GOLF COURSE REVIEW: Orchard Valley

About 42 miles west of downtown Chicago sits the city of Aurora, IL. Despite being the 2nd largest city in the State of Illinois, it is generally regarded as a suburb in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area. Home of the famous Paramount Theater, Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar of Wayne's World fame, as well as of the greatest meteorologist ever, WGN's own Tom Skilling, you might not think of Aurora as a golf destination, but you would be wrong. Two nearby private courses, Stonebridge Country Club and the Jerry Rich creation Rich Harvest Farms have hosted LPGA events recently, and the city itself maintains an excellent municipal track that will always be absent from any Top 100 lists. That municipal course is Orchard Valley, and it is where I call my golf home (well, for handicap purposes anyway).

The Orchard Valley Golf Course clubhouse is well designed and more than adequate to support a medium sized pro shop as well as a pleasant bar, and nicer dining facility complete with outdoor seating overlooking the eighteenth green. The course itself, while relatively short (only 6,745 yards from the tips), plays much harder as evidenced by its 72.4 rating and 134 slope. The reason for the short length and challenging slope is the fact that water comes into play on 11 holes, you can hit it out of bounds on 10 holes, and almost every hole features hazards that will cost you at least a stroke should you get careless with your swing.

What makes Orchard Valley golf special is the combination of conditioning, value, and risk/reward opportunities everywhere. I've made four eagles in my life, and I am surprised to say none have been here. If you are ever going to play a course where you have a better than average chance for exciting eagle and birdie opportunities, this is the place! The fairways are most often firm enough to allow some roll on your shots, but soft enough to make hitting off them a dream. The greens are most often smooth and fast, but never unfair.

I do have a complaint that I mentioned in my post from earlier this year about golf carts. There are way too many opportunities on this course where paved cart paths can play a devastating role in your round. On no fewer than 10 holes you can hit a marginally bad shot that will bound off a cart path and out of bounds where no cart path would result in a bad lie at worst. This course is a VERY easy walk, and with the exception of the 15th where they removed a foot-bridge whilst adding more cart paths a couple years ago, there is little need for carts to speed things up. Certainly just a gravel or grass cart path would be sufficient in a number of these areas.

With all that said, let me give you the hole-by-hole breakdown, complete with the official hole names. Though the Black "tips" are a good challenge for single handicap golfers, my breakdown assumes the Blue tees which offer plenty of course for most golfers, and great scoring chances for the low-handicapper.

#1 - Options Galore - Par 4. This might be my favorite opening hole anywhere, save for

perhaps the 1st at Pacific Dunes. You can literally hit any club in the bag off the tee and make par, but if you want to have fun here, think bigger! At 300 yards, but often playing up to 20

yards shorter, this hole offers a rare shot at going 2-under right off the bat. If you are up for it,

pull out the big stick and fire directly over the bunkers on the right side of the fairway - clear them and you may be putting for eagle. This is not without risk, of course. Land in those bunkers, and you will be faced with a difficult 60-70 yard blast with more bunkers protecting the left side of the green. Miss long and left, and you may be dropping and hitting your 3rd over those green side bunkers with a grove of trees between you and the hole. Take all the risk out and hit a medium iron to a hybrid left of the fairway bunkers, and par is very achievable with birdie still in play.

#2 - All Or Nothing At All - Par 3. Remember, my breakdown is from the Blue tees, the Black tees here are simply nasty; take a peek before you cross the bridge to hit your tee shot. The shot from the Blue tees is no picnic either. Only 150-170 yards, I have recently heard it muttered that this is the hardest short hole in Chicago. Whether you agree or not, pay attention and hit it long and left or you will be hitting your third from a "rugged" drop area about 65 yards from the green. Par here is a good score.

#3 - Eye Of The Needle - Par 4. Oh, another nice short Par 4! Well, at 350 yards, you are right about the short part, but the nice part would be misleading. Pull one left and the best result you can hope for is a punch shot through some huge oak trees, but it is likely you will need to hit another off the tee because OB runs up the entire left side with that clever cart path "helping" the ball find that 2-stroke hazard. Hit it right on the other hand, and the wind will help your ball find the long bunker that runs up the entire right side, if it doesn't hit hard and bound into the water, that is. Should you pull off the tee shot and find the fairway, you should have a manageable shot to a heavily contoured green with the bunker and more water waiting to gobble up any shots missing short and right.

If you survived the last two holes, you are in good shape, but don't put it into cruise control, you still need to hit good shots. Stay in the game and you could be looking at birdies on the next five holes.

#4 - As Much As You Can Chew - Par 5. At 513 yards, this hole is very reachable, but it all depends on how much you are willing to gamble off the tee. If you tend to miss right, I suggest just playing this as a three shot hole, and hitting it further left than you might think off the tee. The second shot should be played up the left side as the mounds along the left edge of the fairway should kick any shots right toward the green. Shots missed right will land in a large bunker guarding the green. The green is two-tiered, and if the tee is on the upper-tier, birdie becomes tremendously challenging.

#5 - The Big Apple - Par 4. This is the first hole's evil twin. Another hole measuring about 300 yards, and often 10-15 yards shorter, this is the definition of risk/reward. Hit it 232 yards straight over the right bunkers, and you might have another look at eagle, or miss a little right and short for a short pitch from the upper fairway to set up a birdie putt. Lose it moderately left or right, however, and you will likely be getting bogey at best, and possibly a BIG number. I always hit driver, by the way.

#6 - Waste Not, Want Not - Par 3. The shortest hole on the course at 143 yards, this little Par 3 should be a cupcake. You shouldn't be hitting much more than a 7-iron with the prevailing wind behind you, so just take a smooth swing at the middle of the green. If you miss a little left, you will end up in either a large waste bunker or one of two deep pot bunkers green side. From these hazards, par is a great score. The green breaks hard toward the back left, so take the time to read your putt well.

#7 - Over The Hill - Par 4. At 385 yards and often into a stiff wind, this isn't the easiest tee shot to hit long, and the hole may require a longer iron than you have hit all day, but the fairway is wider than it looks, and in fact hitting it over the large mound on the right will kick it into a landing area behind that is not visible from the tee. You don't want to miss this green as there is a large depression on the right and mounded rough on the left. The green slopes from left to right, and can be quick.

#8 - Devil's Triangle - Par 5. Remember, you came here to have fun, so swing hard and hope you hit it off this tee. Your goal off the tee should be to land just short of the second bunker on the left side of the fairway. At 483 yards, a good drive there should leave you a shot at the green which is well protected with a cruel sand bunker pocked with tall grassy mounds. The left side of the green opens up and is fronted by a landing area, so even if laying up, try to stay left, hitting either short of or over the final left side fairway bunker. If you are lucky enough to get a pin on the lower (left) tier, go for it, but if it is on the upper (right) tier, take a par with pride.

#9 - Sherman's March - Par 4. There is not much too worry about on this hole except that it is 458 yards (sometimes longer) and plays into a prevailing hook wind. Both sides of the fairway are bordered with big mounds that will kick errant shots back down to the fairway, unless you hit the top of the left mounds, that is. This is the most noticeable place where the course added a long cart path along the top of the mounds. Hit that path with an errant hook and you are not only out of bounds, but risk hitting cars on Orchard Rd. traveling 45 mph. This was an incredibly dumb place to add a trampoline to hard hook shots with the prevailing wind helping, simply stupid. Back to the hole, you will have a long second shot into a very large green bisected by a ridge that moves shots one way or the other. Leading up to the green, the fairway has a series of mounds that can kick your approach shot anywhere, and often stops it in a tough spot. Par is a great score here, and bogey is perfectly acceptable.

#10 - Doggone Dogleg - Par 4. At 358 yards, the smart play is either a long iron or hybrid up the fairway on the left leaving a short shot into a severely two-tiered green. The riskier play is to shoot a 3-wood or driver between the bunkers to the right of the fairway and get to a short wedge approach perhaps allowing control to hit the right tier. The riskiest, and most fun play is to literally cut over the houses and OB on the right where a well struck drive (especially with the wind helping) can get onto the green, or leave a short chip, making eagle a possibility yet again. Once on the green, the challenge really starts, and landing on the correct tier WILL save you at least one stroke.

#11 - High Low - Par 5. A very short, 475 yard par 5, this one has birdie written all over it. Often, this hole is actually shorter than the Par 4 9th, and both play into the same wind. The ample fairway allows a drive to be hit almost anywhere. If you have no fear of hooking it, play a strong drive down the left side where a ball carried over the hill can leave you with less than 200 yards to the green. A well-struck drive down the right side is fine as well, but leaves you a slightly more difficult angle if going for the green in two. If laying up, the fairway splits about 110 yards from the hole, the right side playing lower and leaving you a blind shot over a ridge to the green, and the left playing level with the green and wide open. The green isn't overly challenging, so take the good score...you'll need it!

#12 - Beauty And The Beast - Par 3. A pretty looking hole that will range from 145-155 yards, and varied angles over the large lake to a two-tiered green. Even though it is safer to miss right, it still leaves you a shot from a deep bunker or deep rough with water lurking just across the green. The best miss is actually short and a little right, but why miss at all. You should have a confident club in your hand, so swing smooth, take the par and don't make this harder than it really is.

#13 - Just A Hard Hole - Par 4. This might be the most fitting title of any hole on the course. This hole plays all of 445 yards, often into the prevailing west wind. The first problem is that a marsh sits right in the middle of the hole about 256 yards away. Big hitters need to leave driver in the bag or may be rewarded with a penalty stroke for even a well-struck shot. Don't be too weak on the drive either as there is a ridge you need to run past to roll down to the end of the fairway, where you can hit a mid-long iron in. If your drive finished short of that ridge, you will be looking at a 220-230 yard shot from a downhill lie over water to a green protected on the right by deep rough and lakeside bunkers...oh, and OB left! Remember, this is a Par 4. If you do go into the lake, don't get too bent out of shape, there is a drop area on the other side about 125 yards from the green. Once on the large green, putting is mostly simple unless you get a back left pin placement where you'll have to deal with a large ridge making putts extremely difficult. Like #9, par is a great score here.

#14 - Sentry - Par 4. This hole isn't a breather, but it is the simplest hole left on the course, so pay attention. Carry the lake with your drive to the right side for the best approach angle, but don't get carried away, that OB can sneak up on you. The left part of the fairway isn't too bad, but you'll be hitting a blind approach shot to the well-bunkered green. Miss the fairway left, and you are likely in jail or lost. The approach seems to play a club longer than you'd think, so don't under club. The green has some breaks in it, but is relatively easy to read, so take the par.

#15 - The Brass Ring - Par 4. I really have very little good advice for you on this short, but challenging Par 4. I love the risk/reward aspect of carrying the large lake right at the pin, but you'd better be sure you can carry 240+ yards, or you'll be hitting your third shot from the same place having to try again, or take the "safer" route. The safe route begins with any shot from 155-270 yards up the left side. Land safely, and you have a mid-short iron to a very shallow and contoured green over three large and contoured bunkers. Go long and you will either lose your ball or will have a downhill pitch from deep rough to a green running away from you. If your drive does carry the lake, you will have a less than 100 yard pitch or chip shot that appears easier than it is. Putting can be a big challenge depending on pin placement. A fun hole to be sure, but don't take it lightly.

#16 - Snakebit - Par 5. Like so many holes at Orchard Valley, this one can be had, but it can also eat you for lunch. At 499 with the prevailing wind often helping, you can get two controlled shots home, but don't try to take off too much on the drive. Due to the snaking shape and the long bunker lining the right side of this dogleg, it is a longer carry than it appears. Aim just right of the far left bunker from the tee and hit a powerful fade for the best results. The green is the craziest on the course with a large ridge running horizontally across the middle of the green forcing you to stay on the correct side or face a breaking uphill then downhill putt. This one is easy to 3-putt, so get on as quickly as you can, and don't mess around with that right side!

#17 - Home Stretch - Par 3. This hole looks really difficult, but it is really just difficult. If the pin is on the right, just ignore it. The green is 185 yards away and everything slopes from the left side towards the lake. The carry also gets longer with each small amount of fade or push you give the drive, so stay left, but stay short too. Long left leaves you in some kind of trouble with a shot that can't stop running right towards that lake. One putts are tough, so lag it close and take the par if you can get it.

#18 - Left Is Right - Par 4. If you are still in the game, congratulations! You are far from done, however. There is a sign on the 18th tee suggesting to golfer that to avoid accidents, aim well left on this hole. They aren't kidding! Everything conspires against you on this hole to pull your ball into the lake on the right, or worse, OB! At 398 yards, there is plenty of room to run a solid drive well left of the waters edge. Do that and you will have a mid to short iron into the green. Just hope for the front left pin placement where this hole kind of lays down a little bit and nicely says goodbye. Back right is killer with any club in your hand, bringing all kinds of trouble (including that water again) back into play. Par here is a good score, birdie is great, and bogey is common.

So, how did you play, check the card. You likely feel like you left some shots out there, and maybe scored surprisingly worse than you thought. I hope you had fun on most of the holes, and noticed the condition of the course because I'll bet you will be back!

If you have played, or do end up playing it, let me know what you think. How did you play? How did you score? Was it a good value, or overrated? The only thing I don't want to know is if you rode in a cart...save that for someone else.

For some great 360 photos of Orchard Valley, check out LookAroundGolf.com here.

Fairways and Greens!

GOLF COURSE REVIEW: Prairie Bluff

How often can you say that you have golfed in the shadow of a prison? Not just any old jail, mind you, but one serious, don't-ever-want-to-end-up-here maximum security prison? In fact, the very prison where the notorious serial child-killer John Wayne Gacy met his maker?

OK, so maybe there are more than one out there, but I bet the answer would be "rarely, at best." If you like solid golf courses with excellent conditioning at a GREAT value, then I would strongly suggest you give it a try at Prairie Bluff Golf Course. Nestled in a corner of Lockport, IL, and surrounded closely by neighboring Joliet (thus, the prison), Romeoville, and Plainfield, Prairie Bluff may not look like much, but it offers the aforementioned qualities, and does have a few surprises in store for the average golfer.

If there were ever a review you should take at my word, this might be it. I have played Prairie Bluff at least 65 times since discovering it myself back in 2000. It certainly isn't the greatest

course I have played, and not even the greatest course within 5 miles, but I guess every golfer has a course where the price doesn't cause financial pain, yet the golf experience is generally enjoyable...this happens to be mine.

Topping out at $43 for non-residents on weekends, this is easily among the best values in Chicagoland. The price is fair, and believe me when I tell you that the conditions are excellent. The greens run as smooth as most courses in the area charging double the greens fees, and the fairways are generally pristine, though can get pretty soggy in the early season. As you can imagine, it isn't the most challenging course around, but played from the back tees, it offers plenty of course for most golfers, and anyone with a double-digit handicap should strongly consider the Blue tees. It can get very windy out here as there are a complete absence of buildings, trees, and yes, even houses to get in the way of that Illinois prairie wind, so the course can, and often does play much longer than the yardage on the card would indicate.

A couple of caveats, to be fair. This course (probably due to the value) is quite popular and gets a lot of play. This is one of the reasons the excellent conditioning is so impressive, but alas, the course can play slow...VERY slow. One of the issues at play is the routing. They start you off with a medium Par 4, followed by a short Par 4 and then a Par 3. For whatever reason, this causes a logjam with even a handful of groups headed out. Another issue is the number of "recreational" golfers out there to ride a cart, hack at the ball, and rap with their buddies. While not overly challenging for those who can hit the ball relatively straight, this course will KILL the crooked shooter. Late in the year especially, the no-mow surrounding most holes can grow thick

and deep (this was productive farmland at one time). Most balls finding the really deep stuff are D.O.A., and even the primary rough can result in an embarrassing hack back to the fairway. After a slow start, don't fret too quickly, the course often loosens up after the 4th hole, but not always, so relax, and enjoy the slower pace if you can.

Also, don't even think of asking the rangers for help with the pace...help will not come. I once spotted a leisurely 5-some a couple holes ahead of my group slowing the entire course. Upon mentioning it to the ranger, who spent a lot of time "patrolling" the course, he responded with a meek "what am I supposed to do about it?" WHAT?! Apparently this crew doesn't attend the obligatory starter/ranger asshole classes given for free to any interested party. I think their true purpose is to search for lost Pinnacles and Top-Flites to sell out of the jar in the clubhouse.

So, what about the course? I guess if I've gotten you to read this far, I owe you some idea of what you will be seeing out there, and maybe I can save you a ball, or better yet, get you a birdie! I will give yardage from the Gold (back) tees as that is where I most often play, but the

advice will not be too different for any tee. Also, I will attempt here, for the first time ever, to personally name each of the holes, so please forgive if some come off rather lame...ONWARD!

#1 - Don't Worry, Nobody Is Watching - Par 4, 413 yards

I've seen the small pond framing the tee boxes come into play far too often on this hole...IT IS NOT IN PLAY! Trust me, the hundred other golfers all standing way too close to the teeing area here as if it will make their round of 102 happen sooner, will never remember you or your shot off the first tee, so relax, and hit it forward in almost any direction. Hitting it too hard too far right can be bad as there is another lake over there, but unless you are lefty, a slice off this tee will be weak enough to finish short of that lake. Hit one extra club into the green to avoid the bunker guarding the front right and you will have a relatively easy-breaking putt. The bunker doesn't look like much, but it often steals at least a stroke, and often two from the unfortunate

golfer not yet ready to swing one through the sand. To be safe, play the entire hole up the left side and you should be just fine.

#2 - Easy Does It - Par 4, 369 yards

Of course you can carry the bankers on the left, right? Well, probably not, and even if you do, what have you gained? Carry them and you are faced with an uphill shot with about a half-

wedge over the green-side bunker to a shallow green running away from you. Do yourself a favor and hit one straight up the fairway, and for many, the driver is not the best club here. A well-struck long iron or hybrid should be enough to get inside 150 yards to the green, and an approach from the right side of the fairway will get you the best angle to the deep side of the green. The green itself can be a little tricky with a front pin, but middle or back is pretty straightforward.

#3 - Underestimated - Par 3, 183 yards

The pin placement is everything on this hole, as it is for most Par 3s. A front right pin offers a direct look at the flag, but also offers the most treacherous putting and the narrowest portion of the green to hit. A middle or back pin brings the

bunkers into play, but could offer an easier putt, assuming you stay left off the tee. The front and left bunkers aren't the toughest in the world, but will cost you a stroke more often than not. The worst place to miss might be right due to the severe undulation on the right side of the green, and lucky you, the prevailing wind wants all shots to go right. This should be a par opportunity, but don't be surprised if this hole bites you.

#4 - Pardon The Interruption - Par 5, 544 yards

This is one of the few holes where the tees you play makes a significant difference. From the Blue tees, the fairway bunkers are more in play off the tee, but the hole is reachable in two strokes, while playing from the Gold tees provides a slightly easier tee shot, but brings other things into play later. Layup shots on this hole are aggravated by a river of medium depth rough bisecting the fairway at a great layup distance and lie. The main fairway runs downhill right into this rough area causing many layup attempts to miss the fairway and land in this rough. Even if you do keep your layup short of this rough, you will have a downhill approach shot waiting for you into a large undulating green sloping primarily from back to front. If you can't get home, it

still might be a good idea to hit as much club as you can on your second shot in order to fly over this rough area and into the secondary fairway which runs all the way up to the green. Oh, and try to avoid those last two bunkers on the left side of the second fairway, unless you like 50-70 yard bunker shots that is.

#5 - Right Leaning - Par 4, 401 yards

Another innocent looking hole, that will yield par if you let it. Here, you are standing on an elevated tee box staring at a wide fairway with a slight dogleg to the left. The dogleg is protected by a triad of bunkers that you are sure you can carry. Remember, these objects appear closer than they really are. I've seen these bunkers carried from the tee, even done it myself once or twice, but it isn't worth the risk. Play straight up the fairway and you will have a direct line into a relatively flat green with a mid to short iron, possibly even a wedge. Caution, do not hit a hard hook at any point on this hole...at best you will not find your ball in the tall and thick weeds, at worst, you will be OB and smacked with an unnecessary 2-stroke penalty.

#6 - The Valley Of Death - Par 3, 161 yards

This hole is arguably the easiest hole on the course, and should offer plenty of pars with loads of birdie opportunities. The green offers some subtle breaks that will protect against too many birdies, but this hole only has one real defense, coming into play on any shot hit short and

left. Even a well-struck shot hit pin high can end up in the Valley of Death if played to far left of the hole. This area is a closely mown collection trough that runs up the left side of the green and offers a decision along with a darn tough shot. If the pin is in the front, hit the Texas Wedge and get on the green anywhere near the hole. If the pin is middle or back, you can always putt, but if you have confidence in your chipping game, there is usually plenty of green to run one up to the hole. If you do end up here, don't get too cute and bring double into play, take your medicine.

#7 - Marathon - Par 4, 448 yards

I've heard it elsewhere, but this is one of those holes that should be a Par 4.5. There isn't a whole lot to tell you here, but hit it long and straight. Played most often into the prevailing wind, most will be hitting a fairway wood or hybrid into this green, even with the best of tee shots. Understanding that you are likely to end up short, try to make sure your approach blast misses to the right side, leaving you a straightforward pitch or chip to a green that slopes more than you might think from right to left. Misses to the left of the green are going to leave a challenging shot, especially if the pin is placed anywhere on the left half of the green. Make you putt for par, and you have accomplished something to be proud of. If you take a bogey, don't fret, I would bet it is

the best score most have gotten on this hole.

#8 - Sneaky Dangers - Par 5, 514 yards

Like all the Par 5s on this course, the Gold tees make a big difference. A bold shot from the Blue tees might be able to cut the corner of this dogleg right, depending on the wind direction. From the Gold tees, you can cut a little bit off, but it is a 293 yard carry over that second fairway bunker, so probably better to just hit up the right center of the fairway. Shots that do find the fairway could offer a good look at the green in two strokes...especially as the second shot often turns with the prevailing wind. Caution, there is a small stream that runs up the right side of the rough, and while small, it will suck up an errant shot or two. About 75 yards short of the green, this stream heads underground for another 40 yards emptying into a larger lake waiting for any bold shots that miss right of the green. This lake is not visible from the fairway, so be aware that missing the green even a little right could spell disaster. The green itself is slightly elevated and is surrounded by rough, so it is tough to run a shot up the fairway onto the green. Once on the green, you will be faced with another undulating green that will make one-putts difficult. Like most of the holes here, if you just take it easy, this one should yield par or bogey at worst.

#9 - Loch Port - Par 4, 392 yards

This is one of the few holes where you need to be careful about hitting your drive too far. If you never hit it left, aim at the scoreboard in the distance and rip a driver up the right side as there is plenty of fairway to hit. If you have a tendency to hit hard hooks with your driver, best to leave it in the bag as there is a large lake on the left side 267 yards from the Gold tees and only 247 from the Blue tees. This lake comes into play all the way up the hole, so you would do well to hit a controlled fade into this green. The green slopes hard from back to front and left to right save for a small flatter area in the far back of the green. Two-putts are the norm.

The halfway house offers decent food, but not great food. Sometimes on summer weekends, they will be grilling outdoors on the patio which upgrades the dogs, burgers, and chicken sandwiches if you prefer.

#10 - The Sandless Bunker - Par 4, 387

A generous start to the back nine here with the easiest Par 4 on the course. Blast your drive almost anywhere for a straight shot into the green. A miss right could get you in some trouble with a few small pine trees blocking your look at the green from a severe side-hill lie while a miss left will almost certainly leave you in a small low patch of grass that once was a fairly penal fairway bunker. I'm not sure why they removed the bunker as it was the only thing that really protected this hole off the tee, but take advantage, and if you are going to miss the generous fairway, miss left. The green is quite large, and breaks predictably, so if your distance control with the approach is good, you might have an easy putt for birdie. If you don't hit the green near the pin, a 3-putt will be possible.

#11 - Jail! - Par 4, 426 yards

From this tee box, you will be looking directly at "Stateville" Prison. Best to play the tee shot straightaway...just pick some feature from the prison, and hit straight at it. Missing right on this dogleg left makes for a long hole, but missing left can be very bad. There lies perhaps the most "in-play" water hazard on the course, a small pond extending from 229-281 yards from the Gold tees, and will catch even more from the Blue. If the wind is howling behind you, and you can really drive it, you can fly the pond, but again, it is probably not worth the risk. The approach shot from the middle of the fairway is fairly uneventful, though the green does fall off from the middle down to the left side. A right pin placement means you will have to carry the greenside bunker, but the green in large enough to do so safely.

#12 - Pushover? - Par 5, 524 yards

Though the OB right can come into play here, especially from the Blue tees, don't be afraid to play up the right side of the fairway with your drive...and hit it hard. From the right side, the green is accessible in two shots, and a low runner can roll up onto the right side of the green. From the left side of the fairway, you might be able to get home, but it will require a blind shot through a "goalpost" in the trees blocking your view. The layup shot is a piece of cake, but the green is well protected by a gaping green side bunker fronting from the middle to the left side. The green itself is a shallow one on the left, but deep on the right. Putts will break toward the open portion of the green, but do so with some consistency, so the putts aren't as challenging as they might appear. A good par hole.

#13 - Easy As Pie - Par 3, 146 yards

Though I've seen loads of shots come up short of this green, it is a deep one, so take the higher club, and hit it solid. The green is well-protected from poorly struck and errant shots, especially left of the green where a steep hill drops balls into scrub rough leaving a very difficult shot back to the green. The green itself breaks a lot with two ridges crossing through the middle breaking putts to back left, back right, or down front. Don't make this hole harder than it is.

#14 - Tree Monster - Par 4, 378 yards

Though the cards still say 378 from the tips here, I just played off the brand spanking new back tees that has stretched this already difficult hole out to about 400 yards. Every shot you play on this hole is intimidating. First, you must fire your drive at a fairway that doglegs from right to left, and appears extremely narrow due to a HUGE tree on the left edge of the fairway. Drives that stray too far right will find water, or can easily get O.B., so don't fall for that temptation. You also can't go around the tree left as there is a lake extending almost all the way to the green. Go in that lake, and you will be dropping in rough about 165 yards from the green with a third shot that is all carry over that same lake to a shallow green with bunkers to the right. The best thing to do is to ignore the tree and hit a straight shot just to the right of it...trust me, there is more fairway there than it appears. Another option, if you can hit it very high, is to go right over the top of that tree. If you can pull off that shot, you will be very close to the green and have a good look at the pin. Finally, and this might seem crazy, but you can also aim well left of the lake and play up the 15th fairway. This is not the easiest approach to the green, but does take both O.B. and the tree out of play (just make sure you have GPS or a laser range finder if you choose this route). The green is back to front with front pin placements, but breaks much more in the middle or back. Personally, I think this is hands down the most difficult hole on the course.

#15 - You'll Never Make It - Par 5, 573 yards

The longest hole on the course, and one that most often plays into a stiff wind, will challenge your long game every time. Blast a driver to the wide fairway, then hit everything you've got just to get to a good layup distance. If the wind is helping rather than into you, be careful to avoid the right side fairway bunkers with your second shot...you want no part of them. Once you have reached a good short iron or wedge distance, make sure to check the pin placement, you want to be on the correct tier with your putt, especially if the pin is in the back. The green features a large ridge through the mid-back that will speed up any putt coming from front to back. This is a decent par hole, but birdies are rare.

#16 - Stamina - Par 4, 438 yards

So, how windy is it? Do you have enough left for yet another long Par 4 into the breeze, this time up a large hill? Give it a go, and don't be overly afraid of hitting your drive up the left side of the fairway as it will offer the best approach angle to the green. Any approaches from the right will have to carry a small but deep bunker fronting the green, and the course seems to enjoy tucking the pin just behind said bunker. In any case, your approach will likely be with a mid-long iron, so strike it well. The green is large and mostly flat, so the putting will be the least of your worries if you can hit this green in regulation. Once you hole out, don't drop your guard, this one finishes tough.

#17 - Subtlety - Par 3, 182 yards

They saved the hardest Par 3 for last, and for your sake, you got lucky with a SW wind. This hole is protected by a lake that runs up the entire left side of the hole with a gradually longer carry the further left you go. You may remember this lake as the one who stole your ball off the tee on #11, right? This green features large contours that will put a premium on distance control, though with a front pin, you can actually hit one a little short of the green and it may run right down to the hole. A back left pin is treacherous as even a well-struck shot that carries left may find a small bunker or deep rough. Oh, and while missing right isn't dead, too far right will be. Watch that wind, because a sliced shot may just reach another small lake that shouldn't even be in play.

#18 - A Watery Grave - Par 4, 414 yards

Yes, the lake is very much in play off the tee. If you hit it anywhere right of the barber pole with any kind of fading movement to it, even an adequately struck ball is going to be wet...trust me, stay left of the 150 pole, and if you can, hit a draw. You are probably a little fatigued after the last four holes, so don't let that swing get lazy, because your second shot is no piece of cake either. That lake stays in play until you are on the green here, so play to the left whenever possible, and hope for a middle pin placement. Do not fire at a short right pin as the putt will not be too bad from the middle to there. You might also be careful firing at a back left pin, as a bunker front and left is waiting. Don't forget, the 18th counts the same as the 1st, so stay focused until you sink that putt!

I hope this helps, and you are able to score well on your first or next visit to Prairie Bluff. Unless you live far north of the city of Chicago, please make a visit and let me know what you think...your wallet, and perhaps your scorecard might just thank me.

Fairways and Greens!

100 Greatest Public Courses - ranked by price

This list comes directly from the August '09 edition of Golf Digest Magazine. I like it because it makes price the most important component in the rankings after choosing the 100 best public for all factors. It also assumes the highest price plus lodging where a one night stay is required. I've played 27 of these (marked with an asterisk). How many have you played?

1. Old Works, Anaconda, MT

2. Links of North Dakota, Ray, ND

3. Shepherd's Hollow, Clarkston, MI

4. Lakewood Shores Resort (Gailes), Oscoda, MI

5. Black Mesa, La Mesilla, NM

6. Hawktree, Bismarck, ND

7. Quarry Oaks, Ashland, NE

8. RTJ Trail at Capitol Hill (Judge), Prattville, AL

9. Black Lake, Onaway, MI*

10. TPC Deere Run, Silvis, IL*

11. Eagle Eye, East Lansing, MI

12. The Golf Course at Redlands Mesa, Grand Junction, CO

13. The Harvester, Rhodes, IA

14. The Legend at Giant's Ridge, Biwabik, MN

15. Mattaponi Springs, Ruther Glen, VA

16. The Quarry at Giant's Ridge, Biwabik, MN

17. Circling Raven, Worley, ID

18. Lakota Canyon Ranch, New Castle, CO

19. Branson Creek, Hollister, MO

20. Longaberger, Nashport, OH

21. Stonewall Resort (Palmer), Roanoke, WV

22. Ko'olau, Kaneohe, Oahu, HI

23. Paa-Ko Ridge, Sandia Park, NM

24. The Classic at Madden's Resort, Brainerd, MN

25. Belgrade Lakes, Belgrade Lakes, ME

26. Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale, NY*

27. Granite Links (Granite/Milton), Quincy, MA

28. The Tribute, The Colony, TX

29. Great River, Milford, CT

30. Osprey Meadows at Tamarack Resort, Donnelly, ID

31. The Heritage Club, Pawleys Island, SC*

32. Tobacco Road, Sanford, NC*

33. Avalon Lakes, Warren, OH

34. World Woods (Pine Barrens), Brooksville, FL*

35. The Golf Club at Cuscowilla, Eatonton, GA

36. Tullymore, Stanwood, MI*

37. Bulle Rock, Havre de Grace, MD

38. Cog Hill (#4 Dubsdread), Lemont, IL*

39. Forest Dunes, Roscommon, MI

40. Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek), North Plains, OR*

41. Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys), Kohler, WI*

42. Blackwolf Run (River), Kohler, WI*

43. Golden Horseshoe (Gold), Williamsburg, VA*

44. Whistling Straits (Irish), Haven, WI*

45. Chambers Bay, University Place, WA

46. Arcadia Bluffs, Arcadia, MI*

47. Barefoot Resort (Dye), North Myrtle Beach, SC

48. Barefoot Resort (Fazio), North Myrtle Beach, SC

49. Saratoga National, Saratoga Springs, NY

50. La Quinta Resort (Mountain), La Quinta, CA

51. Wolf Creek, Mesquite, NV

52. Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry), Bay Harbor, MI

53. PGA West (Stadium), La Quinta, CA*

54. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Pawleys Island, SC*

55. The Prince Course, Princeville, Kauai, HI

56. Promontory, The Ranch Club (Dye Canyon), Park City, UT

57. Turtle Bay Resort (Palmer), Kahuku, Oahu, HI

58. Grande Dunes (Resort Course), Myrtle Beach, SC

59. Tidewater, North Myrtle Beach, SC*

60. Torrey Pines (South), La Jolla, CA*

61. Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, CA

62. The Broadmoor (East), Colorado Springs, CO

63. The Challenge at Manele, Lanai City, Lanai, HI

64. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, SC

65. Kiawah Island (Turtle Point), Kiawah Island, SC

66. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (Mystic Rock), Farmington, PA

67. Wailea (Gold), Wailea, Maui, HI

68. Pine Needles, Southern Pines, NC*

69. The Club at Cordillera (Summit), Edwards, CO

70. Edgewood Tahoe, Staeline, NV

71. Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, SC

72. The Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, CA

73. Coeur d'Alene Resort, Coeur d'Alene, ID

74. Bandon Dunes, Bandon, OR*

75. Bandon Trails, Bandon, OR*

76. Pacific Dunes, Bandon, OR*

77. The Homestead (Cascades), Hot Springs, VA

78. Mauna Kea, Kohala Coast, HI

79. Kapalua (Plantation), Kapalua, Maui, HI*

80. Karsten Creek, Stillwater, OK

81. Doral Golf Resort & Spa (Blue), Miami, FL*

82. Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, CA

83. Crosswater, Sunriver, OR

84. The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, SC

85. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

86. Trump National Los Angeles, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

87. CordeValle, San Martin, CA

88. Whistling Straits (Straits), Haven, WI

89. Pinehurst Resort (#4), Pinehurst, NC*

90. Pinehurst Resort (#8), Pinehurst, NC*

91. Bay Hill Club, Orlando, FL

92. Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA

93. Cascata, Boulder City, NV

94. Shadow Creek, North Las Vegas, NV

95. The Ocean Course at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort, Palm Coast, FL

96. Fallen Oak, Saucier, MS

97. Pinehurst Resort (#2), Pinehurst, NC*

98. Barton Creek (Fazio Canyons), Austin, TX

99. Sea Island (Seaside), St. Simons Island, GA

100. May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, SC

Let me know how many you have played. Which ones? Overrated? Underrated? Let's hear it.

Fairways and Greens!

GOLF COURSE REVIEW: Prairie Landing

Western DuPage County is an interesting place. From above, you can see the huge 6,800 acre piece of land in Batavia that is used by Fermilab. Fermilab is essentially home to the world's second largest energy particle accelerator, as well as a small herd of Bison. Not too far too the north of Fermilab lies the 2,800 acre DuPage airport which serves as a reliever airport for both O'Hare and Midway airports. Part of that 2,800 acres owned by the DuPage Airport Administration is a world-class Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed golf course appropriately named Prairie Landing Golf Club.

One thing that you will be keenly aware of by the time you finish your round at Prairie Landing is transportation...perhaps even before you begin play, the planes, trains, and bicycles will make themselves known. Prairie Landing is directly in the flight path of the aforementioned DuPage Airport, which lands some surprisingly large aircraft. Additionally, the southern edge of the course is flanked by an oft-used railroad carrying frequent Metra trains as well as long freight trains, which do occasionally prevent on time arrival to the course. In fact, for those coming to this course from points east on I-88, I suggest driving all the way to Farnsworth Rd., heading North to Rt. 38, then coming back to the east to reach Prairie Landing to avoid the potential train/tee time stymie. Finally, as you play the front nine, you will cross the Illinois Prairie Path before and after you play holes number 5 and 6, and will likely see more than a handful of cyclists pedal by.

As you arrive at the course and make your way up Longest Drive, take note of the long prairie grasses that surround virtually every mowed surface of the course, this grass will likely be playing at least a minimal role, and potentially a great part in your game today. The clubhouse is not huge, but nice, and offers all the amenities you might expect from an upscale public course. Be aware that they have a better than average locker room downstairs from the pub, so a post round scrubbing is available before a long drive home.

Prairie Landing prides themselves on their vast practice facilities. I was once impressed by the setup, but have grown increasingly apathetic to the offering. The driving range offers many flagged targets which is good, but the hitting area is surprisingly small, and seems to be getting more and more beat up every year. It is apparent that it gets a lot of play...more than the allotment of grass can accommodate. The stretching rack is a nice touch, but I have yet to see anyone actually using it.

Once done with the range, you can move over to the two full-sized practice holes. Yes, there are actually twenty holes on this course, and what better way to get those bad first swings out of the way than on two actual holes that don't count? Sounds great, but again, I have become less enamored with this concept each time I go there. It seems to me that a lot of land is used for these two practice holes that could be used for a larger and better conditioned driving range. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but perhaps it is overkill. Hidden way at the back of these two practice holes is a nice and extensive pitching/chipping area...but who knows it is back there? I think in all the many times I have played this course, I have seen someone using that area only once, since they changed it from a third practice hole, that is. Finally, next to the first practice tee lies the larger of two putting greens. This green is nice, but a tad far from the first tee for walkers...though there are many ways this course is a bit tougher on those of us out for a little exercise as well. The smaller putting green is right next to the first tee, and is serviceable in preparing you for the fast sloping greens soon to be encountered.

Prairie Landing offers five tee options providing extremely fair playing conditions for all levels of golfer, though anyone not in control of their rights and lefts will suffer from even the most forward tees. This review will be based on the Gold tees which are the last tees before the Black "tips" and play to a rating of 71.3 and a slope of 130 at a 6,580 yard Par 72. One of my favorite features of this Par 72 course is that is has 5 Par 3s and 5 Par 5s.

They don't start you off with a piece of cake at Prairie Landing, though it will feel like one if you manage to hit the perfect long tee shot over the lake in front of you. If you aren't feeling up to the 210+ yard carry over the water on your first official swing of the day, you can hit almost any club in your bag other than Driver up the left fairway on this 330 yard Par 4, then take a short iron into the green over the second water hazard short and left of the green. If the big stick is your friend, well go ahead and aim for the right side of the green from the tee...a well-struck shot just might get home in one, or will at least leave you a very short second shot. Whatever you do, get on the green in as few strokes as possible, especially if they give you the nasty front right pin placement. This green is very fast and slopes very hard from right to left, sometimes leaving you with damn near impossible putts, and often taking three to get into the hole.

Stay relaxed on number two, and save the greed for later. This relatively short 350 yard Par 4 dares you to hit it anywhere but straight ahead. Do yourself a favor and leave the driver in the bag for this one. Unless you can bomb it 350 yards uphill into a prevailing wind, just pull a 3-wood, hybrid, or even a long iron, and get onto the fairway. This is another sloping green, but nothing like the first, so get near the hole and a birdie or par is not too tough.

Proceed with caution on number three. The first of five Par 3s doesn't look like much. A 178 yard shot to a green fronted by a bunker and framed behind by hills makes this shot look shorter than it really is. Hit an extra club than you want to, and do whatever you can to get onto this green on the first shot because most of the pin placements on this green are evil. Almost every putt, no matter how short can break a full cup in either direction. I am sure birdie can be had here, but I've never seen one that I recall.

The fourth hole brings with it something new...hit your drive anywhere, and you will probably be OK. I am serious, the fairway of this very reachable 513 yard Par 5 must be at least 100 yards wide where most golfers land their driver, and big hitters can get over the crest and down the hill, sometimes leaving a short iron to the green. For those players, eagle is in play, but birdies are common, and par should be your goal. This is also one of the more puttable greens on the course.

Cross the Prairie Path, avoiding the hardcore bikers, and the 390 yard Par 4 5th will open up before you. If they named their holes at Prairie Landing, I think this one would be called "Options", because you have several. A stream bisects this fairway running parallel to the direction of your drive. A fairly straight drive up the right fairway should avoid the stream, but presents a very difficult approach shot over the "pond" portion of the stream to what from that angle will be a wide, but shallow green that will run short and right shots well off the green, and potentially back into the water. I believe the more advisable play off the tee is to cross the stream, and don't be afraid to go farther left than it appears you can. The fairway opens up just beyond the large hill to the left, and any well-struck shot landing in the visible fairway left of the stream runs the risk of bounding into the stream anyway. A shot to the left side of the left fairway also offers the best angle to approach this green. Once on the green, a 2-putt should be achievable.

Before heading back across the path, there is the matter of the Par 3 6th. With three tee box possibilities, this hole can play anywhere between 174 and 125 yards long. I almost always hope for the "East" tees for an easier approach usually impacted by a crosswind, while the "western" tees will often be either dead into or dead with the wind making the tee shot very difficult. This is another tricky green, so don't get too greedy for birdie, and be happy with a 2-putt.

The Par 5 7th is, in my opinion, one of the most intimidating looking holes on the course, especially when the wind is blowing in your face. At 555 yards, it is unreachable in two for most, but you will still want to hit driver, as the first shot offers the widest fairway on this hole. The fairway narrows as you get closer to the green, so if you are going to miss, try to stay right to avoid the deep prairie grass and stream running all the way down the left side to the green. This green is enormous, so make sure you choose your approach club wisely or another 3-jack may be in your future.

Leave driver in the bag again on the 360 yard Par 4 8th, it is the dumbest decision you would make all day. Just hit something 200-220 yards straight at the bunkers through the fairway, and you will have a fairly easy approach shot to a green that breaks left to right. The pin position makes this hole, so just hope for any pin situated center or left on the green. The back right pin placement is very challenging with any shot short and/or right being gobbled up by deep rough at best, water at worst.

The front nine ends as tough as it begins with the longest Par 4 on the front at 408 yards. Play your drive a little further left than it appears you should and the mounds on the left should kick you ball down to the fairway with a little bonus distance. If you miss left often, just aim up the center of the fairway for the same effect. Missing too far left leaves you a blind shot from the 1st hole. The 9th fairway tightens up substantially as you approach the hole, and the green is very long sloping hard from back to front, and having at least two tiers. Get that approach close to the hole and take your par.

Grab a dog at the snack shop, and take the long hike past the driving range to the 10th tee. If you are walking, cut off some distance by cutting through the parking lot rather than following the cart path...thank me later. Number ten is a straightaway 530 yard Par 5 that seems like it plays tougher than it looks. The fairway is wide almost all the way to the hole, but missing the fairway either left or right is quite penal, often costing at least one stroke just to get back to a clear shot. If you aren't trying to get home in two, which you probably won't be, the layup is fairly easy, but don't lose focus. The large green features two very distinct tiers, and a miss long is dead gone lost ball. Even a found ball presents a very difficult uphill pitch to a downhill green. Get on the correct tier in regulation, and par should be yours...maybe even a birdie.

Number eleven is another wolf in sheep's clothing. At only 335 yards it demands nothing more than hybrid or 3-wood off the tee at the very most. The swamp that runs across the middle of the hole is closer than you might think, and a driver can get into a lot of trouble. Short and right can be just as bad or worse however, as the trees will block your approach to the green, and might be bad enough to force a chip-out layup just in front of the swamp. The green should be easy enough to hit, bit it is another long one with some sneaky slopes, so be satisfied with par here despite the short length.

Turn the corner and face the signature hole of this course in my opinion. The 208 yard Par 3

12th is a good 180 yard carry all over water, and looks longer than that. Leave it short and wet, and you will next be hitting from perhaps the most difficult drop area I have ever played...a mangled patch of deep rough pocked by divots about 85 yards from the green and slightly blocked by hanging tree branches on the left...ouch. Even carrying the water isn't the only challenge from the tee. Should you clear the water, but miss too far left or right, you may be dropping a new ball with deep woods surrounding the outskirts of the hole. Resist the intimidation, make a smooth swing with one bigger club, and take your two putt par.

The 549 yard Par 5 13th is next, and is my nemesis. This is a narrow par 5 with mounds on the right and big trees up the left. Played with a straight well-struck drive, the layup is relatively easy, leaving a short approach shot over another stream to a simply gigantic green with a back to front and right to left slope in the whole thing. Just keep your ball in play and take a par, or play like me, and bring a few extra rocks to hit the rest of the way.

Climb the hill behind the 13th and another Par three awaits you, hopefully playing the same ball you finished number 12 with. At 171 yards, this is one of the more manageable holes on the course, and the first time you might be hitting directly at a passing train. Avoid the multitude of bunkers on this hole, but definitely don't miss left as the deepest of prairie grass awaits your ball. The green, of course is sloped, but not so severely that a 2-putt is overly difficult. Number 14 is the beginning of a three hole stretch where I think you can make up some ground.

The Par 4 15th hole is another short one at 363 yards. Don't be afraid to hit driver here as you could get over the crest and be very close to the green on your first. Don't be afraid to hit a long iron or hybrid either as this approach shot is perhaps the easiest on the course, and the green is perhaps the most straightforward. This is your best chance for birdie all day.

Did you like that hole? Here it is again, but much longer. At 414 yards, the 16th is the longest Par 4 on the course, and is the number 4 handicap hole. I'm telling you now, it's not that hard. Make a smooth swing off the tee to a very wide fairway, knowing that you will have to hit a longer club than normal on your approach shot. On the approach, don't worry, this green is enormous, and hitting it with a reasonably good shot shouldn't be too hard. Your miss here should favor the right side to avoid the prairie grasses. Though the green does slope somewhat severely from right to left, a 2-putt is in order.

Another walking hint here. Instead of walking the long cart path around the back of the 16th green, just head up over the hill on the back right of the green and you will pop out right at the 17th tee. The final Par 3 of the day, and definitely the most challenging, this 207 yard tee shot will challenge your stamina...do you still have a solid strike with a long iron or hybrid left in you? Getting onto the green is only the beginning as this is probably the most ridiculous green on the course. A deep trough runs through the middle of the green from the very front to almost the very back funnelling shots from all sides and back of the green down into it. If the pin is down there too, great, but if not, a 2-putt is outstanding as is a par.

Finally, the eighteenth hole is another with lots of options. At 545, the safe play is down the right side of the fairway, right of the bunkers, a layup to the right side corner of the fairway, then a wedge home all avoiding the lake on the left, but when is safe any fun? Play at the bunkers or left of them with a well-struck drive and this hole will beg you to make one last attempt at glory or ruin with a shot that is all of 200-250 yards of carry all over water to what is almost always a front-tucked pin. Neither option appeal to you? There is always option number three of yanking a big pull hook into the ninth fairway, then playing a shorter shot over the lake from that side. Depending on wind direction, that could be the best route! The big green slopes from back to front, and the bunker on the right is not too bad a place to be in two, or even three.

Head into the quaint, but nice little pub for a drink, or even a bite to eat, and you will not be disappointed...in the beverage, I will not comment on your score. Don't forget that locker room downstairs complete with showers. If you have been tramping through the prairie all day, your legs will be itching by now and a quick rinse takes care of that in a snap.

Prairie Landing Golf Club offers an all-around excellent golf experience. They regularly have special deals, though their standard rates are a tad high, and can be difficult to figure out. This course, while challenging, is quite walkable, and the pro shop is accommodating to walking as an option, bravo! If you do choose the cart, they offer full GPS to help with distances and speed things along. I recommend that everyone try to get out to Prairie Landing this summer...you may just find your new favorite Chicagoland course.

For some great 360 degree photos of Prairie Landing, check out LookAroundGolf.com.