Golf
Premier private golf
One of Chicagoland's top championship 18-hole courses, where walking is encouraged.
Rolling hills, tree-lined fairways, fast greens
Our Tom Bendelow–designed course sits on rolling hills with tree-lined fairways, elevated tees and fast greens that players of every skill level can enjoy. Golf programs are organized to promote friendship and fun for all members and their families. Weekend tee times begin at 6:30 a.m.
Elgin has hosted the CDGA Mid-Amateur and Illinois PGA Section Championships (2024), the Illinois PGA Match Play Championships (2020 and 2022), U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Girls' Junior qualifying, and National PGA Junior qualifiers — plus local high school and collegiate competitions every year.
We are a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, recognized for environmental stewardship: wildlife and habitat management, chemical-use reduction, water conservation and water-quality management.
Tees
| Tee | Yards | Par (M / W) | Rating (M / W) | Slope (M / W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 6,450 | 72 / — | 72.2 / — | 133 / — |
| White | 6,065 | 72 / 73 | 70.0 / 75.3 | 128 / 142 |
| Hybrid | 5,369 | 72 / 73 | 67.3 / 72.0 | 122 / 135 |
| Red | 5,001 | 72 / 73 | 65.6 / 70.0 | 118 / 131 |
Yardages from the club's hole-by-hole card; ratings and slopes as published by GolfPass. Women play hole 13 as a par 5.
Scorecard
| Hole | Name | Par | Handicap (M / W) | Blue | White | Hybrid | Red |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vista | 5 | 12 / 8 | 480 | 472 | 393 | 393 |
| 2 | The Oaks | 4 | 14 / 14 | 358 | 350 | 350 | 261 |
| 3 | Swale | 4 | 10 / 4 | 384 | 372 | 300 | 300 |
| 4 | Left Out | 3 | 8 / 16 | 203 | 180 | 130 | 130 |
| 5 | Collapse | 4 | 2 / 6 | 417 | 401 | 401 | 306 |
| 6 | Big Bogey | 3 | 16 / 6 | 193 | 173 | 173 | 162 |
| 7 | Weldwood | 4 | 4 / 2 | 404 | 387 | 304 | 304 |
| 8 | Long Tom | 5 | 6 / 10 | 518 | 479 | 379 | 379 |
| 9 | Easy Street | 3 | 18 / 18 | 142 | 132 | 132 | 122 |
| 10 | The Draw | 5 | 11 / 5 | 486 | 463 | 414 | 414 |
| 11 | Under & Over | 4 | 17 / 4 | 270 | 262 | 262 | 210 |
| 12 | Sunset | 4 | 9 / 9 | 384 | 346 | 346 | 287 |
| 13 | Slippery Knoll | 4 / 5 | 1 / 11 | 431 | 413 | 368 | 368 |
| 14 | The Growler | 5 | 5 / 1 | 514 | 475 | 403 | 403 |
| 15 | Three Putt Corner | 4 | 3 / 3 | 405 | 388 | 338 | 338 |
| 16 | Loch Leith | 3 | 13 / 15 | 163 | 136 | 111 | 111 |
| 17 | Spion Kop | 4 | 15 / 17 | 294 | 267 | 267 | 215 |
| 18 | Hame | 4 | 7 / 7 | 404 | 369 | 298 | 298 |
Course tour: how to play each hole
Hole 1: Vista — par 5, 480 yards
Reachable downhill par 5. Tee shot to the right side of the fairway gains extra yards. Lay up the second shot to the right side. The green slopes dramatically from right to left.
Hole 2: The Oaks — par 4, 358 yards
Straight par 4 to an elevated green. Favor the left side of the fairway off the tee. The second shot is uphill and semi-blind; allow extra yards to the hard-to-hold green.
Hole 3: Swale — par 4, 384 yards
Slight dogleg-right par 4. The tee shot should favor the left side of the fairway. A challenging second shot to a green that slopes back to front.
Hole 4: Left Out — par 3, 203 yards
Long, straight par 3. Requires a precise tee shot to the center of the green. Avoid out of bounds on the left and bunkers on the right.
Hole 5: Collapse — par 4, 417 yards
Long, straight par 4. Favor the left side of the fairway with the tee shot to avoid out of bounds on the right. Target the approach to the center of the green.
Hole 6: Big Bogey — par 3, 193 yards
Straight par 3. A precise tee shot to a well-protected green. Up-and-down is easiest from a miss to the right.
Hole 7: Weldwood — par 4, 404 yards
Uphill dogleg-right par 4. Favor the left side of the fairway off the tee. Play the blind approach half a club less than the yardage to the center of the green.
Hole 8: Long Tom — par 5, 518 yards
Uphill dogleg-right par 5. Tee shot over a large fairway mound. The second-shot landing area narrows at 115 yards. Carry the approach the full distance to the elevated green.
Hole 9: Easy Street — par 3, 142 yards
Short par 3 to a multi-level green. Tee shot to the center of a terraced, well-protected green. Avoid out of bounds to the left and behind the green.
Hole 10: The Draw — par 5, 486 yards
Extremely hilly dogleg right. A narrow landing area off the tee. Lay up the second shot to the center of the fairway, then a blind approach to the smallest green on the course.
Hole 11: Under & Over — par 4, 270 yards
Drivable par 4 to an elevated green. Play the approach to the center of the green no matter the pin position.
Hole 12: Sunset — par 4, 384 yards
Slight dogleg-right par 4. The tee shot should favor the left side. Land the approach short of most pin positions; the green slopes severely front to back and right to left.
Hole 13: Slippery Knoll — par 4 / 5, 431 yards
The longest par 4, uphill off the tee. Out of bounds right and a fairway that slopes left to right. The green slopes back to front and right to left; short shots roll back off.
Hole 14: The Growler — par 5, 514 yards
A great par 5 to an elevated green. The tee shot should favor the left side of the fairway. Lay up to the base of the hill for a 100-yard blind approach favoring the left side of the green.
Hole 15: Three Putt Corner — par 4, 405 yards
Our signature par 4 — one of the best in Chicagoland. A demanding tee shot takes on the left fairway bunker. The approach plays to a three-level green; long leaves a very difficult up-and-down.
Hole 16: Loch Leith — par 3, 163 yards
Medium-length par 3 over water. The tee-shot yardage is all carry to a shallow green.
Hole 17: Spion Kop — par 4, 294 yards
Diabolical drivable par 4. Favor the right side with the approach. A false-front green punishes a short approach and putts from above the hole.
Hole 18: Hame — par 4, 404 yards
A challenging par-4 finishing hole. Out of bounds right; favor the right side of the fairway for extra yards. Aim the approach toward the flagpoles. There is no good bailout: the green is well bunkered with a severe false front.
Golf programs
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Men's golf
Saturday and Sunday morning games, and a season of about 30 individual and team tournaments: The Invitational (our three-day member-guest), the Club Championship (played since 1901), Player of the Year and inter-club match play.
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Ladies golf
The Ladies' 18-Hole League plays every Tuesday from April, followed by lunch; a 9-hole group plays casually. Highlights: the Ladies' Club Championship, the Lady Elgin Cup and the Thelma and Louise Tournament.
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Junior golf
From "Lil Rippers" at age 4 to advanced juniors: summer instruction, skills challenges, the Junior Club Championship, PGA Jr. League, U.S. Kids tournaments and high school play.
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Instruction
Our golf staff use video and simulator technology to help every member improve — private lessons, clinics and club fitting.
Golf staff
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Jon Duppler
Head Professional since 2010 and a PGA member since 2008; a winner of numerous Illinois PGA section events.
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Mark Spitzer
A personalized approach to better scores and more enjoyment; find his videos at @tempo.town.golf.
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Matt Wojciechowski
Club fitting, PGA Jr. League coaching and lessons for every level.
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Phil Zeinert
Superintendent since 2001; University of Wisconsin soil science graduate.

Caddie program
Elgin has maintained a caddie program for more than 90 years, giving community youth meaningful summer work and members an enhanced golf experience. Our members proudly support the Evans Scholars Foundation — in 2024 they donated $45,000 to the Evans Scholarship Program.
Make Elgin your club
Tour the club, meet the membership team, and see why families have called Elgin home since 1901.
