Since we are deep into spring with the weather becoming nicer every day, many people, including LFHS students, are ready to get back out on the golf course. 

Starting now and into the summer, LFHS students will be looking for different courses to play locally.

There are both Ppublic and private courses around Lake Bluff and Lake Forest. Many courses are private, so you can only play as a member or a guest. However, there are many public courses locally that can fit many different levels of golf.

Lake Bluff Golf Course:

Lake Bluff Golf Course opened in 1968 and is the public golf course in Lake Bluff. It is also home to the LFHS Boys Golf team. The Lake Bluff Golf Course is well-liked by many LFHS students as it is not too difficult of a course with its wide fairways, and it is easy to get on and play for a fair price. “

Lake Bluff Golf Course is a great place to just go and play, it’s almost always open, and it’s a good place to play for the high school golf team,” junior Graydon Duncan said. 

Deerpath Golf Course: Deerpath Golf Course is the public golf course in Lake Forest and is the home course for the LFHS Girls Golf team. Deerpath Golf Course underwent renovations in 2021 to address issues with the draining systems. The course now can handle water and can be played more often after storms.

Deerpath Golf Course is a little different from Lake Bluff Golf Course as it has narrower fairways but shorter holes. “I like the variety of holes at Deerpath, some have water, and some are wide open, and some are surrounded by trees. You get a little bit of everything at Deerpath,” junior Huston O’Neil said.  

Foss Park: Foss Park opened in 1974 and is located in North Chicago off Green Bay Road. It is pretty cheap and an easy course for beginners. It’s good for any level of golf and a course that many people don’t struggle with.

“Foss Park is a good place to start playing golf. It’s a great course to have fun and have a good round,” junior Jack Lamberti said. 

Pine Meadow: Pine Meadow Golf Course opened in 1985 and is in Mundelein. It has continued to be named a top 10 public golf course in Illinois and was named the “Best New Public Golf Course in America” in 1986.

“Pine Meadow has fast rolling greens and nice fairways. It also has some of the best facilities compared to other public courses,” junior Powell Brickman said.

Steeple Chase: If you are an experienced golfer and are looking for a challenge, Steeple Chase could be a good option to try out. Steeple Chase Golf Course opened in 1993 and is in Mundelein. It was named the 19th best public course in Illinois in 2021, according to GolfPass, and is a pretty challenging course.

The course is one of the more challenging public courses in the area. “Steeple Chase is a tough course because it is very hilly. The hills make the course difficult and it tests golfers’ distance control,” Duncan said.

Shepherd’s Crook: Shepherd’s Crook Golf Course is a very well-liked and is in Zion. It is a medium-difficulty course with difficult elements like water and prairie grass. Shepherd’s Crook has very high ratings on GolfNow; it has a 99.7% recommendation rate. Shepherd’s Crook is a course that many golfers can play, but could feel more challenging if you are new to golf. It also has a fantastic clubhouse environment that many golfers appreciate before or after they play the course.

“After my last hole in a high school match, there was live music and an outdoor grill for everyone. There were a lot of people there and it seemed like a great environment to have a good round and have a good time,” O’Neil said. 

If you don’t belong to a private golf club or if you are looking for somewhere new to play, all of these public options could be the place for you this summer.