Pulling into the parking lot, the logistics is a little confusing. For whatever reason, the clubhouse is back aways, so whether your riding or walking, you take a cart to go pay for the round. The course is routed so the first six holes on each nine play back to the clubhouse, and the last three holes of each nine play behind it. The driving range, practice green, and short game facilities are next to the parking lot by the road coming in.
The golf course is absolutely beautiful!
Its got a great traditional look, and you d swear it's been there for years. Crenshaw and Coore took a page out of Perry Maxwell's book, and gave it clean lines off the tee, and put rolls into the greens to separate the pinning areas. The greens seem to ramp from the fairway, open in the front to run the ball, tilted from back to front, false fronts, and bunkers cut into the sides.
The first hole is short to mid par four. 
In this pic you'll notice a few things. First, open front to hit a low shot if desired. Second, the bunkers guarding the right side give a false sense that the left is safe, but the green slopes towards the sand, so missing on that side leaves a difficult up n down. Third, this is one of two holes with a bunker in middle of the fairway. Originally it wasn't there, but the college kids hit it so far that they wanted to make them think about it.
In this pic you'll notice a few things. First, open front to hit a low shot if desired. Second, the bunkers guarding the right side give a false sense that the left is safe, but the green slopes towards the sand, so missing on that side leaves a difficult up n down. Third, this is one of two holes with a bunker in middle of the fairway. Originally it wasn't there, but the college kids hit it so far that they wanted to make them think about it. Both two and three are good par fours. 
This is the third hole. Look how clean the driving line is!
The fourth is an excellent short par three. 
Rarely is this type of hole designed anymore. It's just a wedge or nine iron shot, but the green is surrounded by deep bunkers, and several rolls setup some great pin placements. Then the fifth is a reachable par five. 
But look at this little beauty eating into the putting surface, almost making it a horseshoe green. Any pin in the front, either left or right, is so difficult to get close. This is classic old architecture at it's best!
But look at this little beauty eating into the putting surface, almost making it a horseshoe green. Any pin in the front, either left or right, is so difficult to get close. This is classic old architecture at it's best! I love the look off the tees here at the Warren course. 
The native grasses, the walk path thru to the fairway, the width...does it get any better than this? And at 473 yards from the tips, the drive better be busted.
The native grasses, the walk path thru to the fairway, the width...does it get any better than this? And at 473 yards from the tips, the drive better be busted. The seventh is the second hole with a trap in center of the fairway. The big green puts a premium on hitting from the short grass. 
As you can notice in pic, there's not much room to fit the ball tween the sand and rough. Anything too far left is in deep trouble.
As you can notice in pic, there's not much room to fit the ball tween the sand and rough. Anything too far left is in deep trouble. The eighth is a fine par four, then the ninth takes you by the entrance road coming in. 
It's a solid par three with a foreshorten bunker making the hole look shorter than it is. You really don't want to putt over the "Maxwell rolls" in middle of the green, so club selection is vital to be on same side as the flag.
It's a solid par three with a foreshorten bunker making the hole look shorter than it is. You really don't want to putt over the "Maxwell rolls" in middle of the green, so club selection is vital to be on same side as the flag. Ten is a 495 yards par five with a creek cutting diagonally across the fairway. There is a decided advantage in carrying the hazard in two, while laying back leaves a shot that comes in at an awkward angle. For the college kids, this is basically just a long par four, but Coore was fine with that because the next four holes are the toughest stretch on the course.
Eleven is a long par three. (Its 245 from the tips) It's slightly uphill with bunkers left and right both twenty yards short of the green and guarding the green. It throws off depth perception. The tee shot can come in low or high, both ways are playable. A shallow swale divides the putting surface in half, making for some interesting putts and chips.
Then twelve and thirteen are both good strong par fours. Twelve is straightaway but thirteen bends at the green, forcing a high shot that carries the bunkers. 
Notice how there's plenty of fairway right of the green, so a high draw is the preferred shot. But also shorter hitters have a specific target to setup a high percentage up n down.
Notice how there's plenty of fairway right of the green, so a high draw is the preferred shot. But also shorter hitters have a specific target to setup a high percentage up n down. Fourteen follows with a par three that I read people call a Redan. Well I hit a low fade to a back pin and stopped it fifteen feet away for birdie. When I stepped to the tee, it looked like the green was slightly offset, so yes a draw is probably the choice shot, but fade is fine too. It's a nice par three, but not even close to being a Redan.
Fifteen is beautiful par four that plays back to the clubhouse. 
I loved hitting the approach shot. It is presented wonderfully. Plenty of room to hit a low runner or a high shot, bunkers on both sides if you hit it offline, and framed by a some great looking trees. It's a very good hole!
I loved hitting the approach shot. It is presented wonderfully. Plenty of room to hit a low runner or a high shot, bunkers on both sides if you hit it offline, and framed by a some great looking trees. It's a very good hole! The last three holes play behind the clubhouse, and these are three pretty darn good holes. There's so much that can happen, birdies, eagles, just exciting holes!
The sixteenth is a short par four. 
Your eye is drawn to the traps on the left, but the real trouble is Juday Creek that crosses the fairway and zigzags up the right side. The hole doglegs left uphill to the green. A nasty little bunker eats into the front center of the putting surface, and a couple rolls separates the front from the back. It such a precise pitch to get close to the pin, any mishit will find trouble quickly. Next is the par five seventeenth. 
It goes uphil while doglegging left with wetlands n high grass in the valley it's curving around. This par five can be reached in two with a big drive. The small green is slightly elevated, and the bunker guarding the left is the deepest on the course. Club selection is so important in getting close for birdie.
Your eye is drawn to the traps on the left, but the real trouble is Juday Creek that crosses the fairway and zigzags up the right side. The hole doglegs left uphill to the green. A nasty little bunker eats into the front center of the putting surface, and a couple rolls separates the front from the back. It such a precise pitch to get close to the pin, any mishit will find trouble quickly. Next is the par five seventeenth. It goes uphil while doglegging left with wetlands n high grass in the valley it's curving around. This par five can be reached in two with a big drive. The small green is slightly elevated, and the bunker guarding the left is the deepest on the course. Club selection is so important in getting close for birdie. Eighteen finishes the round with an excellent par four. Juday Creek cuts across the fairway and then guards the entire left side to the green. 
Players really have to decide what line they're driving the ball over. If the tees are moved up, then the rough hewn mound comes more in play. It's definitely one place high on the avoid list. 
Notice how there's not one bunker guarding the green. If a player can successfully negotiate the tee shot, then Crenshaw leaves a very acceptable second shot into the green. Overlooking the action is the clubhouse set to the right of the green. 
Players really have to decide what line they're driving the ball over. If the tees are moved up, then the rough hewn mound comes more in play. It's definitely one place high on the avoid list. Notice how there's not one bunker guarding the green. If a player can successfully negotiate the tee shot, then Crenshaw leaves a very acceptable second shot into the green. Overlooking the action is the clubhouse set to the right of the green. The Warren Course is a place I could happily play on a daily basis. This is a compliment I don't easily give. I love the traditional look, the classic design, and the playability this course offers. And being close to chicago, this is a steal!! It definitely has me looking forward to more Crenshaw/Coore designs. I give it a 7 (great) rating!
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