87. Chicago, July 17-19, 2017

Chicago, July 17-19, 2017

On July 18 and 19, Pat is playing at the Sakonnet Invitational in Rhode Island, so it is time for me to knock off the courses I have left in the Chicago area.  Trip planning for this one went fairly smoothly but the threat of thunderstorms on the last day of the trip started to grow just before I left…so that was something to keep watching.

On Monday 7/17 I left Logan Airport around 10:50 for O’Hare…smooth flight and everything went well at both airports.  My trip plan was top play five courses over the three day span.  If the trip went as planned, I would be finished with Chicago area courses although would have two courses left within easy driving distance of Chicago (Blue Mound G&CC in Milwaukee, WI, which hosted a PGA Championship, and the Warren Course at Notre Dame in South Bend IN, which will host the 2018 US Senior Open).  I also planned to visit Ruth Ann P. who had by then completed her initial chemotherapy treatment and was scheduled for her second on 7/19.

 

Black Sheep Golf Club, July 17, 2017:  Black Sheep is located some 55 miles west of downtown Chicago, deep into IL farm country.   Designed by David Esler, it opened in 1999 and consists of 27 holes (numbered 1-27).   Black Sheep is an all men’s club (one of four in Chicago…others being Bob O’Link, Butler National and Old Elm).  It has been a regular on Golf Week’s USA Modern Top 100 since 1995 (peaking at #53 in 2006), but never high enough to make a GW merged Top 100.  It debuted as #157 on the merged list in 2005 and then was #118 (its highest rating) in 2006.  After steadily declining to #152 by 2013, it moved back up to the low 120’s thereafter…most recently #124 in 2017.

Its setting is very special as the local farms present a fabulous backdrop and the land had just about the right amount of movement.  Its design is certainly strategic (wide fairways with angles being critical).  Course was in excellent condition and was firm and fast (although the greens were slightly slower than I expected).  Areas between holes have no trees (only one on the entire 285 acre property—see picture below) but lots of native grasses that did not seem to be fescue…as almost all of it was very green as opposed golden.  While I liked the basic design, I thought the bunkers should be deeper and golden fescue would be much more striking visually.

Black Sheep's lone tree

I loved the “sense” of the club…very low key, no swimming pool, housing, etc., just pure golf.

I caught it on a very calm day for the Windy City, and I would guess that Black Sheep would be a tough test in more typical conditions.  I played from 6463 yards, par 72 (on holes 1-18) which is about 400+ yards longer than normal for me, but shot a 38-42 = 80.  When I arrived at the par 5 6^th hole and saw it played 583 yards from my tees, I wondered how I could ever reach it.  It turns slightly right and is basically flat.  Anyhow, after a very good drive and two well hit 3-woods, I was pleased to see my third shot scamper onto and then about 12” into the back fringe of this hole (got down in two from there for my par).  My guess is that is the longest par 5 that I have reached in regulation in about 8-10 years (btw, whatever wind was blowing was with me)!  My sense is that this is about a top 150 course in the USA.

After the round I drove into Chicago to visit Ruth Ann who seemed to be doing well, especially given the treatment she is undergoing.  RAP’s sister Pam was in from Phoenix to help out and it was great to see her as well.  RA had quit smoking 37 years ago!  Made me want to thank Richard Ardern, good friend from business school who bet me a beer I couldn’t go from Friday afternoon to Monday first class without a cigarette in September 1967…on Monday morning I agreed to a “double or nothing” until the next Friday, and haven’t touched one since.  Thank you, Dick!!!

After dinner with RA, I drove about 30 miles north to my hotel…my other 4 courses on this trip were all north of the city (regular readers will recall that I played the great courses south of the city, Flossmoor and Beverly, back in mid-May of this year.)

Started to worry about weather for Wednesday…had 36 holes scheduled and a late flight back to Boston…if I could play 54 Tuesday and play the 18 on Wednesday early, I could catch a flight to get me back to Boston in the afternoon.  Assignment for Tuesday early!

Old Elm Golf Club, July 18, 2017:  This is a superb club and course.  Period, full stop.

Designed by H. S. Colt in collaboration with Donald Ross in 1913, Ross ended up overseeing the construction.  The list of Colt courses around the world that included important input from Colt include the likes of Pine Valley, Milwaukee, Muirfield, Sunningdale—New, Royal County Down, and Royal Portrush.  The course was restored lovingly between 2010 and 2013 with changes including removal of overgrown trees, replacing cross bunkers that had been removed in prior years, and restoring the “Redan” design of the short par 3 17^th hole.

Old Elm is one of the most exclusive clubs in the country (and as mentioned earlier, is restricted to men).  The clubhouse is as simple, understated, and beautiful as any I have had the pleasure of entering.  And trust me, this club is private…if you doubt that, just go to its website which reveals physical address, phone # ands fax #, period full stop.  No pretty pictures and glowing history

About 4-5 years ago, I played with an Old Elm member (Michael M.) at Brookline (as a favor to another member of Brookline who had to be out of town).  Michael had invited me to come to Chicago to play it, and I was of course way too busy with my bucket lists.  Then earlier this year, Old Elm made the Golf Week USA Classic Top 100 list (note…but not my merged Top 100 list), and since one of my bucket lists is to complete all 200 of the GW 2016 and 2017 Classic and Modern lists, it made it to my priority planning list.  The bad news was that Michael was tied up that morning and could not join me.  But we were able to have dinner later that evening and his wife Suzanne joined us late into the dinner.

Let me just say that how this place has not made a Top 100 is a condemnation of all USA ratings.  Part of the reason of course is the exclusivity of the course, and it probably had been kept off some lists because not enough raters had played it.  I would put it about #50-60 in the USA (unfortunately I played it exactly 4 days after the cut off for my 2017 Golf Magazine ballot).

Old Elm--my caddy pointed to the sky and said "Church Pews in the sky"

The golf course that is the piece de la resistance (spelling???)!  Here again, simple elegance rules, even down to the ball washers (should have taken a picture!).  Big wide fairways can fool you into thinking you can hit it anywhere.  You can, of course, it’s just that you might leave yourself no shot on your approach…just like with the game of pool and The Old Course…you need to play each shot with the next one in mind.  The bunkering here is simple and simply superb.  The conditioning is something to behold…firm and fast (a little too green but fairly understandable since they received about 5” of rain in about 2 hours one week earlier). 

The best part of the course is the double green shared by the par 5 6^th and par 3 17^th holes.  This may be the coolest green I have ever seen (or tied with #16 at North Berwick).  It is a double green, has a Biarritz “valley” separating the two halves of the green, and the 17^th green is also a Redan!   See picture below.

Old Elm Double Green 6-17 w Biarritz valley separating...6th pin in foreground and 17th just to right of big tree in background; 17th tee toward far left.

This remains a hidden gem…if you get the chance…play it!!

Given the weather forecast, decided to see if I could play 54 today.  So upon leaving Old Elm, headed straight to Conway Farms.

Conway Farms, July 18, 2017:  Conway Farms was completed in 1991 and designed by Tom Fazio.  It is situated in Lake Forest, IL on a 209-acre site.  During is relatively short time it has hosted a series of important events, including the 1997 NCAA Division I Men’s Championships, 2009 Western Amateur, 2012 US Mid-Amateur, and 2013/15/17 BMW Championship (part of the Fed Exp playoffs).   With some 8 weeks remaining before play commences at the 2017 BMW, the club was a virtually hub of construction activity, with grandstands already well under construction.  While it appeared on the GW USA Modern Top 100 from 1998-2001. it was never rated high enough to make a USA “merged” Top 100; and it has not appeared on a GD or GM Top 100.

I was originally scheduled to play it with my host, Keith B., an Executive Producer of the movie Tommy’s Honor (see post from early May, 2017), however, Keith’s back has been given him fits and he has been unable to play.  I arrived hoping to be able to get out early, but discovered that the course was closed until 11am due to maintenance in the morning (in preparation for the BMW).  The head pro (Andrew Adamsick) was super accommodating, allowing me to tee off on #3, play 16 holes and then play #1-2.  This worked superbly, as the first tee was totally deserted when we finished #18 and we were able to get right off and play in about 2:30. 

The course has been set up this year for the upcoming BMS event, so the fairways were fairly narrow and the rough starting to get thick.  Compared to the wide fairways at Old Elm and Black Sheep it almost felt like I had walked into a bowling alley.  I played from 5929 yards compared to the tips which total 7233…somewhat of a different course. I very much liked holes #7 (345 drivable uphill par 4 doglegging left to a two tiered green (which is shallow and wide from the tee box but deep and narrow from a safely played tee shot), #8 (600 yard par 5 doglegging left around a water hazard to a raised green protected by some extremely deep bunkers in front, and #11 (177 yard par 3 protected in front by marshes and with a shallow green angles from front left to back right.  I scored better than I played…39–41 = 80.

Overall, this is a very good tour course.  Given it was set up for an upcoming event, it was hard to tell how wide its fairways normally are and if more options and angles come into play.  Those flatbellies certainly play a very different game!!

After the round I thanked Adam and his staff and quickly headed north to Libertyville, IL and Merit Club.

Merit Club, July 18, 2017:  Merit is about 20 miles north of Lake Forest in Libertyville, IL.  It sits on a 320-acre site and was designed by Ed Oldfield, Sr. (a long time teacher in the Chicago area) and Bob Lohmann (Canyata and Midlothian).  Merit hosted the 2000 US Woman’s Open.  In 1997 it was rated #98 in the USA by Golf Magazine, and was included on GW’s USA Modern Top 100 from 1997-2000 (the first 4 years of GW’s listings), but never high enough to make my merged list.  By playing Merit this day, I completed the Golf Magazine USA Top 100 EVER.  As most of you know, last year I completed GM’s Global Top 100.

Merit is built on a very good piece of land but frankly the course itself was fairly disappointing, especially the bunkering.  There was very little that inspired or excited me…not much that was bad, but very little that was special.  Teed off on #11 to avoid running into some groups and that worked well.  It plays to 7119 yards and I played from 6109 yards and played very well (37-40 = 77).   I think this piece of land could have yielded to superb course, but as in most fields, the very best architects do make a difference…and I am not sure that Oldfield and Lohmann fit that billing.

Was tired at the end of the round (but actually played my best on the last 7 holes I played…one under par).  Was good to get back to hotel.  Also was able to change my tee time at Wynstone for the next morning and move up my flight…be great to get home in afternoon rather that late at night!  And thunderstorm threat much diminished, so good fortune continued (knock on wood).

Wynstone Country Club, July 19, 2017:  I had moved my tee time up to 7:20am (from 1:30pm) and arrived at the club at 6:40am, which turned out to be a very good thing!  Turns out the change in my time never got posted to the tee sheet, but the assistant pro pushed me up to 6:55am so that I would be the first out. 

Wynstone CC is a Jack Nicklaus signature design located on the former family estate of W. Clement Stone.  Stone grew up in a poor family and built a huge insurance company.  He lived to be 100 years of age.  The course opened for play in 1989 and winds through real estate.  Was renovated in 2015.  It plays to 7162 yards, par 72 (I played from 5946).  Water comes into play on 12 holes (and potentially on 2 others), and the course is very difficult if you start spraying tee shots.  These days I hit it pretty straight (don’t hit it long enough to reach the trouble), so was able to avoid the water and shot a solid 38-40 = 78.  Zipped around in 1:55!!

The course was rated #85 in Golf Digest’s 1993 USA Top 100.  Never appeared on any other Top 100 rating.  Most of the holes are surrounded by housing and the player has very little feel for the overall flow of the course on most holes.  Simply put, as I finished 18, I was not wishing I had the time to do it again.  I was pleased to get this one behind me.

Thanked the staff members who helped, and was off to O’Hare Airport and an on time flight home.  Pat on the other hand had to deal with a flat tire, so she got home after me.

As always…was great to see her and be back home.  And my to do list to conquer my multiple bucket lists was down to 41.  Had one day to rest prior to the Brookline Club Championship (Super Senior Division) Friday through Sunday…and then was scheduled hit the road again 7/24-26…five more courses in MI and OH.