On the north shore of Chicago is the private golf club Shoreacres. For nearly one hundred years, members and their guests have played on its greens and despite receiving a modern renovation in 1993, Shoreacres maintains the legacy of the 1920’s with a proud tradition.
The clubhouse is a designed with a distinctly classic appeal with the accompanying dress code. Once on the course, designed by Seth Raynor and Tom Doak, the fun begins and right of the bat, one can see why accuracy is so important at Shoreacres.
Ravines are ubiquitous throughout the landscape of the course. So much so, that there is “Ravine Rule” on the scorecard that allows a player to make penalty shots should their ball wind up inside one of them. The fairways are long and narrow, surrounded by trees. Better to have a few extra strokes, than going through a dozen balls to replace the lost ones.
The course eases the player into the game but the back nine holes are where things really get moving. The 10th hole through the fifteenth are regarded as being the most challenging holes at Shoreacres and superb examples of Raynor’s work. The tenth hole is an excellent example of the Road hole with only one bunker protecting the green. The fifteenth holes is considered to be the best hole on the course, but the Par 5, 521 yard hole requires a lot of strategic thinking. The green slopes and its hard to locate at first. Considering that the course is near Lake Michigan, there is always the additional factor of wind.
Shoreacres is a fairly compact course but the intention to enjoy an afternoon round, not to compete. It is an intimate and personable experience to enjoy.
1601 Shoreacres Rd
Lake Bluff
Illinois (IL)
60044
