Rich Harvest Farms
A one man labor of love turned championship venue, Rich Harvest Farms is the private dream of owner and designer Jerry Rich. Built across 1,800 acres west of Chicago and opened in 1999, it grew strong enough to host the 2009 Solheim Cup and the 2017 NCAA Championship.
Photo: Rich Harvest Farms via Google.
The verdict
Rich Harvest Farms is one of the most unusual great courses in America, the personal creation of Jerry Rich, who made his fortune in technology and then poured it into a golf course on his own land in Sugar Grove, west of Chicago. He designed it himself, hole by hole, expanding from a handful of private holes into a full 18 that opened in 1999, and the result is a meticulously manicured par 72 stretching to nearly 7,735 yards across 1,800 acres of rolling countryside.
What sets it apart is that a passion project of this kind grew into a genuine championship venue. Rich Harvest hosted the 2009 Solheim Cup and the 2017 NCAA Championship, along with elite amateur events, a remarkable record for a private course built by an amateur architect. For the traveling golfer it is a rare and exclusive invitation rather than a public round, a place you reach through a connection, and one that rewards the visit with immaculate conditioning and a long, thoughtful test of the game.
Rich Harvest Farms at a glance
- Opened
- 1999
- Designer
- Jerry Rich
- Type
- Parkland championship
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,735 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. Rich Harvest Farms was designed by owner Jerry Rich and opened in 1999, a par 72 of about 7,735 yards set across 1,800 acres. It is a highly private club with no published public green fee; access is generally only through a member or an invitation, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
Rich Harvest Farms plays long and demands precision. With room to spare on 1,800 acres, the holes are spread across rolling terrain with generous separation, mature trees, water and wetland framing the corridors and a length that gives the strong player a full workout. The conditioning is the first thing visitors notice, kept to a tournament standard year round, with fairways and greens manicured to a level few private clubs match.
The greens are quick and subtly contoured, and the bunkering is positioned to make the player think off the tee about the angle into each pin. The par 3s are varied and well defended, and the par 5s reward two well struck shots while punishing the greedy. The course flexes for big events, growing teeth for a Solheim Cup or an NCAA Championship, yet stays a fair and satisfying test from the members' tees.
It is a course best understood as one person's vision realized without compromise, every detail considered and every hole maintained as if a championship were next week. That single minded care is what visitors remember, alongside the sheer scale and seclusion of a private golf estate in the Illinois countryside.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Highly private club; not generally open to public play, with access usually only through a member or an invitation |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest play is arranged through the club and a host (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | An introduction and arrangement well in advance through your host is essential |
| On the day | Caddies and the full estate experience suit the championship layout; collared shirt and traditional dress code expected |
| Getting there | At Sugar Grove west of Chicago, about an hour from downtown and within reach of O'Hare Airport |
| Best months | May through October, with high summer offering the firmest, fastest conditions |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Rich Harvest Farms 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 an hour 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 Sugar Grove, the towns of the Fox Valley around Aurora and Naperville offer comfortable hotels for golfers who want to be near the club for an early round. It is an ideal region to build a Chicago golf pilgrimage around, pairing Rich Harvest with the other great courses 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 Rich Harvest Farms 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.
Rich Harvest Farms questions
Who designed Rich Harvest Farms and when did it open?
Rich Harvest Farms was designed by its owner Jerry Rich and officially opened in 1999 at Sugar Grove, Illinois, west of Chicago, after evolving from a few private holes into a full championship layout.
What is the par and length of Rich Harvest Farms?
Rich Harvest Farms is a par 72 that stretches to about 7,735 yards from the back tees, a long, demanding layout set across 1,800 acres of rolling countryside.
What championships has Rich Harvest Farms hosted?
Rich Harvest Farms hosted the 2009 Solheim Cup and the 2017 NCAA Championship, along with other elite amateur and college events, establishing it as one of the strongest private tests in the Midwest.
Can visitors play Rich Harvest Farms?
Rich Harvest Farms is a highly private club and is not generally open to public play. Access is usually only through a member or an invitation, so contact well in advance is essential.
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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.