Cog Hill Course No. 4 Dubsdread Review

Cog Hill Course No. 4 Dubsdread

If you’re a fellow course architecture/design nerd, especially in America, the polarization from the redesign of Cog Hill’s Dubsdread (aka Course No. 4) is nothing new to you. The 1964 Dick Wilson/Joe Lee design was eventually updated when Rees Jones was enlisted in 2008 to try and earn a US Open at Cog Hill which left a lot of the best players in the world dismayed by the changes. Having grown up going to the Western Open and the BMW Championship until 2011, then getting to play the course, I have a lot of opinions in both directions. What I will say is, it’s not everyday the general public has access for a golf course like this for under $200.

Clubhouse(s)

Yes, you read that right. There are two clubhouses at Cog Hill. The clubhouse pictured above is the smaller of the two and is there to serve as the pro shop and sending groups off on Dubsdread and Ravines. The pro shop is a generous size with all the wares you’d expect from a strong golf shop.

There is also a small food area that’s not a restaurant, but more than a concession stand. You can get yourself typical halfway house food and drinks which is generally fine for me. If you’re looking for the “clubhouse dining experience,” then you need to visit the original clubhouse across the parking lots. Rest assured, it’s a classic display of opulence and doesn’t disappoint. The main clubhouse one of my favorites in Chicago and makes me dream of enjoying it in the 1940s. (There’s some neat information about it here.)

The Course

There are a lot of opposing stances regarding Cog Hill’s Dubsdread golf course. Much of Dubsdread’s criticism is due to the 2008 Rees Jones redesign. Leading the charge of opposition was Phil Mickelson (amongst others). Phil’s statements indicated that the course is way too long and unplayable for amateurs that would pay the daily fares at the course, but way too straightforward for pros and lacked the need for shot variety. In a word, boring. Rest assured, if you’re an amateur, Dubs is far from boring.

In some ways, Phil is right. Having played Dubsdread enough times in my life, I agree that it is a daunting course for the amateur. Dubs is long (7554 from the tips) with a lot of elevation changes, trees, deep bunkers (fairway and greenside), and tough greens. There’s room to miss off the tee on most holes, but you’re going to have a lot of work to recover successfully. Should you find your way into a fairway bunker, you’ll have your work cut out for you (see above). Just take your medicine and get out of the sand. Many of the holes are Herculean tests for amateur golfers, but that’s fair enough, Dubs was built for the pros.

If you miss a green, you’ll typically find yourself in a world of hurt and need a nifty recovery to get up and down. Don’t expect to run many balls up on the greens. With the protected fronts, elevation, and firmness, a run up is rarely an option. The greens can get pretty glassy, but the grounds crew does a good job keeping the speeds reasonable for amateur play.

Being built right in the Des Plaines River valley, Dubsdread has some tremendous holes that are a lot of fun to play. While three of the par 3s are long and difficult, they provide for some of the greatest views on the property. The last four holes are a stretch of will power, and 18 is a killer par 4 that feels like the golf gods may want to torture you.

Course Conditions

This is actually the area I’ve historically criticized Dubsdread the most, but it’s also had the greatest turnaround. In the time since the PGA left Dubs, the course would be in a condition that was nowhere near warranting the $155 price tag. The sand was a mess, the greens were spotty and full of craters, and weeds were creeping in all over. In the past three years, a new head greenskeeper has taken the helm and has done a tremendous job restoring the conditions of Dubsdread. The greens were clean and pure, bunkers were consistent, and the fairways were healthy. This was the best I have seen Dubsdread in years.

My only “conditions” complaint, and it’s not 100% fair to put on Cog Hill, is the bunker raking. Take this as a PSA. If you’re an amateur golfer, rake your bunkers, but especially when you’re playing a premier golf course. Anytime I landed in a bunker, I inevitably was in a gross pack of footprints. There were plenty of rakes, people were just lazy. Again, if you’re paying up to $155 for 18 holes of public golf, you deserve better. Respect your fellow golfers.

Practice Facilities

Cog Hill’s practice facilities are some of the best that are available to the public in the area. If you’re smart, you’ll definitely make a stop at each of them prior to your round on Dubsdread. The driving range is large with plenty of great targets. For your cold and/or inclement weather sessions, there are covered bays with heaters and mats. Side note: it’s fun to try and hit the barn at the end like the pros used to do.

Next to the range, and near hole 1 of Dubs, you have a nice chipping green with great bunkers. Across the cart path from the chipping green is the massive putting green. This green is huge. There are plenty of holes with tons undulations and plenty of practice options. I always find this to be one of the nicest, truest practice greens available at public courses in Chicago.

Hospitality

This is an area that I can find to be all over the place with Dubsdread so I’m breaking it into two sections.

Areas for Improvement

There are some areas for improvement for hospitality at Cog Hill, specifically with Dubsdread. I understand the need to keep the pace of play and fully embrace it, but there’s a fine line with Dubs. While I LOVE the idea of a four hour round, that is a very big ask of such a difficult course that is open to the general public. To enforce this pace of play, the course rangers are very present and push fairly hard. Again, this is great and I encourage this when appropriate. The problem is, I’ve been out on Dubsdread as a single with absolutely no one else in sight playing at a good clip, and angrily barked at that I needed to pick up my pace. Then I’d receive the same reminder two holes later. Meanwhile, I’m making the turn at 95 minutes.

My problem with this is that if I’m paying upwards of $155 to play a real-deal professional championship course, I want to reasonably enjoy my round of golf. I will keep my pace of play and respect the golf course. I don’t need to be yelled at every two holes unnecessarily. Let me be clear. There are some incredibly friendly, encouraging, and fun rangers on that course that enhance the experience. However, enough experience tells me that you may run into a surly ranger or two for your $155 round.

The Great

Let’s move onto the absolute highlight of Cog Hill’s hospitality – Frank Jemsek. Mr. Jemsek is the current owner of Cog Hill and is happy to greet every guest with a smile and share some classic Cog Hill tales. Until you’ve had a Frank Jemsek encounter, you haven’t truly experienced the best of Cog Hill. My favorite experience was being enthusiastically welcomed to the Eskimo Open in January (2017 Champ, no big deal) and then immediately getting my chops busted for my questionable decision making skills. He wasn’t wrong…

Through my dining experiences and stops at the bar, I’ve always found the staff to be friendly and enjoyable. The pro shop and golf staff is helpful and inviting. When you play the two “big” courses (Ravines and Dubsdread), the starters are welcoming and informative about what to expect for your upcoming round which is very helpful, so make sure you pay attention.

Conclusion

Keep in mind, you’re not going to be in for an easy day playing Dubsdread. You are going to have to play some good golf to have a reasonable round and stamina will be required. I played with two Cog Hill members my last round at Dubsdread, and they shared some good perspective with me. Though Cog Hill is a public course, it doesn’t mean all the public should play it. If you’re over a 12 handicap, you’re going to be miserable – realistically, 10 is probably a better number.

If you have a reasonable game, Cog Hill Course No. 4 – Dubsdread – is worth playing a couple of times in your life. If you’re coming to Chicago to squeeze in some golf, Dubsdread should definitely be on your list at least once. Dubs is a real deal professional golf course with a storied list of past winners. It’s worth hitting the same shots as some of your heroes if you get the chance.