A view of a green with water coming into play at Makray Memorial Golf Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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4.3
572 Reviews (572)
5 Stars
288
4 Stars
186
3 Stars
59
2 Stars
23
1 Stars
16
Conditions
4.1
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.4
84.2%
Recommend this course
480 out of 572 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.6
10 Reviews (10)
5 Stars
7
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.8
Amenities
4.7
StaffFriendliness
4.2
90.0%
Recommend this course
9 out of 10 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
78 Reviews (78)
5 Stars
46
4 Stars
19
3 Stars
8
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
3
Conditions
4.1
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.5
StaffFriendliness
4.3
83.3%
Recommend this course
65 out of 78 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 71
Length 6903 yards
Slope 139
Rating 74.5

Makray Memorial Golf Club (formerly known as Thunderbird Country Club) is a public course that has been open since 1962. To commemorate 40 years of great golf, the course was remodeled and revamped in 2002. The renovations improved its playability and also made it more challenging. The championship-caliber layout features strategically placed bunkers, including some Scottish-style sod-faced ones, and tricky water hazards on several holes. The hilly terrain offers both challenging elevation changes and scenic views. The golf course finishes with a long par 5 that plays across a canyon of berms to a narrow fairway. Further accuracy is needed to reach the well guarded green surrounded by high berms, a pot bunker to the left, and a deep, steep bunker to the right. In addition to the course, Makray Memorial G.C. boasts an extensive practice facility with 1 1/2 acres of grass teeing ground, two putting greens, and a short-game area.

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Course Details

Year Built 1962
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Architect ILT Vignocchi (2002) Bob Lohmann

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $20 - $30
Clubs Yes
GPS Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies No
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code No blue jeans. Collared shirts for men, although mock turtlenecks are acceptable. Shorts no shorter then 3 inches above the knee.

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in Illinois (2016 #22)

Reviews

4.3
572 Reviews (572)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 25
Patio Dining 17
19th Hole Scenic Views 14
Course Challenges Include:
Undulating Greens 35
Elevation Changes 26
Bunkers 25
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 34
A Weekend Splurge 13
Entertaining Clients 13
This Course's Location is:
In the 'Burbs 31
Worth the Drive 22

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Beautiful Course

FIrst time playing and was impressed by the layout and hole designs. Par 4s that made you lay up or make sure you hitting the fairway for an approach. Unfortunately the greens were rolling the fastest I had ever seen. Just tap the ball to start rolling and if was downhill you were going off the green sometimes.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Best public course greens in IL.

Easily my favorite track I’ve this year. Best greens I’ve played all year, including private clubs. White sand is pure. Great course layout. Clubhouse has a private club feel.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Fastest Greens Around

Makray greens are always a challenge, but they seemed exceptionally fast on my most recent round. In addition to the speed there is a lot of back to front slope, so you want to stay below the pin on your approaches. The greens and the whole course was in great shape in spite of the shortage of rain. Pace was unusually slow because of a "full house" on a Friday afternoon.

Fun course to play.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 35
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Tremendous Greens

I played here because it looked like the average golfer constantly complained about the fast greens, they are fast but that’s what they should be, if you’re a good to advanced golfer you’ll love this place especially the greens

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 121
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

Difficult

Makray is serious test
Almost all the greens slope back to front and if you are above the hole good luck
Greens were receptive but very fast
Nice range
Course is difficult and you need to play the correct tees
Group in front of us were playing one up and figured out by the 5th hole they needed to move up

One thing they need to fix is the practice putting green
It is awful and has been that way since opening
On the right side you can drop a ball and it will roll 20 feet

If you want to test every part of your game Makray is the place

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Top Notch facility

This Golf Course never disappoints always in Tip Top shape greens are lightning, staff is right on top of things. Water on every few holes in coolers is one of the nicest touches I've seen in the course in this area. For the money you cannot beat this course private course amenities at a public price highly recommended

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice Course, but

One draw back - I asked for a handicap flag and they said they don’t have one (or cart override). Not too happy about that as there is a lot of walking from the path over hills to the green.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Monday at Makray

Overall I enjoyed playing Makray. It was a first playing there in some time, and I was paired up with a nice 3 some of friends. It was a clear but pretty breezy day. The course was in good shape, and the pace of play was great. The greens were very recently sanded and extremely fast, along with many undulations. It made for a challenging round, though I sure didn't help matters with my play. The sand was nice and thin, but not all in consistent shape.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Bring your touch

Course was in great shape and the greens were diabolical. The GK set pins in crazy spots and greens must have been running 12-13 on stimp as puts above hole could run out 10-20 ft. When playing Makray, the greens are the courses main defense, love the challenge on the greens

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 27
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Greens Unplayable

Greenskeeper should be fired. Greens are unplayable
Too fast for the amount of undulation.
Stay away from this place unless you like to be tortured?

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 27
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Greens are a JOKE!

Only thing missing on the greens is the Clown’s mouth. Greens were unplayable. Too undulated and too fast. Save your money, unless you are trying to get your handicap up.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 57
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

ENJOYED

COURSE IS ALWAYS IN VERY SHAPE. GOT A GOOD GOLFNOW DEAL

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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