Chicago Golf Club facts for kids
| Club information | |
|---|---|
 Location in the United States
Location in Illinois
|
|
| Coordinates | 41°50′56″N 88°06′58″W / 41.849°N 88.116°W |
| Location | Wheaton, Illinois, U.S. |
| Established | 1892 |
| Type | Private |
| Operated by | John Guyton |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Tournaments hosted | U.S. Open: (1897, 1900, 1911) Walker Cup: (1928, 2005) |
| Designed by | Charles B. Macdonald |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,950 yards (6,355 m) |
| Course rating | 73.8 |
| Slope rating | 137 |
 Layout of course from space |
|
The Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in Wheaton, Illinois. This town is a suburb located west of Chicago. It is famous for having the oldest 18-hole golf course in North America.
The club was also one of the five clubs that started the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894. In 2020, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
The Chicago Golf Club has hosted many big golf events. These include several U.S. Opens and Walker Cup tournaments. The club was founded by Charles B. Macdonald, a famous golf course designer. He is even in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 2018, the club hosted the very first U.S. Senior Women's Open. This was a new national championship created by the USGA.
History of the Club
Charles B. Macdonald is often called the Father of Golf in Chicago. He learned to play golf while studying in Scotland at the University of St Andrews. He brought golf clubs back home with him.
In 1888, Macdonald set up seven simple golf holes on a friend's property in Lake Forest, Illinois. His friends loved the new game. They wanted a proper golf course built.
Building the First Course
In 1892, Macdonald and his friends collected some money. He used it to design a nine-hole course. This course was about 23 miles west of Chicago Union Station. It became the first golf course built west of the Allegheny Mountains. Only Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Long Island, New York, which opened in 1891, was older.
Macdonald ordered more golf clubs from Scotland. Soon, many people became interested in golf.
An important early member was Margaret Abbott. She was the first American woman to win an Olympic event. She was a member of the Chicago Golf Club in the 1890s.
In 1893, Macdonald wrote that he made the Belmont course into 18 holes. This made it the first 18-hole golf course in North America. On July 18, 1893, the Chicago Golf Club officially received its charter.
Moving to Wheaton
The club became very popular. So, in 1894, members bought new land to build an even better 18-hole course. They bought 200 acres of land in Wheaton. This land had rolling hills and native grasses. It reminded Macdonald of Scotland.
Macdonald designed the new course himself. He made sure the holes were routed in a special way. This helped him avoid hitting the ball out of bounds. The United States Golf Association's rule for "Out Of Bounds" actually started at Chicago Golf Club!
Ossian Cole Simonds helped design the landscape around the course. He also designed other famous places in Chicago, like Lincoln Park. The Chicago clubhouse was designed by famous architect Jarvis Hunt.
Around 1902, a new electric train line was built. It went right past the main entrance of the Chicago Golf Club. Many club members traveled from downtown Chicago by train. On weekends, a special club car with a bar and dinner service would take golfers to the club.
The Foulis Brothers
Macdonald also brought the Foulis brothers from St Andrews, Scotland, to help with golf. Their father worked for the legendary Old Tom Morris. Macdonald invited Robert Foulis to be the first golf professional at Chicago Golf. But Robert sent his brother, James Foulis, instead. James became the club's golf professional in 1895.
In 1905, James was followed by his brother David Foulis. David stayed at the Wheaton course until 1916. The Foulis brothers were great golf professionals and players. They also made many new inventions for golf.
- They were the first to put a special pattern on the new rubber-cored golf balls.
- They created the "mashie-niblick", which is like today's 7-iron.
- They designed many golf courses that are still used today.
- David brought the metal hole-liner to the U.S. from Scotland. He improved its design to hold the flagstick straight.
After the Chicago Golf Club moved, the old Belmont location became the Belmont Golf Club. It is now a public golf course run by the Downers Grove Park District.
Club Membership
The Chicago Golf Club is known for being very exclusive. It has only 120 members and will never have more. The only way to join is if a current member invites you.
Famous members have included golf founder Roger Cleveland and actor Chris O'Donnell. Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw is also a member.
In 2001, the club started allowing women to become members. Judith Whinfrey was the first woman admitted. In 1993, Charles Thurston became the first African-American member.
Course Layout
The Chicago Golf Club has 18 holes. Here is a look at the course:
| Hole | Name | Yards | Par | Hole | Name | Yards | Par | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley | 450 | 4 | 10 | Short | 149 | 3 | |
| 2 | Road | 481 | 4 | 11 | Dogleg | 410 | 4 | |
| 3 | Biarittz | 219 | 3 | 12 | Punchbowl | 465 | 4 | |
| 4 | Long | 549 | 5 | 13 | Eden | 181 | 3 | |
| 5 | Leven | 365 | 4 | 14 | Cape | 356 | 4 | |
| 6 | Double Plateau | 399 | 4 | 15 | Ginger Beer | 400 | 4 | |
| 7 | Redan | 211 | 3 | 16 | Raynor's Prize | 530 | 5 | |
| 8 | Narrows | 445 | 4 | 17 | Maiden | 467 | 4 | |
| 9 | Pond | 448 | 4 | 18 | Home | 425 | 4 | |
| Out | 3,567 | 35 | In | 3,383 | 35 | |||
| Source: | Total | 6,950 | 70 | |||||
USGA Championships Hosted
The Chicago Golf Club has hosted many important championships from the United States Golf Association (USGA).
1897 U.S. Open and Amateur
This was the first big tournament held at the club. It was also the first championship played west of the Appalachia mountains. Scotsman Joe Lloyd won the Open championship. James Foulis, the club's professional, finished in third place.
1900 U.S. Open
This Open was won by Harry Vardon, a famous English golfer. Many people think he is one of the greatest players ever. Vardon won by two strokes.
1911 U.S. Open
John McDermott won this Open. He was the first American to win the U.S. Open. He was also the youngest winner ever, at just 19 years old! McDermott won in a playoff against two other golfers.
1928 Walker Cup
The 1928 Walker Cup was played on the newly designed course by Seth Raynor. The American team won easily against the team from Great Britain & Ireland. This American team is considered one of the best Walker Cup teams ever. It included golf legends like Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet.
2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open
This was the very first U.S. Senior Women's Open championship. It was won by Laura Davies. She had also won the 1987 U.S. Women's Open. Three months later, she won another big senior championship, completing a "women's senior slam."
Tournament Results
Here are some of the notable events held at Chicago Golf Club:
U.S. Open
- 1897 Joe Lloyd
- 1900 Harry Vardon
- 1911 John McDermott
U.S. Amateur
- 1897 H. J. Whigham
- 1905 Chandler Egan
- 1909 Robert A. Gardner
- 1912 Jerome Travers
U.S. Women's Amateur
- 1903 Bessie Anthony
U.S. Senior Amateur
- 1979 William C. Campbell
Walker Cup
- 1928 United States 11, Great Britain & Ireland 1
- 2005 United States 12½, Great Britain & Ireland 11½
Western Junior
- 1992 John Curley
U.S. Women's Senior Open
- 2018 Laura Davies
