Invitation & Access · North Shore
Old Elm ClubHighland Park
Harry Colt's routing, Donald Ross's construction: a private 1913 course in Highland Park.
Par
72
Yardage
7,271
Rating · Slope
74.3 · 135
Holes
18
Green Fee
Members only
The Course
About Old Elm Club
Almost no visitor play reaches Old Elm, a private Highland Park club on Chicago's North Shore for members and their guests that keeps a very low profile. The course is a 1913 collaboration: Harry Colt drew the routing and Donald Ross built it. Restoration since 2010 has widened the corridors and brought back Colt-style bunkers, and GOLF describes playing surfaces among the fastest and firmest in the country.
History
Old Elm Club — History
Colt routed the course in 1913 on one of his two visits to North America, spent about eight days on site with Ross that spring, and left the construction to him. The greens are still Ross's original push-up surfaces. Drew Rogers began a restoration in 2010, clearing trees and widening fairways, and Dave Zinkand's bunker and greens restoration, with the whole course regrassed, was complete by early 2025.
Design
Old Elm Club — Design
Rogers describes Colt's plan as one of grand width, with broad, bold features blended into the land, and his work removed hundreds of trees to reopen the original corridors. Colt also placed short cross bunkers ahead of the tees, which he called compulsory hazards. Zinkand rebuilt the bunkers with the torn, rugged edges Colt sketched, and GOLF notes that the firm turf makes some crowned greens hard to hold.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play Old Elm Club
Golf Course Architecture calls it the only golf course touched by both Colt, the man who created the profession of golf architecture, and Ross, America's most prolific creator of great courses.
The Round
The Journey at Old Elm Club
I.
The Opening
No hole-by-hole card is on file, so the round can only be sketched from press. GOLF singles out the 2nd and 5th, where crowned greens on firm, fast turf become very hard to hold. Tee shots run a long way on the short grass until they meet one of the restored Colt bunkers, so position off the tee matters more than raw distance.
II.
The Middle
Through the middle of the round, the 11th carries a fairway cross bunker rebuilt in Zinkand's restoration. Drew Rogers' earlier work also recovered several original cross bunkers that had been covered over time, hazards Colt described as compulsory, meant to unsettle the skilled player while giving shorter hitters something to clear.
III.
The Finish
The 17th is a short par 3 played as a Redan: Colt's plan used the slope on the right of the green as a kick plate to feed the ball in. Rogers removed a non-original bunker and reshaped the hillside in 2011, and Zinkand later made subtle contour changes to the green during his restoration.
How to Play It
Old Elm Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
As a guest, expect firm, fast turf that rewards keeping the ball low and letting it run, and wide fairways that give room off the tee. Stay below the hole on the crowned greens, and accept a two-putt from the middle rather than chasing a pin near an edge.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
Use the ground. On the Redan 17th, land the ball short and right and let the slope carry it toward the green, as Colt designed. Off the tee, plan for the run on firm fairways so drives do not roll into the restored bunkers, including the cross bunker on the 11th.
Advanced / Low Handicap
From 7,271 yards the course rates 74.3 with a 135 slope. GOLF notes that a good player may not lose a ball yet still not play to handicap; the test is angles into crowned greens such as the 2nd and 5th, so favor the side of the fairway that opens the green over maximum distance.
Signature Holes
Old Elm Club — Signature Holes
Good to Know
Old Elm Club — questions answered
- How do I get on Old Elm Club?
- Old Elm 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 Old Elm Club?
- Old Elm Club was designed by Harry Colt and Donald Ross and opened in 1913.
- What is the par and yardage at Old Elm Club?
- Old Elm Club plays to a par of 72 over 7,271 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 74.3 and a slope of 135.
- Is Old Elm Club public or private?
- Old Elm 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 Old Elm Club located?
- Old Elm Club is located at 800 Old Elm Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035, in the North Shore area of Chicagoland.
More in North Shore
More golf courses in North Shore
C.B. Macdonald, H.J. Whigham, Herbert Tweedie and the Foulis brothers · Lake Forest
Onwentsia Club
Private Lake Forest club that hosted the 1899 U.S. Amateur and the 1906 U.S. Open.
Donald Ross · Highland Park
Exmoor Country Club
Donald Ross's 1915 redesign on a glacial ridge in Highland Park, a mile from Lake Michigan.
C.H. Alison (rebuilding a Donald Ross course) · Highland Park
Bob O'Link Golf Club
C.H. Alison's 1925 rebuild of a Donald Ross course, a private club in Highland Park.
How to Play It
How to Play Old Elm Club.
Old Elm 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.
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