Crystal Woods Golf Club

Nothing but good things about traditional course; booked through GolfNow but they allowed me to walk at the walking rate

Great old fashioned course; in great condition; challenging for a 7 handicap

Course operators couldn't be more accommodating and gracious

I live 30 miles from course; but play CW 5 times a year and always enjoy.

Good course to keep in your own rota

Course was in good shape, usually is. Guy at the desk was the course pro, friendly and helpful. Had to go outside the pro shop to another building for restrooms and locker. No big deal but something different. Terrain on the course provides challenges. Hole 12 has been reputed to be the toughest par 4 in the county. Not overly long from tips, 6410. Fun course.

That is the best thing I can say about this course. Was wide open but starter would not let me tee off early which was annoynng. Won't be back.

For a March round, I was very pleased with the condition the course was in. The greens were not fast but were in good shape.

Pace of play was great. Walked 18 holes with a buddy in close to 3 hours. Walking 18 holes was approx 9 miles (according to my iPhone). There is plenty of elevation change to give your legs a challenge.

I consider Crystal Woods as one of my "home courses." I play there probably 3-4 times a month. The employees are always very helpful and kind. The beer is always cold and the hot dogs are always a good pick at the "19th hole." I read other reviewers complaining about "no beverage cart being available." In all of my times playing there, I have NEVER seen a beverage cart. If you want beverages and/or snacks, pick them up before you head out onto the course.

The course itself always poses a challenge for me. If you battle a slice, the front 9 holes will eat you alive. OB on the right side of the hole comes into play on 6 holes on the front 9. If you battle a hook, you are in for a lot of challenges as well. The fairways on this course are lined with mature trees. If you miss the fairways, you are either OB, punching out through an opening between tree trunks, or trying to get really creative (or lucky) by going up and over some of the trees. The course does not play extremely long. If you are consistent with your tee shots, you have an excellent chance to score on this course. WIth some pretty descent (for northern Illinois) changes in elevation on this course, make sure to either drive or walk ahead on the par 5's (specifically 5, 15, and 18) to get an idea of where the green and pins are.

Ask any experienced golfer in McHenry County and they will tell you that the 12th hole at Crystal Woods is one of, if not the most, difficult holes in the county. The tee shot is not hard as it is downhill and plenty of landing area. The second shot may be the most important shot of your round. It is a forced carry over water and the green slopes so sharply from back to front that you MUST end up below the hole. If you end up above the hole, a three putt is almost a guarantee. If you par this hole, take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back. You earned it.

The course is a fun course to play and can play easy some days and downright difficult on others. It all depends on the tee shots. I recommend it to my friends of all skill levels as anyone can enjoy a round at Crystal Woods.

My wife and I had a great time playing at Crystal Woods. The greens were quick and the fairways well kept.

The restaurant was clean and the staff very polite. Wanted to eat but couldn't due to to time constraint. Will try it next time.

Played the course yesterday and the greens were fantastic for this time of year. Jay Craig is the PGA professional and owner and came out and welcomed us. The greens were fast and the fairways are rolling well. Get out there and play it before the year is over. Well worth the money.

The course has 5 par fives and 5 par threes. The greens are usually in great condition. The bad staff rating is based solely on a difference of opinion. They have a "pair up" policy which is weird in my opinion. They'd much rather have threesomes and foursomes out there rather than singles and doubles. A 4-hr round is considered "normal pace of play" even when the course isn't crowded. One group can slow the course to a crawl. (The staff will use the simple "no one is complaining" excuse. Or "you went out as a single or twosome, what did you expect?") This wasn't a one time occurrence...

Pretty well kept course with some challenges. Beverage cart never showed.

Nice course. Not to challenging but great for intermediate players! Some nice long par 5's.

Played this course about ten years ago and it is in just as good a shape as I remembered. Greens roll great. Fairways were lush. Interesting and diverse variety of holes. Four tee boxes for every skill level. Friendly and helpful pro shop guy. No beverage cart service the day we were there. This course will challenge you regardless of the tee box you choose.

Staff is very friendly. The course is set up nice with quite a few doglegs and challenging from whatever teebox you're on

Very nice course
Well kept and all the staff were very nice

it a good course for the price, course in good shape, service is good

Course was in great shape. Nice design, a little narrow but without too much trouble between holes, so you don't get too penalized, even if you're significantly off the fairway. That being said, you need to stay controlled and in the fairway if you're gonna post a good score. Otherwise, lots of punch shots crowd your card. No beverage cart was a bummer, and the water coolers are of poor design-you can't get a water bottle under the spigot, you're forced to use little paper cups to refill containers. Honestly, that's the only complaint, and that's a good thing. We're from Wisconsin and we'll be returning!

This is now my home course! Every time I play there the Pro Shop staff is extremely friendly and helpful and always add a welcome greeting when walking in to make you feel at home. Jon and Jay are always welcome to you asking about how you were playing from a simple hello, welcome back! Course is well maintained and beautiful! Clubhouse staff also very hospitable and nice! Great course for the $$$! It should cost way more to play here!

Course is in good condition.
Very good layout with lots of trees and some water.
The only downer was not enough ball washers on eact tee area.

Course is difficult, but the exceptional quality of the tees, fairways and greens more than makes up for it. Course has some long pars with a good balance of sand, water and flag placement. The fairways are a little narrower than some of the newer courses, but the play keeps you honest. The variety from hole to hole keeps play interesting. Nice people, great golf.

I play this course regularly. Its challenging but fair and not boring...elevation changes, dog legs left and right.

Staff was very friendly! We had a tee time and they let us out earlier. Great conditions on the whole course!

Played on a Friday afternoon, and we finished in 3.5 hours. Greens were pretty quick and in great condition. We have gone a few weeks without rain, so the greens were firm. It took a few holes to adjust, as the greens weren't holding unless you hit moonshots.

Pro shop staff was very friendly and allowed us to tee off early to try and beat the rain. An automated alarm system brought us off the course briefly after nine holes until weather cleared. I would definitely go back. Friendly staff and nice, little course.