Invitation & Access · North Shore
Conway Farms Golf ClubLake Forest
Tom Fazio's 1991 Lake Forest course, three-time BMW Championship host, for members and their guests.
Par
71
Yardage
7,432
Rating · Slope
76.4 · 148
Holes
18
Green Fee
Members only
The Course
About Conway Farms Golf Club
Membership at Conway Farms, a North Shore club in Lake Forest, is by invitation only, and the course is for members and their guests. Tom Fazio's design sits on 209 acres of former farmland and, by the club's account, follows Scottish links traditions. The club encourages walking and expects a four-hour round. From the Silver tees it is a par 71 of 7,432 yards, rated 76.4 with a 148 slope.
History
Conway Farms Golf Club — History
Three Lake Forest families bought a farm straddling old Conway Road in 1956, which gave the club its name. Fazio's course opened on August 3, 1991, when a bagpiper led fifty new members onto the course and sand brought from Scotland was poured. The club hosted the PGA TOUR's BMW Championship in 2013, 2015 and 2017, and Jim Furyk shot 59 in the second round in 2013.
Design
Conway Farms Golf Club — Design
The club describes the course as designed around Scottish links golf traditions, on a site that held cornfields and riding trails, with no ponds, before construction. For the 2017 BMW Championship, the GCSAA fact sheet listed six water hazards, about 26 acres of fairway and greens averaging some 5,200 square feet. The club's stated priorities are walking, fast play and strong support for amateur golf.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play Conway Farms Golf Club
A modern North Shore club with a tour record: three BMW Championships between 2013 and 2017, including Jim Furyk's second-round 59 in 2013.
The Round
The Journey at Conway Farms Golf Club
I.
The Opening
The 418-yard 1st leads straight into a long par 3, the 248-yard 2nd. The 410-yard 3rd is followed by back-to-back heavyweights: the 501-yard 4th, the longest par 4, and the 467-yard 5th, the No. 1 handicap. The 219-yard 6th is the second par 3 in five holes, so the round asks for long irons early.
II.
The Middle
The 337-yard 7th, the shortest par 4, is a change of pace before the 623-yard 8th, the only par 5 on the front nine and the longest hole on the course. The 493-yard 9th closes an outward half of 3,716 yards. The 460-yard 10th, the 174-yard 11th, the shortest par 3, and the 425-yard 12th follow.
III.
The Finish
The 453-yard 13th is rated the second-hardest hole. The 579-yard 14th is the first par 5 of the back nine, and the 344-yard 15th is the round's second short par 4. Then the card turns long again: the 484-yard 16th, the 222-yard 17th and a par-5 finish at the 575-yard 18th. The back nine matches the front at 3,716 yards but carries one more par 5.
How to Play It
Conway Farms Golf Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
From the Silver tees the course rates 76.4 with a 148 slope, so pick a forward tee. Six par 4s run 450 yards or more and the 2nd is a 248-yard par 3, so play the 4th, 5th and 16th as bogey holes and save the effort for the short 7th and 15th.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
The 7th and 15th, at 337 and 344 yards, are where a sensible tee club and a wedge can produce birdie; Furyk made birdie and eagle on them during his 59. The three par 5s, at the 8th, 14th and 18th, are the other openings. Elsewhere the card is long enough that par is a good score.
Advanced / Low Handicap
With par 71 and only three par 5s, the round turns on the long par 4s. The 5th and 13th are the top two handicap holes, and the 4th and 9th are near 500 yards, so driving and long-iron control decide the day. Furyk's 2013 card is the model: every drive in the fairway and an aggressive play at the short 15th.
Signature Holes
Conway Farms Golf Club — Signature Holes
The Card
Conway Farms Golf Club Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 71 |
| Yards | 418 | 248 | 410 | 501 | 467 | 219 | 337 | 623 | 493 | 3,716 | 460 | 174 | 425 | 453 | 579 | 344 | 484 | 222 | 575 | 3,716 | 7,432 |
| Handicap | 11 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 7 | — | 10 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 8 | — | — |
Good to Know
Conway Farms Golf Club — questions answered
- How do I get on Conway Farms Golf Club?
- Conway Farms Golf Club is a private club — play is reserved for members and their guests. The only way on is a membership or a member's invitation; there is no public tee sheet.
- Who designed Conway Farms Golf Club?
- Conway Farms Golf Club was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1991.
- What is the par and yardage at Conway Farms Golf Club?
- Conway Farms Golf Club plays to a par of 71 over 7,432 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 76.4 and a slope of 148.
- Is Conway Farms Golf Club public or private?
- Conway Farms Golf Club is a private member club — not open to public play. Access is by membership or a member's invitation; there is no public tee sheet.
- Where is Conway Farms Golf Club located?
- Conway Farms Golf Club is located at 425 S. Conway Farms Drive, Lake Forest, IL 60045, in the North Shore area of Chicagoland.
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How to Play It
How to Play Conway Farms Golf Club.
Conway Farms Golf Club is a private club — play is reserved for members and their guests, with no public tee sheet. The only way on is a membership or a member's invitation.
Golf in CHI is an independent guide — we don’t sell tee times or mark them up. We map the exact way on.
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