Nina Caldwell
Chicago is a city in the United States with a rich golfing history. It is home to several quality public golf courses, including the Chicago Golf Club, which was founded by renowned course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Charles Blair Macdonald. The city also has a strong culture of golf enthusiasts, with the Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) uniting over 115,000 golfers across the district. In addition to its golf courses and clubs, Chicago offers a unique golf game called Chicago, which is based on a quota system where golfers are given a quota of points determined by their course handicap. The city also hosts various golf tournaments and championships, including the Western Open and BMW Championships at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club. With its scenic courses, driving ranges, and accessible locations, Chicago is a golfer's paradise, offering something for everyone, from beginners to experts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Chicago Golf Club | A private golf club in the Midwestern United States, located in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago |
| Founding | One of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894 |
| History | The club was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020 |
| Events | The club has hosted several prominent events, including multiple U.S. Opens, the Walker Cup, and the inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open |
| Designer | Renowned course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Charles Blair Macdonald |
| Chicago Golf Format | A golf game based on a quota system, where each golfer is given a quota based on their course handicap; the winner is the player whose point total for 18 holes most exceeds their quota |
| Chicago Park District Golf | Offers beautiful views of Lake Michigan and affordable rates for golfers of all skill levels, with championship layouts and beginner-friendly courses |
| Notable Courses | Robert A. Black Golf Course, Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course, Columbus Park Golf Course, Diversey Driving Range & Miniature Golf, Jackson Park Golf Course, among others |
| Notable Clubs | Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, Pine Meadow Golf Club, The Glen Club, Cantigny Golf, among others |
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What You'll Learn
Chicago Golf Club
The Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club located in the Midwestern United States, in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. It is considered one of the most historic and exclusive golf clubs in the country. The club was founded in 1892 by Charles Blair Macdonald, a renowned course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member. Macdonald laid out the first nine holes at Belmont Golf Club in Downers Grove, Illinois, which became the first golf course built west of the Alleghenies and the oldest 18-hole course in North America.
In 1894, the club moved to its present site in Wheaton, leasing the Patrick Farm and laying out an 18-hole course. The club purchased the property outright in 1898. The course was designed by Macdonald, who was a chronic slicer, so he routed the holes to play in a clockwise fashion. The Chicago Golf Club was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894, and it has hosted several prominent events, including multiple U.S. Opens and Walker Cups.
The club has a very exclusive membership and does not open to the public. It is known for its wide-open layout, with trees rarely coming into play, and its greens are considered some of the best in the world, featuring severe false fronts. The course is not particularly long, but the greens are subtly difficult, requiring strategic thinking to navigate successfully. The club has a very old-fashioned feel, and the members are said to be low-key, forgoing air conditioning in the clubhouse and abstaining from drinking during play.
In the early 1900s, members began to consider modifying the course, and in 1917, Macdonald recommended hiring Seth Raynor to build a new modern course. Due to World War I, construction began in 1921, and the new course opened in June 1923. The Chicago Golf Club has been praised as one of the best golf courses in the United States, with its design and routing by Raynor, featuring his signature template holes. It is considered the quintessential Golden Age golf course of the Midwest and a must-play for golfers.
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Chicago Golf Format
The Chicago Golf Format is a unique golf scoring system based on a quota system. Each golfer is given a quota of points based on their course handicap. The quota of points is determined by the following formula: 39 minus the course handicap. For instance, a golfer with a 1 handicap would have a quota of 38 points, while a handicap of 20 would result in a quota of 19 points. The minimum quota is 2 points, which is given to golfers with handicaps of 37 and above.
The winner of the Chicago match is the player whose point total for 18 holes most exceeds their quota. In the case that no player exceeds their quota, the winner is determined to be the golfer who comes closest to their quota. Double eagles (albatrosses) are worth 16 points.
The Chicago format can be played as a team game or as individuals. If played as a team game, the team members add up their starting negative points to create a single team starting point. The objective is then for the team to clear the hurdle and move into positive points by the largest amount. A twist sometimes added is that if any member of a team remains in negative points at the end of the round, those points are subtracted from the team's total.
Betting can be incorporated into the Chicago format in several ways. Each golfer can put the same amount of money into a pot, which is then divided among the winners as agreed upon before the start of the round. Alternatively, a set value can be assigned to each point, and the differences are paid out at the end of the round. Another option is to simply do a winner-takes-all format, where each loser pays the winner the bet amount.
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Chicago Park District Golf
The Robert A. Black Golf Course is the newest addition to the Chicago Park District golf courses. It is a par-33 layout designed by the renowned Dick Nugent and is located just 25 minutes from Chicago's Loop. The Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course is another popular option, featuring a waterfront 9-hole course just north of downtown with tight greens and numerous bunkers.
For those looking for a more historic experience, the Jackson Park Golf Course on the South Side offers a scenic 18-hole course with mature hardwood trees and a renovated clubhouse. The Diversey Driving Range & Miniature Golf is also a great choice, offering a picturesque driving range and an 18-hole mini golf course adjacent to Lake Michigan.
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Chicago District Golf Association
The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) is the governing body for amateur golf in the Chicago region, including parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It is one of the oldest and largest golf associations in the United States, founded on March 18, 1914, and currently comprising over 100,000 individual golfers and 400 clubs.
The CDGA provides golfers with member offers, a USGA Handicap Index®, and competitive playing opportunities. Clubs benefit from Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ measuring services, turfgrass diagnostics, and educational seminars. The association also runs Outreach Programs to encourage therapeutic and recreational engagement with golf, focusing on individuals with special needs, youth, and veterans.
CDGA members can take advantage of exclusive benefits, such as pre-sale event registration and access to the CDGA Member Golf Shop, where they can purchase logoed apparel and accessories at discounted prices. The association also produces multimedia content, including the "CDGA Golf Show," which airs on ESPN 1000, and the "Chicago District Golfer" digital publication.
The CDGA hosts and sponsors various golf events, including the Chicago Adaptive Open, which features physically and intellectually disabled golfers, and the CDGA VGA Two-Person Veterans Cup Series, celebrating and honouring the service of military veterans.
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Golf courses in Chicago
Chicago is home to a plethora of golf courses, catering to everyone from beginners to experts. The Chicago Golf Club, a private golf club located in the Midwestern United States, is one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA). It has hosted several prominent events, including the 1897 Open, the first tournament hosted at Charles Blair Macdonald's club, as well as the first championship west of Appalachia. The club has also hosted multiple U.S. Opens and Walker Cups.
The city of Chicago offers a variety of public golf courses, including the Harborside International Golf Center, which is just 25 minutes from the city's loop. This course, designed by Dick Nugent, offers stunning views of the city skyline from many of its holes. Another notable public course is the Robert A. Black Golf Course, the newest addition to the Chicago Park District Golf family. This par-33 layout was also designed by Dick Nugent and offers beautiful views of Lake Michigan at an affordable price.
For those looking for a more scenic option, the Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course is a 9-hole waterfront course just north of downtown Chicago. It offers a challenging experience with tight greens and numerous bunkers, along with a backdrop that includes the Clock Tower Café. The Jackson Park Golf Course is another historic option, located on the South Side just off Lake Michigan. This 18-hole course features mature hardwood trees and a renovated clubhouse.
Additionally, Chicago is home to several other renowned golf clubs, such as Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, which has hosted the Western Open and BMW Championships. The Glen Club, located on the former site of a Naval Air Base, offers a suburban oasis filled with rolling hills, lakes, and creeks. Cantigny Golf, set amidst lush forests, hills, and lakes, has hosted the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links and numerous USGA qualifiers. Pine Meadow Golf Club, considered a mini-Cog Hill, offers a picturesque setting with its towering evergreens and hardwood trees.
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Frequently asked questions
The Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club located in the Midwestern United States, in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. It was founded by renowned course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Charles Blair Macdonald and was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894.
Chicago is a golf game based on a quota system, where each golfer is given a quota based on their course handicap. The quota of points is determined by the following formula: 39 - Course Handicap. The golfer with the highest point total once everyone has completed play wins a Chicago tournament.
The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) is an organisation that aims to grow accessibility for the game of golf through the Handicap Index®, amateur tournaments, memberships, and more. It has been uniting golfers across the Chicago District for over 110 years.
