Pros:
-Solid Tee Signs
-Boxed Fly Pads Tees
-Lots of Additional Park amentities
-Mach 5 in great shape
-Shaped Fairways
-Course doesn't really share ground with other activities
For another Chicagoland nine hole course, this one has a little more to offer than most. Although the park is current dominated by soccer fields and baseball diamonds, its course holds its own against the other features of the park. The two soccer fields directly across for the course is a great place to warm up on your drives. The park also features a jogging path, multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, pools, and the people of Oakbrook has a sports facility their as well with contain racquetball courts as well as other indoor activities in two different buildings. There is something for the whole family to do while you pound out a round or seven.
The pads, although a little short, are decent boxed flypads. Although the are not concrete, they do the job rather well. The Mach 5 are all still in great shape and catch well. Most of the fairways are shaped well to force an average player to generally have only one line. The rough is thick enough in places to potentially force a four on an errant shot. There are more right turning shots at this course than most nine holes. Holes 1 and 4 are left turning. Holes 2, 3, and 8 are right turning. Holes 5, 6, 7 and 9 are more or less straight shots. Although hole 6 has a nifty mando, which adds to need a slight turnover (RHBH) and keeps the cars safe in the parking lot. The course is also more or less secluded from other activities. The do sometimes put in a Halloween walk for the kids which will wrap through parts of the course. Please be aware and courteous of this if this is the case.
Cons:
-One set of tees/pads
-Slowly have been losing obstacles
-Gravel under baskets
The biggest problem I see with this course is the lack of diversity from round to round. There is only one set of tees and one set of baskets. Most of the tees are back as far and they could go, so the only way to make additional tees on most holes would be to make them shorter. With a total length of around 2500' (less than 300' a hole average) that would not add to the challenge for most players, but take away from. The best option would be a second set of baskets to add a little length or pin placement challenges. And that wouldn't even be vary realistic on a few holes either. The course is pretty close to maxed out as it's current set up.
The second thing that I do not like is this year they put gravel underneath the baskets. Although it looks nice and make it easier to tell where "not to mow", it eats away at the putter if you miss a putt. I also do not use any of the baskets for putting practice anymore.
The park district, over the last couple of years, have trimmed off the bottom of the pine trees to eliminate some climbing. I understand why they did it, however, it made hole 9 dramatically easier. It used to be a hole where if you try to curve your shot too much you would clip them and potentially be in a position to four the hole. It is much more forgiving now. Even though it is a 360' it is relatively easier to have a easy layup for a three and I do not have a big arm. Also with the storms over the summer, the course has lost a handful of trees on numerous holes. Although the challenge of the course is still there, it is easier than it has been in the past. It is most noticeable on Hole 6. Places that were high robbers of shots are gone. As long as you make it all the way through the mando slope, it is a lot easier to 3 the hole.
Other Thoughts:
All in all, this is one of the best 9 hole courses in Chicagoland. It's unique by comparison. I could see how a seasoned player could get bored playing here on a daily basis. I tend to switch up my shots here just to try different things out. It is great to work on different shots at open courses, but here if you miss a line, the course does let you know.
This is one of my favorite 9 hole courses in Chicagoland, and probably in my top 5. The only 9 hole course that stick outs and being noticeable greater than this one is Brickyard in Menomonie, WI. It is worth checking out if you are in the area, and by comparison to what is close, it is probably your best option without driving to Joliet, Mokena, or Crown Point, IN.
If this ever course going to a 18 hole course it has the potential to be the best 18 course in Chicagoland. With the small rolling hills, the trees, and the small creek (and potentially the retention ponds) it could have some amazing options. Oakbrook park district does an amazing job upkeeping their park.
I rated the course a 3.0 which is good. By comparison, this course in excellent to everything else the area has to offer by a nine hole course. If the tees pads weren't torn on a couple holes, and the gravel wasn't under the baskets, I would give it a 3.5 (Very Good). If there were multiple pin or teepad locations I would probably bump it up to a 4.0 (Excellent). This is definitely one of my favorite local places to play, but had to ranked it based on what I have seen across the country. If the park district does some of the things they have been talking about doing, the will become the course to play in the area.