River Forest Golf Course
# 1 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 397
GOLD 397
WHITE 360
GREEN 348
BLACK 246
RED 246
Pro Tips
Players are greeted by a fairway carved out of a giant granite to the right side. A 125-yard bunker borders the rock to catch any errant tee shots. Left off the tee is dead here.
# 2 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 357
GOLD 357
WHITE 307
GREEN 290
BLACK 266
RED 230
Pro Tips
Getting off the tee here is the main objective. Driver is not the club of choice here as the fairways is protected on both sides by woods. The second shot plays about club more up the hill to a green pitched front to back.
# 3 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 507
GOLD 480
WHITE 480
GREEN 450
BLACK 419
RED 370
Pro Tips
The first Par 5 on the course, once again, places great importance on getting in play off the tee. A well hit tee shot with a fade gives you an opportunity of getting home in 2. Missing left on any shot of this hole is not good.
# 4 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 178
GOLD 150
WHITE 150
GREEN 135
BLACK 113
RED 113
Pro Tips
Straightforward Par 3 with a two-tiered green. Pin locations on the top tier must carry to that tier or a severely uphill putt will await.
# 5 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 429
GOLD 365
WHITE 335
GREEN 302
BLACK 258
RED 235
Pro Tips
Dogleg left Par 4 that can be very difficult from the Tips. The tee shot sets up for a draw and one is needed as through the fairway will lead to OB. Missing left, again, is not suggested.
# 6 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 581
GOLD 531
WHITE 531
GREEN 502
BLACK 471
RED 400
Pro Tips
Rated as the hardest hole on the course, this Par 5 should be played as a 3-shot hole. The fairway slopes from left to right that runs towards a string of fairway bunkers and penalty areas. A mid-iron layup shot leaves a wedge into a bottle necked green.
# 7 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 187
GOLD 175
WHITE 175
GREEN 161
BLACK 150
RED 120
Pro Tips
Be sure to check the wind at the tee and the flag here. The green is in open area and the wind can play tricks with the ball flight.
# 8 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 423
GOLD 395
WHITE 373
GREEN 345
BLACK 318
RED 270
Pro Tips
Dogleg right Par 4 with a tight landing area off the tee. Hole is protected on the left misses with OB and Penalty areas. Notice a pattern of not missing left?
# 9 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 393
GOLD 359
WHITE 338
GREEN 304
BLACK 272
RED 450
Pro Tips
Slightly uphill tee shot on this medium length Par 4. A triumvirate of pine trees about 200 yards off the tee makes hitting a right to left shot nerve-racking. And for good reason, the left side is protected by one of our lakes on the course (left = no good). Pin location is important for the second shot. A pin located back left requires a short iron over water and usually into the wind.
# 10 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 618
GOLD 596
WHITE 569
GREEN 551
BLACK 517
RED 246
Pro Tips
Our signature hole here at River Forest, a downhill, dogleg left Par 5 that plays shorter than the listed yardage. Your aim off the tee should be over the bunker in the middle of the fairway. A well hit drive will get you down to one of our “launching pads.” From here it’s your decision, go or lay up (smarter option). A wide, but shallow green awaits fronted by water and backed by bunkers.
# 11 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 219
GOLD 143
WHITE 143
GREEN 129
BLACK 124
RED 124
Pro Tips
Par 3 that is all carry over a rocky ravine and the green is protected by a severe false front. From the tips, this hole plays about 225 and is every bit of it. Pin location can be tricky here. Play to the middle of the green.
# 12 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 356
GOLD 356
WHITE 329
GREEN 315
BLACK 292
RED 240
Pro Tips
This par 4 is wide open off the tee and then the fun begins. From the fairway, take one extra club in the approach. Make sure and hit your approach to the appropriate side of the green or the ball can flow right off the green that slopes right to left and front to back.
# 13 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 186
GOLD 186
WHITE 160
GREEN 141
BLACK 119
RED 119
Pro Tips
Picturesque downhill Par 3. The actual yardage plays 10-20 yards shorter depending on which tee you play. The green is deep and skinny protected by bunkers on the left and penalty area behind it. There is a small hill on the right side of the green coming down from the cart path that can kick the ball left if played to there. Check the wind before selecting your club.
# 14 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 323
GOLD 323
WHITE 287
GREEN 259
BLACK 203
RED 203
Pro Tips
Every course has a risk/reward drivable Par 4; this is ours, The Bell Hole. A large outcropping of rocks is your aim point off the tee. A hybrid or long iron off the tee leaves you a short wedge into the downhill green. More aggressive players can take a fairway wood or driver and go over the corner and drive the green. Be careful though, OB left, and penalty areas long and right protect this hole and crush rounds. *Listen for the bell ringing before hitting your tee shot, and please ring bell after leaving the green for groups behind you.
# 15 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 379
GOLD 379
WHITE 350
GREEN 313
BLACK 286
RED 240
Pro Tips
Rated as the 2nd hardest hole on the course (debatable), this dogleg Par 4 has cost many players chances of winning tournaments. A tee shot of 150-200 yards (depending on tee) is all that is needed to get the ball in play. The second shot is all carry over water to a wide and shallow, two-tiered green. The green is protected by water short, right, and long. Check the wind direction here before selecting your club.
# 16 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 183
GOLD 143
WHITE 143
GREEN 122
BLACK 104
RED 104
Pro Tips
Our isthmus Par 3. This is our shortest Par 3 on the course but is all carry over water that protects the green in the front, left and right. Pay attention the Flag on #10 green to get a gauge on the wind direction.
# 17 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 554
GOLD 523
WHITE 495
GREEN 454
BLACK 418
RED 320
Pro Tips
A visually pleasing Par 5 that plays downhill off the tee. A creek runs in front of the tee boxes and down the left side of the fairway all the way to the green (I said earlier, left is dead). Rock outcroppings and wild grass border the right side of the fairway. The smart play is to lay up to a manageable wedge. The green plays uphill and is wide and shallow and slopes from front to back.
# 18 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
BLUE 465
GOLD 422
WHITE 394
GREEN 358
BLACK 318
RED 250
Pro Tips
Long, uphill, and into the wind. The fairway sits between two sets of bunkers on either side. Driver is the required club off the tee. Once in the fairway, the approach plays uphill, and you may have to add another club to your yardage. The green is 54 yards long from front to back and multi-tiered making for some very interesting pin locations. Par on this hole is a great score.