Invitation & Access · North Shore
North Shore Country ClubGlenview
Hugh Alison's Glenview course for Colt, MacKenzie & Alison, host of the 1933 U.S. Open.
Par
72
Yardage
7,167
Rating · Slope
75.0 · 139
Holes
18
Green Fee
Members only
The Course
About North Shore Country Club
Guests reach North Shore's first tee only by invitation, playing with the member who invited them; it is a private, member-owned club for members and their guests. Hugh Alison of Colt, MacKenzie & Alison laid out the 18 holes on 170 acres of former farmland in Glenview, and the club says the course has seen only relatively minor changes since. Tree-lined fairways and a long championship record define it.
History
North Shore Country Club — History
The club began in 1900 on an H.J. Tweedy nine along Sheridan Road, moved to a Tom Bendelow nine in Kenilworth in 1908, then came to Glenview, where its history says the Alison course officially opened on Decoration Day of 1922. North Shore hosted the 1928 Western Open, the 1933 U.S. Open won by amateur Johnny Goodman, the 1939 and 1983 U.S. Amateurs, the 2011 Western Amateur and the Encompass Championship from 2013 to 2015.
Design
North Shore Country Club — Design
The club describes Alison's course as a stern challenge from the start, and an early underground watering system readied it for national championships. A multiphase plan by Jacobson Golf Course Design, reported in 2005, set out to keep the original Colt, MacKenzie & Alison character: bunkers were rebuilt to their original shapes, found under as much as three feet of old sand, and every hole was given five sets of tees.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play North Shore Country Club
On essentially the same Alison layout, North Shore has staged a Western Open, a U.S. Open, two U.S. Amateurs, a Western Amateur and three PGA Tour Champions events, a run of championships spanning 1928 to 2015.
The Round
The Journey at North Shore Country Club
I.
The Opening
North Shore starts with a 446-yard par 4 before the 516-yard 2nd, the first of four par 5s. The 181-yard 3rd is the opening par 3 and has a pond of its own, pictured in the club superintendent's 2005 renovation report. The 453-yard 4th is the longest par 4 and the No. 1 handicap, and the 382-yard 5th and 420-yard 6th complete the opening six.
II.
The Middle
The 579-yard 7th, the longest hole and the No. 3 handicap, was rebuilt with five tees in the renovation. The 231-yard 8th is the longest par 3, and the 412-yard 9th turns for home. The 428-yard 10th is the No. 2 handicap, the 370-yard 11th is the shortest par 4 and the No. 16 handicap, and the 557-yard 12th is the third par 5.
III.
The Finish
The 201-yard 13th, whose bunkers were rebuilt in the renovation, begins the closing run. After the 381-yard 14th comes the 560-yard 15th, the last par 5, with a pond whose banks were rebuilt and planted in the same project. The 189-yard 16th is the No. 18 handicap, and par 4s of 429 and 432 yards finish the round; the 2011 Western Amateur final was decided by a putt on the 18th green.
How to Play It
North Shore Country Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
As a guest, follow your host's lead on tees and pace. The four par 5s, at the 2nd, 7th, 12th and 15th, are the holes to play in three comfortable shots. The long par 4s at the 1st, 4th and 10th carry low handicap numbers, so a bogey there is no setback. Aim for the middle of the green on the par 3s, which run 181 to 231 yards.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
The opening six include the No. 1 and No. 5 handicaps, so a steady start matters. The tree-lined fairways reward position over distance on the long par 4s. The 370-yard 11th and 381-yard 14th are the shortest par 4s and the clearest birdie chances on the back nine, ahead of a closing pair of par 4s over 425 yards.
Advanced / Low Handicap
From the Alison tees (75.0/139) the course plays 7,167 yards with six par 4s of 420 yards or more. Birdies on the 2nd and 12th, the two shorter par 5s, offset the 4th and 10th. Ponds come into view at the 3rd and 15th, so commit to the line there, and treat the 231-yard 8th as the hardest par 3 by length.
Signature Holes
North Shore Country Club — Signature Holes
The Card
North Shore 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 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Yards | 446 | 516 | 181 | 453 | 382 | 420 | 579 | 231 | 412 | 3,620 | 428 | 370 | 557 | 201 | 381 | 560 | 189 | 429 | 432 | 3,547 | 7,167 |
| Handicap | 5 | 13 | 17 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 9 | — | 2 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 6 | — | — |
Good to Know
North Shore Country Club — questions answered
- How do I get on North Shore Country Club?
- North Shore 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 North Shore Country Club?
- North Shore Country Club was designed by Hugh Alison (Colt, MacKenzie & Alison).
- What is the par and yardage at North Shore Country Club?
- North Shore Country Club plays to a par of 72 over 7,167 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 75.0 and a slope of 139.
- Is North Shore Country Club public or private?
- North Shore 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 North Shore Country Club located?
- North Shore Country Club is located at 1340 Glenview Road, Glenview, IL 60025, in the North Shore area of Chicagoland.
More in North Shore
More golf courses in North Shore
Richard Leslie and H.J. Tweedie; redesigned by William Flynn · Golf
Glen View Club
One of America's early 18-hole courses, a private William Flynn layout in the Village of Golf.
Tom Fazio · Glenview
The Glen Club
Tom Fazio's 2001 course on the former Glenview Naval Air Station, semi-private in Glenview.
William Watson; redesigned by William Langford and A.W. Tillinghast · Wilmette
Westmoreland Country Club
Private Wilmette club on William Watson's 1912 routing, with a 2025-26 Bruce Hepner restoration.
How to Play It
How to Play North Shore Country Club.
North Shore 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.
Make a Day of It
Dining & nightlife around your round.
Pair North Shore Country Club with Chicago’s best dining and table service through MyRSVP — our sister guide to Chicago dining and nightlife.
Explore MyRSVP ↗