Ravisloe Country Club – Played July 2022
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 18231 Park Avenue, Homewood, Illinois
- Year: 1901
- Original Architect: James Foulis & Theodore Moreau
- Additional Work By: Tom Bendelow, Willie Watson, Donald Ross, & David Esler
- Course Access: Public
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 6,405/6,321 yards, Par 71/70, 71.4 Rating/130 Slope (71 Men’s), 71.0 Rating/129 Slope (70 Men’s), 77.1 Rating/137 Slope (71 Women’s), 76.6 Rating/136 Slope (70 Women’s)
- Hybrid: 5,679 yards, Par 70, 68.6 Rating/123 Slope (Men’s), 73.7 Rating/130 Slope (Women’s)
- Gold: 4,872/4,773 yards, Par 71/70, 64.6 Rating/115 Slope (71 Men’s), 64.1 Rating/114 Slope (70 Men’s), 68.9 Rating/120 Slope (71 Women’s), 68.3 Rating/119 Slope (70 Women’s)
The first round of my Illinois/Wisconsin trip was to Ravisloe County Club in the Chicago suburb of Homewood. I got this round setup through my friend Mark, who lives just down the road. He even walked to the course!
Ravisloe has a long history dating back to the early 1900s. The story of the name came from an original piece of property they ultimately passed on for the club. That parcel was owned by a Dutchman named Ravisloot. The members liked the sound, if not the land, so they adapted the name to Ravisloe.
While the course opened in 1901, many changes have happened since then. Land was added and the course was redesigned. What exists today is a Donald Ross course, more than anything else.
For most of its existence, Ravisloe operated as a private country club. In 2008, the club closed the doors after 107 years and a self-described, proud and strong Jewish heritage.
In 2009, Dr. Claude Gendreau purchased the property. Gendreau is an advocate of ecological responsibility and sustainable practices. He wanted the green space in an urban setting to be preserved for the public, so he opened the course up to all golfers.
As you read, you’ll notice that I didn’t get the full batch of photos that I normally do. This was just a casual round so I only got the camera out a few times. That is in no way an indictment of the golf course.
The greens had some great contouring and I could definitely see the Ross influence. They were a less penal than some of his other designs. I thought that was a nice change of pace. It also probably helps with the speed of play on a busy public course.
Water provides the defense on this longer par three on the front side.
Solid bunkering and hole designs make Ravisloe a must play Chicago-area public track.
I really enjoyed the round at Ravisloe Country Club. The walk was pleasant and the course doesn’t beat you up with yardage. That said, it still had some tough holes to provide enough challenge. I hit a bunt driver into one par three! You should definitely check out Ravisloe if you are in the area.