Invitation & Access · North Shore
Onwentsia ClubLake Forest
Private Lake Forest club that hosted the 1899 U.S. Amateur and the 1906 U.S. Open.
Par
71
Yardage
6,716
Rating · Slope
72.3 · 135
Holes
18
Green Fee
Members only
The Course
About Onwentsia Club
Members and their guests play Onwentsia, a private Lake Forest club where guests must be with a member at all times. Golf sits alongside racquets, a pool and a 1928 clubhouse by Harrie T. Lindeberg. The course is a par 71 of 6,716 yards from the Black tees, rated 72.3 with a 135 slope. Collared shirts are tucked in, shorts are Bermuda length and spikes must be soft.
History
Onwentsia Club — History
Onwentsia grew out of the Lake Forest Golf Club, which played seven holes on Senator Charles B. Farwell's lawn in 1892 and nine on Leander McCormick's farm in 1894. Organized as Onwentsia in 1895, the club moved to 175 acres bought from architect Henry Ives Cobb. Charles Blair Macdonald and H.J. Whigham laid out the front nine, and Herbert Tweedie and Robert and James Foulis the back. It hosted the 1899 U.S. Amateur and the 1906 U.S. Open.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play Onwentsia Club
Onwentsia hosted the 1899 U.S. Amateur and the 1906 U.S. Open, and its two nines came from early figures in American golf: Charles Blair Macdonald, H.J. Whigham, Herbert Tweedie and the Foulis brothers.
The Round
The Journey at Onwentsia Club
I.
The Opening
Two par 5s in the first three holes set the tone: the 499-yard 1st and the 520-yard 3rd, with a 399-yard par 4 between them. The 418-yard 4th is the No. 3 handicap and the first stern par 4. The 172-yard 5th is the shortest par 3 and the No. 17 handicap, and the 367-yard 6th rounds out an opening stretch of 2,375 yards.
II.
The Middle
The hardest run on the card comes next. The 411-yard 7th is the No. 5 handicap and the 426-yard 8th the No. 1, followed by the 210-yard 9th, the longest par 3. The back nine starts with the longest hole, the 545-yard par-5 10th, then the 191-yard 11th and the 450-yard 12th, the longest par 4 and the No. 2 handicap.
III.
The Finish
There is no par 5 after the 10th, so the finish is all par 3s and 4s. The 434-yard 13th is the No. 4 handicap and the 192-yard 14th the last short hole. Then the card eases: the 344-yard 15th rates as the easiest hole and the 321-yard 17th is the shortest par 4, with the 376-yard 16th between them and a 441-yard par 4 to close.
How to Play It
Onwentsia Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
Guests play with a member, so ask your host which tees suit you; from the Black tees the course is 6,716 yards with a 135 slope. The par 5s come early, at 1, 3 and 10, and the 172-yard 5th and 344-yard 15th are the gentlest holes on the card. Treat the 8th and 12th, the two hardest, as bogey holes.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
Scoring here is front-loaded: two par 5s in the first three holes and a third at the 10th are the birdie chances on a par-71 card. Holes 7, 8 and 9 are the toughest stretch, with the 210-yard 9th asking for a long iron. Late in the round, the 344-yard 15th and 321-yard 17th should leave short approaches.
Advanced / Low Handicap
With only three par 5s and a 72.3 rating, a low round needs the short par 4s at 15 and 17 as well as the 499-yard 1st. The 426-yard 8th, 450-yard 12th and 434-yard 13th are three of the four hardest holes; par there protects the card, and the 441-yard 18th is no soft finish.
Signature Holes
Onwentsia Club — Signature Holes
The Card
Onwentsia 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 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 71 |
| Yards | 499 | 399 | 520 | 418 | 172 | 367 | 411 | 426 | 210 | 3,422 | 545 | 191 | 450 | 434 | 192 | 344 | 376 | 321 | 441 | 3,294 | 6,716 |
| Handicap | 11 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 13 | — | 10 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 6 | — | — |
Good to Know
Onwentsia Club — questions answered
- How do I get on Onwentsia Club?
- Onwentsia 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 Onwentsia Club?
- Onwentsia Club was designed by C.B. Macdonald, H.J. Whigham, Herbert Tweedie and the Foulis brothers.
- What is the par and yardage at Onwentsia Club?
- Onwentsia Club plays to a par of 71 over 6,716 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 72.3 and a slope of 135.
- Is Onwentsia Club public or private?
- Onwentsia 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 Onwentsia Club located?
- Onwentsia Club is located at 300 North Green Bay Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045, in the North Shore area of Chicagoland.
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How to Play It
How to Play Onwentsia Club.
Onwentsia 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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