The PGA Tour returned to Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago this past weekend for the BMW Championship. So we decided it was a good idea to re-post Bill’s original review of Olympia’s North Course from July 2018.  Enjoy.

Olympia Fields Country Club North Course

Olympia Fields Country Club is one of the oldest and most famous golf clubs in Chicago, Illinois. Since its establishment in 1915 it has been home to multiple professional events including six Major championships. Originally home to four courses, Olympia Fields sold off the land from three of its courses during the hard times of World War II. The only complete surviving course was the North Course originally designed by two-time British Open winner, Willie Park, Jr.. Later updates came from with updates from Mark Mungeam in ’94, ’00, ’13-14. Since then, the Olympia Fields Country Club North Course remains as one of the top courses in America as well as one of the top-3 courses of the Chicagoland area.

(Olympia’s South Course is made up of remaining holes from the other three courses after the land sale.)

Hospitality

I’m sure I won’t surprise anyone by saying the Olympia Fields Country Club hospitality is nothing but excellent. You don’t become one of the top private country clubs in a major metropolitan area for over 100 years by not getting this part of the game right. Right from the beginning when you are greeted at the guard house, every member of the staff that you encounter is friendly, helpful, and focused on making sure you enjoy your stay. The highlight of my “hospitality experience” came from one of the greatest locker room managers of all time, Red. This guy’s a pure legend. He can answer any question you could possibly have about any of the courses, the history of the club, what’s good to eat or drink in the lounge, you name it. Red is an expert in making sure your visit is as close to perfect as possible.

Clubhouse

Maybe the most famous aspect of Olympia Fields Country Club is its massive clubhouse with its 80-foot tall four-sided clock tower. Impressive doesn’t even begin to describe it. The Olympia Fields clubhouse grabs your attention as soon as it comes into view and makes you want to explore every inch of it. Of course, exploring the clubhouse could take awhile as its two stories covers 5 acres (so I was told) with the men’s locker room covering an acre all by itself.

Within the clubhouse you’ll find multiple banquet and ball rooms. I can only imagine how nice the weddings are at this place… In addition to dining rooms and lounges, the Olympia Fields clubhouse also has its own hotel rooms to accommodate members that may wish to stay the weekend, or members’ guests from out of town.

Practice Facilities

Olympia’s driving range is pretty neat. To get to the “back” of the driving range, you take a nice little cart ride through the small neighborhood of houses that are on the property. As an outsider, I quickly formed a strong jealousy of all those homeowners. The driving range has two ends to hit from with a wide range of targets to choose from and a nice secluded feel. The small creek running through the range seems a little crazy, but it adds a nice aesthetic. I forgot to ask how they recover all the balls that go for a swim.

In addition to the driving range, Olympia has three different putting greens that roll pure. If you want to get an idea for what speed to expect on the course, you’ll quickly find it there. There’s also an impressive dedicated short game area in the works that we only drove by. I look forward to seeing it complete in the future. The finished product will have three target greens allowing shots up to 80 yards.

The Course

Like a lot of old Chicago-area championship courses, the Olympia Fields North Course is surrounded by massive century-old Oak trees. To accommodate modern championship golf, the North Course was lengthened to play up to 7,343 yards. Even playing the appropriate tees, the course still plays sneaky long and tough. It’s important that you end up in exactly the right spot on every shot or the course will make you pay dearly. Even if you think that eight foot leave is an easy two putt, be prepared for worse.

If you’re looking to have every aspect of your game challenged, then Olympia’s North Course has you covered. I like to think our group was comprised of decent golfers that can get around a course respectably. When we played the North Course, every member of the group felt challenged on every shot. Trying to get close on a seemingly straightforward 25 yard chip could result in going off the green. You’re often required to settle for very humble safety just to stay alive. Having all of your shots in the bag is a must to be able to save yourself at a moment’s notice. Safe misses are rare, and even then your options are limited to impossible. If you don’t have it, be prepared for a long day and a possible big number. That said, the North Course is very fair and a lot of fun to try and tame.

Final Thoughts – Olympia Fields Country Club North Course

Olympia Fields Country Club is one of the best full-service clubs you’ll find in the Chicagoland area. The famed North Course is every bit of a challenging track and will make you earn your score. I proudly put up one of the highest numbers I’ve had in a long time, and I had a ton of fun doing it. If you’re a sucker for classic American championship golf, then the Olympia Fields North Course is it.

Olympia Fields Country Club North Course Scorecard