39700 N Lewis Ave
Beach Park, IL 60099
(847) 968-4295
Website

Thunderhawk Golf Club is hands down my favorite course in the Chicagoland area, and my #1 ranked course.  Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Thunderhawk is a par 72 course that plays from 7,031 yards and has a rating/slope of 73.8/136 from the tips, and 5,905 yards, 74.2/133 from the women’s tips.  This course really has it all; beauty, challenge, diversity in hole design, and just a fun round of golf.  There are so many courses where you walk up to the tee and say to yourself, “this hole looks like that one two holes ago,” but you won’t find yourself uttering those words here.  The course is just in immaculate condition, and includes almost every obstacle in the game; trees, high native grass, thick rough, water, plenty of great bunkers, fast undulated greens, and elevation changes.  The last 5 holes has to be one of the finest stretches of finishing holes in the area, with what I think is one of the best 18^th holes around.  The practice area at Thunderhawk consists of a nice grass driving range, chipping area, and putting green.  I try to play Thunderhawk at least once a year, but would play it every weekend if I could, but its only flaw is it far from the city.  It’s about an hour north from downtown, which for many is a little far to drive to play golf, but this course is well worth the drive.  If you haven’t ventured up to Beach Park yet to play Thunderhawk, you don’t know what you are missing.  It will truly be one of the best golf rounds you will play in all of Illinois.

The only bad thing I have to say about Thunderhawk is that the carts do not come equipped with GPS.  For the price you pay you would expect to have GPS and carts, but more importantly this course can be tricky if you are not familiar with it, so knowing distances from certain spots on the course would be helpful.  That is it, so go make a tee time ASAP!

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