About
Blackberry Oaks in Bristol is a public golf course that has been recognized as one of the Chicagoland area's best courses. The course design utilizes the natural beauty and hazards of the landscape including the native wetlands, grassy prairies, and towering stands of mature oaks. Blackberry Creek also meanders through the course. In addition to the natural hazards, a heavy smattering of strategically placed bunkers was also incorporated into the design. Although it can seem intimidating, the golf course isn't overly formidable if you can manage to stay out of the sand and water. The third and 12th holes are two par 4s that are memorable for their water hazards. The third has a lake along either side and the 12th has a green that is almost entirely surrounded by water.
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Golfer Reviews
Needing a little work
The course overall conditions are good. The greens however were quite slow and inconsistent.
Got held up by a group of kids and adults who decided it was okay to become a group of seven, for the last two holes.
Instead of a drink girl meeting us on every other hole, a ranger and some greens maintenance would have been more valued.
We played at a Hot times discounted rate otherwise, it would not have been worth the rack rate. Other local courses are in better playing shape!
Good track for busy day
Good track for a busy summer day. Course offers in cart Gps which is a plus to new players. Greens are better recently than prior rounds. Worth checking out. Chad the pro is nice and helpful to everyone and runs it well.
Great course!!
This is the 3rd time I’ve played at this course. I have more fun every single time! Great fairways and great greens! I have nothing bad to say about this place!
Checkin
We checked in 20min prior to start, There was no starter on the 1st tee and some people showed up late for their tee time so our tee was pushed back 15-20 minutes
Animals
There was an annoying squirrel on the 5th hole. He was mocking my golf swing.
hidden gem
This course is a great sporty course with some excellent scenery. I gave it a 5 but the greens were slow. We had some rain last night. After your round head over to the Bristol Tap for probably the best burger you'll ever have.
Great pace! Finished quickly. Greens were in great shape though some of the fairways needed more rain but can’t control that. But I’ll definitely be back again especially when they have the hot deal like they had.
Great shape
The courses was very nice and the greens in great shape. Friendly staff and good food after the round. Only negative was the cart GPS did not work for most of the round.
Nice course with a challenging enough layout
I thought this was a nice course with a scenic steam following through most of it and A LOT of water everywhere. I believe there are 2 or 3 holes without water but the rest of the holes have water lining or crossing the fairways. Course was in good condition and not very crowded at all (probably due to Covid19). The only complaint I had was the bathroom wasn't the cleanest and a toilet seat looked like it had been drug down the road.
Overall, a place I'd definitely play again but probably wouldn't take a number 2 in their bathrooms if I was you.
Overpriced Meh
See my review of 4/12/19 and 9/24/13. Course has recovered from the recent rainy May. Very dry. With hot weather coming fairways here will be burning out. They've cut them too short.....and the ground for several shots from the fairway was rock hard. Blackberry over changing and it's really $30 to $35 course at most. Greens were slow and some were a tad bumpy. This course while having a interesting routing has a sameness to each hole it that really makes it uninspiring. Water in play on 15 holes and a ridiculous stupidly designed 18th hole as well. Several holes are now overly tree lined. Green contours meh and size of some green pad areas are smallish as well. Tight driving areas on the 4's and 5's....they aren't long but you find yourself having to route ball rather than swing away. All Par 3's are over 150 and usually 3 of the 4 you use same club. I arrived about an hour early for my mid-afternoon tee time. Was hoping to grab cart get set up and ease into the afternoon. Despite having prepaid time (course also forces you to book on line via golfnow and you're stuck paying a fee to them as well which is not right) the guy in the clubhouse said no you can't have a cart even though there were at least 10 carts sitting out in the pen ready to go right out the window. I asked again and said how about I buy some range balls. NO! I then asked how about in a half hour or so? No you'll get a cart right at your tee time. One of my playing partners arrives 15 minutes later....goes in and gets a cart right away...same guy, The heck with guy in the clubhouse...I'll never recommend or return to this course. Course is far from Covid compliant - inside staff had no masks on nor did some of the patio service staff or the beverage cart girl. Two of three practice greens have the normal holes/small flags in them. Many non-masked golfers inside the pro shop and clubhouse bathrooms. Until the rate goes down to $30 or $35 at most even on weekends this course won't even be on my radar next year.....they lost my business and may not be deserving of yours......
Nice course for the money
Played here on Friday 6/5 and I was able to play by myself which is how I prefer it to go. Play was really slow with the groups ahead of me that was a threesome and a foursome. I even replayed a hole since they were so backed up and the group behind me was several holes behind. Looks like their outdoor seating was open and they did have a drink cart on the course which was nice since a lot of courses were not making that available yet. I have played this course several times and I like the layout