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Rating Index Rating
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4.0
405 Reviews (405)
5 Stars
159
4 Stars
166
3 Stars
43
2 Stars
21
1 Stars
16
Conditions
3.7
Value
4.2
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
4.1
Amenities
3.5
88.0%
Recommend this course
357 out of 405 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
6 Reviews (6)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.2
Value
3.8
Layout
4.0
Pace
4.0
Amenities
3.2
StaffFriendliness
4.5
83.3%
Recommend this course
5 out of 6 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
38 Reviews (38)
5 Stars
13
4 Stars
18
3 Stars
4
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.7
Value
4.2
Layout
4.1
Pace
4.1
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.5
86.8%
Recommend this course
33 out of 38 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Exceptionally friendly staff and outstanding value make this nine-hole walking course a top suburban pick. Lush fairways and a unique layout consistently reward golfers seeking a well-conditioned, uncrowded round.

About

Holes 9
Type Public
Style Links
Par 35
Length 3033 yards
Slope 118
Rating 34.2
Book a Tee Time at
Willow Hill Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1995
Golf Season Open: 3/01 Closed: 12/15
Architect Dick Nugent (1995) Tim Nugent (1995)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Pull-carts Yes
Clubs No

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes - "Willow Hill Golf Academy"
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

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

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2020 #5)
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Reviews

4.0
405 Reviews (405)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/03/2021

We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. Thank you for the 4 stars! We aim for a 5-star experience, so we always welcome feedback for improvement. Thank you for playing Willow Hill Golf Course.

Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Splendid Day

Really great experience as usual. Love this course. Really fair track and just the right amount of challenge to it. Will continue to come back. Always a joy here.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/30/2021

Thank you so much for the great review. We are glad you had an incredible time, and we hope to see you again soon! Thanks for choosing Willow Hill Golf Course.

Played On
Reviews 138
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/30/2021

We would love to hear more about your positive experience on our course. Please contact us to share with us your favorite part of your experience. Thanks for golfing at Willow Hill Golf Course!

Played On
Reviews 12
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great golf course!

Enjoyed playing 9 holes! Looks like outdoor patio under new construction. Will be great to have drink or two after playing 9 !!!!!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/19/2021

Your feedback is important to us. Thank you for sharing your 5-star experience. We look forward to seeing you again at the course soon! Thanks for choosing Willow Hill Golf Course.

Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Love this course!

Where do I start! From the second you walk into the clubhouse you know this is a good one. Brand new remodel and they are still working on some hardscaping. Cannot wait until it’s finished, full bar, open layout with tons of windows and light.

The course feels like you transported to England or Europe in general. I know it’s a Scottish style course and does not disappoint. Greens are well kept and the hills make for a challenge that will keep you coming back for more.

Great view of the city with only a 20 minute drive from the northside of a Chicago. $28 with cart and replay is $15, small bucket to hit before your round will cost you $6. Overall 8.3/10 rating! Will be a 9 when it’s finished! 9 holes only!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/20/2021

Thank you for your kind words! We hope to see you again at the course very soon for another 5-star experience. Thanks for choosing Willow Hill Golf Course.

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0

Best course out there

Great view of the skyline from atop the hill and the couple that own the course are super friendly and always working the clubhouse. There is some construction going on but the course is still in great shape and is a great play

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/16/2021

Thank you for your kind words! We hope to see you again at the course very soon for another 5-star experience. Thanks for choosing Willow Hill Golf Course.

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/13/2021

We would love to hear more about your positive experience on our course. Please contact us at (847) 480-7888 to share with us your favorite part of your experience. Thanks for golfing at Willow Hill Golf Course!

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/08/2021

We're glad you enjoyed your 5-star experience with us. Please comment or reach out to our team in the golf shop to let us know more about your round at Willow Hill Golf Course!

Played On
Reviews 17
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Do You have a Greens Keeper?

The design is a nice Tim and Dick Nudent layout. However, that is the only good thing I can think of about this course. The condition is the worst anywhere . I understand it is late March, but the field behind my house is in better shape. The greens are slow, littered with debris and still has holes from the aeration done in the fall. The tees and fairways are sparse and has weeds. The bunkers have not even been touched like the never maintain them with sand or even rake them. I began to wonder dose the course even have a Greens Keeper Crew maintaining the place? I played on a Tuesday and never saw 1 Greens Keeping Crew member or piece of equipment maintaining anything. Do not recommend until they put some money into maintaining the course instead of expanding the patio or putting in brick cart paths by the club house. Glenview Prairie Club is in the Glen across the street and is a nice all Bent Grass Facility and that is always nicely maintained and for same or less green fees.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/02/2021

Thank you for reviewing the course. Let us first start by apologizing for the poor experience you had during your visit. Your feedback about the course is important to us. We are working to get everything up to par. We have projects ongoing to recover the fairways and greens. The current condition is by no means the standard we strive to achieve. We are going to escalate your feedback to our team so we can make improvements before your next game, and we will continue to work towards an excellent experience by using your comment for guidance. Thank you for playing Willow Hill Golf Course. We hope to see you again soon.

Played On
Reviews 168
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Top 100 Contributor
Chicago Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Willow Hill - A Decent, Windswept North Chicago Burbs 9-Holer

The Good: Dick Nugent & Tim Nugent design on an old Chicago North Shore suburban landfill has some interesting holes, particularly the Par-3’s that include some significant green complex undulation. If you like the challenge of playing in the wind, then you’ll love Willow Hill! Decent course conditions for mid-March and excellent pace of play for a weekend morning quick nine holes. Nice practice facilities for just a nine-hole complex with full driving range and short game area. Staff is very friendly. Beautiful Chicago skyline views from one of the highest points in the county.

The Bad: While it’s expected that the greens are going to be a little rough in the early Spring, they were VERY bumpy and to the point that putting was irrelevant. There was limited Par-4 variety with all of them at similar distances and no dogleg creativity in the design. Clubhouse is very modest and quaint, but the entire facility was in mid construction and the parking lot just dirt. A little overpriced at $29 to walk nine-holes for winter months.

The Verdict: Willow Hill is a nice option for a quickie 9-holes if you can’t get a full 18-holes in. While it’s overpriced, you won’t lose a golf ball and the sightlines to downtown Chicago are a nice touch.

Best Hole: The Par-3 3rd hole is a nice, slightly downhill one-hitter with the nicest bunkering and unique green complex on the course.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/02/2021

Hello, Bryan. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are sorry to see that your overall experience was anything short of 5 stars, but we hope you'll give us another try in the near future. Thanks for choosing Willow Hill Golf Course.

Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good spot for a quick 9.

Course was okay for start of the season. First time out there will be some muddy spots. Welcome to Chicago.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/02/2021

Thank you so much for leaving us with your feedback. We value our customer experience, so your review is important to us. We will make note and we hope to see you back at Willow Hill Golf Course!

Played On
Reviews 14
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/02/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing Willow Hill Golf Course!

Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Early Season Mess

It was my first time playing this course and while it was early in the season, it was quite a mess. It seems as if they’re doing a lot of construction around the area which is great, but caused for inconsistent cart paths, confusion, and overall discontent. The course is very tight and not very well maintained, from my perspective.I will say the skyline view of Chicago made my day!

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/02/2021

We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. We are going to pass on your feedback to the teams in charge so they can work to make changes. Thanks for visiting Willow Hill Golf Course. We hope to see you again in the future.

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/02/2021

We would love to hear more about your 4-star experience on our course. Please tell us what we can do to earn that last star, and thanks for golfing at Willow Hill Golf Course!

Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 33
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 40
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

Fun Course, Airrated greens

Greens were airrated, but still in good shape. always a breezy course lots of fun considering there isn't any water, except for piuddles from rain the day before. Still a great staff and fun way to get in a bonus 9 at the end of the season

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 27
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Greens were horrible

Greens were embarrassingly bad. Poorly aerated with the mud filling left on greens. Tee Boxes were trash. Theyve made a lot of revenue this season and have put little money into watering and maintenance. A lot iof balls charging $35 with cart. They also cut all the fescue killing the link style charm and making it easy. 10 years ago this place was a gem. Never again.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Great 9 hole course for the money

Love playing here. 9 holes links course. Unfortunately the greens are a bit rough because of the winter.

Will keep going.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
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