Chicago Golf Club
The cradle of golf in the American Midwest, Chicago Golf Club holds the first 18 hole course in North America and a place among the five founders of the USGA. C.B. Macdonald built the original in 1895, and Seth Raynor's 1923 redesign gave members the template hole masterpiece they play today.
Photo: Chicago Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Chicago Golf Club is where organized golf in the American heartland began. Charles Blair Macdonald, the father of American golf architecture, built the first 18 hole course in North America here in Wheaton in 1895, and the club became one of the five founders of the United States Golf Association the year before. When Macdonald's protege Seth Raynor reworked the course in the early 1920s, reopening in 1923, he gave it the set of template holes, the Redan, the Biarritz, the Cape and others, that make it a living museum of classical design.
It is, quite simply, one of the most historically important clubs in the country, and one of the most private. The course is an open, windswept prairie layout, deceptively difficult, where the strategy lives in the angles and the firm, contoured greens rather than in trees or water. For the traveling golfer it is a bucket list members club rather than a public round, a place you angle to play through a connection, and a chance to walk the ground where the American game took root.
Chicago Golf Club at a glance
- Founded
- 1895
- Designer
- C.B. Macdonald, Seth Raynor
- Type
- Prairie classical
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 6,900 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Founding year, designers, par and length verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. Chicago Golf Club was founded by C.B. Macdonald in 1895 as the first 18 hole course in North America and redesigned by Seth Raynor, reopening in 1923, a par 70 of about 6,900 yards. It is a highly private members club with no published public green fee; access is generally only through a member, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
Chicago Golf Club looks gentle and plays hard. The land is open and rolling, with few trees to frame the holes, so the wind across the prairie is a constant factor and the defense is in the bunkering and the greens rather than in length. Raynor's template holes are the heart of the round, the Redan with its diagonal green falling away from the player, the Biarritz with its deep swale, and the Cape that dares you to bite off as much of the angle as you can carry.
The greens are the signature, firm, boldly contoured and full of the squared off shapes and plateaus that mark Macdonald and Raynor design. Approach from the wrong angle and even a well struck shot can scuttle away to a difficult two putt. The premium is on thinking your way around, choosing the side of the fairway that opens the green, and controlling the ball on the ground in the wind.
It is a course that rewards study and repeat play, where local knowledge of the green contours is worth several strokes, and where the strategic genius of the template school is on full display. The conditioning is firm and fast in the classical tradition, and a round here is a lesson in the architecture that shaped a century of American golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Highly private members club; not generally open to public play, with access usually only through a member host |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest rate is arranged through the club and a host member (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | An introduction and arrangement well in advance through your member host is essential |
| On the day | Walking with a caddie is the tradition; collared shirt and traditional members club dress code expected |
| Getting there | At Wheaton in the western suburbs, about 40 minutes from downtown Chicago and close to O'Hare Airport |
| Best months | May through October, with late summer offering the firmest, fastest prairie conditions |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Chicago Golf Club is highly private and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Most visitors base themselves in downtown Chicago, about 40 minutes east, where the full range of luxury hotels, dining and the attractions of one of America's great cities make a rewarding base for a golf trip. A city base also keeps the other great Chicago area courses within reach for a multi day itinerary.
Closer to Wheaton, the western suburbs offer comfortable hotels for golfers who want to be near the first tee for an early round. It is an ideal region to build a Chicago golf pilgrimage around, pairing Chicago Golf Club with the other classics of the area. We can build the lodging and the routing around the round you want to play.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Chicago.
Build a Chicago golf trip
We help arrange access where we can, pair Chicago Golf Club with the best of Chicago golf and book the lodging and transfers around your rounds. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Chicago Golf Club questions
Who designed Chicago Golf Club and when did it open?
Chicago Golf Club was founded by Charles Blair Macdonald, who built the first 18 hole golf course in North America at Wheaton in 1895. Seth Raynor redesigned the course, which reopened in 1923, the layout members play today.
What is the par and length of Chicago Golf Club?
Chicago Golf Club is a par 70 that plays to about 6,900 yards from the back tees, a classic, open prairie style course built around Macdonald and Raynor template holes such as the Redan and the Biarritz.
Why is Chicago Golf Club historically important?
Chicago Golf Club is one of the five clubs that founded the USGA in 1894, home to the first 18 hole course in North America, and an early host of the US Open and US Amateur. It is one of the most historically significant clubs in American golf.
Can visitors play Chicago Golf Club?
Chicago Golf Club is a highly private members club and is not generally open to public play. Access is usually only through a member, so contact and an introduction well in advance are essential.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026; club history verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.