GolfPass Icon
Rating Index Rating
Tooltip Information Icon
4.3
559 Reviews (559)
5 Stars
214
4 Stars
286
3 Stars
41
2 Stars
11
1 Stars
7
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.4
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.7
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.2
93.8%
Recommend this course
529 out of 559 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.6
7 Reviews (7)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.3
Value
3.3
Layout
4.3
Pace
3.6
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.3
71.4%
Recommend this course
5 out of 7 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.2
52 Reviews (52)
5 Stars
23
4 Stars
22
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.9
Value
4.4
Layout
4.4
Pace
4.0
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.8
92.3%
Recommend this course
48 out of 52 reviews
Read Reviews
frame.svg
AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
circle-star.svg
Course Highlights
Marengo Ridge delivers outstanding value with a challenging layout featuring mature trees, plentiful water, and bunkers that demand accuracy from every club. Exceptionally friendly staff and well-maintained conditions make this hidden gem well worth the drive.

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 6654 yards
Slope 129
Rating 72.5

Marengo Ridge Golf Club opened as a nine-hole course in 1963. Spread across rolling, wooded hills, the course was crafted by re-purposing an old farm. The working cattle barn was even renovated to become the clubhouse. As the golf course garnered a local following, a new nine was added in 1990. The more than 25-year difference between when the two nines were constructed give the course a unique character. The layout seamlessly blends modern techniques and classic design. The distinct topographies of each nine add even more variety. Marengo Ridge Golf Club's original nine holes weave through mature trees while the newer holes are more open and links-style. There are several tricky doglegs throughout but it isn't overly punishing if you're errant. You'll also face several water hazards and strategically placed bunkers.

Book a Tee Time at
Marengo Ridge Golf Club
Powered by GolfNow.com
Hot Deals at Marengo Ridge Golf Club
View more Hot Deals on

Course Details

Year Built 1963
Fairways Blue Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Open: 3/01 Closed: 12/25
Architect William J. Spear (1963) Bob Lohmann

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill
The Best Way To Book Is With GolfPass+ Annual
golf ball.svg
$120 in monthly tee time promo codes
waivedfees
12 rounds of waived fees
redeemtrophy
GolfPass Member Pricing
teetime protection.svg
Tee Time Protection

Reviews

4.3
559 Reviews (559)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 30
Patio Dining 6
Watching the Game 6
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 33
Bunkers 32
Elevation Changes 19
This course/club is great for:
Locals 32
Advanced Golfers 24
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 18
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 41
In the 'Burbs 18

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Response from on 08/01/2017:
We're so glad you loved it! Come back and see us soon!
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great day for golf

I thoroughly enjoyed playing here and look forward to my next time. This was my first time here but my friend had played here before. We were able to tee off on time but the foursome in front of us was a little on the slow side so we did have to wait for our next tee box at times. The staff was extremely friendly and accomodating. Our area has had a lot of rain the past few weeks but there were only a couple of soggy areas. The grounds crew did a fantastic job of cleaning up the course after the recent storms. Price was also fantastic.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Response from on 08/01/2017:
We thank you for trying us out for the first time! We're glad you loved the course and saw great value playing here. Come back and see us soon!
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

Good Value

Played the morning after a night of thunderstorms which flooded some of the areas around the course. Course was in good shape, greens were soft and smooth. Lots of doglegs which make it interesting

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Response from on 07/11/2017:
Awesome! We're so glad your round went well and the weather did not deter you from a great round. Thanks for noticing our greens and conditions too.
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Sand Traps

We love the course and play often .

From year to year we are still waiting for the sand traps to be improved.

There are rocks in the sand . It is more like gravel

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 06/02/2017:
We love our fans! Thanks for being loyal patrons. We are working diligently to make the sand traps the best they can be. We hope to see you back soon.
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Value for the money

Fun course for the average golfer. Wide open fairways with big greens.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Response from on 06/02/2017:
Glad you had a fun time and enjoyed our layout and the course!
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 05/30/2017:
Glad you enjoyed the course and your experience with us!
Played On
Reviews 449
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Illinois Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played

In nice condition

Marengo is a fun and interesting track. A newer school front nine and a quirky old school back.....but they blend well together....Really nice welcoming folks in the clubhouse. Well maintained...greens are in great shape....smooth/speedy and plenty of breaking putts. Always a challenge and lots of doglegs to keep things interesting. There are a few holes that you have to play a couple of times to get the hang of them....the 12th, 13th and 16th in particular. The 5th hole is a well designed short par 4 that can wreck a card. Always a really good value (you could play here twice for what they charge at nearby Blackstone) and I've always experienced a pleasant day at this place. My playing partner (a 1st timer and 7hcp) remarked he liked the Marengo vibe more so than Blackstone (which is a very nice track but pricey). Marengo Ridge is definitely worth a play or two or three each season. 4.5 stars and highly recommended if you have not played here before.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Response from on 05/23/2017:
We're happy to hear you loved the course and found it interesting, glad you loved the value you saw playing here! Thanks for the recommendation!
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

A nice coarse.,very well maintained in good shape ., We found the staff very pleasant, We played right through with no wait time. I would differently play this corse again,I am looking forward to it.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 05/18/2017:
We look forward to seeing you back, we're happy to hear you loved the course conditions and the staff made your stay with us pleasant!
Played On
Reviews 44
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Illinois Advisor
Previously Played

Excellent Value in McHenry County

I played in a twosome on a Friday morning. Teed off a few minutes before our scheduled tee time. Course was wide open before 8 AM but looked like it filled up pretty quickly as the morning wore on. Keep that in mind when scheduling a tee time. With that caveat out of the way, let's get on to the good stuff.

Pros: The course tips out at 6600-6700 yards and offers a huge variety of holes with no two holes really playing the same. Plenty of dog leg holes around this course that don't favor one type of shot over the other (draws and fades). Par 3's all vary in distance and have their own unique hazards and obstacles. Mature trees will provide obstacles should your tee shot go awry. Water hazards are also plentiful around the course. A lot of challenges are present on a course that is set out in the middle of the country. Greens were surprisingly fast for the course having wet spots. Ball rolled well on them. Hopefully they'll stay on top of them and keep them in good shape. The best part about the course? The rates they charge. Unless you get a Hot Deal on GolfNow at one of the other "premium" courses in McHenry County (Blackstone, Foxford, GCI, Chalet, etc), you'll be hard pressed to be able to beat the rates here for morning tee times. The rates they charge for the challenge the course provides as well as the course conditions make it an excellent value in my opinion.

Cons: The conditions of the cart paths are bad. Like really really bad. It would've been tough to walk along the path, let alone ride in a cart on it. I've played here for multiple years and every year I think they'll get better and they just don't. The good news? If that's my biggest complaint, that's a good thing. Some of the bunkers were in rough shape when I played but it was to be expected with all of the rain the area got during the week. Other areas on the course were soggy, but again, to be expected. Overall, I thought the course had drained pretty well. The other "con" for some people may be that it will take a couple of times playing this course to learn where to place your tee shots on the dog legs in order to give yourself a clear shot into the greens.

Verdict: Course conditions were great for this time of year and I anticipate them being in good shape as the year goes on. I love the course layout but like I said before, I've played it more than a handful of times and know some of the "shortcuts" around the course (like trying to hit a slice on 18 to shave off a TON of distance for your second shot into the green). My playing partner had played here a couple of times before and even he had a hard time remembering layout without driving the cart ahead to check out how the hole is shaped. Having a GPS app or a range finder will also help with some of the sharp dog legs so you can see where the fairways run out. Blackstone gets all of the accolades (and rightfully so, I gave it 5*) but give Marengo Ridge a chance as well if you are in the area. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and you'll have some spare money in your pocket.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Response from on 05/16/2017:
Awesome! We're so glad you loved the course conditions and the challenge the course presented to you, we thank you for your detailed feedback. This is helpful for our newer golfers to the course. We are working to make Marengo Ridge the best course you can play, cart paths are on the outlook to be restored. We can't wait to see you back, thank you for the compliments we will pass this along to our staff and crews!
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good value

Course was a little rough after all the rain and the sand traps were terrible, but it's a challenging layout and was in overall good shape. Can't beat the price.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Response from on 05/09/2017:
Awesome! We're so glad you loved the challenge and found great value playing here. We hope you come back after conditions are a bit drier. See you soon!
Played On
Reviews 35
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Excellent Winter Playing Conditions

February golfing at its best. Course in great shape, mostly dry unmarked fairways and greens. Tee and yardage markers in their place. Carts readied and waiting. This golf course is challanging yet fun from the tips. Will be a scenic gem in the summer.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Response from on 03/01/2017:
Thank you for the awesome compliments here on the course, glad you loved the conditions and had a fun round. See you this summer!
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course for the money.

Played this course several times and always walk away satisfied with the course upkeep and the friendliness of the staff.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Response from on 02/22/2017:
Excellent! Glad you loved the course and the staff made your experience memorable!
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 25+
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

Played January in Illinois ...

Course conditions for January in Illinois were remarkably good! Course was walking only, though carts had clearly torn up the paths prior to the day we played. Most greens were slow and wet, but only a couple were soggy or pooled. There were only a couple of other players out so pace was no problem.

Have played here in better weather and course conditions are typically pretty good, and pace is usually decent even on a weekend.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great Hidden Gem

Finally played Marengo Ridge for the first time in 2014. Glad I did. Great layout, conditioning is not premium, but still definitely above average. Great collection of holes. Water on 8 holes, good range, good putting green. Staff is very sincere, so I always look forward to playing here.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Just simply beautiful

First time playing this course and i am impressed. One guy in our foursome booked it in a very good price through golfnow and everybody had fun. Greens are fast considering that it was late in the year. Lots of challenges. Staffs are friendly and the clubhouse is very "homey". Definitely will come back again and again. Highly recommended.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

First time at Marengo Ridge

Found the course easily in a quiet rural setting. Easy access to club house, carts and car park. Course was lush and all greens had been tined/sanded sometime in October. Greens were all consistent speed and even, with no unexpected bumps. We had just beaten leaf falling so not too much debris on greens. A few holes had small hills/dips and some doglegs and a few had water hazards but nothing too intimidating. As a 2-ball, we did catch a 4-ball by hole 12, having completed 9 holes in just under 2 hours. We declined their offer to play through, as their pace was OK. Weather was marvellous at 75f, so a great day!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Amazing

The course is in excellent condition in every way. Beautifully landscaped and fairways were in the best conditions. I will be back for sure!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Attempted to play after giving a bad review.

Gave this course a bad review last time out.

Attempted to give them a second chance but rude service again!

Attendee attempted to embarrass for using GolfNow.

Friendliness Poor
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Rude staff

Attempted to play a round purchased on GolfNow.

Clubhouse staff was rude and unfriendly.

Won't play again!!

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/23/2016

Mr. booked as a single on a busy weekend and was asked to pair up with a threesome. He didn't want to and left on his own choice.

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Rating coarse

Good coarse. They were air rating the greens.

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Nearby Courses
Marengo, Illinois
Public
4.9473684211
420
Marengo, Illinois
Public
2.1428571429
7
Huntley, Illinois
Public
3.8002587717
758
Huntley, Illinois
Public/Municipal
4.2213114754
122
Woodstock, Illinois
Semi-Private
4.2798482245
265
Woodstock, Illinois
Public
4.2071708683
79
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Private
3.8363348075
695
Village of Lakewood, Illinois
Public
4.7979731218
540
Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Private
0.0
0
Algonquin, Illinois
Private
4.0
2
Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Private
0.0
0
Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Private
0.0
0
Golf Packages

Destination Kohler - To Dye Four Golf Package

FROM $557 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake and 4 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River & Meadow Valley Courses) and Whistling Straits (Straits & Irish Courses).

Destination Kohler - Champions' Trail Golf Package

FROM $617 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn at Woodlake and 3 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River or Meadow Valleys Course) and Whistling Straits (Straits or Irish Course)

Shanty Creek Stay & Play Package

Click Below
BELLAIRE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Shanty Creek's Lakeview Hotel or Lodge of Cedar River and golf at Shanty Creek - Cedar River, Hawk's Eye, Legend, Schuss, or Summit Courses.
Now Reading
  • Home

  • Memberships

  • Library

  • Account