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#11 in the United States

Chicago Golf Club

Wheaton, Illinois · designed by C.B. Macdonald (original 1895), Seth Raynor (renovation 1923) · opened 1895
AccessPrivate
Holes / Par18 / 70
Yardage6,537 yds
TypeClassic

History

Chicago Golf Club, founded in 1892 and one of the five charter members of the USGA, holds a pivotal place in American golf history. C.B. Macdonald designed the permanent course in Wheaton in 1895 — the first 18-hole course built in the United States. Seth Raynor revised the routing in 1923, adding template holes that reinforced Chicago's status as a laboratory of strategic design. Its relatively short yardage belies a demanding layout where precision, wind management, and course knowledge matter far more than power. Three early U.S. Opens were played here, and its influence on American golf architecture is immeasurable.

Signature Hole

7th hole, par 3, 165 yards — a classic Raynor Short template with a wildly contoured punchbowl green

Notable Tournaments

  • 1897 U.S. Open
  • 1900 U.S. Open
  • 1911 U.S. Amateur
  • 2005 Walker Cup
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