Chicago Area Golf News

June 1, 2024
Chicago students swing high learning life skills through golf
Noel Brennan, CBS Chicago

ears from now, when some children grow up to be scratch golfers, they'll remember taking their first swings in a gym class.

That's one hope for coaches who visited an elementary school on the South Side as First Tee Greater Chicago introduced kids to the game of golf.

First Tee Greater Chicago said it's helped more than 100,000 kids learn and grow through the game of golf. It brings its coaches and clubs to schools where kids might not otherwise discover golf.

June 1, 2024
With Bonnie Dundee back in the green, the golf club’s 100th anniversary being celebrated like a hole-in-one

• Learn more about Bonnie Dundee Golf Club

Mike Dahaney, Elgin Courier-News

Bonnie Dundee Golf Club reaching its milestone 100th year has special meaning for Frank Raczon, who has years of memories from spending his school breaks working at the Carpentersville course and assisting then-owner Anuta Harms on her daily opeartions check.

And he still plays there three or four times a week when he can, traveling from his home/office in Sleepy Hollow to a place that made its debut in the year Edgar Hoover became the FBI director, Walt Disney created his first cartoon and the Chicago Bears played their first game at the newly opened Soldier Field.

The club’s anniversary is no less a big deal a century later, and will be celebrated with a party at the course’s 270 N. John F. Kennedy Drive clubhouse from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22. Open to the public, it will feature food, entertainment, contests and giveaways, according to Dundee Township Park District, its current owner.

June 4, 2024
Chicago police officer charged with damaging Blue Island golf course 2 times

• Learn more about Meadows Golf Club of Blue Island

Staff report, ABC 7 News

A Chicago police officer has been charged with causing damage to a south suburban golf course.

Prosecutors say Chicago Police Department Officer Romello Washington caused damage at The Meadows Golf Club in Blue Island two different times late last month. He is now charged with Criminal Damage to Property.

CPD said Washington was relieved of his police powers on Tuesday.

June 5, 2024
Big changes for Cantigny, Cog Hill

• Learn more about Cantigny Golf Club

Len Ziehm, Daily Herald

Park Ridge-based course architect Todd Quitno just began a three-year project to upgrade Cantigny, the 35-year old 27-hole facility that has been particularly notable for its commitment to growing the game through its Youth Links layout. It won’t be touched in the renovation and. Because Cantigny is blessed with 27 holes, its regulars will always have an 18-hole layout available.
Hillside, the shortest of Cantigny’s three nines, will undergo its renovation this year with Woodside and Lakeside combining on the 18-hole scorecard. Woodside gets its upgrades in 2025 and Lakeside in 2026. Cantigny has hosted five Illinois State Amateurs, but the next scheduled one will be pushed back two years, to 2026.

June 5, 2024
Caleb Williams is so competitive he made a Chicago Topgolf stay open until 1 AM
Coleman Bentley, Golf Digest

We have a new golf guy blooming in Chi-town. After being spotted following Jordan Spieth’s group at The Players back in March, new Bears QB Caleb Williams has reportedly been grinding at Chicago-area Topgolfs until the wee hours of the morning.

That’s according to tight end Cole Kmet, who told reporters at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday that he got a glimpse of Williams’ competitive streak when this year’s number-one-overall pick recently convinced a Windy City Topgolf location to stay open until 1 a.m. just so he could finish his game.

June 7, 2024
Resurrected Waukegan golf program doubles in size

• Learn more about Bonnie Brook Golf Course

Steve Sadin, Lake County News-Sun

Asked to give junior golf a boost by the Waukegan Park District Board of Commissioners after it was discontinued four years ago — in part because of the coronavirus pandemic — the program doubled in size from pre-COVID levels when it started again on Thursday.

Jon Beckman, the Park District’s director of finance, said an effort has been made to make the cost of playing the game and the equipment needed more affordable for the young families of Waukegan.

Open to children ages 5 through 12, Beckman said youngsters who complete the four-week clinic learning the fundamentals of the game get to keep their set of clubs and get new ones as they grow bigger. Scholarships are also available.

June 12, 2024
Glenview prepares to host the NV5 Invitational again

• Learn more about The Glen Club

Bob Sirott, WGN News

Before Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 Masters and earned the title for top golfer in the world, he was in Glenview taking home the 2019 NV5 Invitational trophy. The event returns to the Glen Club next month (July 25-28). Chris Montagano, the Tournament Director, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) and Dave Eanet to preview the NV5 Invitational.

June 18, 2024
Golfers invited to free Ping professional fitting at Heritage Oaks Golf Club

• Learn more about Heritage Oaks Golf Club

Elena Ferrarin, Daily Herald

Master fitters from Ping Golf will be onsite at the Heritage Oaks’ practice range by appointment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, through Sunday, June 30.

The master fitters are based at the company’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. Appointments are booked in one-hour sessions designed to determine the ideal combination of custom-built clubs to each golfer’s precise specifications.

June 18, 2024
11 holes at Canal Shores to reopen Aug. 1, with a new name and logo

• Learn more about Canal Shores Golf Course

Jim Brown, Evanston Roundtable

The Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association and KemperSports on Tuesday announced a rebrand of Canal Shores as “The Evans at Canal Shores.”

“The new name and logo spearhead the rebranding efforts as the 100-year-old course embarks on a new era of delivering exceptional and memorable experiences for Chicagoland golfers,” a news release said.

The golf course, located in Evanston and Wilmette on land owned by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District along the North Shore Channel, has been undergoing an extensive renovation since June of last year and all holes have been closed to play since August.

June 19, 2024
Illinois women’s golf gets boost from CDGA
Len Ziehm, Daily Herald

The Illinois Women’s State Amateur had been conducted by the downstate-based Illinois Women’s Golf Association for 90 years before the IWGA — beset by a loss of members — turned the event over to the Chicago District Golf Association this year.

While the site remained at The Grove in Long Grove, the shift in leadership produced a significant boost to women’s golf in the state.

The CDGA changed the format from match play to a 54-hole stroke play event, and last week’s tourney produced a wire-to-wire winner in Buffalo Grove’s Haeri Lee. The 24-year old Drake University alum posted rounds of 72, 70 and 76, and her 2-over-par 218 was good for a one-stroke win over Geneva’s Sarah Arnold.

June 25, 2024
Demolition to begin on Glencoe Golf Club clubhouse in fall

• Learn more about Glencoe Golf Club

Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune

Village of Glencoe officials believe demolition of the existing Glencoe Golf Club clubhouse will start this fall as preparations continue for the estimated $18.6 million project.

Glencoe staff members provided village trustees with an update on both the budget and the construction plans for the overhaul of the Golf Club at a June 20 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Last year, a majority of village residents approved a $15 million bond sale referendum to fund most of the project set to be highlighted by a new combined clubhouse and pro shop.