Public Play · Fox Valley & McHenry
RedTail Golf ClubLakewood
Roger Packard's village-owned public course in Lakewood, with elevation changes across 240 acres.
Par
72
Yardage
6,824
Rating · Slope
73.0 · 136
Holes
18
Green Fee
Contact for pricing
The Course
About RedTail Golf Club
The Village of Lakewood owns RedTail, a public course in southeastern McHenry County near Crystal Lake, Huntley and Lake in the Hills. Roger Packard routed it across 240 acres, and the club points to its elevation changes, wildlife and natural areas as its defining features. From the Black tees it measures 6,824 yards at par 72, rated 73.0 with a 136 slope. Proper golf attire and soft spikes are required, and the environmentally sensitive areas are federally protected and closed to golfers.
History
RedTail Golf Club — History
Packard designed the course in 1987 as a second 18 for the members of Turnberry, a private club, according to a July 2000 profile in On Course, the Midwest superintendents' magazine. The project ran into financial difficulties and the course was sold to the Village of Lakewood. The club gives 1991 as the year RedTail opened, and it now runs as a municipal course.
Design
RedTail Golf Club — Design
The club describes a tricky layout built around elevation change, wildlife and natural areas, one that makes golfers use every club in the bag. Its protected natural areas are marked as environmentally sensitive and players may not enter them, so a ball that goes in stays there. The card is balanced: two par 5s and two par 3s on each nine, with nines of 3,397 and 3,427 yards.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play RedTail Golf Club
A municipal course that began life as a private club's second 18, RedTail gives southeastern McHenry County a 6,800-yard public layout with a 136 slope and a Roger Packard routing.
The Round
The Journey at RedTail Golf Club
I.
The Opening
RedTail starts on a 393-yard par 4, then offers the first of two par 5s in four holes, the 533-yard 2nd. After the 385-yard 3rd and the 204-yard 4th, the longest par 3 on the course, comes the 551-yard 5th, the No. 1 handicap. The 415-yard 6th is the No. 3, which makes holes 5 and 6 the hardest back-to-back pair on the card.
II.
The Middle
The middle eases off at first: the 354-yard 7th is the shortest par 4 and the 169-yard 8th a mid-iron par 3. The 393-yard 9th closes a 3,397-yard front nine. After the 370-yard 10th comes the longest hole on the course, the 555-yard par-5 11th and No. 2 handicap, followed by the 184-yard 12th.
III.
The Finish
The closing six hold the strongest run of par 4s. After the 383-yard 13th, the 510-yard 14th is the shortest par 5 yet rates as the No. 4 handicap. Next come the 433-yard 15th and 405-yard 16th, then the 153-yard 17th, the easiest hole on the card, and a 434-yard finishing hole that is the longest par 4 on the course.
How to Play It
RedTail Golf Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
At 6,824 yards and a 136 slope from the Black tees, RedTail is a long day for a first visit, so pick a shorter set. Stay clear of the protected natural areas, where you cannot go after a ball. Bank the par 3s at 8, 12 and 17, all under 185 yards from the back, and play holes 5 and 6 as bogey holes.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
Take your medicine on the front's toughest pair, the 551-yard 5th and 415-yard 6th, and attack the 354-yard 7th that follows. On the back, the 510-yard 14th is the shortest par 5 and a real birdie chance after a good drive, before a closing stretch of 433, 405 and 434-yard par 4s that rewards a reliable long iron.
Advanced / Low Handicap
A 73.0 rating says the scoring has to come from the par 5s. Three measure 533 to 555 yards, and the 510-yard 14th is the shortest. With the elevation change the club highlights, confirm adjusted yardages on approaches, and save something for the finish, where the 434-yard 18th is the longest par 4 on the card.
Signature Holes
RedTail Golf Club — Signature Holes
The Card
RedTail 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 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Yards | 393 | 533 | 385 | 204 | 551 | 415 | 354 | 169 | 393 | 3,397 | 370 | 555 | 184 | 383 | 510 | 433 | 405 | 153 | 434 | 3,427 | 6,824 |
| Handicap | 9 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 17 | 7 | — | 12 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 8 | — | — |
Good to Know
RedTail Golf Club — questions answered
- How do I book a tee time at RedTail Golf Club?
- RedTail Golf Club books its own tee times. Call the pro shop to reserve a round; the number is on this listing.
- Who designed RedTail Golf Club?
- RedTail Golf Club was designed by Roger Packard and opened in 1991.
- What is the par and yardage at RedTail Golf Club?
- RedTail Golf Club plays to a par of 72 over 6,824 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 73.0 and a slope of 136.
- Is RedTail Golf Club public or private?
- RedTail Golf Club is open to public play. Tee times can be reserved in advance.
- Where is RedTail Golf Club located?
- RedTail Golf Club is located at 7900 RedTail Drive, Lakewood, IL 60014, in the Fox Valley & McHenry area of Chicagoland.
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How to Play It
Book a Tee Time at RedTail Golf Club.
RedTail Golf Club books its own tee times. Call the pro shop to reserve a round.
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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