23. Aldeen Golf Club
Rockford, Ill.
7,131 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $39 and up
888-425-3336
aldeengolfclub.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
With all of the acclaimed public courses in the Chicagoland area, you'd have to have rocks in your head to drive 85 miles to play golf, right? Yet Chicagoans do it all the time, to get a crack at the pride of Rockford, a Dick Nugent gem that compares favorably to his Kemper Lakes layout, for a quarter of the price. High-lipped bunkers, easy-to-lose-a-ball-in rough, scattered mounding and the 203-yard island green eighth add up to trouble for wayward hitters.
24. Murphy Creek Golf Course
Aurora, Colo.
7,456 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $33 and up
303-361-7300
golfaurora.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
Ongoing home construction has diminished the Murph's aesthetic appeal, but the Ken Kavanaugh prairie links design remains as solid as ever, dating back to the layout's 2000 debut when Nick Faldo posted a 69, then likened the challenge to what he experienced at Sand Hills. When the USGA's Amateur Public Links arrives here in 2008, the winner will be the guy who keeps it out of the golden fescues and away from the deep, sprawling bunkers and rusted farm implements strewn about the property.
25. Big Fish
Hayward, Wisc.
7,201 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $44 and up
715-934-4770
bigfishgolf.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
Northwestern Wisconsin isn't near anything; the closest big city is Duluth, Minnesota, so don't plan on playing a lot of early spring golf at Big Fish. When it thaws out, however, you'll fall hook line and sinker for this Pete Dye/Tim Liddy design that mixes open, linksy holes with hardwood-framed beauties in a well-balanced package that also features closely mown chipping areas, little mounds and big ones and Dye's seemingly random, but ultimately strategic bunkering.
26. Old Silo Golf Club
Mt. Sterling, Ky.
6,977 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $49 and up
859-498-4697
oldsilo.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
27. Northwood Golf Club
Rhinelander, Wisc.
6,724 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $42 and up
715-282-6565
northwoodgolfclub.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
28. Lassing Pointe Golf Course
Union, Ky.
6,724 yards, par 71; Greens fee: $37 and up
859-384-2266
boonecountyky.org | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
29. Prairie Highlands Golf Course
Olathe, Kans.
7,066 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $42 and up
913-856-7235
prairiehighlands.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
30. Red Hawk Run Golf Course
Findlay, Ohio
7,155 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $38 and up
877-484-3429
redhawkrun.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
31. Bear Trace at Harrison Bay
Harrison, Tenn.
7,140 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $39 and up
877-611-2327
beartrace.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
Rockford, Ill.
7,131 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $39 and up
888-425-3336
aldeengolfclub.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
With all of the acclaimed public courses in the Chicagoland area, you'd have to have rocks in your head to drive 85 miles to play golf, right? Yet Chicagoans do it all the time, to get a crack at the pride of Rockford, a Dick Nugent gem that compares favorably to his Kemper Lakes layout, for a quarter of the price. High-lipped bunkers, easy-to-lose-a-ball-in rough, scattered mounding and the 203-yard island green eighth add up to trouble for wayward hitters.
24. Murphy Creek Golf Course
Aurora, Colo.
7,456 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $33 and up
303-361-7300
golfaurora.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
Ongoing home construction has diminished the Murph's aesthetic appeal, but the Ken Kavanaugh prairie links design remains as solid as ever, dating back to the layout's 2000 debut when Nick Faldo posted a 69, then likened the challenge to what he experienced at Sand Hills. When the USGA's Amateur Public Links arrives here in 2008, the winner will be the guy who keeps it out of the golden fescues and away from the deep, sprawling bunkers and rusted farm implements strewn about the property.
25. Big Fish
Hayward, Wisc.
7,201 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $44 and up
715-934-4770
bigfishgolf.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
Northwestern Wisconsin isn't near anything; the closest big city is Duluth, Minnesota, so don't plan on playing a lot of early spring golf at Big Fish. When it thaws out, however, you'll fall hook line and sinker for this Pete Dye/Tim Liddy design that mixes open, linksy holes with hardwood-framed beauties in a well-balanced package that also features closely mown chipping areas, little mounds and big ones and Dye's seemingly random, but ultimately strategic bunkering.
26. Old Silo Golf Club
Mt. Sterling, Ky.
6,977 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $49 and up
859-498-4697
oldsilo.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
27. Northwood Golf Club
Rhinelander, Wisc.
6,724 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $42 and up
715-282-6565
northwoodgolfclub.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
28. Lassing Pointe Golf Course
Union, Ky.
6,724 yards, par 71; Greens fee: $37 and up
859-384-2266
boonecountyky.org | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
29. Prairie Highlands Golf Course
Olathe, Kans.
7,066 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $42 and up
913-856-7235
prairiehighlands.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
30. Red Hawk Run Golf Course
Findlay, Ohio
7,155 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $38 and up
877-484-3429
redhawkrun.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
31. Bear Trace at Harrison Bay
Harrison, Tenn.
7,140 yards, par 72; Greens fee: $39 and up
877-611-2327
beartrace.com | GOLFCOURSE.com Profile
