mcarlson0522

Played Sand Valley in September 2019. Played Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes but didn’t have time for the Sandbox. Both courses are amazing but Mammoth definitely stands out being just more dramatic. Incredible property and fun golf. Friend of mine popped for caddies which was very nice but not necessary. Staff is beyond friendly and the place is just a top notch golf destination. I stayed off property at a townhouse rental and saved 50% which I would do again. I put a lot of stock in the conditions of the course when I rate golf courses. This being said SV technically isn’t pristine, but the rustic, somewhat linksy, wind swept bunkers had a cool feeling. Greens were in tip top shape which is #1 in my book. At the end of the day I definitely recommend visiting this property.

Played the Preserve twice last year (2018). Enjoyed the new layout but the conditions were subpar so to speak. Way too many spots where there was ground under repair. Even late in the season of ‘18 there was no improvement.

Moving forward to 7/15/19. Spoke to the starter and he stated they tried a certain seed or top dressing that didn’t work, however, early spring 2019 they got it right. Played the track and they certainly did. Overall very very impressed on how immaculate the conditions were. From tee to green I was floored.

Price at 70 bucks with cart on weekend hit the sweet spot for the type of layout and conditions. Pace of play was fantastic with no issues.

Course is above average difficulty so don’t bring anybody who is new to the game. With the slightly higher price and the tougher conditions it should keep away the newbies.

Greens looked fabulous but were running slower than they looked but rolled very true so no issues at all.

An above poster said something about the carts. Not sure why because they’re very nice with GPS. All they need is signage to show you where the carts will cutoff.

The big websites say this is a top 10 course now. Do I agree? No, but definitely in my top 15 without question.

Well done Preserve.

First off I would like to say I was very impressed with the conditions. So pure and pristine. Played on June 13th 2019 on a very rainy day. Course drained well and flew through my round under 3 hours.

Value was just perfect. 39 bucks with cart in June on a weekday was a breath of fresh air.

Staff was nice and pleasant so no complaints.

2 simple issues I had. 1 the location which obviously is different from everybody. From Downers Grove it takes around 1 hr and 15 minutes of travel time. That is with medium traffic, God forbid there was traffic.

2nd, I felt there were too many similar holes. Not that many memorable holes. So in my opinion if you live in the northern suburbs or happen to be in the area I highly suggest to play this course. For me it’s tough since the travel is just too far for an above average course. If I’m driving that far I wanna play Thunderhawk.

Wickenburg Ranch is just incredible on every level. No weak points, no complaints about anything. If there’s an issue so to speak it’s just that it’s plain old far from Phoenix/Scottsdale. Worth the 1hr 15 min hike from north Scottsdale. If this course was in Scottsdale it would be 300 bucks to play. Paid around 135 in late May 2019. Worth every penny. Pro shop, snack bar/restaurant etc. is so clean and welcoming. I’ve been to high end private courses that aren’t on this superb level. Played this course the second month it was open for play. Was a 10 then and a 10 now. Course is one if not the most pristine courses I’ve ever played. Tough track but not as crazy tight/narrow as let’s say Quintero Or Troon North.

As Ferris Bueler would say, “If you can play here do so, it’s so choice.”

Played Troon pinnacle on 5/23/19 at 330pm for 60 bucks. I’ve paid over 200 in prime time season. Course as always doesn’t miss, I’ve played monument the last few times and wanted to play pinnacle. I think Monument edged Pinnacle but only slightly. If you’ve never played there flip a coin because I think they’re that close in top caliber. An above poster stated the new greens were unplayable. I disagree, they were firm but just fine. Course gets crazy amount of play and the conditions are consistently fantastic. Staff is always friendly and accommodating.

Only complaint is the range balls just are old and beat. Yea Troon North gets tons and tons of rounds but I’m sure they can spend the dough to buy new range balls. If that’s the only issue then I’m a happy camper.

Well done Troon North.

Pine Meadow used to be the talk of Chicagoland but a few years ago they’re rates were too high compared to the course conditions. Decided to give Pine Meadow another shot and so happy I did.

Played on 5/15/19 at 730am. Course was in absolute incredible conditions. This course is just great from start to finish. Huge, long, and brawny parkland style track. Course protects par by the length but very fair with their larger fairways and their massive greens. Did I say massive? Yea biggest greens in Illinois, prove me wrong.

Bob Powers was very friendly along with the rest of the staff. 80 bucks is a bit steep but you get what you pay for. Great pace of play with one of the best practice areas around.

Is Thunderhawk and Stonewall Orchard better? Yes, perhaps but will definitely put this on my list of normal stops this year.

Ravisloe is just fantastic. Designed by the legend Donald Ross. I believe it’s Ross’ only designed public track in Illinois. Take a very flat piece of land and make it exceptional. Awesome fairway and greenside bunkers with tough elevated greens. I’ll be honest several years ago I wasn’t a fan. Mainly because I could never score well. You shouldn’t rate a course that way but sometimes frustrating tracks can do that to you. I’ve learned how to play Ravisloe and continue to appreciate this gem each and every time I return. Love a course that you don’t have to mindlessly pull driver each time. I played last week May 2019 and was shocked on how great the conditions were. Chicagoland has been pounded by rain and the only issue was deep into the rough which was soggy and drenched but almost every course this year has had that issue. Played with a friend and finished under 3 hours. Bunkers were absolutely incredible, unfortunately I was in quite a few to experience them. Plenty of sand so bottoming out your wedge wasn’t an issue. Greens were a touch slow due to the damp conditions but rolled perfectly.

The huge old oak trees are just awesome throughout the entire property. Definitely recommend this course especially if they continue with their tip top maintenance.

Well done Ravisloe.

What can I say? Glen Club is a higher end golf course with solid conditions. Course is definitely nice but 150-190 nice? Not quite. Partly due to the location they can charge that absurd type of rack rate. I can think of at least 3 much better golf courses within 30 mins of the Glen that are under 100 bucks. I play it maybe once a year but come across somewhat empty because of the price. However, each time I play it’s pretty busy so what do I know?
IMO spend your money much more wisely and play elsewhere. If there’s some type of deal early or late in the year for 100 or under then I’d say give it a shot.

Just played True Blue this past April 2019.

Pros-Incredible layout design, Mike Stranz’s designed courses are just a beautiful thing to see. Staff was friendly and easy to talk to. Played on a Tuesday afternoon shortly after we landed, barely saw anybody on the course which was magnificent. Loved the huge brawny course with wide, I mean very wide fairways. The bunkering designs were very cool.

Cons-This used to be a top 100 public golf course. If you look up any recent polls you probably won’t see it on the list. Now I’m sure this is a golf destination for a huge bulk of the golfers. We fly in, drive directly to the course and there’s no type of locker room? I mean there’s not even a bench to sit on? Is this a little petty? Maybe but I’d rather not change standing in pee next to the guy at the urinal. Biggest disappointment was the course conditions. The fairway bunkers are just basically hard pan which I figured is how it’s supposed to play but almost every green side bunker was a joke. Every bunker washed out with big rains that came a few days prior. Greens were slow and bumpy. Nobody was out there even attempting to fix the bunkers. Normally I wouldn’t complain but when the rack rate is 200 bucks this is unacceptable. I paid 159 since we played at 2pm but for that kind of money I expected much better conditions.

Would I recommend? Tough one cause the condition with the amount I paid is just too hard to justify. The only saving grace was the back 9 is absolutely breathtaking. Never seen anything so cool, the design just wows you.

Just played Caledonia this past April 2019. First impressions were how pretty this place is. Course was packed but rarely was held up. Big negative was there was no range which drives me nuts. Again you pay 200 dollars and you can’t even properly warm up. The short game area was very very nice. The course conditions were just ok. To reiterate I have no problem paying big money to play golf. 200 is a drop in the bucket but for that price I would think the grounds would be in better shape. 25% of the greens were bad, some of the greens were covered in leaves and branches. You ever hear of a leaf blower? Would I play again? Probably but hope the conditions improve.

Heritage Bluffs is one of my favorite golf courses bar-none. Played today (July 7th 2017) and with the long streak of dry days and some thrown in rain storms the course couldn't look much better. Maybe somebody could chime in with my question. Heritage sprayed their greens with the off green spray paint which makes the course look great. I've seen courses that overdo the green spray and it looks goofy. However, props to the greens keeper and the staff for making this track look excellent. They are still keeping the greens fees down, paid 50 bucks at high noon on a Friday in July. Really, wow that still is a steal for the type of golf course. Great layout, great facilities, great layout, and very fun course to play. Keep up the great work.

I've played Prairie Landing quite often the past few years. Why? Because it's just that awesome, several legit risk rewards holes. The entire course is always in top notch shape. Layout is just fantastic, open fairways so you can let loose, but there are fairway bunkers strageically placed to catch wayward tee shots. Greens were running almost at 11, possibly because there hasn't been much rain. I try my best to stay away from the weekends at any course but had to play last Saturday, tee time was at 1:30pm. My buddy and I played as a twosome and ran into a foursome on the 3rd hole, which is a par 3. They graciously let us through which is exactly what course etiquette means. After letting us through that hole I couldn't believe that we didn't get stopped until 17. My friend's and I play lightening fast and was so impressed with the pace of play on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. In closing Prairie Landing is a top 10 public course in Illinois, at the very least a top 10 in Chicago land. Keep it up Prairie Landing because you guys know what you're doing, love that you keep up this track in tip top shape. Well done, very well done.

This course is easily ranked each year in the top 10 public in Illinois. Most "experts" rank this in the top 5, and I can't argue with that. The drive from the southwest suburbs just plain ol sucks. However, this track has an awesome layout, fantstic conditioning, and above average pace of play. Tough track, played Thunderhawk approximately 10 times and shot only two good rounds here. That being said the score doesn't deter me from driving all the way north past Great America pretty much a 9 iron away from the border of Wisconsin. Thunderhawk could hold a PGA tour event here, maybe a web.com event, which would be awesome. Championship caliber golf course from every aspect. Well done Thunderhawk, well done.

Mt. Prospect with through a massive renovation in early 2016 and what a fantastic difference. Tees, fairways, and the massive undulating greens are just excellent. Course makes you think off the tee and not mindlessly pull driver on every par 4/5. Sometimes a driver is necessary and sometimes a 6 iron is your best course of action. Paid 38 bucks or so on a Monday and the pace of play was very good. I really enjoy the mounding and course layout, which made a relatively boring course and top notch joint. Too many boring courses in the Chicagoland area that looked like old Mt. Prospect. Now it's one of the best out there. Only thing I can see is that I can see pace of play being a problem. Even on a Monday there were quite a few people out there, Fri, Sat, Sun I have a feeling this place is a death march with 5 hr plus rounds a standard.

Played TPC Champions for the first time in early May 2017. I've played almost every golf course in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and this was pretty decent. Definitely fair off the tee and had a nice mix of holes. I'm not petty but there were way too many brown spots around the fairways for being early May in Arizona. Greens were regular speed but rolled extremely true. Staff is extremely friendly and the practice area is above average. 80 bucks is a touch high for May, but hey you're in north Scottsdale and you're going to fork over a bit more for the name and location. Overall I wouldn't normally come back here for so so track, however, the staff was great and the location is solid. For a golfer that visits 2-4 times a year and plays everyday for the weeks I'm here there are much better courses to play, you just have to drive further.

This will not be a long review since most other reviews give this place 5 stars. Absolutely excellent, serene, and jaw dropping. The property, staff, layout, conditions, were just amazing. Gonna touch on the pace of play, fully expecting a 5 hour round and while speaking with the starter he had the course booked from 7am-4pm solid with foursomes. I couldn't be happier with the pace of play, just over 4 hrs! On a packed resort golf course!

Well I played Victory Golf course in early May and I'll have to say it, very very impressed. About an hour straight west of South Scottsdale. As the previous reviews stated there's quite a bit of construction which didn't at all effect my experience overall. Right from the get go the range was fantastic with barely any divots and looked better than most high end private courses. Golf pro and starter were nice enough and gave us some instruction and overview. Course was in almost a perfect 10 shape, tee boxes, fairways, and greens were flawless. Greens were quick but not too fast. Played the Black/Silver combo which stretched almost 7000 yards. I hit the ball pretty far and the course was pretty forgiving off the tee. Love the rock formations around the course and strategically placed near some fairways. Pace of play was just fine until we hit a few foursomes near the end that slowed us down, but I wasn't concerned. From some of the tip tee boxes it was semi difficult to know exactly where to aim, but overall I hear people crying that they didn't know exactly where to hit their shot. Relax tour pro there was plenty of grass to each side of each fairway. Again really enjoyed this place and will be back. Lastly, 99 bucks is a touch steep but for how nice the conditions were you knew where the extra few bucks were spent.

This will be one of my most reviews, which is tough because I normally give courses the benefit of the doubt and normally write raving reviews on golfnow and golf advisor. Bottom line Gleneagles has a very boring layout, course conditions are pretty brutal, and pace of play is always a joke. Furthermore they have the audacity to charge around 50 bucks. I'll pay 100 bucks all day at solid courses like Mistwood, Thunderhawk, and Prairie Landing. This course is good for outings with people who don't know any better because if they did they'd be playing other courses around Lemont. For example Cog Hill, Ruffled Feathers (hope their conditions improve), Big Run, and Willowcrest. I'm sure Gleneagles personnel will read this, but you can save your comment because I for sure will not return.

Just like the below review stated, I was concerned with the staff since there was obviously a problem with the staff. I've played here several times in years past and never had any issues. Moving forward to May 2017, spoke with the older gent in the pro shop that was very nice, and the lady in the snack shop. She was an absolute delight with a bright smile on her face. Played on a Monday, paid under 40 bucks and flew threw in under 3 hours. Now that's how you play golf, of course you can't do that all the time but I love it. Course was in fantastic shape and hopefully stays like this throughout the year. It's quite a hike from the surrounding Chicago burbs, but during the week after 9am and before 4pm, or weekend it's pretty easy shot right down I55. Cinder Ridge, please keep your course conditions excellent because I'll be out here more often. Happy golfer right here.

Played this course about 6 times in the past few years and was concerned about the staff and their attitude. Well I made it a point to speak with the gent in the pro shop and the lady in the restaurant/half way house. I'll tell you this both employees were very polite. Not sure if Cinder Ridge read these reviews and made a 180 on their attitude or there were new employees. Zero issues and very friendly. Now the course, tees were ok, fairways were above average, and the greens were solid. Played this morning (Fri April 28th 2017), temp was 55 degrees with very little wind. For us Chicagoland people that's perfect, light wind breaker and off you go. Played lightening fast since the course was almost empty. All in all Cinder Ridge was fantastic today and will continue to play here.