A view of a green with water coming into play at Makray Memorial Golf Club.
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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
4.8
5 Reviews (5)
5 Stars
4
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.8
Value
4.6
Layout
5.0
Pace
5.0
Amenities
5.0
StaffFriendliness
4.2
100.0%
Recommend this course
5 out of 5 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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Makray Memorial Golf Club
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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 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Gail force winds made a difficult course even tougher

Way too windy a day to score well, but course is one of the better in the area. Too bad its a bit pricey and I'll look for some sales (Deals) in the future to play again (maybe a weekday senior rate?).

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 115
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 115
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Best Greens in Chicago

Whether it’s public or private Makray has the best greens of just about any course in Chicago.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 21
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great round at Mackray

Early morning rounds at Mackray are great. The course is quiet, especially with the electric carts and the pace of play is perfect. The ten minute tee times work to give just the right amount of time for all levels of golfers. Will be back many more times. Be wary of the crazy greens though…they will challenge even the best!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

It was Labor Day Monday

It was Labor Day Monday That the course me thinks didn’t want to upset a packed Holiday a course made our five hour round.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Sad and bad greens…sand was also bland

Sadly whoever takes care of the greens has decided to make them insanely fast and completely unfair… They were also rock hard… The sand looked good at first but unfortunately was also rock hard underneath the quarter inch of light sand that they did have, sad lack of raking. The fairways were good and the pace was fine but workers were very grumpy…

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 11
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course

The course was in excellent shape and the greens are always tough. Just wish we would have moved a little faster then 5 hours but the course certainly made up for it.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging track

Greens were slick and in good shape. Fairways full of divots in spots but otherwise beautiful.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 37
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Thank you so much to starter!

Our group have to make separate tee times . Starter made arrangements to put us together in the same group, it worked great. Thank you so much. We liked course very much and will return for an outing.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
4.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Hardest Course I Ever Played!

You better be a long ball hitter...which I am not! Well kept course. Give it a try, but be prepared.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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