Bowes Creek

Bowes Creek Country Club is, despite its name, a semiprivate facility ready to handle the general public of the far Chicago suburbs.

Although the club was developed as the centerpiece of a residential development, there are few instances where the course comes in contact with any kind of housing. As part of the development’s permitting, part of the golf course’s goal was to maintain much of the native area and wetland around the route as part of a conservation effort.

Rick Jacobson, a local architect, took pains to carry out this goal, while incorporating the wetland as part of the course’s strategic intrigue, including the bite-off-as-much-as-you-dare tee shot from the back tees at No. 12, or the marsh that pinches the fairway for about 150 yards along the par five No. 10.

The title creek is largely shielded from play by a wall of trees as it crosses the property, but an offshoot makes an appearance on No. 6, an interesting par five. Those making their second shots can opt to play left of the creek for their third shot to a green on the right, or play over an irrigation pond to the right side of the creek for a straight-ahead third.