Chicago Golf Club

Chicago Golf Club was founded in 1892 by Charles Blair Macdonald and other prominent Chicagoans who wanted to play the game they had experienced during visits to Scotland. The club initially operated on a 9-hole course in Belmont before moving to Wheaton, Illinois, where Macdonald laid out the first 18-hole golf course in North America in 1895. Chicago Golf Club was one of the five founding member clubs of the USGA in 1894.

Macdonald, who won the inaugural U.S. Amateur in 1895, designed the original layout incorporating template holes inspired by the great courses of the British Isles. Seth Raynor later supervised construction and refined the template concepts including the Redan, Biarritz, Eden, and Road holes. The club hosted the U.S. Open in 1897, 1900, and 1911, the U.S. Amateur in 1897 and 1905, and the Walker Cup in 1928 and 2005.

The course remains remarkably true to its original character. It hosted the 2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open, demonstrating its continued relevance. Chicago Golf Club is consistently ranked among the top 20 courses in America.

Chicago Golf Club is a flat, windswept course through open prairie terrain west of Chicago. At just 6,597 yards with a par of 70, the course relies on strategic architecture rather than length. The template holes represent a master class in design principles that have influenced architects for over a century.

The course has a distinctly minimalist, links-like character with firm turf, subtle ground contours, and a premium on the ground game. Wind is a constant factor on the exposed terrain, and small, well-defended greens demand precise iron play.

Study the template holes before playing — understanding the strategic concepts will help you make better decisions. The Redan requires a specific shot shape to use the green contours. The Biarritz demands landing on the correct tier. The Road hole punishes anything long or right.

Because the course is relatively short, resist the temptation to overpower it. Positioning and angle of approach matter far more than distance. Pay close attention to wind direction, as it can shift club selection significantly on exposed holes.