grandpaiden58

Cog Hill's #2 is not a course without its imperfections, but those imperfections pale in comparison to what might be some of the most creative and fun holes in Illinois.
Yes, the greens can be a little a beaten up (particularly at the beginning and end of the season). Yes, holes #2, #6, and #18 are entirely forgettable. And yes, don't expect to be seeing the cart lady out there any time soon.
However despite these setbacks, Cog #2 is a classic track with its fair share of risk/reward options. It's a true golfers course, where if you play well it will provide ample scoring opportunities, and if not, it will eat you alive. The course opens up with a set of predictable par 4s with wide open layouts; an appreciated gesture for the golfer who is still warming up. Then the fun starts, with a reachable, downhill par 5 followed by a short and stunning par 3 that rewards accuracy as much as it penalizes a lack of. The par 4 sixth is not the most exciting design but this dogleg demands accuracy off the tee if you hope to reach the green in two. The next three holes, two par 4s and a par 3, offer lots of shot variation and can be a very rewarding stretch. Then the Ravines really comes into its own, starting with the par 5 ninth. A sweeping dogleg right with dense forestry on either side of the fairway, you hit into a green that is protected by water in front. Reachable in two for the exceptionally crazy or brave. Then the back nine kicks off with what may be the most difficult hole on the course. The tenth is a par four where accuracy off of the tee is a must, errant shots often become lost in the trees lining the hole. Once in the fairway, you're left with a long, downhill second shot onto a green that is protected by bunkers behind and a sunken ravine infront. Missing the green will leave you with as difficult of an up and down as you will find on this course. Another dogleg right par 5 follows, where less than driver is often the smartest play off the tee. The deceptively lengthy par 4 12th is always difficult to gage, and shots over the green are definitely preferable to shots short of it. The 13th is a par 4 where the entire hole is layed out before you. It almost runs perpendicular to the tee box, and gives the golfer a wide landing area. Second shot is often a wedge to an elevated green, and depending on your position it can largely be a blind shot. Take advantage of the short par 3 fourteenth, as it plays down hill onto a green that is hardly protected. The next two holes, a pair of par 4s, are average. Both require that you find the fairway for a solid chance at par. The seventeenth is a hole everyone should make a birdie on, but yet bogey is a more likely score. The par 4 is very short and a tempting go for longer hitters. However, the green is heavily guarded by trees, and poor tee shots can lead to a cruel game of chipping out of the woods. And let's not talk about 18...
The green designs are far from boring, with more than half of the holes having two tiered putting surfaces and each with plenty of contour. Bunker designs are awesome, with each bunker serving a definite purpose.
This is a must play course for the golfer that appreciates design over splendor, as there are truly no courses like it in Illinois.