Big Run Golf Club

We played on a day that few golfers were playing. I don't know why as the weather was terrific. So, pace of play was great.

The course is not in great shape. Fairways were burnt and had lots of weeds.

The pro shop guys were pleasant enough, even though I was kind of ignored when I tried to check in.

My biggest complaint is about whoever set the pins. Doesn't really know what he's doing. 18th green was just silly. Pin set on a severe down slope. If a putt wasn't perfect, the ball would end up down the hill in the fairway. There are better ways to set a pin to provide a challenge without creating an unfair situation.

Other than that, it was a pleasant golfing experience, and a decent value for the money.

Amazing layout and topography has the potential to be a top course. Course maintenance is non existent. “Fairways” are hard pan or weeds. Must be 75-100 dead trees. Clubhouse is charming if you like 60/ paneling.

Great course and lots of fun! Could use some teepad and fairway maintenance as they’re in very bad shape. But overall a super beautiful and fun track!

Course is very bad shape. We paid $70 per person definitely not worth it. Fairways are mostly dead grass and dirt. Cart paths are very bumpy

Tons of elevation but beautiful. Little tired with green collars etc but charming course.

Great condition. Value outstanding and the elevation changes make it really fun. Greens can be tough but fair. Consider it a hidden gem. Wish they embraced the 70s vibe in the clubhouse a little more but still fun.

Most challenging public Golf course in Illinois.

You got game,Big Run is for you.

Try hole #9 and your tough guy image vanishes and turns ya into Lumpy Rutherford!

Most difficult public golf course in 50mile radius.

Big Run Golf Course left much to be desired during my recent visit. While the course conditions were not as dire as some reviews had led me to believe, there were several issues that stood out, some of which could be considered safety concerns.

The foremost concern is the condition of the bridges. They are in such poor shape that the boards on some of them start to come up after carts drive over them, making for a very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous experience. This is an area that requires immediate attention.

The pace of play was poorly managed. Sending off a foursome every 10 minutes is almost impossible to maintain throughout the day. While waiting to tee off on the first hole, the pro shop attendant, seemingly unable to see the fairway ahead of us, announced over the PA for us to tee off despite the fact that it wasn’t safe yet. Later, on the 16th hole, the ranger rudely instructed us to speed up our play, despite the fact that there was nowhere for us to go. The group behind us slowed down even more, creating a significant gap behind us by the time we reached the 18th hole. We only saw the ranger one other time during our round.

The clubhouse, though old, was functional with no significant issues. Food was available at the turn, though it took longer than expected to get served. Beer prices were reasonable, not a rip-off. However, the parking lot layout was strange and could use some redesign.

In summary, the course maintenance needs more attention. At $75 per round, with an assumption of consistent attendance throughout the week (including weekends and peak times), the course should generate sufficient revenue to hire more than just one person in the pro shop and one ranger. The rudeness of 2 out of the 3 staff members we interacted with (the guy at the turn stand was nice) was off-putting and has deterred me from wanting to return.

To win back my business, Big Run Golf Course would need to address the safety issues with the bridges, extend the time between tee times to ensure a better pace of play, and provide proper customer service training for their employees.

Based on other reviews here and on Google, I expect the same generic response that many others have received, and I doubt any changes will be made. For now, I would recommend looking for alternative courses in the area until these significant issues are addressed.

A fun course for more accomplished golfers. If you can’t place your tee shots where they needed to be you will have difficulty reaching the greens due to all the big oak trees on the property. Some reviewers stated green are in bad shape but I thought they were fine and very receptive to your approach shots if you’re a decent iron player able to land your balls on the right tiers of the greens since many are double or triple tiered . Only thing is many of the approaches are blind due to the elevation. Now the fairways, there a lot of brown spots due to lack of water may be there are no irrigation systems on the fairways. Regardless they are still playable.

I played as a single. 4 or 5 foursomes let me thru and I was done with the front in hour and half until I caught up a foursomes with a man and three women who would not let me play thru on the back. I didn’t see any groups in front of them so obviously they lacked a little golf etiquette. I finished in four hours so not bad for a Sunday. Fun course to play and property is scenic so a little wait didn’t really spoil my round

Course is a little far about an hour drive for me but I still definitely will make a point to come back to play again.

If you live a little closer, go play it. You will enjoy it but make sure you bring your A game.

Third time playing at Big Run. Challenging course but always a great time. Open layout with beautiful scenery. Can be difficult to find your ball in the rough with all of the trees. Not a course I would bring Pro V1s to. Staff is friendly. Go check it out.

I play here quite often. So much to say about this course. It has massive potential to be a staple in the area.

The Good

Layout and holes are unique, fun, and challenging.

Price is fantastic, most nicer courses in the area are $90+

The Bad

Pace of play can sometimes be a problem

A couple of the employees are just straight up jerks.

The Ugly

The rough. Just fix it. Cut it. It’s way too long, which impacts the pace of play when balls are buried underneath 8 inches of FIRST CUT rough.

I’ve played this course twice now and was the first tee time both rounds so naturally pace of play was good for me. The fairways are lush and well groomed as were the greens and tee boxes. However, that’s about it. The sand is in rough shape and the rough look like they’ve never been cut. Not a great value either. Overall, it’s a good course. You won’t walk away wowed but you won’t feel like you got ripped off. There’s quite a few holes that are a blast to play and the box lengths and positioning allows you to make your round relaxed or very challenging.