Public Play · Southwest Suburbs
Ruffled Feathers Golf ClubLemont
Pete and P.B. Dye's daily-fee course in Lemont, built on former farmland among native wetlands.
Par
72
Yardage
6,898
Rating · Slope
74.0 · 139
Holes
18
Green Fee
Contact for pricing
The Course
About Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
With 114 bunkers, water features, native wetlands, elevated tees and railroad ties, Ruffled Feathers wears its Pete and P.B. Dye pedigree openly. It is a public, daily-fee course in Lemont, run by Arcis Golf, laid out on former farmland at par 72 and 6,898 yards. The layout is aimed at competitive golfers who enjoy risk and reward, though several tee options keep it playable for higher handicaps. An all-grass practice facility sits alongside.
History
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club — History
Ruffled Feathers opened in 1992 to attention for its architects, Pete and P.B. Dye, and Golf Digest and Golfweek both named it among the Best New Courses of 1992, according to the Chicago Golf Report. The Illinois PGA moved its headquarters to the clubhouse in 1995, and Arcis Golf took over operation in January 2015, later renovating the clubhouse.
Design
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club — Design
The operator describes the signature visual intimidation of a Pete Dye layout: sculpted fairways, dramatic bunkering, bold carries, peninsula greens and elevated tees, with doglegs and railroad ties that demand strategy. Tree-lined fairways and sweeping wetlands frame the holes; a 1997 superintendents' profile counted 28 acres of federally protected wetlands. Risk-and-reward choices run through the round, from the split-fairway 6th to the short 16th.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
Its signature is the 155-yard 11th, a par 3 to a peninsula green surrounded by water, one of the bold carries that mark this father-and-son Dye design.
The Round
The Journey at Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
I.
The Opening
The 379-yard 1st sets the tone with a carry of about 100 yards over water to a blind fairway. The 361-yard 2nd and the 193-yard 3rd lead to the 578-yard 4th, the longest hole and the No. 3 handicap. The 467-yard 5th is the longest par 4 and the No. 1 handicap, and the 518-yard 6th splits its fairway, a risk-reward par 5 that can be played either way.
II.
The Middle
Two longer holes, the 413-yard 7th and the 220-yard 8th, come before the 464-yard 9th, the No. 5 handicap, which finishes in view of the clubhouse deck. The 403-yard 10th is rated No. 4. Then comes the signature 155-yard 11th, a par 3 to a peninsula green surrounded by water, and the 380-yard 12th closes the stretch.
III.
The Finish
Two 510-yard par 5s bracket the 328-yard 14th; the 15th is the No. 2 handicap while the 13th rates No. 8. The 336-yard 16th is the operator's example of a risk-reward par 4, short enough to tempt. The 221-yard 17th is the longest par 3, and the 462-yard 18th, the No. 6 handicap, finishes in view of the clubhouse deck.
How to Play It
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
Dye's carries punish a miss, and the Black tees rate 74.0 with a 139 slope, so start from a forward set. The water carry off the 1st tee is the first test: pick a tee you can clear comfortably. At the 11th, aim for the middle of the peninsula green whatever the pin.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
Use the split fairway at the 6th to set up the third shot you prefer, and treat the 336-yard 16th as a positional hole unless the driver is reliable. The 467-yard 5th, the No. 1 handicap, is a par 4 to play for bogey at worst; the 510-yard 13th and 15th are the scoring holes.
Advanced / Low Handicap
The 510-yard 13th and 15th and the 518-yard 6th are the chances to get home in two, and the 16th invites an aggressive drive. Penalties sit close to the targets, though: water and wetlands frame much of the course, and the 220- and 221-yard par 3s at the 8th and 17th need long irons that hold their line.
Signature Holes
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club — Signature Holes
The Card
Ruffled Feathers 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 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Yards | 379 | 361 | 193 | 578 | 467 | 518 | 413 | 220 | 464 | 3,593 | 403 | 155 | 380 | 510 | 328 | 510 | 336 | 221 | 462 | 3,305 | 6,898 |
| Handicap | 11 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 5 | — | 4 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 6 | — | — |
Good to Know
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club — questions answered
- How do I book a tee time at Ruffled Feathers Golf Club?
- Find and book live tee times at Ruffled Feathers Golf Club through GolfNow — Golf in CHI links straight to its tee sheet on this listing.
- Who designed Ruffled Feathers Golf Club?
- Ruffled Feathers Golf Club was designed by Pete Dye and P.B. Dye and opened in 1992.
- What is the par and yardage at Ruffled Feathers Golf Club?
- Ruffled Feathers Golf Club plays to a par of 72 over 6,898 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 74.0 and a slope of 139.
- Is Ruffled Feathers Golf Club public or private?
- Ruffled Feathers Golf Club is open to public play. Tee times can be reserved in advance.
- Where is Ruffled Feathers Golf Club located?
- Ruffled Feathers Golf Club is located at 1 Pete Dye Dr., Lemont, IL 60439, in the Southwest Suburbs area of Chicagoland.
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How to Play It
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