Invitation & Access · South Suburbs
Midlothian Country ClubMidlothian
The 1914 U.S. Open host, a private Herbert Tweedie course in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
Par
71
Yardage
6,928
Rating · Slope
74.1 · 136
Holes
18
Green Fee
Members only
The Course
About Midlothian Country Club
Midlothian Country Club, founded in 1898, was the first private club established south of Chicago, according to the club. Its course runs over rolling ground with narrow fairways, meadows, wetlands and mature trees, on land the founders chose partly for the brook through its center. Access is for members and their guests only, and a 2022 renovation by Raymond Hearn reworked the bunkers and tees.
History
Midlothian Country Club — History
Founders found the land in 1898 and incorporated a few years later, with Herbert J. Tweedie designing the course; the club once ran its own small railroad to carry members. Donald Ross worked on the bunkers ahead of the 1914 U.S. Open, which Walter Hagen won for the first of his 11 major titles. Hearn's renovation, unveiled in 2022, rebuilt all 82 bunkers and lengthened the tees.
Design
Midlothian Country Club — Design
Hearn, interviewed by Golf Course Architecture, credits Tweedie with varied routings and deceptive greens built on constant slopes of differing gradient, and Ross with the bunkering added in 1913. His renovation kept Tweedie's routing, moved some bunkers to suit modern hitting distances while keeping Ross's shapes, removed trees, restored grass lines and recovered lost green edges, which brought back pin positions from the 1920s.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play Midlothian Country Club
Midlothian hosted the 1914 U.S. Open on one of America's early 18-hole layouts, and its 2022 renovation recovered lost green edges and recreated pin positions from the 1920s.
The Round
The Journey at Midlothian Country Club
I.
The Opening
Midlothian opens with five par 4s in its first six holes. The 419-yard 1st leads to the 223-yard 2nd, a long par 3 rated the fifth-hardest hole. The 374-yard 3rd, 424-yard 4th and 407-yard 5th follow, and the 433-yard 6th is the No. 1 handicap.
II.
The Middle
The 559-yard 7th is the first par 5 and the longest hole, followed by the 250-yard 8th, the longest par 3. The 473-yard 9th, the longest par 4 and No. 3 handicap, closes a 3,562-yard, par-35 front nine. The 429-yard 10th is rated second-hardest, then come the 410-yard 11th and the 160-yard 12th, the shortest hole.
III.
The Finish
Two par 5s, the 531-yard 13th and 518-yard 16th, give the inward nine its scoring chances, with the 321-yard 14th, the shortest par 4, and the 192-yard 15th, the lowest-rated hole, between them. The 459-yard 17th, the No. 4 handicap, is the last big test before the 346-yard 18th.
How to Play It
Midlothian Country Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
Bogey is a fine score on the long par 3s, the 223-yard 2nd and 250-yard 8th, and the 6,928-yard Blue tees carry a 74.1 rating and 136 slope, so guests are better off further forward. Hearn describes Tweedie's greens as deceptive, with slopes that are hard to judge, so aim for the middle and give putts extra time to read.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
The narrow fairways the club describes reward accuracy over distance, especially on shorter par 4s like the 374-yard 3rd. The par 5s at the 13th and 16th are the scoring holes, while the 6th, 9th and 10th, three of the four hardest holes, are where bogey is acceptable. Hearn's work brought back lost pin positions, so check the flag before choosing a club.
Advanced / Low Handicap
Four of the first six holes are par 4s over 400 yards and the 6th is the No. 1 handicap, so a quick start is hard. Hearn's lengthened tees were meant, in the club's words, to put a premium on strategy, so pick lines relative to the restored bunkers. The 321-yard 14th and 346-yard 18th are the par 4s to attack.
Signature Holes
Midlothian Country Club — Signature Holes
The Card
Midlothian Country 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 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 71 |
| Yards | 419 | 223 | 374 | 424 | 407 | 433 | 559 | 250 | 473 | 3,562 | 429 | 410 | 160 | 531 | 321 | 192 | 518 | 459 | 346 | 3,366 | 6,928 |
| Handicap | 7 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 17 | 15 | 3 | — | 2 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 12 | — | — |
Good to Know
Midlothian Country Club — questions answered
- How do I get on Midlothian Country Club?
- Midlothian Country 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 Midlothian Country Club?
- Midlothian Country Club was designed by Herbert J. Tweedie and opened in 1898.
- What is the par and yardage at Midlothian Country Club?
- Midlothian Country Club plays to a par of 71 over 6,928 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 74.1 and a slope of 136.
- Is Midlothian Country Club public or private?
- Midlothian Country 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 Midlothian Country Club located?
- Midlothian Country Club is located at 5000 West 147th Street, Midlothian, IL 60445, in the South Suburbs area of Chicagoland.
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Olympia Fields Country Club — South Course
Tom Bendelow's hilly South Course at Olympia Fields, crossed by Butterfield Creek and restored in 2023.
How to Play It
How to Play Midlothian Country Club.
Midlothian Country 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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