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Rating Index Rating
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3.8
472 Reviews (472)
5 Stars
126
4 Stars
189
3 Stars
65
2 Stars
39
1 Stars
53
Conditions
3.6
Value
4.3
Layout
4.3
Friendliness
4.5
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.0
93.0%
Recommend this course
351 out of 472 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.5
15 Reviews (15)
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.4
Value
4.6
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.3
StaffFriendliness
4.8
86.7%
Recommend this course
13 out of 15 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
78 Reviews (78)
5 Stars
38
4 Stars
34
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.6
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.3
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.9
94.9%
Recommend this course
74 out of 78 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Exceptionally friendly staff and a fun, challenging layout make University Park Golf Course a standout value for golfers of all skill levels. Recent management improvements have restored the course to great shape, with well-maintained conditions that keep players coming back.

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private
Par 72
Length 6724 yards
Slope 126
Rating 71.7

University Park Golf Club (formerly known as University Golf Club & Conference Center) boasts one of the most popular championship courses in the Chicagoland area. The golf course has been a local favorite since it first opened in 1962. The original design by Lawrence Packard received an update in 2004 by Greg Martin, but the classic character of the layout still remains. The course wanders across gentle rolling terrain, providing elevated tees and undulating fairways. Water hazards come into play on half the holes, including on the 17th, University Park Golf Club's signature hole. This intimidating par 3 requires a tough carry over water to an elevated green. Miss it and you'll be faced with the nearly impossible task of getting up and down. The difficulty doesn't let up with the final hole, an uphill dogleg par 4 with a sloped, elevated green and water on the right.

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Course Details

Year Built 1967
Golf Season Year round
Architect Larry Packard Greg Martin (2004)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Pull-carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Indoor Practice Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

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

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Conference Facilities, Banquet Facilities, Locker Rooms

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2022 #3)
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Reviews

3.8
472 Reviews (472)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 14
Patio Dining 12
Brunch 11
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 11
Water Hazards 10
Plays Long 6
This course/club is great for:
Locals 18
Seniors 13
Beginners 11
This Course's Location is:
In the 'Burbs 16
Worth the Drive 11
Convenient to the City 8

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

The course is in terrible shape! The greed are also terrible! Their too long with weeds growing on them and a lot of burnt out areas! The fairways are like always playing in the rough! The rough is so long you are constantly trying to find your ball!

This used to be a nice course that I played all the time! I will not go back here!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 44
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Disaster

New management, and the maintanance staff left. Unmowed fairways, unmowed or burned greens. I don't think the course can saved without a major fixup. They better shut down and work on it before winter.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Horrible

I have nothing else to add. Just look at the other reviews. The course is garbage. I only paid $27, and it was still a waste of money.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Dead greens

Dead greens, not mowed for weeks. Hit balls in the middle of the fairway and lost them.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course conditions

This is the worst course I’ve ever played. The conditions were horrible. The roughs were awful, the fairways were burnt grass and the grass hasn’t been cuts in days. The greens you can’t even consider them greens because the grass was so high. I requested a refund because $45 for this course is insulting. I wouldn’t play here for free.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

LONG great day in the tall grass

While I ALWAYS Love playing University Park, it was challenging today more than most days since anything not hit directly on neatly mowed fairways was often possibly a lost ball, even ones hit in the middle of the course or after a valiant search, lol. It did grow tiresome after a while but understand the need to keep grass longer so sun doesn’t kill it! Also have never seen the greens in such poor shape, but neither prevented us from having an Awesome time out on a wonderful day at a very nicely laid out course, ran by very nice people!!!!

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Not worth playing

It took twice as long to play because the grass was so long you couldn’t find your ball even on the fairways in some spots. The fairways were in terrible shape, There were dried out bare spots all over The greens were the same. The first cut ruff areas were 6 inches long in some areas. No sand in the sand traps. It was clear that some rehabilitation work was going to start soon. But there is no reason not to cut or water the grass especially since they are charging regular prices to play a round of golf.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser

I would suggest to every golfer to never play this course. Every hole was in terrible condition and the staff is useless.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
1.0
Previously Played

Garbage

This place fell off of the quality cliff quickly. Was a great course a year ago. Now, it is absolute garbage. We played 6 holes and left. Lost countless balls, many in the fairway. Rough is over 6 inches long. Fairway and first cuts are over inches. Green is extremely slow. Tee box is even overgrown

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 21
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

how the good course has gone to pot

this used to b the premier course on the southside. all the fair ways were chopped up and not mowed.the rough is out of control the tee boxes had a inch and a half of groth.AND THE GREENS HAD NO GRASS ONLY DIRT AND WEEDS. it a shame wish i could get a refund. i will never play this course again

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course conditions

I played this course years ago and it was semi conditioned. This time playing it was by far worse. Course is not watered, groomed, or cared for in general. Pro Shop mentioned a disclaimer of broken machinery and storms while paying for the round but the course was visually not cared for. I will not return to this facility.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

They've Given Up

I've played at University Park 10+ times over the last couple of years. This year is different. I've heard they're closing for good at the end of the season which has led them to clearly give up on all aspects of course maintenance. There is no difference between the fairway and the rough as they've essentially stopped mowing. All of the fairways are brown and dead as it doesn't seem like they've watered and the greens are overgrown. They're clearly trying to squeeze out any money they possibly can, but charging $45 for THAT should be considered robbery. Sad day as this permanently off the course rotation now.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Overgrown grass

Once we arrived we were told that the grass was very high so it may be difficult to find your balls. We thought that maybe he was slightly exaggerating but quickly discovered that it was an understatement. You could hit in the middle of the fairway and the ball would be lost. With fees we paid approximately $37 per player. We should be reimbursed $20 each. If the course is not maintained then the cost should be commensurate

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

They let it go

I have been playing this course for the last six years. Course conditions vary from fair to excellent. Last summer the course was in great shape.Today I played on a course in poor shape. There were no fairways, and the green were uncut , slow and extra firm. Sad to see what had happened in the last year

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
2.0
Previously Played

Just not worth it

Pretty much echoing what others have said. Course is in awful condition. The rough is unbearable. You can clearly see where it went in, but when you get to the spot there’s about a 90% chance you won’t find your ball. I can’t even say good things about the fairway either. Sometimes hard to tell where the fairway begins and the rough ends. Greens roll way too slow and are filled with ant hills. The guy working behind the desk was the only good thing I have to say about this course. Overall I won’t be back until the conditions start to improve

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Terrible condition.

The course was in terrible shape. The greens were slow and as tall as a fairway. The fairways were burnt or long, the rough was overly high and you couldn't find your shot even if it just rolled off the fairway.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

HORRIBLE!

Never play this course!! Horrible conditions, fairways are trash, tee boxes are trash, greens are garbage and the rough is unplayable. Save your time and your money.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Played On
Reviews 50
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Needs works

Unfortunately I would not recommend this course currently as the condition of the course was not up to par. I’ve played this course a number of times but rough was so long you couldn’t find your golf ball, fairways grass was also long and burnt out in a number of spots. Greens hadn’t been cut in awhile, super slow. Pro shop almost empty and bar closed, could be staffing issues.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
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Golf Packages

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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).

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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.
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