Illinois Public Golf Courses

Chicago-area golf dates back to 1893, when, with $300, an investor group incorporated the first local course, a nine-hole facility in suburban Downers Grove. Seven years later, in 1900, Harry Vardon won the US Open at the Chicago Golf Club, which was the first professional tournament held in Illinois. And in 1925, Jackson Park's course on Chicago's south side was named the "world's busiest golf course," with a total of 59,843 rounds played.

June, July, and August are automatic golfing months; in May and September, your odds are pretty good in terms of getting good weather; and beyond that, your guess is as good as anyone elses. However, it's not uncommon to see diehards on the links as early as March and as late as November. Also, as you travel downstate (and away from Chicago), the warmer it gets. Springfield, the state capital, is more mild than Chicago is, with an average monthly temperature that's about four degrees warmer. Spring in Illinois has pretty much turned into an extended winter, as the average high temperature in March and April is 46 and 59, respectively. From May through August, the average high ranges from 70 to 84, with average lows from 51 to 66. Rainfall isn't generally a problem, as the average monthly precipitation is generally between 3.5 and 4.0 inches during the summer months.

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