Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Shoreacres
Lake Bluff, Illinois, United States
18 Holes · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About Shoreacres
Shoreacres is a private golf club in Lake Bluff, Illinois, on Chicago's North Shore along Lake Michigan. Seth Raynor's course opened in 1921, and Stanley Field, a nephew of Marshall Field, was the founder behind the club. A ravine runs through the back nine and comes into play on several holes, adding a natural hazard that Raynor worked into the routing. The 11th, a par 4 that plays beside a deep ravine, is the hole most often singled out there. Template holes include a Biarritz at the sixth and a Road Hole variant at the tenth. The course is compact by championship standards, at under 6,600 yards. Tom Doak's firm led a restoration in the early 2000s that returned the greens to their original size, in some cases enlarging them by more than a third. David Adler designed the clubhouse. Shoreacres is members-and-guests only; there is no public play, no published green fee and no tee sheet to check, so a visit begins with an invitation from someone who belongs.
- The sixth is a Biarritz and the tenth a Road Hole variant, two of the template holes Seth Raynor built here.
- A ravine cuts through the back nine and affects several holes, including the 11th.
- Tom Doak's early-2000s restoration returned the greens to their original size, some more than a third larger than before.
- Stanley Field, a nephew of Marshall Field, founded the club, and Raynor's course opened in 1921.
- David Adler, best known as a clubhouse architect, designed the Shoreacres clubhouse; the course itself is Seth Raynor's work.
History of Shoreacres
Shoreacres was created on Chicago's North Shore in Lake Bluff by Stanley Field, a nephew of Marshall Field, and the course by Seth Raynor opened in 1921. Raynor laid out versions of celebrated template holes, among them a Biarritz at the sixth and a Road Hole variant at the tenth, across ground shaped by a ravine near the shore of Lake Michigan. The ravine matters most on the back nine, where the 11th introduces it and several later holes continue to use it. David Adler designed the clubhouse. In the early 2000s the club worked with Tom Doak's firm on a restoration that returned the greens to their original size, and some surfaces ended up more than a third larger than before. The course remains compact, at under 6,600 yards, and it remains strictly private.
Signature holes at Shoreacres
Two holes stand out by number. The sixth is Raynor's Biarritz, a template built around a long green with a swale across the middle, and one of the best-known greens in American golf. The tenth is a Road Hole variant, modeled on the famous 17th at St Andrews. On the back nine the ravine takes over: the 11th plays beside it, and it keeps influencing several holes that follow. The result is a course that reads as a tour of Raynor's template ideas laid over a natural, ravine-cut setting, with one of its best-known holes on each side.
When to play Shoreacres
Chicago's North Shore golf season usually runs from May through October, with September and early October often the most comfortable, and the ravines and trees turning color. Lake Michigan can bring cool, breezy mornings in spring and fall, while summers are warm and humid. Shoreacres is private, so timing only matters if a member has invited you, and there is no public tee sheet.
Playing Shoreacres: tips
Shoreacres is private, and the only way to play is as a member's guest. The address is 1601 Shoreacres Road in Lake Bluff, north of Chicago along Lake Michigan. Confirm the route from your arrival airport with your host rather than relying on an estimate, since traffic on the North Shore varies. Check dress code and arrival time with your host. The course is compact, so the greens and their slopes are where you will spend your effort; leave time on the practice area before you play.
Visit Shoreacres
1601 Shoreacres Road, Lake Bluff, IL 60044
Lake Bluff, Illinois, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Shoreacres
Can the public play Shoreacres?
No. Shoreacres is a private club, and play is by member invitation only. It does not sell public tee times and does not publish a green fee.
Who designed Shoreacres?
Seth Raynor designed the course, which opened in 1921. Tom Doak's firm led a restoration in the early 2000s that returned the greens to their original size, some more than a third larger than before.
What are the best-known holes at Shoreacres?
The sixth is a Biarritz and the tenth is a Road Hole variant. On the back nine, a ravine shapes several holes, and the 11th is the one most often singled out.
Where is Shoreacres located?
Shoreacres is in Lake Bluff, Illinois, on Chicago's North Shore, at 1601 Shoreacres Road. It sits north of the city along Lake Michigan and is a private club.