Chicago Public Golf

Bay Harbor Golf Club (Links) #4
Par 3
178-151-127-105-80
Bay Harbor, MI
Architect: Arthur Hills

How about taking a break from Door County, WI or Saugatuck, MI next summer and going about six hours up the eastern Shore of Lake Michigan to Petoskey, MI? You will not be disappointed. Petoskey is the epicenter of Michigan golf and can satisfy the most discerning golf junkie.

Check out this shot from the elevated tee of the par three number four at Bay Harbor Golf Club (Links). It’s about 5 miles due west of downtown Petoskey. There are three nines at this venue and about seven holes right on the lake, and many more with lake views. If you go, try and play the Links and the Quarry.

You stand on the tee and have a beautiful view of the town of Bay Harbor and Little Traverse Bay. Club down one if there is no wind and just aim to the right of the green. There are only about two paces worth of grass left of the green so I didn’t mess with the pin. Of course, I was on the upper tier to the right and three-jacked it for a bogey.

Winnetka Golf Club #13
Par 3
192-163-125
Winnetka, IL
Architects: Langford/Wagstaff

This par 3 on the furthest reaches of my favorite North Shore muni is just a solid hole. This view is from the back tee (like the average player does here, I play the back tees because they are sub-6,500 yards).

The back is tee is situated right on the banks of the meandering pond. The pond adds to the aesthetic, but does not really come into play as long as you get the ball airborne. The green is slightly raised and framed by a sold wall of hardwoods. A bunker catches anything short and right. Just whip out a long iron or hybrid and swing away.

Prairie Landing #12
Par 3
218-208-195-172-103
West Chicago, IL
Architect: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.

Yes, it’s all carry. And not just any carry. We are talking long iron/hybrid/fairway wood type of carry. I usually play the 195 yard tee and have hit everything from a four iron to a driver one blustery day.

This is Prairie Landing’s version of Amen Corner. The preceeding hole, number eleven of course, is a short, tricky par four where you go something like four iron - eight iron. Granted, that’s nothing like Augusta, but read on.

When you’re on eleven green you can look across the water and see twelve green, kind of like Augusta. As you’ve seen above, twelve is all carry over water, kind of like Augusta. Then thirteen is a sinister par five with a tight driving area and a creek running at an angle in front of the green, also like Augusta. It’s a little different because the creek angles from the front right to back left, but the comparison is not much of a stretch. Of course, there aren’t any azaleas and Georgia pines, but damn if I don’t hear Jim Nantz’s voice softly whispering in my ear as I contemplate my second shot…

Harborside Starboard #2
par 4
398-380-333-295
Chicago, IL
Architect: Dick Nugent

‘Twas a dark and dank September day a few years ago when I snapped this shot of the dogleg left second hole at Harborside. I’m about 150 yards out, looking down at a green sunk in the netherworld of this former garbage dump about 15 miles south of downtown.

What a great hole. If you let fly with the driver you run the risk of going through the fairway, so be sure to cut it off a little. But watch how much you cut off because then you run the risk of a downhill lie. I like to dial it back a little (I usually play the 380 yard tee), hit maybe a strong three wood, and cut the dogleg off just slightly. A low iron approach from about 150 is what you want.

I think one of the marks of a great course is how many shades of green you can see. I can see about six here. Please adjust the angle of your screen to make sure you have a good view because the light that day was not optimal. Here is the green list:

1. The light and uniform green on the putting surface.
2. The checkerboard-style green of the fairway.
3. The lush green rough.
4. The scaggy, uneven green of the fescue
5. The dark green of the trees and bushes
6. The washed out, hazy green of the industrial landscape

A veritable feast I say, a feast for the eyes.

George Dunne #8, par 4
392-349-316-286
Oak Forest, IL
Architect(s): Killian and Nugent

I was standing behind the green looking back at this interesting little dogleg right around the lake and could not help but snap a picture on this beautiful fall day. Click on it and you can see the 150 marker back across the water. It is probably the easiest par 4 on the front nine at George Dunne, but don’t breathe too easily because there is plenty of treachery. Yardage book? We don’t have no yardage books here dude. Just eyeball the 150 marker with respect to the water to get a feel how far to hit your tee shot. I leave the driver in the bag and hit a fairway wood. But don’t leave too much in the bag because the shorter the approach, the less daunting the carry over the water. Just hope and pray that the pin is not tucked right because it turns the green into a postage stamp. And believe me, you do not want to be in the bunker hitting back towards the water.