guy shagged some 200 balls one afternoon from the woods along number nine and I believe it!

There is virtually no water in play but that is more than made up for with blind tee shots, blind second shots, tricky approaches and greens that can look this way but then can go that way.

This course has seen a lot of play. I couldn't fix enough ball marks but I tried and worked enough to make a mostly clean line. I definitely missed one putt because if a mark I didn't see about 10 inches from the hole. It happens. Hopefully that improves.

Overall a unique layout that I would be happy to play again and I would expect to score better with knowledge gained.

Bartlett Hills is an area favorite of mine that comes up just shy of 5 stars only because some aesthetics that are difficult to maintain during difficult times.

Tee boxes, fairways, and greens are in excellent shape. The bunkers are also in good shape but several of them were infested with ground dwelling bees which made it daunting to play out of. There are so many tree rings and flower boxes, planters, etc. It appears to be just a bit too much to maintain and it shows.
Not quite sure why they don't offer a sand/seed mix bottle but I expect the course would fair better in many places if it did.

The staff is excellent, super friendly and the food is above average. If Golf Advisor would allow me to tack on an additional half star I certainly would but otherwise I have to reserve the 5 for courses that nail nearly every aspect of a quality golf course experience.

I have played Prairie Bluff roughly a dozen times over the years at various times during the year. Conditions have always been good from tee to green and the staff has always been kind, courteous and helpful.

Notable this time around were the greens.Our group found them to be in excellent condition for mid September. Nicely cut and rolled. Firm and true. Couldn't ask for any better really. The clubhouse has a full service restaurant with everything you could want in a relaxed atmosphere. It's a great place to hang out after a round.

It's always good to know that when you go to Prairie Bluff, you're going to get quality golf every time.
Well done to all at Prairie Bluff for doing things right!

This was the second year in a row that I joined some buddies to play Treetops. They had been going for years and they claimed that I'd be in for something I've never seen before and that I would love it. They were right.

If you love golf, you will love all of Treetops for its views, variety, and above all, some of the most challenging greens that you will ever experience. The most difficult among them you will find at Rick Smith's Signature Course. How challenging? Well, One of the best golfers in our group who is about a 13 handicap took a 5 putt on the 1st hole and endured eight 3 putts on his way to shooting a personal worst (a certain number over 100). It just wasn't his day and he was left beyond frustrated.

He and others will call the Signature's greens "gimmicky" and I cannot argue otherwise. If out of position, you WILL find there are literally almost impossible putts that will absolutely run off the putting surface and far away from your intended target.

On the other hand — at a 15 handicap — I managed to shoot 90 on the same day. I did this by managing my approach shots, away from bunkers, and pitching/chipping close and leaving the ball in position beneath the pin. (Nine 1 putts and only two 3 putts) with only 6 fairways hit and just one green in regulation So go figure and make of it what you will.
At any time, a course just is what it is and it's the same for all players (from the same tee box) There is a very good reason why this par 70 course has a rating of 71 and slope of 139 from the blue tees at only 6,285 yards. It's just super difficult!

Just know that if you aren't a scratch golfer (or better), you're almost certainly going to take a bigger number here than you are comfortable with, and I hope that you are able to appreciate and enjoy the difficulty and the unique experience the Architect, Rick Smith, was able to deliver. These diabolical undulations are an incredibly rare treat that is immensely difficult to plan, build and maintain. So as you are taking your third fourth or even fifth putt, think about this, laugh about it as your friends laugh with you and enjoy!