Dream 18: Some of the best golf holes in the suburbs

Who knew many golfers would be playing well into December?

No doubt that portends an early start to this year's season. And what a good time to recap a list of favorite golf holes in the suburbs.

In 2014, two of my golf buddies and I devised our favorite nine; that was followed up in April 2015 with a back nine suggested by readers and some local pros. I'm merging them now into a favorite 18 just to get you thinking about the season ahead. Holes are presented in numeric order, and because our readers and my threesome selected the same hole in one instance, you get a mulligan on one of them. Comments could be from any of us. Yardages are from the tips and what I would call the men's regular tees.

Cantigny Golf, Wheaton, Woodside course, No. 2, 553/474 yards, Par 5

Pretty hole called “Double Jeopardy” with a creek that crosses the fairway not once, but twice. Navigate them on your second and third shots - or perhaps just your third.

Naperbrook, Plainfield, No. 3, 550/463 yards, Par 5

Very tough tee shot: Water, other hazards right and left; challenging second shot over water and a bunkered green. “Great par 5 always into the wind with many hazards framing the hole. Once you make the dogleg with no penalty shots incurred the green is small with two greenside bunkers that protect it well.”

Glendale Lakes, Glendale Heights, No. 4, 295/282 yards, Par 4

A narrow fairway narrows even more as you get closer to the green. With water right and marshy wetlands left, anything off the fairway is a lost ball and a penalty drop. If you hit a long, arrow-straight drive, you could be on and putting for eagle. “Ugly hole, ridiculously tight and short. It seems to defy any strategy. Even when I use an 8-iron off the tee, I'm not assured I can avoid a penalty.”

Highlands of Elgin, No. 4, 159/145 yards, Par 3

What's more fun than a downhill, short par 3? This one's a fooler: Green looks small because it's nestled into a hill. It's big enough to easily three putt. And it's nothing but flora and fauna surrounding the green. Get on or go home.

Highlands of Elgin, No. 7, 254/203 yards, Par 3

“A 200-plus-yard par 3, where you tee off from the highest point on the course, and the view is spectacular (or as about as good as it gets for Illinois) and it also is the windiest point of the course where you face a daunting choice of going for the green while avoiding a hook into the lake or bailing right and hoping you can get up and down on a super-large green.”

Tanna Farms, Geneva, No. 7, 414/362 yards, Par 4

Difficult uphill par 4 plays into a prevailing wind, and tee shots need to split the fairway bunkers. Green is large and deep, and pin placement can vary approach selection by up to three clubs. “Tough bunkers off the tee and near the green. Uphill. Tough to reach in two.”

Streamwood Oaks, No. 9, 402/381 yards, Par 4

The only nine-hole course to make our list. People think of nine-holers as fairly benign. Not this one. The par 5 No. 4 is an absolute killer. Streamwood Oaks' No. 9 is a close second, with trouble (OB) all the way left, water fronting most of the green. “Elevated green, water - short and right, long and left.”

Hilldale, Hoffman Estates, No. 10, 406/368 yards, Par 4

Hilldale says this hole is the start to their version of Amen Corner, a downhill dogleg right with trees guarding the right; out of bounds left. The approach is over water to an elevated, two-level green protected by bunkers left and right. “If you don't hit a perfect drive, fugeddaboudit.”

Settler's Hill, Batavia No. 11, 562/523 yards, Par 5

Nothing can possibly go wrong on this hole that includes two water carries, trouble left and right, and a blind, uphill shot to a severely undulating green. Every shot can be gut-wrenching, starting with a long carry over water to a tight fairway that slopes toward woods on the left. But if you bomb one, you can think about getting home in two. More likely you'll have a real short, knee-knocker layup short of a diagonal creek. “Best combo of toughness and beauty.” “Just plain hard.” “Hit a 100-yard putter once to escape trouble.”

Steeple Chase, Mundelein, No. 11, 147/101 yards, Par 3

Pretty hole. Short, but all carry over water on this Ken Killian-designed course. “Little par-3 over water that will always make you second guess your club selection - especially if it's playing into the wind.”

White Deer Run, Vernon Hills, No. 11, 415/371 yards, Par 4

Set on the former Cuneo Estate, this is a bear of a par 4. Depending on the tees you pick and the length of your drive, this can be a long approach to a green that's nothing but trouble: it's guarded by a pond with an imposing rock wall and scores of bunkers. “After a layup tee shot, the approach shot tests one's nerves. With a 20-foot rock wall defending the right side of the green, the golfer is forced to hit a good shot especially if the pin is back right tucked behind the water.”

Prairie Landing, West Chicago, No. 12, 218/195 yards, Par 3

This hole is gorgeous - and intimidating: A wooded setting frames the tee box and the left side, but a lake occupies all but a sliver of fairway along the left-hand side. It's all carry if you go straight at it. Hard to resist shaping it over land and coming in from the left. “For big boys only.”

Prairie Landing, No. 12

See above. Play it again.

Oak Club of Genoa, No. 13, 366/342 yards, Par 4

Elevated tee shot over a slice of the Kishwaukee River. Two significant bunkers in the driving area waiting to grab those heroic tee shots over the Kishwaukee. Tight shot to green, too.

Seven Bridges, Woodridge, No. 16, 441/404 yards, Par 4

Considered one of the toughest holes in Illinois due to its length, narrow fairway and water on both sides of the fairway. Water is also prevalent right of the green, which is two-tiered and has bunkers guarding any “bailout” left.

Chalet Hills, Oakwood Hills, No. 18, 494/474 yards, Par 5

Great finishing hole, one fraught with peril but plenty of room for heroics. Fairway bends around a large lake on left, and there's out of bounds right. Getting on or close in two is a possibility for better golfers. “Two good shots will give you a chance at eagle, great way to end the round.”

Heritage Bluffs, Channahon, No. 18, 402/378 yards, Par 4

Maybe it's a stretch to call this course 45 miles southwest of the Loop “suburban,” but it's worth the drive. A very different feel for a Chicago-area course, with significant elevation changes, lots of pine trees, water, bunkers ... the usual. The 18th is a tough finish: elevated tee shot over water to a tight fairway. Second shot long and uphill all the way. “Walk single-file.” “Not sure I've ever had a regulation par here.”

Highland Woods, Hoffman Estates, No. 18, 395/384 yards, Par 4

A sharp dogleg left. Ample driving room in the fairway. Usually a short iron, slightly downhill to a reasonably flat green. Very nice closing hole. “If you're willing to gamble by cutting this dogleg, then get the right combo of downhill bounces and sand trap avoidance, a drive gets within a few feet of the putting surface.”