Chicago land be ready

[frennis524]

Over the weekend I volunteered at Highland Park in Joliet. We got all the baskets in and the park is ready on monday. I had the chance to play through without putting and wow. This place is great and pretty tough. Some good elevation changes, long holes, tree obstacles, narrow fairways, and tough pin placements. This is going to be a treat for anyone that can make it there.

[Chuck Kennedy]

Who designed the course?

[Working Stiff]

Steve Matul, Roy Carey, Mike Vargo and Gary Lewis have been the movers and shakers behind the course, but I have no idea who actually designed it.

[Chuck Kennedy]

Just curious if Gary was still active in Chicagoland. Hadn't heard much about his activities in a while. Good to hear Matul's still at it.

[Working Stiff]

I think Gary is still running events and such. He did last year anyway. Gary catches flack sometimes because he still does stuff like we always did, and 1990's speed does not cut it in the new Internet world. Today people want their events posted overnight on PDGA.com and if you don't get your results in for months you miss ratings updates and tick people off.

I don't live around there any more, but a cousin of a friend of a former neighbor said the course has been done and people have been playing it since the spring, but it had no baskets. Gary re-galvanized the old Mach I's from West Park and that whole process took time.

Anyway, I was told it is the best course in Chicago now. Of course, the last time I heard that it was when Mokena went in. Hopefully it won't be one of those "closed during winter" courses and I'll be able to check it out at Thanksgiving.

[frennis524]

i don't think it will be closed in the winter because the basket are difinitely not removable. It was Gary running the whole ordeal and does some tournaments, he seems like a nice enough guy. Oh yeah he had First run Champ Bosses there for 13 bucks...to bad I didn't have money.

[nickster9224]

this course is the greatest in the chicago area. i live about 5 mins from it. i played it twice today. very challenging and yet fun at the same time. all the guys that helped out deserve a hand. i went up there yesterday and helped put the finishing touches on it. FYI it would be worth a two or three hour drive. i'll try to get some pics on tomorrow

[the unwrinkled ear]

im going to be in chicago in early november and will probably only have the chance to play once, max twice, while i'm there. staying in the city (logan square). i've played one course out there that was awful - lombard, i think. joliet is my goal but that may take too much time - where should i play? summit?

[Working Stiff]

im going to be in chicago in early november and will probably only have the chance to play once, max twice, while i'm there. staying in the city (logan square). i've played one course out there that was awful - lombard, i think. joliet is my goal but that may take too much time - where should i play? summit?

You thought Madison Meadows was awful? Or did you play Lombard Commons? Lombard Commons was a decent (for Chicago) pitch & putt 9 hole, but I heard they lost a lot of trees there since the last time I played it. Madison Meadows was a better course and it's 18, but it is flat and wide open. It's a cupcake unless the wind is blowing, which in November should be no problem.

Summit when I was there was a whole different thing. The holes were short, but it was overwooded. On a lot of holes I couldn't even figure out what little tiny gap I was supposed to be aiming for. I remember the first time I was there I got lost probably 17 times It was hard, and I like hard courses, but it was no fun. There was way too much luck involved. I wouldn't send you there, either.

If that is the area you are in, I'd recommend Oak Brook. It's only 9 holes, but it's better golf than you will get from other courses in that area.

Seriously, when people ask me where they should play when they are in Chicago, I tell them to just go to the nearest course and have fun. None of the Chicago courses are "can't miss." Maybe Highland Park will change that.

[the unwrinkled ear]

You thought Madison Meadows was awful? Or did you play Lombard Commons? Lombard Commons was a decent (for Chicago) pitch & putt 9 hole, but I heard they lost a lot of trees there since the last time I played it. Madison Meadows was a better course and it's 18, but it is flat and wide open. It's a cupcake unless the wind is blowing, which in November should be no problem.

i'm almost positive what i played was madison meadows - it was exactly like you said: flat and wide open and cupcakey. not worth price of renting car and heading out to play for one day. it wasn't really the area i was in - just seemed to be the closest to downtown.

maybe i'll try to get to joilet, but i just dont think i'll have enough time...

[Working Stiff]

I tell all my friends...go to Chicago. Eat some deep dish pizza. Get a hotdog with everything (don't you dare ask for ketchup!) Party downtown, there are tons of great places to eat and drink. Go to a hockey game. Ride the L and look at the projects, just don't get off that train! Go to Navy Pier. Go to Shedd Aquarium. Go to the Field Museum and take your picture standing in front of Sue. Go to the lakefront if it's warm, swim in it if you dare. Drink lots of good beer. Have a great time. Leave the plastic at home, it will just waste your time that you can spend doing one of the awesome things you can do in Chicago on one of the many God-forsaken, flat, wide-open pitch and putt courses Chicago has to offer having a terrible time thinking Chicago sucks. Chicago doesn't suck, it rocks! It just sucks for disc golf.

[roman]

I tell all my friends...go to Chicago. Eat some deep dish pizza. Get a hotdog with everything (don't you dare ask for ketchup!) Party downtown, there are tons of great places to eat and drink. Go to a hockey game. Ride the L and look at the projects, just don't get off that train! Go to Navy Pier. Go to Shedd Aquarium. Go to the Field Museum and take your picture standing in front of Sue. Go to the lakefront if it's warm, swim in it if you dare. Drink lots of good beer. Have a great time. Leave the plastic at home, it will just waste your time that you can spend doing one of the awesome things you can do in Chicago on one of the many God-forsaken, flat, wide-open pitch and putt courses Chicago has to offer having a terrible time thinking Chicago sucks. Chicago doesn't suck, it rocks! It just sucks for disc golf.

On the flip side, if you live in Chicago, every destination you travel to has wonderful courses and leaves good memories

[Working Stiff]

I tell all my friends...go to Chicago. Eat some deep dish pizza. Get a hotdog with everything (don't you dare ask for ketchup!) Party downtown, there are tons of great places to eat and drink. Go to a hockey game. Ride the L and look at the projects, just don't get off that train! Go to Navy Pier. Go to Shedd Aquarium. Go to the Field Museum and take your picture standing in front of Sue. Go to the lakefront if it's warm, swim in it if you dare. Drink lots of good beer. Have a great time. Leave the plastic at home, it will just waste your time that you can spend doing one of the awesome things you can do in Chicago on one of the many God-forsaken, flat, wide-open pitch and putt courses Chicago has to offer having a terrible time thinking Chicago sucks. Chicago doesn't suck, it rocks! It just sucks for disc golf.

On the flip side, if you live in Chicago, every destination you travel to has wonderful courses and leaves good memories

It really does! I can remember the big smile on my face when I put the bag in the car when we were taking a trip. Now I just grumble as I leave the bag at home when we drive back up there.

[roman]

Played Highland Park today. Both regular and long tees. Great course. Bring your bag I don't even know what to compare it to... Channahon difficulty but more woods. Elevation changes similar to West park but more difficult. Some creative pin placements. There are some fairways that run somewhat close to each other in one spot (one the more open holes) that you should watch out for flying discs on if it's ever crowded.

[the unwrinkled ear]

Played Highland Park today. Both regular and long tees. Great course. Bring your bag I don't even know what to compare it to... Channahon difficulty but more woods. Elevation changes similar to West park but more difficult. Some creative pin placements. There are some fairways that run somewhat close to each other in one spot (one the more open holes) that you should watch out for flying discs on if it's ever crowded.

that sounds good. i actually leave for my trip tomorrow and am debating either going north and hitting glencoe and highland park or west to oak brook and westchester. after reading the above, i'll deffy the north one, but are you talking about danny cuniff park or fink in HP?

and is the edgebrook course in chicago worth the fees or should I blam at the IIT if staying downtown

problem now is my free days will be thurs and fri and weather appears to be sucky by then. not that i give a shit - i WANT to play in the cold - i get so fucking hot playing in LA - but my driver may not be as pleased to walk around in it.
shit, the forecast is so nice for wednesday, i may try and sweet talk my way into that too