ThunderHawk Golf Club
The flagship forest preserve course north of Chicago, a Robert Trent Jones Jr. par 72 routed through oak and hickory groves, native prairie and wetlands in Lake County, Illinois.
Photo: Thunderhawk Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
ThunderHawk is the best public course in Lake County and one of the most enjoyable forest preserve rounds in the Chicago region, a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design that opened in 1999. Built on 243 acres of former farmland for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, it was routed to restore the land as much as to play it, with remnant oak and hickory groves, new wetlands and acres of native prairie giving the course a wild, natural feel close to a major metro.
It plays to a par 72 of roughly 7,031 yards and was the first public course in Illinois to earn Audubon certification, which tells you how the conservation and the golf were designed together. For a traveling golfer it is a genuine RTJ Jr. test at a public price, well conditioned and quiet, with the grasses and groves giving each hole a sense of seclusion that the typical suburban daily fee course cannot match.
ThunderHawk Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1999
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Type
- Public, forest preserve
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,031 yards
- Green fee
- From about 70 dollars
Designer and details verified June 2026: ThunderHawk Golf Club was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1999 in Beach Park, Illinois, as the flagship course of the Lake County Forest Preserve District, a par 72 of roughly 7,031 yards. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 70 dollars to 110 dollars including cart, varying by day and season; always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Robert Trent Jones Jr. used the restored landscape as the defense. Holes thread between groves of mature oak and hickory, native prairie grasses of switchgrass, Indian grass and big bluestem edge the fairways, and new wetlands come into play, so an errant tee shot is often lost in the long grass rather than simply rough. Position and a committed swing matter more than raw distance.
The greens are large and contoured and the bunkering is bold and natural in the Jones style, with several strong par 3s and reachable par 5s that tempt the bigger hitter. The routing has real elevation change for the flat Midwest, and the sense of isolation hole to hole, with prairie and woodland rather than houses lining the play, is the course's signature and the reason it stands out.
For traveling golfers, ThunderHawk is the natural, value led round on a Chicago golf trip, a quiet RTJ Jr. test in the Lake County woods that pairs well with the more manicured public courses closer to the city.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public forest preserve course; open to all golfers, booked online or through the golf shop |
| Green fee | From about 70 to 110 dollars including cart, indicative 2026; varies by day and season, with resident rates available |
| Booking | Book online or by phone; weekend mornings in summer fill early |
| On the day | Cart and walking golf with a practice facility and clubhouse dining; standard golf dress; native areas play as hazards |
| Getting there | In Beach Park in northern Lake County, about an hour north of downtown Chicago and close to the Wisconsin border |
| Best months | Roughly April to November; late spring through early fall is prime in the upper Midwest |
Access and fees verified June 2026; public green fees change by day and season and resident rates apply, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Northern Lake County and the nearby Gurnee area offer hotels within a short drive of the first tee, and both Chicago to the south and Milwaukee to the north are within easy reach, which makes ThunderHawk a flexible stop on a wider regional golf trip. It is a quiet, value led base away from the bustle of the city.
For a wider Chicago golf trip, ThunderHawk pairs with the upscale parkland of The Glen Club in Glenview and the 27 hole public test at Cantigny Golf in the western suburbs, or see all our United States golf holidays.
Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
Build a Chicago golf trip
We arrange tee times at ThunderHawk, pair the best public golf across the Chicago area and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
ThunderHawk Golf Club questions
Who designed ThunderHawk Golf Club?
ThunderHawk was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1999 in Beach Park, Illinois, as the flagship course of the Lake County Forest Preserve District. It plays a par 72 of roughly 7,031 yards from the championship tees.
Is ThunderHawk Golf Club open to the public?
Yes. ThunderHawk is a public forest preserve course open to all golfers, booked online or through the golf shop, with resident rates available for Lake County golfers.
What makes ThunderHawk different from other Chicago public courses?
It was routed through restored oak and hickory groves, native prairie and new wetlands, and was the first public course in Illinois certified by the Audubon Society, which gives it a wild, secluded feel that most suburban daily fee courses lack.
How much does it cost to play ThunderHawk Golf Club?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 70 dollars to 110 dollars including cart, varying by day and season, with resident rates available. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and design concept verified June 2026; yardage and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.