Olympia Fields North Course
A grand old champion in the south suburbs of Chicago, the North Course at Olympia Fields has hosted the US Open twice across nearly a century. Willie Park Jr laid it out in 1916, and its tree lined corridors, sloping greens and high slope rating still test the best players in the world.
Photo: Olympia Fields Country Club via Google.
The verdict
The North Course at Olympia Fields is one of the great classical tournament tests of the American Midwest. Willie Park Jr, the two time Open champion turned architect, routed it in 1916 across rolling, wooded land south of Chicago, in the days when the club ran four courses and a clubhouse the size of a hotel. What survives is a par 70 of real substance, tree lined and demanding, with a course rating and slope that climb into the highest tier and a championship pedigree few clubs anywhere can match.
This is a place where the game's history was written. The North hosted the US Open in 1928 and again in 2003, two PGA Championships in the 1920s and 1960s, a US Senior Open, a US Amateur, a KPMG Women's PGA Championship and back to back BMW Championships in the modern FedEx Cup era. For the traveling golfer it is a bucket list members club rather than a public round, a course you angle to play through a connection, and one that rewards the effort with a walk through a century of championship golf.
Olympia Fields North at a glance
- Opened
- 1916
- Designer
- Willie Park Jr
- Type
- Parkland classical
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 7,300 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. The North Course was laid out by Willie Park Jr and opened in 1916, a par 70 that stretches to about 7,300 yards for championship play. Olympia Fields is a private members club with no published public green fee; access is generally through a member or a club arrangement, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
The North asks for control and patience from the first tee. Park routed the holes through mature trees and over gentle ridges, so the premium is on finding the fairway and leaving the approach below the hole, where the sloping greens are most receptive. Par is a strong number here, and the course defends itself with length, with tilt and with putting surfaces that punish the careless.
The closing stretch is among the most demanding in championship golf, a run of long, exacting holes that has decided major championships. The par 3s are varied and tough, the par 4s ask for two precise shots, and Butterfield Creek wanders into play to add a watery hazard to several holes. It is the kind of course that reveals more on a second and third visit, where local knowledge of the green slopes is worth several strokes.
The conditioning is immaculate in the championship tradition, the rough is grown tall when the club hosts an event, and the greens run firm and fast. From the back tees it is a brute, but played from a sensible set of markers it is a fair, strategic and deeply satisfying examination of every part of the game.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; the North Course is not generally open to public play, with access usually through a member or a reciprocal club arrangement |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest rate is arranged through the club and a host member (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Contact the club well in advance through your member host; a golf travel specialist can help with introductions |
| On the day | Walking with a caddie suits the classical layout; collared shirt and traditional members club dress code expected |
| Getting there | At Olympia Fields in the south suburbs, about 40 minutes from downtown Chicago and Midway Airport |
| Best months | May through October, with late summer offering the firmest, fastest championship conditions |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Olympia Fields is 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, a 40 minute drive north, where the full range of luxury hotels, dining and the attractions of one of America's great cities make an easy and rewarding base for a golf trip. A city base also puts the other great Chicago area courses within reach for a multi day itinerary.
Closer to the club, the south suburbs offer simpler business hotels for golfers who want to be near the first tee for an early championship round. It is an ideal region to build a Chicago golf pilgrimage around, pairing Olympia Fields 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 Olympia Fields 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.
Olympia Fields questions
Who designed the North Course at Olympia Fields and when did it open?
The North Course was designed by Willie Park Jr and opened in 1916 at Olympia Fields, Illinois, south of Chicago. It is the championship course at a club that once boasted four courses in its heyday.
What is the par and length of the Olympia Fields North Course?
The North Course is a par 70 that can stretch to about 7,300 yards for championship play, with a high course rating and slope that reflect its demanding, tree lined classical design.
What championships has Olympia Fields hosted?
The North Course hosted the US Open in 1928 and 2003, PGA Championships in 1925 and 1961, the US Senior Open in 1997, the US Amateur in 2015, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in 2017, and BMW Championships in 2020 and 2023.
Can visitors play Olympia Fields?
Olympia Fields Country Club is a private members club and the North Course is not generally open to public play. Access is usually through a member or a club to club arrangement, so contact the club well in advance.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; championship history verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.