Olympia Fields Country Club - South Course (Olympia Fields, IL)

1920 Western Open Jock Hutchinson

1925 PGA Championship Walter Hagen

1927 Western Open Walter Hagen

1928 U.S. Open Johnny Farrell

1934 Western Open Macdonald Smith

1961 PGA Championship Jerry Barber

1968 Western Open Jack Nicklaus

1971 Western Open Bruce Crampton

1997 U.S. Senior Open Graham Marsh

2003 U.S. Open Jim Furyk

2015 U.S. Amateur Bryson Dechambeau

2017 PGA Women’s Championship Danielle Kang

2020 BMW Championship Jon Rham

2023 BMW Championship Victor Havland

Olympia Fields is one of the heavy hitters in American golf. The list of major championships and winners extends over 100 years. Back in the roaring twenties, this place had four courses but had to contract during the Great Depression. The two courses that survived were the first and last ones built. The South is the original, designed by Tom Bendelow in 1915.

(The 410/380 yard opening hole reminds me of Cape Cod Country Club’s “Volcano Hole” fourteenth. The biggest difference is the green complex isn’t caldera like. The first two holes are actually from course #2. The second hole is the eighteenth hole from that course.)

(The 495/400 yard par four fourth doesn’t have a single bunker yet the green is mischievously placed with the creek short and left. Short grass surrounds the putting surface and one can see the sharp edges and the testy chips you can encounter should you miss.)

(This is a great view of the delicate shots you’ll find at Olympia Fields. Andy Staples restored the course in 2023 and settled on reintroducing the short game shots that Bendelow often employed in his designs. This green is from the 550/517 yard sixth.)

I am not usually star struck when I visit a new course but when I saw the clock tower, I knew I was in a special place. It’s one of the most recognizable symbols in golf. The North course, which sits on the other side of the clubhouse, is the championship layout. The South is the course the members enjoy the most. It’s more playable, more fun, and has plenty of variety. Butterfield Creek in one way, shape, or form, is in play on ten holes. Eight of the greens sit atop ridges or plateaus. Those are the features you want when you’re designing a course.

(The 249/183 yard par three seventh has a Redan-ish green where you can use the terrain to funnel the ball towards a left pin position. It originally was a short par four which illustrates how cool this putting surface is!)

(The 387/337 yard par four eighth is all world! With the creek cutting across the fairway and snaking up toward the green, players must decide just how aggressive they want to be off the tee. This angle is thwarted by a set of traps that squeezes the approach…

…the right side opens up the green but it’s protected by three high cops. Missing left is obviously bad, but even worse is losing it to the right where a twenty foot drop into “Hell’s Kitchen” becomes a death kneel…

…looking back, you can see the width of the fairway and all the choices from the tee. Two of my playing partners took turns hitting it left of the green, long into Hell’s Kitchen, and then left of the green again!)

(The 571/540 yard uphill par five requires three well struck shots to reach this in regulation. Note the strong left to right cant of the green complex. Let the slope be your friend.)

(The 530/478 yard par five tenth is reachable in two with a good drive. The green is elevated on a ridgeline with bunkers carved into the front slope. The creek on the left comes up fast and even crosses the fairway for shorter hitters to consider hitting over in two. In big tournaments, they play this as a par four.)

(This long par three has a classic look! Boldly bunkered in the front with fairway between, a ball that spins off can roll down to the flat area. At 212/170 yards, a shot to the middle is perfectly fine.)

(Peeping over from behind thirteen green, the short par three fourteenth is ringed by bunkers with water short and left. At 161/135 yards, it’s the shortest hole on the course.)

Many of the championship venues with multiple courses have a “little brother” that gets little recognition but are generally preferred by its membership and visitors. The South, as Tom Doak said in his Confidential Guide, is a hell of a good golf course! Difficulty and resistance to scoring are two categories that raters use to determine what is in the Top 100, but for the majority of us, these two topics just mean it’s going to be a long day. The South has many of the characteristics that make golf enjoyable, and the club does a fantastic job keeping the creek clean from overgrowth. It’s the key feature. Overall, it has one great hole (8th), a couple average ones, and a bunch of strong ones. The 7-12 stretch is the heart of the routing. It’s no coincidence that both 8 & 11, two cool short par fours, are in this sequence. It’s one of the top ten courses in Chicago. I give it a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play).

(The 350/331 yard par four eleventh has a large tree dictating playing lines and shot options. The creek crosses the fairway eighty yards short of the green. A false front topples over the brow with the putting surface sloping away to the back right.)

(We played the white tees at 6,435 yards. We started on the back nine and a triple and quadruple pair of sevens (11,12) derailed my score very quickly. After settling down, I did a nice job finding a groove and carded eleven pars. Joby had a good round too as he also struggled on eleven. We had the opportunity to play here thanks to Mastercard/American Airlines points redemption.)

(The 543/503 par five eighteenth doglegs slightly right with the creek cutting across the fairway once again. The green is on a plateau well above the fairway and is a blind third shot. Long hitters can reach this in two. What a great view of the clock tower in the background.)

(Neal Shipley was the ambassador for our event and gave us a short game clinic. Hope he wins a major soon!)

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Blackthorn Golf Club (South Bend, IN)

Blackthorn has a strong set of par threes. They are well designed and flow naturally over the terrain, carrying the routing across interesting landforms. I’m particularly fond of the par three sixteenth. It’s just a short iron shot but a small tree pokes out of the ravine, blocking the view of the left hand pin positions. Multiple tee boxes limit or enhance the tree’s influence but I for one would be very disappointed if it wasn’t in play.

(The 203/170 yard par three third plays downhill over a natural area to a two tiered green. The back tier is much deeper than it looks from the tee. Beware the front pin positions just over the hazard.)

(The 554/518 yard par five fourth plays over a hill to a landing zone where one must decide if he can carry the lone bunker in the right rough. The tree on the left defends against bailing out. The longer player has a decided advantage.)

(The 549/518 yard par five seventh features a forty yard diagonal green almost entirely fronted by bunkers…

…behind the green is short grass as the putting surface slopes away from the fairway. Note the gull wing design. Tiers in the back and front sections with a sunken middle.)

Blackthorn was designed by Michael Hurzdan in 1994. It was ranked #4 on Golf Digest’s Best New Public Course list that year. It was designed for the city of South Bend and bucks any preconceived notion one might have of what muni might be. From the tips, it can stretch out over 7100 yards. Hurzdan assembled a staunch group of par fours. From the red tees, seven of them play 390 yards or longer including the fifth which has a giant 250 year old Burr Oak standing sentinel in the fairway.

(The 445/404 yard par four ninth plays up and over before tumbling downhill to this green. The opening and fairway are narrow which puts plenty of pressure to hit a long iron to this target. A four is a good score.)

(Taking a page out of Bethpage Red’s thirteenth hole, the 457/412 yard par four twelth has a bunker riddled ridge splitting the fairway. The left side opens up the green but is harder to hit while right side is easier to find but presents a more difficult approach shot.)

(The 436/392 yard par four fourteenth plays from an elevated tee box to a dogleg left fairway…

…the green is uphill guarded by a bunker and tree short left. A central spine splits the putting surface into different quadrants making it the most difficult green on the course.)

South Bend is home to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. For alums, visitors, and locals, there are two main options for golf, ND Warren course and Blackthorn. While Warren is a classic design with a traditional vibe, Blackthorn is a modern design with a millennial vibe. Depending on which end of the spectrum you prefer will decide which one you feel is better. As a player who has seen many of Hurzdan’s courses, you can expect a specific level of good architecture. I give Blackthorn a solid 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

(The 534/515 yard downhill par five eighteenth doglegs left to a green settled between water and steep hillside. Judging by the amount of divots laid back up the hill, going for it in two is not the usual play. I wonder if balls ricochet too easily into the water.)

(Blackthorn is in desperate need of set of hybrid tees. We played the red but moved up on four holes (decide to keep 14 as red). Note how the tees have names instead of a standard color. Every tee marker had plates with these names on them. I was playing very well but lost focus when I became too caught up in the Browns game we were listening to. The cost was $69 with a cart.)

(This is the ballyhooed 137/134 yard par three seventeenth. I’m not sure if this is pure genius or simply dumb but it definitely grabs your attention. The tree should really not be in play, but how do you block it out and make a good pass at the ball?! Very cool in my opinion!!)

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Lakeview Golf Resort - Lakeview Course (Morgantown, WV)

Back when golf magazines like Lifestyles was prominent, Lakeview Golf Resort was considered one of the better courses in the region. Pictures like the one above beckoned golfers from all around with its 180’ drop from tee to green. Opened in 1950, this James Harrison design has hosted three West Virginia Opens including 1958 won by Sam Snead whose 67 is still a course record.

(The 492/474 yard par five fifth doglegs left while racing downhill to a green set at the edge of the mountain…

…hitting short and letting it run on is the proper play. Bunkers short left and right will save your ball from plunging over the back. Most will have the opportunity to reach this in two with a good drive…

…a rise in in the front helps slow the ball down but most of the green slopes away. Enjoy the view of Cheat Lake and the surrounding hillside as you wait to putt out.)

The front nine sits on an extreme piece of property and Harrison mitigated it by producing two very fun par fives. Both play downhill with the seventh plummeting like Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. Both par threes are good but the third and sixth are carbon copies as long uphill par fours that play parallel to each other.

The back nine is more subdued and is broken up in three stretches. 10-12 play on the rolling ground by the front nine before going through a tunnel and playing the valley holes (14-16). The transition holes 13 & 17 are in an open field with little movement between the two. The trip back through the tunnel finishes on a beast of a par five (620 yards uphill).

(The 189/153 yard par three eighth is slightly uphill to a green whose putting surface is somewhat hidden. Bunkers left and right force a well struck shot.)

(The ninth is a driveable 319/307 yard par four should one attack the trees and dogleg. The downhill drive allows players to layup with a conservative club and still hit a short iron second. It should be a birdie hole.)

(The 560/532 yard par five fourteenth begins the valley stretch with a downhill tee shot and a narrow corridor to the green.)

I’m a fan of James Harrison. His work before partnering with his son-in-law Fred Garbin is usually interesting. I love the green complexes on twelve and thirteen which feature long slivers stretching between bunkers (ala Chippewa’s twelth). All the par threes are well done with the long uphill fourth featuring an incredible back to front pitch.

Lakeview’s biggest issue is a third of the holes are too narrow. On eighteen, if any shot ventures towards the left, one is basically penalized a quarter to half stroke. That occurs on a few other holes too. The branches have spread too far and taken away angles from a particular side. Conditioning could be better. The greens are good, fairways decent, but the tee boxes, rough, bunkers, and cart paths all need work. Lakeview will probably never be what it once was, but it’s still a solid course with some fun holes and challenging shots. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play).

(The uphill 171/151 par three sixteenth plays to a bilevel diagonal green. A deep bunker guards the inside angle. Note how choppy the rough is behind the green.)

(The 620/602 yard uphill par five eighteenth has never been reached in two. I was in the front right trap in four shots. Trying to save bogey, my wedge bounced into the ball sending it over the green and into the parking lot. BANG!!! It slammed into the metal door of the hotel. The bag boy was way too enthusiastic chasing after it for me. Give me a 7, I’m getting breakfast.)

(I read an interesting article about breaking 80. The author introduced a new concept called GIR+1. If you can put yourself in position to chip or putt for birdie 16 times, you will have a chance. Data shows between 180-200 yards, you’ll hit the green 1/5 or 20% of the time. Instead of hitting a long iron or hybrid, hit a club that’ll give you a good chipping opportunity. The cost was $72 with a cart.)

(The 427/406 yard par four fifteenth plays out of a narrow chute before opening up for the approach. I like the view of the hillside in the background with the sixteenth green overlooking the action.)

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Salem Hills Golf and Country Club (Salem, OH)

If you ever stumble upon a random course in rural Ohio, chances are it’s a Jack Kidwell design. He obliged many farmers and landowners in the ‘60s and ‘70s who wanted to turn their land into golf courses. It didn’t really matter how good the terrain was, he would make the project work. Thankfully Salem Hills has a creek darting through the southwest corner that gives this property some character.

(The 372/358 yard par four fifth plays downhill while doglegging left to this bunkerless green. Note the back right corner where the putting surface scuttles balls into the hazard. Nothing too difficult but careless shots can turn into quick bogeys.)

(The 562/501 yard par five sixth moves right off the tee before climbing uphill. A hidden water hazard, visible looking backwards from the green, presses into the landing zone and makes the second shot a nervous shot one.)

(The 155/144 yard eighth is a neat uphill par three. The tree short left gets most of the attention but the green is where you’ll lose strokes. The putting surface slopes hard towards the right with a false front short. It plays a tad longer than its yardage.)

Salem Hills typifies Kidwell’s philosophy on architecture. It has plenty of length and has greens with false fronts and crowned edges. The front nine begins slowly until you get to the uphill par five sixth. It then gets modestly interesting as the hazards present themselves in different ways and the long drive on nine over the water shows the course is beginning to demand more from the player. The back nine is where the real fun begins and the 10-13 stretch is what bumps the course up a notch in my view. A creek ambles in creating some nice land features and interesting shots. Eleven and twelve are particularly good par fours. Eleven doglegs right with the creek cutting across the fairway. The angle from the tee drags your eyes toward the hazard but the preferred line should be straight or down the left side. Twelve is up and over with a hanging fairway that will require a well struck second with the ball below your feet. Thirteen is a pseudo volcano par three except there’s no bunkers and the land is more rounded than vertical. After a few more holes including a reachable par five, the course ends with a real corker, an uphill double dogleg par four to a bunkerless green.

(The 381/348 yard par four twelfth is protected by subtle nuances including hitting from a hanging lie to a green with a false front. Note that pulling a ball below your feet is a normal miss which the creek and trees will quickly punish.)

(The 468/456 yard par five fifteenth plays over a rise where it narrows by the creek. The green then sits atop a hill with bunker short right. Long hitters can reach this in two and even short hitters can push it up close.)

Salem Hills is forty minutes south of Youngstown and hosts several high schools as their home course. It boasts fast greens and manicured fairways. It may not pull golfers outside its immediate radius but it’s a solid track. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play).

(Salem Hills was absolutely drenched the day I played it, so I moved up to the gold tees, except on the par fives, and enjoyed its 5,585 challenge. The greens putted nice despite all the water on them. I can only imagine how tough they are when it’s dry. Considering all the guys used to rave about Mohican Hills (NLE) back in the day, I surprised this one flies under the radar.)

(The 392/375 yard par four eighteenth doglegs left off the tee and slightly right into the green. The branches almost cover the right third of the putting surface. The right pins are tough to find.)

Here are a few extra pictures:

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