Absolutely one of the best courses in the area. The staff here are incredible, always super welcoming in the pro shop and keep the course in great shape. Speaking of the course, it is always in pristine condition. The design is definitely challenging, but not so hard that you want to sell your clubs when you finish a round. Overall this is a great spot and well worth a drive out to Marengo! read more

Blackstone Golf Club - Clubhouse - Golf Near Me - Marengo, Illinois

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Unfortunately, the experience did not meet expectations. Several issues occurred during our meal: - Service: Our server was inattentive and disappeared after taking our initial order. We never received drink refills, and the server did not check on us after the food arrived. - Food Quality: One of the orders was incorrect and remained uneaten. Overall, we found the food quality to be poor. - Accommodations: There was no children's menu available, which was unexpected. - Management: Although a manager was walking through the dining room, the lack of service and the issues at our table went unnoticed. - staff refused to walk over to ask how the food is, never refilled drinks. Waitress was missing the whole time We finally saw our server again only after another staff member had already cleared our plates and provided boxes. This place is over hyped. read more

Blackstone is by far one of my favorite golf courses in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I've been playing here for the past 8 years. It is a super peaceful course with a lot of fun and challenge to it. Reading some of these bad reviews about pace of play are funny to me as most people who complain play on a weekend (busiest day) mid day (busiest time) and expect it to be sub 4hr round. When realistically it's going to be a 4 1/2 - 5 1/2hr round. You can always ask the pro shop before making your tee time if they have outings planned that day, if they punched the greens recently, etc. Typically any day of the week after 9am is going to be a longer round. Golf has grown so a ton of people have found out about this once hidden gem just like every other great course and now it is usually always slammed. Which is good for the course, you need business to stay open. Blackstone is also not a straight forward layout. It has difficult holes where you actually need to think out your shots. From some holes being links style with bunkers and water to some holes being in a narrow tree line with OB and water Blackstone is not a walk in the park. It's a players course with a lot of challenge to it. Especially if the winds are above 10-15mph. Turns par 5s to par 6s. Not every golfer is a 10 handicap or better that puts every shot in position for their game. When you get a group of players together above a 14 handicap (average for men) on a players course not a park district course it's going to be long play time. Not only that if it's their first time on the course they going to be hitting shots in places they shouldn't be hitting. At the end of the day if you want to play a quicker round play before 9am. read more

Blackstone Golf Club - 9th Tee Box - Golf Near Me - Marengo, Illinois

Played there on July 14th and was disappointed at how a once great track and fallen into such a poorly conditioned course. Six of the 18 greens were not of any use due to recent punching of the greens. Additionally, the entire back 9's sand traps were unplayable because they had no sand . The pace of play was nearly 5 hours and while they was a water cooler it was empty on the back 9 on a hot July day. Despite the course being fairly busy, no cart girl was present and the on course half way house was not open. We did express our displeasure post round, but any and all criticism were met with excuse after excuse. They did mention that there is new management , and I hope that this isn't a sign of what the new management is bringing to this one time jewel. read more

Bunkers are in fantastic shape! Challenging course, well-maintained, with exciting greens. Best kept course in the area open to the public. If you occasionally have to be in the bunker, they should be well-maintained. Blackstone does an exceptional job in all areas of course maintenance, including the clubhouse. Also, quality, knowledgeable staff. I only wish they were open for dinner. I would stay there in the evening after a round, but great food and beverage service during the day until 5 PM. read more

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I hate to do this because I used to really enjoy this course. The pace of play issue has gotten completely out of hand. Of the last 10 times I have been out, it was longer than 5 1/2 hours. This past Saturday it was bachelor party city. Groups of 6 ahead of us. After noon there is little to no adult supervision-pro is gone, no management whatsoever on property. In May, they scheduled a Saturday tournament of some sort. Guys walking the course, reading both sides of a putt after he was on in 6 strokes. We asked for a rain check which they obliged. We bailed after three holes. It was 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete those three. These are just two examples. In addition, pin placements on a Saturday in July are on a side hill so we can slow things down even more for the weekend warrior. I feel kind of bad as this is a tough business and they need traffic. However, they may keep the Marengo Ridge grads that have no sense of course etiquette, but the individuals who understand it should take 4 hours-are leaving. Check out the Highlands or Pine Meadow....you will be expected to keep pace or asked to leave. There are just too many places in the area to have to stand over every shot for 10-15 minutes while the busload wraps up their 4 putt, no gimmies tourney up on the green. read more

First off, the positives...this is a beautiful golf course. Greens are exceedingly difficult, and the price is not all that bad for the type of course. The bad: Staff is extremely unfriendly. We were told at the start the course was pacing at about 2 hours per 9 holes. We were pacing to complete the front 9 in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. We stopped at the halfway house which is right by hole 5 for a quick hotdog and drink...it took the woman working the place 15 minutes for 4 hotdogs and 4 drinks. This now puts us around 2 hours and 30 mins for the front 9. We get to the end of the 6th hole and their old curmudgeon Ranger stops us and tells us very pointedly "Your rate of play is unacceptable for this course; keep it up an I'm going to make you skip holes." Granted, we were moving a smidge slow, but the foursome behind us never got closer than a hole and a half to us...so we were clearly not slowing the pace of play on the course. All he simply needed to say was "Gentleman, can you please pick up the pace." Simple. Effective. We hit our 1st shot on the 9th hole (2 holes later) after picking up the pace quite a bit, and the starter rides up to us on a cart and tells us that the Ranger radioed to him to tell us that we needed to immediately pick up our balls and move on to the next hole. We explained to the starter to look at the foursome behind us...the were on the green at the 7th hole...nearly 2 full holes behind us...this warranted them to try to make us skip holes? Once he saw this he let us continue playing. He even said that particular ranger can be like this sometimes...really?! When we went to talk to a manager about it, the guy at the pro shop told us he left for the day, but don't worry, the Ranger had been talked to...yea right. Between all four of us...we paid $69 for the round each...plus drinks and food...our foursome dropped nearly $350...and that's how we get treated? I don't care how nice a course is...if your staff treats patrons like garbage...it ain't worth it. read more

Well maintained course, very pretty and challenging. Halfway house with bathroom. GPS Expensive, $76 in mid October. VERY slow play! If you decide to golf here be prepared to play in over 5 hours with at least 2 groups on a hole. Would have given at least another star but this course should be played in 4 or under. No rangers either. read more

Great golf course, great management, great PGA professionals. The course is very challenging and the rangers are there so the play moves along and is 4:05 or less which every course in Illinois should do. read more

Great course and friendly staff. I will definitely be back. Bring a lot of golf balls.

One of the nicest courses I've played in a long time. Great staff, the course was in great shape and it was a thoroughly enjoyable day

Coming from the part of Chicago that says the defining line for affordable golf is 40 bucks,check out blackstone.it is almost twice as much as many Chicago courses but it is 3 times,or more,better.18 holes of great scenery and interesting greens.if the course doesn't meet your approval,the staff and the fantastic clubhouse food will meet will satisfy you.its about 40 minutes from o hare but it is worth your time,gas,and money read more

I went on Father's Day. After a 5 hour 10 minute round I don't have much positive to say. Course was in great shape. After that everything else was bad. Tried calling to make tee time on Friday but no answer or answering machine. 10 minutes late for tee time due to no carts. Group in front of us had 3 carts for 4 golfers (one kid and mother just tagging along). Not one ranger on the course. 85 degrees and no cart girl. By the time we passed the shack on the backside, it was closed. Basically take your money and run. Hate that I have to say all bad but the truth is the truth. Expensive courses that don't care lose my business. Great challenging course but one of the worst managed facilities. read more

Probably the best kept secret in Chicago. Here is how I break it down: Clubhouse: In a word, amazing! It took them awhile to get it up, but it is worth the wait. Pro-shop was well stocked, restaurant and bar available inside. Driving range: Good. Located on the way to the first tee, which is nice. Good layout with enough room for a couple of foursomes to hit before playing. Practice Green: Good. My only objection, is that I like my putting greens near the first hole. I realize that the course has changed since the putting green was put in place, but its just weird where it is located in relationship to the first hole (and driving range). Course: I really like playing this course. It isn't just a "grip it and rip it" kind of run. You have to think at times how you will attack a hole. Rough isn't too difficult. I was able to get out of it pretty easily. Greens are in good shape. I did find that the roll on the course was different than the roll on the practice green though. Pet Peeve of mine. Water coolers were readily available, which was nice because it was blistering hot when I played the course. Restrooms located in a spot where you pass them on both the front and back 9's (very well thought out in my opinion), as is the snack shop. I didn't see the beverage cart that much, but no big deal since water coolers and snack shop were out there. Staff: The ladies in the pro-shop were very nice, as was the starter. I don't think there is a bag attendant, or I have just been unlucky enough to always arrive when they are elsewhere. No complaints overall about the service I have received when at Blackstone. Food: I have not been in the new restaurant yet, but it looks great. I will give it a try someday. Snack shop had standard fare. Hot Dogs, Brats, beer, etc. Prices are going to be high, so either come prepared with money or granola bars. Overall: I have played here a couple of times and each time I have left with a good experience. The only problem is that it is in the middle of no where. I would drive up to 45min to get here and play though if I had too. Thankfully, I don't! read more

Nice coarse, but the staff is very unfriendly. I would never golf there again unless for work on weekday. Not worth what I paid. Bowes Creek is a better coarse and less money. read more

The best of everything at a fair price. Always friendly staff. Great layout. Top notch playing conditions and fantastic clubhouse. read more

My bro-in-law and his new wife had their wedding there last weekend...... the staff and food and building were all very wonderful! I really cant express how nice, friendly, polite every person that worked there was. The day before my Husband golfed there and said the greens were great and he hadn't golfed at as nice of a course. I would highly recommend Blackstone!!! read more

My favorite golf course within 45 minutes of home. Always in top condition. Very nice staff and a great layout and clubhouse. I'm seriously thinking of being a member as soon as I retire. read more

This is a review for the clubhouse and restaurant. The greens are gorgeous, the entire property is lovely, but we used the clubhouse for my father's memorial service luncheon and were very pleased with our experience. This is actually the only place in Marengo and the surrounding area I would consider for a proper gathering for a function of that sort, we also used the clubhouse for my sister-in-law's bridal shower a few years ago. The clubhouse itself is very upscale and impressive, just a beautiful building with lovely views. The food was hot, tasty, and there was plenty of it. The staff is helpful and professional, Judie, the bartender, was very kind and friendly. Jay, the manager, is very accommodating and, I feel, went out of his way to make sure everything was discreetly appropriate for the occasion. Overall, the entire place is high quality and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend or use Blackstone again. read more

This place is unfreakin' believable and this the consensus of my golfing hacks. The first time we played here the greens were air-raided still very fast! The layout is pretty slopey which makes it all the more challenging. The 10th hole, a par 5 and my favorite, should be on the cover of Golf Digest. But the best part about this golf course is the greens, which undulate greatly and are shaped like tour courses. We all felt how the pros putt after playing here a few times. There is only 1 hole, a short par 4, I think it's the 11th hole, which I don't care for because it just doesn't make sense. I think we paid around $35 and $30 off season, which is a spectacular price. It's one of my favorite public courses along with Harborside and Thunderhawk in the Chicagoland area. read more

On 8/15/2019, I was playing with my friends and we were playing at a normal pace. The sum behind us was 5 people and played at a very aggressive speed. A ranger told us to wait on next tee but we decided to tee off and then wait for them. The ranger approached us and started yelling without listening to us. He even swore at us. I asked him what he said and he said, "I sad God damn". I asked him if he would mind if I report him to the clubhouse and he told me to go ahead. It was a very unpleasant experience. I love Blackstone Golf Course but the ranger needs to be more professional. There was another ranger when I played last year and he even talks to somebody on his phone when we were on the tee box. read more

Nice practice facility, course is challenging, but fair if you play it from the right tees, food in the clubhouse is good if you have time after the round A bit of a drive, but worth it, I'd put it on my annual course rotation, just a bit too far to play every weekend unless you live out there If it was closer to Chicago it would be $25 more and packed although it they were busy enough when I played it a few weeks ago read more

Blackstone was my wedding venue just a month ago, and I can't say a single negative thing about my experience there. To start, the clubhouse is absolutely beautiful. It had everything I was looking for, and was far from the cold looking "reception hall" that I really wanted to avoid. They even have a train that runs around the ceiling (my ring bearer's personal favorite). The course is beautiful as well, and they let us take out several carts for photos on our wedding day. My husband played a round there before the wedding, and they all loved it and can't wait to go back. The food was fantastic! We served salmon and beef, and both were amazing. Blackstone got a new chef not long before the wedding, and he was kind enough to sit down with us to talk through the menu. He even made his own salad dressing for the wedding (how many weddings have you been to with homemade dressing for 115 people?), and it is one of the things we get compliments about the most often when it comes to the food. The staff there was fantastic, and, aside from how beautiful our wedding was, this is the number one comment people make about our wedding. Every single one of them was so kind and accommodating to all of our guests. They knew the bridal party and parents, and made sure that all of us were taken care of. At one point, my brother in law asked for more champagne, and they brought him the whole bottle! I know Blackstone doesn't do many weddings, which was part of their charm for me. You will most definitely not be disappointed if your wedding is one of them. read more

Great course!!! If you love to play golf and live in the city there should be no complaining about the drive. Hidden gem.

Nice track, challenging but fair. One of the nicer courses around. Played on 07/20/14. The course was generally in good condition, but a couple of the greens were in pretty poor shape. I was really worried after the 1st green, which played more like a mine field than a putting surface. I should have realized something was up when the starter was offering everyone divot repair tools. The greens did seem to get better as we went through the course and rolled fast and true when you got a divot less line. The course itself has wide fairways and several carry holes that make it fun and interesting. I'm not a fan of two par 3's over 230 yards and a stretch where you play three par 5's in four holes, but those are minor gripes and don't overshadow the overall appeal of the course. Overall, the course, practice facility and Club house are nice and justify the price, though they really need to address the greens. I do have a minor complaint. We played at played at 7:00 am on a Sunday morning. I got there a few minutes early so I could hit balls and have a cup of coffee, only problem..... NO COFFEE. Apparently, the bar wasn't open yet. When we made the turn at 9am I was able to get my coffee and was hoping to grab a donut or danish as well......They don't have those either, I was offered a Brat. Not exactly breakfast fare. Its a shame a course that does so much so well, drops the ball on the simple details. read more

I have a company that I wanted to set up monthly events and Blackstone was in a perfect location for me. I called the office and went into the voice mail of Kim, who I was told is the person in charge of banquets and events. Days past and I never got a call back from Kim. So I called again, once again I got her voice mail and never a return call. Days after that I was in the area so I decided to stop in at Blackstone and see if I could set up a meeting with Kim. I was told by one of the employees who greeted me that she was "in a meeting." Once again, I left my information and phone number and was told by the staffer she would be in touch with me later that day. It's been 3 weeks since then and I'm still waiting for that call from Kim. In all fairness I have to say I can't really tell you how their overall service was since I was never given the opportunity. However, after reading other review sites it seems like not returning phone calls is a pattern that goes on there and not just something isolated with me. In the end I thought if this woman Kim can't even do something as simple as return a phone call, why would I trust her with running our events? Something to think about. read more

I enjoyed playing the course a lot. Course condition was good. Challenging but generally fair. Quick greens.

Their website links you to another website for tee times which has incorrect information regarding gps enabled carts. When I pointed this out to the gentleman on duty in the pro shop, Dennis, he became indigent rather than apologizing and telling me he would make an attempt to correct the error on the booking site. I understand that Blackstone might not have control over another site but I was sent to the other site to make a tee time, therefore I don't feel they Blackstone can just say it has nothing to do with them. They were happy to take my money and the reservation from the teeitup.com site. The yardage listed on the course tees and many other places on sprinklers is inaccurate and the greens are so ball marked that the local members and players should be ashamed to say they play there. I would look elsewhere. read more

My daughter held her wedding event at Blackstone on August 23rd and I cannot say enough about the facility and staff. Everything was perfect. I would highly recommend this facility for any event. We were able to play a complementary round of golf the day following the wedding, and as an avid golfer in Scottsdale Arizona, I would have to rate the Blackstone course, facility, and the staff on my top ten list. I was surprise to see that they did not have a cart attendant to load,un load, and wash clubs. But perhaps that is just an Arizona luxury. I cannot wait to play this course again in the spring. read more