Joe Louis Golf Club

I was in a foursome and all of us were walking. We had to wait for 2 foursomes driving carts to tee off on every hole for at least 20 minutes. After 9 holes (which turned out to be a 3 hour and 10 minutes) I decided to go to club house and get a rain check for the back nine. Guy in club house told me if it's not raining we cannot issue you a rain check. I decided to stay. I'm not going to lose money. My interest in playing was gone after 9 holes. The ranger did not drive out and see what the delay was. Which Cleary was that they allowed 2 sums out and a single out. Never again will I set a tee time at Joe Louis if it's not an early tee time. My tee time was 11:50.

Joe Louis is a Cook County Forest Preserve golf course that is currently being managed by Troon.

As of early May 2023 the course is in good condition and can be played for a fair price.

PACE: Our round took 4.5 hours because a 4-some two groups ahead lacked any sense of self-awareness whatsoever. This course would benefit from having a ranger on the weekend that monitored pace and asked (the inevitable) slower groups to let faster groups play thru.

CONDITIONS: I wouldn't call Joe Louis manicured, but it's definitely playable. Tees and greens are good, and the bunkers were maintained (though the type of sand in a bunker seems to vary). The fairways have some sparse spots, but nothing to take away from enjoying your round.

STAFF: Got me checked in and out on the course.

VALUE: Given the conditions of the course, I think this course is responsibly priced. We paid $30 to walk on the weekend.

LAYOUT: A lot of straight holes with various hazards in your way to make the course a challenge. Hole #4 is a sneaky tough par 3; #7 is a long par 5; #14 and #15 are back-to-back par 5s; and the drive on #18 is tough. This is an easy course to walk.

OFF-COURSE: Giving this a 1-star because at the time of booking (not when you show up) is when they charge you 100% of your greens fee. Occasionally our 4th gets called into work at the last second, and Joe Louis said in that instance they would not refund that tee time. Not a fan of that policy... hence the 1-star.

Joe Louis can play slow. But their greens fees are fair and the course is fun to play.

It only took 5 and a half hours for a Saturday round.

Literally the slowest round of my life and it wasn’t because the guy in front of us took 15 strokes per hole.

Had a great time Saturday and the pace was much better than in the past. Greens were a little slow but understandable for early season and all the rain lately.

Extremely friendly & personable staff as well as a challenging course makes for an enjoyable experience. Jimmie & his crew are a rare breed providing a rare blend of friendliness with excellent service.

I play a lot of golf, well over 200 rounds a year. Joe Louis is probably the best value out there. The staff is always helpful and friendly. The course itself should be on par with the better known and more often played George Dunne, which I'm also frequently at. The greens are just as good and the sand is actually better. What makes it fall behind Dunne is the fairways. There are spots of crab grass and some hard pan areas. I don't blame the staff because they seem to be top notch elsewhere. I blame budgetary restrictions. If more money was given to The Champ, it could really be the Jewel of the Forest Preserve courses. Regardless, this course will always be frequently in my rotation.

We had a great outing due to a nice challenging course, a beautiful day and an outstanding staff. Thank you Jimmy for a welcoming and accommodating reception.

We will return.

Found a couple of old gift of golf Christmas certificates. They were from 2016 and I wondered if they were still good. Asked Jimmy Chess at the course and he said of course they were still good.My guest and I enjoyed a great round. Jimmy and everyone at The Champ are top notch. Great people great course.

Joe Louis is a solid course to get challenged at an affordable rate.