Chicago & Midwest Golf — Golf Travel Guide (2026)
Chicago sits at the epicenter of Midwest golf, surrounded by more Top 100 courses per capita than almost anywhere in America — including the birthplace of American golf.
Overview
The Chicago area boasts an extraordinary concentration of elite golf courses. Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton is the first 18-hole golf course in the United States (1893). Medinah Country Club has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, and a Ryder Cup. For accessible golf, Cog Hill Dubsdread offers championship-caliber public golf at municipal prices. The flat Midwest terrain is offset by creative routing, mature trees, and courses shaped by legends from C.B. Macdonald to Dick Wilson. Beyond golf, Chicago offers world-class dining, architecture tours, and one of America's great urban waterfronts.
Best Time to Visit
May through October is the golf season, with June through September offering the best weather (70s-80s°F). May and October can be cool but offer lower rates and stunning fall colors. The season is short — courses close from late November through March.
Getting There
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway (MDW) provide extensive domestic and international connections. Most top courses are 30-60 minutes from downtown in the western and southern suburbs. A rental car is essential.
Where to Stay
Downtown Chicago offers the best dining and nightlife access — stay in the Loop, River North, or Gold Coast and commute to suburban courses. For a golf-focused trip, Eaglewood Resort in Itasca or the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills provide proximity to western suburb courses.
Top Courses to Play
Chicago, Illinois · Charles Blair Macdonald / Seth Raynor (1895) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,597 yards
The first 18-hole course in the United States and a founding member of the USGA, Chicago Golf Club is an American treasure. C.B. Macdonald's template holes, refined by Seth Raynor, offer a master class in strategic golf architecture.
Chicago, Illinois · Seth Raynor (1921) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,310 yards
A Seth Raynor masterpiece on the North Shore overlooking Lake Michigan, Shoreacres is consistently ranked among the best courses in Illinois and the top 50 in America. The compact 6,310-yard layout features Raynor's template holes adapted brilliantly to dramatic lakeside ravine terrain.
Chicago, Illinois · Willie Park Jr. (1922) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 7,366 yards
Host of the 2003 U.S. Open and 2023 BMW Championship, Olympia Fields North is a classic parkland championship course south of Chicago. The tight, tree-lined layout demands precision and patience through 18 demanding holes.
Chicago, Illinois · Tom Bendelow / Roger Rulewich (1928) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,658 yards
Known for its iconic Byzantine-inspired clubhouse, Medinah No. 3 has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, and the 2012 Ryder Cup. The Lake Kadijah centerpiece and dramatic tree-lined holes make this one of golf's most recognizable venues.
Chicago, Illinois · Jerry Rich (1999) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,531 yards
One of the most exclusive and unique private courses in America, Rich Harvest Farms was designed by owner Jerry Rich on his 455-acre farm in Sugar Grove. The 7,531-yard layout features dramatic elevation changes, water on 13 holes, and hosted the 2009 Solheim Cup.
Chicago, Illinois · Tom Fazio (1991) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 7,139 yards
A Tom Fazio design in Lake Forest that hosted the 2013 BMW Championship, Conway Farms proves that compelling championship golf doesn't require 7,400+ yards. The walking-only, caddie-program club emphasizes strategic variety and firm, fast conditions.
Chicago, Illinois · Dick Wilson / Rees Jones (1964) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,547 yards
Long the Chicago-area's premier public championship course, Cog Hill No. 4 "Dubsdread" hosted the BMW Championship and Western Open for decades. The Rees Jones renovation maintained the course's fearsome reputation while modernizing it for championship play.
Chicago, Illinois · Dick Nugent (1995) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,164 yards
Built on a former landfill on Lake Michigan's south shore, Harborside's Port Course offers links-style golf with Chicago skyline views. The windswept layout is a unique public golf experience just minutes from downtown.
Frequently Asked Questions
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