Cantigny Golf's Woodside Course

The Woodside course offers a variety of shots played through the most dense woods on the course. It offers two risk/reward par 5s, a par 3 of 200 plus yards and the other par 3 of 160-170 yards to a green completely surrounded by water. The variety of shots force you to use different clubs from your bag to hit the ball straight.

Woodside 2
Woodside 5
Woodside 9

Photography by Peter Schulz

Cantigny Golf's Course Overview

Championship golf surrounded by nature

Cantigny offers 27 challenging holes on beautiful, rolling terrain covering nearly 300 acres. The Woodside, Lakeside and Hillside nines each have distinct identities, adding richness to the golf experience. Cantigny is the five-time host of the Illinois State Amateur Championship and frequent regional tournaments. When it opened, in 1989, it was named “Best New Public Course in America” by Golf Digest. Since then, it has earned a reputation as one of the finest public-access golf facilities in the Midwest.

Woodside

The Woodside course offers a variety of shots played through the densest woods on the course.

Lakeside

Lakeside is appropriately named with four lakes that come into play on six different holes.

Hillside

Hillside is shortest of the nine-hole courses but features some of Cantigny's toughest holes.

Awards & History

2022 Player Development Award, National Golf Course Owners Association

Awards

2023 Best Public Golf Course, West Suburban Living
2023 Best of Weddings, The Knot
2023 Couples’ Choice Awards, WeddingWire
2023 GolfDay U.S. Top 100 Public Courses
2023 GolfPass U.S. Top 100 Walkable Courses
2022 Daily Herald Best of the Best: Readers' Choice Award (Best Public Golf Course)
2022 National Golf Foundation Customer Satisfaction Award (No. 2 in U.S., premium public course category)
2022 Best of Weddings, The Knot
2022 Golfers’ Choice: Top 50 U.S. Courses, GolfPass
2022 Golfers’ Choice: Best Golf Courses in Illinois, GolfPass
2022 Golfers’ Choice: Top 25 Golf Courses for Off-Course Amenities, GolfPass
2022 Player Development Award, National Golf Course Owners Association
2021 Best in State, Golf Digest
2021 Top 50 Public Facilities, Golf Range Association of America
2021 Best Public Golf Course, West Suburban Living
2021 National Customer Satisfaction Award, National Golf Foundation
2020 Top 50 Public Facilities, Golf Range Association of America
2020 Best of Weddings, The Knot
2019 Most Versatile Public Golf Facilities in America, Golf Advisor
2019 Best Wedding Venue, West Suburban Living
2018 Player Development Award, National Golf Course Owners Association
2018 Top 25 in U.S. for Staff Friendliness, Golf Advisor
2018 Top 10 Place to Play in Illinois, Golf Advisor
2002 Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play for Under $100, Travel and Leisure Golf
2000 Top 50 Courses You Can Play in America, GOLF
1996 Top 75 Courses You Can Play in America, Golf Digest
1990 Top 25 Public Courses in America, Golf Digest
1989 Best New Public Course in America, Golf Digest

Multiple Years:

Best in State, Golf Digest
Best Public Golf Course, West Suburban Living
Best Places You Can Play in Illinois, Golfweek
Best 100 Golf Shops in America, Golf Operations
Golfers’ Choice: Best Golf Courses in Illinois, GolfPass
Golfers’ Choice: Top 50 U.S. Courses, GolfPass
Environmental Steward Award, Audubon International
Humanitarian Award, Revelation Golf
Best of Weddings, The Knot

Staff Awards

2024 Connie DeMattia, Youth Player Development Award, PGA of America
2023 Terry Hanley, James R. Seeley General Manager of the Year
2023 Greg Baresel, Best Teachers in Illinois, Golf Digest
2022 Emily Burns, LPGA Professionals Junior Leader Award, Midwest Section
2022 Matt Tullar, Emil Esposito Golf Professional of the Year, KemperSports
2022 Terry Russell, Illinois PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award
2020 Connie DeMattia, Illinois PGA Player Development Award
2020 Emily Burns, Masters Top 50 U.S. Kids Coach
2019 Greg Baresel, Best Teachers in Illinois, Golf Digest
2019 Connie DeMattia, Best Teachers in Illinois, Golf Digest
2019 Connie DeMattia, Illinois PGA Youth Player Development Award
2019 Jason Hyatt, College of DuPage Athletic Hall of Fame
2018 Emily Burns, U.S. Kids Top 50 Kids Coach
2017 Greg Baresel, Illinois PGA Youth Player Development Award
2014 Jason Hyatt, Region IV Division III Coach of the Year
2010 Connie DeMattia, Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year
2009 Jason Hyatt, Illinois PGA Stroke Play Champion

Tournaments Hosted

2019 Illinois State Amateur Championship
2014 Illinois State Amateur Championship
2014 Chicago Open
2013 Women's Illinois State Amateur
2013 Chicago Open
2012 CDGA Amateur
2008 Illinois State Amateur Championship
2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship
2006 Western Junior Amateur Championship
2002 Illinois State Amateur Championship
1998 Illinois PGA Club Professional Championship
1996 Illinois State Amateur Championship

Qualifying Events

U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier (multiple years)
U.S. Amateur Qualifier (multiple years)
U.S. Women's Open Sectional Qualifier (2003)
U.S. Women's Mid-Am Qualifier (2003)

About Cantigny Golf

The building of Cantigny Golf began in 1986 and was completed in 1988. Play began in 1989. The course was designed by Roger Packard and constructed by Wadsworth Construction Company. Jacobson Golf Course Design updated the links in 2003.

Cantigny Golf’s official dedication took place on June 5, 1989, with a 9-hole exhibition featuring two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North and three top amateurs from Illinois. In its January 1990 issue, Golf Digest would declare Cantigny the “Best New Public Course in America.”

Cantigny Youth Links, our 9-hole course just for kids, debuted in 1999. The Cantigny Golf Academy opened in 2008.

History

Cantigny is the former estate of Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955) and part of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

McCormick was the grandson of a newspaper pioneer, Joseph Medill, one of the early publishers and owners of the Chicago Tribune. McCormick built upon his grandfather’s legacy, was publisher and editor of the Tribune for more than 40 years, and built a media empire which included WGN Radio and WGN Television.

McCormick had many roles in his life, including public servant, citizen soldier, philanthropist, and staunch defender of the First Amendment, especially the freedom of press.

Colonel McCormick served in the Illinois National Guard and, in 1917, at age 36, volunteered for duty in France during World War I. As a member of the Army’s First Division, he fought at the Battle of Cantigny, America’s first major battle and first victory of the Great War. He renamed his farm in Wheaton “Cantigny” after returning from Europe.

The Colonel was among Chicago’s first major philanthropists, and his will established what would become one of the nation’s leading charitable foundations. Since 1955, the McCormick Foundation has invested more than $1.5 billion in the areas of journalism, education, social services, civic engagement, and veteran programs.

The Foundation also oversees Cantigny Park, a 500-acre center for recreation, learning and civic engagement. In addition to Cantigny Golf, the property features McCormick House, the First Division Museum, and spectacular display gardens. Please visit Cantigny.org for more information.

Welcome to Cantigny Golf

Cantigny Golf's Lakeside Course