Solid course for a good price. There are plenty of trees, but it remains pretty open even if you're off line. Not picturesque, but pleasant to walk or ride. Some tees/greens show the use/people not repairing after their shots, but not egregiously so. Pace of play was good on a Thursday afternoon. Watch where you park as the 9th green is close and errant shots could hit your car. Clubhouse has a few snacks and drinks like Gatorade and Snickers and staff are friendly. Good spot to play 9 that isn't far from downtown. read more

Billy Caldwell Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very solid 9 hole course. Staff is extremely friendly and the course is fun. I just started playing and my group and I get through it in 2 hours before work in the AM. Had a group hitting into us once and the groundskeepers will be in the way during the first tee time slot. They will get out of your way though so at least they're not jerks about it. read more

Too crowded all the time. Groundskeepers are always in the way, and and all the seniors play here and are very slow read more

Super nice staff...nice 9 hole...great layout to work on your game. 8-4's and 1-par 3. A couple Fun dog legs ....I'll be back! read more

This is my favorite 9 hole course. The conditions are not 5 stars and the over crowding/over booking creates quite the traffic jam sometimes. Plenty of cross-fires in a few locations where multiple fairways are adjacent. But if you want a casual round of golf for $20. Billy Caldwell is plenty long and there is enough variability between holes to make it fun. Learning to play at Billy has helped me so much. It's the perfect course to work on your game while hanging with some buds. read more

Do not waste your time trying to play a round here. Quit after 2 hours getting though six holes, having a group of people hit into us on the green on the only par 3 and 2 dads playing sipping Jack Daniels out of the bottle with their kid in the cart. They don't serve alcohol at this pro shop, but it doesn't look like they need to with the way the group behind us was acting. If you're looking to have fun and play semi-serious golf Billy Caldwell is not the place for you. read more

It was Americans vs the course and the Americans came out on top going one Fosters for the round Jimi always likes to sprinkle in the golf talk. "Putts uphill." "This is a long Par 4." "Why do I even play this game." The fellas loved the camaraderie Shot of the day was merely a pride shot for Jimi though. 5 stars read more

Love this course, Im a new golfer, and although I try to keep pace of play, sometimes my accuracy (or lack there of ) prevents me from moving as quick as I would like, butbgenerally I have no problems. Well kept green, pretty course, this will be my "go to" course . read more

I like this course, but play at your own risk. The layout is too small and tee boxes are too close to other fairways so be alert for errant shots. When you hear "Fore!" - duck!!! The pace is slow on weekends - plan on at least 3 hours to walk the 9 hole course. It's well maintained and easy to walk. Pretty good for a city course. read more

I like ths place. Just played here for the first time today. It is very well maintained, way better than the Park District courses. The pro shop is well stocked with shirts, balls, shoes, a limited selection of food and drink and icy air conditioning. No driving range, but they do have a putting green. Pleasant staff. 3029 yards and a par 35. There's only one par 3. It's a manageable walk. Players of all skill levels come here to play. Not much to say about the landscape of the course -- it is set among houses in the neighborhood, so that delicious feeling of seclusion that I love doesn't happen here. It's still fun to play though. Hole no. 5 is a par 4 surprising challenge, with a swamp hazard in the middle and the pin flying high on a hill about 60 yards beyond that. It cost $18 on a weekend and $3 for the pullcart. There were a lot of players on the course and the balls were flying everywhere, but the pace wasn't bad. We finished in about 2 hours, 45 minutes. A great place to spend a few hours in the summer. read more

The course is in good condition and fun to play but there seems to always be a slow clueless group in front if us. read more

Billy Caldwell Golf Course - 9th hole - Golf Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have upgraded the rating to THREE stars. I have been back several times, and the course conditions have actually improved. I have not played in the morning again, but I am a more experienced golfer with a couple years of playing CPD and FPD courses. The reality is, if you want a high-quality golf experience, you just aren't going to get it on an a cheap-ass public course. I usually meet really nice, cool people when I play ... but there are always some D-Bags out there. As a budget golfer, its simply to be expected. My pace of play has improved as I have developed more ball control as I've learned to play. That pretty much keeps people from crowding in from behind. read more

11:10 tee time, currently 1pm and waiting to tee off on 6. They never have a ranger to tell golfers to maintain pace or move up a tee box. If you have 3 hours + to waste this is the course for you. read more

This is a total scam. Booked 7 tee times for sept 6. Woke up to thunderstorms tee time at 620 & 630 Had to pull teeth to get refund. Crook county golf at its best read more

This has been a busy Golf season at Billy Caldwell. It must have been because every time I tried to walk on for a round this season, the place was packed. But I figured out a way to avoid the duffers and hackers and play a round in peace and tranquility. I walked onto Caldwell at the same time the Bears kicked off. Caldwell is a nine hole track and I managed to play it twice in under three and a half hours. The course is beautifully maintained with lush, green fairways and firm greens. If you can hit the ball straight off the tee, you will have no problem scoring low on this wide open course. There are no sand traps and only one water hazard. it's a great course to just Grip it and Rip it. The staff is wonderful. Unlike a lot of golf courses, the starters and pro shop staff are friendly and helpful. Twenty years ago, the Cook County forest preserve courses were a joke. They were understaffed and poorly maintained. Both Caldwell and Indian Boundary are now top notch tracks that offer not only a well maintained course, but beautiful scenery. They are the best value for your golfing dollar in the area. If you play a lot of golf, I advise you to buy the Forest Preserve discount card. It costs $40.00 but you get a $6 dollar break on every round you play. It pays for itself in a couple of months. My only warning about Caldwell is beware of playing here when it's crowded. Old duffers and hackers love this place. A few years ago it took me almost 3 hours to play nine holes when I was stuck behind some duffers. The bottom line on Caldwell is: If you are looking to play a beautifully maintained course at a bargain basement greens fee, head on down to Billy Caldwell. The staff is friendly, the course is fairly easy and the landscape is beautiful. I enjoyed my round and can't wait to go back. read more

This is a nice little 9-hole golf course in Chicago. It's well kept for municipal course, and is as easy as they come. Not a sand trap in sight, and only one pond that comes into play on one (and 1/2) hole. Fun, inexpensive way to work on your game without spending a fortune or driving 45 minutes if you live close, and the staff are friendly. Well done Forest Preserve. If you're looking for a premier course or a big challenge, don't come here. If you want to swing your clubs for a couple of hours and get off the driving range, this is a great place to go. Recommended! read more

I don't know of many other golf courses in the city, and so this is one that I've come to a couple times when I'm in Chicago and am able to go. The prices aren't so bad, but I'm not sure of the rates for pull carts and golf carts because I've always walked the course. It's great exercise and very manageable to walk for 9 holes. I've only played 9 holes here. I would agree with Mark N and say that it's pretty hard for a beginner and challenging for an average player. I believe that they have a membership card where if you golf for so many times you get a discount or something. They also have some other card that they can scan where they have your information on file so that they don't have to put it all in the system when you come in. The greens seem to be very giving here. I haven't had any trouble yet coming in without a scheduled tee time. I like this course and hope to be back sooner rather than later. read more

very nice because its close to work. The weekend rates are just overpriced but with my FPG card, I can golf after 3pm for 11 buckaroos

Fun course for a great price! This place will always have a spot on my list because its the place I learned the game and the place I made my first birdie. It's got good variety for a 9 hole course and its in the forest preserve, so its pretty scenic. The only downside is that the greens are very inconsistent in speed and condition. Sometimes you'll have tons of sand or tree leaves covering the green. Other than that this is a great 9 hole with plenty to be pleased about. read more

Played this course this past weekend for the first time and really enjoyed it. It's a pretty straight forward course, pretty much for a beginner or amateur. No water or sand, and most holes are basically just a straight line, maybe a little curveage. We played at 10am on a Saturday and I was expecting it to be very busy but it wasn't at all. Granted, it was supposed to be 90 degrees that day so maybe that kept people away but our group of 5 didn't have really any problems. We started off as a twosome and a threesome and the ranger said we could combine the groups around the 3rd hole because it probably wouldn't be busy. And it wasn't. So that was a nice touch. There was a group behind us but still didn't rush too much, still had plenty of time. Staff at golf shop was friendly and accomodating. And the bathroom was suprisingly in good shape! May sound weird but it helps. So if you're looking for a pretty basic, easy course, this is it. Will go back. read more

I'm a beginner golfer and an 18-hole can really do a number on my desire to want to like golf, let alone play it. I find the 9-hole at Caldwell to be short enough that it doesn't wear me out too fast. The holes are pretty straight forward and the pace is not too slow for the most part. From what others say, I hear Syndey Marovitz is really slow. read more

I played this course on a Friday around noon with threatening weather on the horizon and a cool 50 degree day with maybe 10 other groups out on the course at the time. One would think that with this few of golfers out the course would be doing all it could to incentives players looking to get in some last remaining fall rounds before winter sets in. NO! That would not be the case. I was charged an additional dollar per round as a walk up charge because I didn't call or go online to make a reservation at least 1 hour before playing. In the future, if I have the time, I will make the drive up north and instead play a course like Winnetka or Glencoe where you get more for your money. I don't think the course is worth close to 20 bucks with tax and the additional fee compared to fall rates of 28 at Glencoe for 9 more holes and better fairway grass, layout and greens conditions. This course is also extremely slow on a weekend with warm weather. Expect at least a 3 hour round for 9 holes. read more

Not a bad course if you're looking to get some golf in, but be prepared for a long day (on the weekends anyway). There aren't any rangers to keep things moving so don't be surprised when it takes over 3 hours to finish 9. read more

I went post flooding so the course was limited but the play on the holes that were playable was solid. It's a bit cramped and the play is slow but i enjoyed the course. The clubhouse is pretty small, and the "proshop" is a wall of clubs and balls, just enough to get by. This is a nice basic 18 near the city, not too challenging but better than many courses nearby. read more

Staff is super friendly. John is always smiling and happy to help. I go there at least once a week and have never been disappointed. Greens are very well kept. read more

affordable prices esp if you do weekday twilight, after 5pm, real grass tee box, fairways can be thick but well maintained, crowded so your going to have to make reservation in advance, and will be waiting on the course, but its a real good beginner course, 8 holes and all par 4 except one par 3 hole, staff is very friendly and course is well maintained, only the last green was bad, missing allot of grass read more

Good County Golf Course, Within the last few years they added grass tees. Difficult for beginners and a good test for the average golf course. Rates are reasonable. One of the newer favorites of many Chicagoans due to the grass tees. read more

You go here because it's close by and convenient not to play great golf. It's an ok course for forest preserve golf, no par 5's, not very challenging, prepare to play at a very slow pace. it' gets crowded quick. There is no starter regulating the play. They are friendly at the pro shop and have everything you need. I personally think it's a over priced should be a lil cheaper for walkers. read more

Nice 9 hole course. Longer than most of the other municipal courses. Fairways are not well kept, greens and tee boxes are just OK, at best. Prices are reasonable, replay for $10 makes it comparable with the county 18 hole courses. read more