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2.4
40 Reviews (40)
5 Stars
15
4 Stars
10
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
6
1 Stars
7
Conditions
2.3
Value
1.8
Layout
4.3
Friendliness
3.2
Pace
2.3
Amenities
2.3
30.5%
Recommend this course
25 out of 40 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
2.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.0
Value
1.0
Layout
2.0
Pace
1.0
Amenities
1.0
StaffFriendliness
4.0
0%
Recommend this course
1 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
1.8
6 Reviews (6)
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
3
Conditions
1.8
Value
1.3
Layout
4.0
Pace
1.3
Amenities
1.8
StaffFriendliness
3.2
16.7%
Recommend this course
1 out of 6 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Traditional
Par 72
Length 7554 yards
Slope 153
Rating 78.0

The Dick Wilson and Joe Lee designed golf course has been nationally ranked since it opened in 1964. A natural style championship golf course, Dubsdread's layout places a demand on shot making with tight landing areas combined with heavily bunkered, large undulating greens. The par-72, 7600 yard course underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2008 by renowned golf course architect Rees Jones. The routing remained the same, but every hole underwent renovation from tee to green to restore the original design integrity and overall character inherent in the work of Wilson and Lee.

Course Details

Year Built 1964
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season April 9th - October 16th
Architect Dick Wilson (1964) Joe Lee (1964) Rees Jones (2008) Greg Muirhead (2008) Ron Forse

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fee
Clubs Yes
GPS Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code Collared shirts are preferred, Slacks or shorts are preferred, No tank tops or halter tops. No gym shorts or running shorts

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

Reviews

2.4
40 Reviews (40)

What Golfers Are Saying

Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 8
Thick Rough 8
Plays Long 7
This course/club is great for:
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 7
Advanced Golfers 6

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

6 hour round of golf!

I feel strange writing an indifferent review about "DUBS", but yikes.

We played on 9/21/23 and it was the slowest round of golf I've ever played. We had a 10:00 tee time and finished at 4:00! About 5 holes in, a ranger came by and told us it was now cart path only, because it was misting. Seriously? Your course can't handle a light rain? Not 90 degrees, cart path only. Trust me, this is not a fun course when it's cart path only, because it's a hard track, just saying.

I was excited to play here because it is an iconic course, but honestly, it's stuck in the 80's. It isn't in really all that pristine condition, and it is nowhere near an elite experience for this level of a course. If you're thinking resort course and amenities, think again.

Kind of a head scratcher really??

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Some of the criticisms are overblown

I read the recent reviews of Dubsdread and was nervous to be coming here as part of a buddy golf trip. From these reviews I basically imagined the course was going to be some unplayable wasteland.

In reality, this is one of the most stellar course designs I've played. The routing is so much fun and every hole is full of decisions and challenge. This is really a great test of golf and a testament to design. It really is devilishly hard and you can double every hole if you start messing around. You can't find many other courses with bunkers this deep, and they all seem to line the fairway right where your drive goes. Greens were fast, firm, and fair.

The main point of criticism I agree with are the greenside bunkers. The low amounts of sand in the fairway traps is fine since you should be clipping the ball anyways, but the greenside traps definitely need some more sand in order to make getting up and down possible. That would be the only conditions improvement I think to make it a perfect round.

$130 is probably the top end of what I would pay here. The full rack rate of ~$180 is definitely too high, but it's not far off if they can clean up and fill out the greenside traps.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

What a terrible money grab

Dubs is a shell of what it used to be. It is a dump. Rounds are over 5 hours paying $195. No ball washers, no complimentary range balls. Junky old carts, Sand traps are in terrible shape Jemsik should be ashamed of himself.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Very Disappointing

This used to be the place to play.. but unfortunately they are still living in the BMW Championship times and are still trying to promote they hosted the tournament.

$170 mid day on a Friday and they don’t give you a bucket of range balls to hit prior to the round? Come on…

The track has much potential, the greens rolled fine, but that was pretty much it. The bunkers weren’t raked and nearly concrete. The course is known for all the challenging bunkers in and around greens.. but they are nearly unplayable. The rough was nearly anything and overall was the easiest I’ve played the course. I hope they see this and make the necessary changes, cause it’s not nearly worth the $170 they currently charge. Go play Mistwood or Cantingy for those prices.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Dubsdread More Like Dumpsdread

For $175 on Dubsdread, you get a slow 5-hour round on a course which is a shadow of its past quality and reputation. It still has loud, antique gas carts with no GPS, green-side traps with mud bases and very little sand, along with many fairways and greens far from pristine. Also, range balls used to be free when playing on Dubs, but now they charge extra. Heck, they don't even put a few tees in the carts anymore. For demanding a premium price, the course falls very short in so many ways, especially pace of play.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Conditions

I wanted to love this course, but to be honest I could not be more underwhelmed after playing. For starters I've never heard of a course with a $170 green fee not include a small bucket of range balls to get you started. In addition to that, the carts have to be from the 1970's, GPS on our cart did not work. The course conditions were absolutely brutal, the sand was nearly unplayable on the entire course. When you did get in there the bunkers are like concrete, it is shameful that you would pay $170 green fee for the condition this course is in. On top of that this was the worst pace of play I've ever seen, it took us nearly 5 hours to play 18 holes. Overall, it was a massive dissapointment, have to hope that management sees this and starts taking some pride in taking care of what used to be a gem of a track.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Horrible Pace of Play on Dubs

Dubs dread has become awful. $170 on average per round shouldn’t take 5 hours and it does. I play out here a lot because I live close by but the poor conditions and horrible pace of play is just a pure money grab. Real shame. Years ago this place used to be a real treat to play. Now it is nothing but a money grab. Also no rangers enforce pace. Good luck getting someone at the club house to answer the phone. Change in ownership has ruined this course. . They use, max, a nine minute interval.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Letting course die

Dubs was once a pretty good track, but Cog Hill seems to have given up maintaining the course. It still charges a premium rate.

The sand traps are UNPLAYABLE due to lack of sand. You’ll see the landscaping fabric at the bottom of many traps because there is almost no sand. You have to play a chip because there isn’t enough sand for an explosion shot. Not fun with bunkers 10-15 ft deep.

The GPS on carts isn’t functional, the carts are dirty and old, the clubhouse is crumby and the greens look like no one has invented a divot repair tool.

Stay away from this wreck. It used to be a fun course, but not anymore. They’ve stopped investing in the course.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played

Bunkers in horrible condition.

I love this course and layout. I understand that the course took on a lot of rain recently but the bunker conditions were absolutely horrible. There was hardly any sand in them and it didn’t appear that any effort was made to rake or repair them as of my 740 morning tee time. When you pay a full premium greens fee you would expect top quality conditions. If conditions were not at that level, the course should indicate that or offer reduced greens fees.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

A fun challenge

Played this past weekend... Still one of my favorite Chicagoland courses. It gives you a country club feel with the practice range, staff and amenities. Course was in awesome shape. Is it a hard course? Of course... But it's a fun challenge the whole way. It's a fair challenge without gimmicks and emphasizing good shots. The course is make or break on your approach. Can't recommend it enough.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 98
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Well worth a visit...if you can get a tee time

I have been in the Chicago area many times and have tried to play Cog Hill #4 each time. Finally got lucky. This is an extremely challenging course with difficulties all around. A few of the difficulties are hiding so playing with an experienced partner who know the course is a real help.

It's one of those bucket-list type course you play because it's well-known and it's a novelty. I think I would quit gold if this was my weekly course but as a one-time adventure, well worth the wait.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
First Time Playing

Horrible Experience - Do Not Bother

This course is littered with an unnecessary amount of sand traps. The designers over-used them and they lie between the fairway and green. Thus you are punished even if you hit the fairway. They are deep and have inconsistent sand depth and quality. Sometimes it is like hitting off concrete when the sand was too low, other times like typical soft sand when deep. I knew after 2 holes that I should have left and tried courses 1-3. Avoid course #4 here, it almost ruined golf for me.

Pace was slow and it was extremely hot. I really regret playing 18 holes here on a hot day. I love golf and this felt like I was playing an annoying course in the dessert for 6 hours. I just wanted it to be over and now I don't have a desire play golf at all any time soon. I should have stopped after 9.

The greens were not that difficult for putting, but the over-use of sand traps got old fast. Also, none of the holes are memorable or picturesque. I liked a couple of the par 3s since the tee boxes are higher, but that was about it.

You'll need to have an extremely accurate iron game to hit and stay on these greens, they are not very large. And you better have a great sand game and be able to discern different types of sand lies and the sand quality itself. I enjoyed the challenge of hitting out of deep sand traps, but the inconsistent sand ruined it as you never knew how hard to hit. Some shots would come out nicely, others would shoot too far when the sand was not deep and too hard.

Except for the sand traps, the course itself is kept in nice condition. My problem is with the course design. It was just a frustrating day with nothing to redeem it. If you are an outstanding golfer you might like it, but if you are above average, average, or below, this course will ruin your day unnecessarily.

The driving range is nice and provides shot tracking. And this seems to get a lot of positive reviews, perhaps for the condition and not the layout. I wonder if a lot of golfers are cheating or being very liberal with gimmies. If an average golfer played a 100% honest round, they would likely get 10 strokes more than usual and not want to give a positive review.

If I ever do come back, it will be for one of the other courses.

Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap Don't know
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 38
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
D C Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wow, better than I expected by a Lot

Outstanding value to price (I am coming from out of town) a lot of fun, feels like a classic design. Great conditions, nice staff, cool pro shop. It feels like bethpage in the since it has a classic design, very challenging and is accessible.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 84
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Approach is everything

Awesome course and taught me the importance of hitting a great approach or adding 2 extra strokes to your score!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
5.0
Previously Played

Must Play!

The course is in excellent condition and plays great. The staff members were very welcoming and friendly. Overall an enjoyable experience. If your in the area it’s a must play!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

EXCELLENT golf course.Played from the back tees very challenging. Very nice views. Excellent golf course

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
e82b3d0b-07de-5dfe-975f-f8ad8bdaaf6e
Commented on 08/22/2019

Thank you for the 5-star rating and the comments about Dubsdread. We look forward to seeing you again!

Played On
Reviews 38
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Arizona Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Cog Hill #4: Joe Jemseck and Dick Wilson's Legacy

Through the years, playing a PGA Tour golf course meant teeing it up at a private facility - for the most part. You certainly had the 1-off resorts that were insanely pricey (think Pebble Beach, Doral, Torrey Pines, Pinehurst). Then came the advent of the TPC courses that were public, but not that much cheaper (TPC-Sawgrass, TPC-Scottsdale, etc.). But in the mid-1900s, located in Chicago, was a visionary named Joe Jemsek. His idea was to offer a true private club golf experience to the public player. His history in the game is well worth the effort to learn about it. Because when you drive up to the clubhouse at Coghill to play the #4 course known as Dubsdread, you will WANT to know how it all came about.

Cog Hill #4 is a true tournament-geared track. From the time it opened in the early 60s, Dick Wilson's design became legendary. No small feat when Wilson's portfolio contained courses like Royal Montreal, Laureal Valley, Bay Hill and the original design of the Doral's Blue Monster. It has been a perennial inclusion in the Top 100 Courses You Can Play and is a brutal test of golf from almost any tee. It has held USGA events (Public Links for both men and women), a US Amatuer, Western Opens and BMW Championships. From all the way back (7554), the slope is 153 and the rating is 78 on a par of 72. Even at 6750, the course slopes at 140!!! Choose the tee you play smartly. And keep in mind that the course was tweaked and modernized by Rees Jones in 2008.

Conditions are always fantastic, but you have to allow leeway for early Spring and Late Fall, as this IS Chicago, you know. But keep in mind, from the openig tee shot, you will have few spots to catch a breather. This course demands your very best in shotmaking AND a level of concentration that is equal to the task at hand. The opening holes offer a pitched battle for par. Hole 5 gives you a chance as the shortest par five on the course, but you must keep it in the fairway to score. Number 9 closes out the outward nine in strong form with slight dogleg left five par that is all you can handle.

Hole 10 offers a slight respite, as it is one of the shortest par fours on the course. But from that point on, you are in golf's version of a meat grinder. Hole 11 is certain a close cousin to 9 - another long, hard par five moving gradually to the left. Hole 12 is one on my favorite par threes on the globe. You'll know it when you see it. Long, slightly downhill to a wide, deep green, closely protected by bunkering both to the front and rear. The hole is framed from behind by a thick stand of trees and undergrowth. From there, the closing stretch just does not let up. Coming into the house on those final holes, it's awfully easy to see a good round fall completely apart.

The grounds and clubhouse are old school wonderful. There are three other terrific courses at Cog Hill, so they do a phenomenal job on the corporate/outing end of the game, as well. Great instructors, awesome clinics, involvement with the Evans Scholars Foundation, a solid staff in the pro shop, good food... banquets, weddings: It really is the essense of Joe's vision so many years before, which is testimony to his son, Frank, who has operated the facilities since his father's passage in 2002.

When you play Cog Hill #4, you are truly walking amidst the beauty of golf's history. Honor it and enjoy.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
e82b3d0b-07de-5dfe-975f-f8ad8bdaaf6e
Commented on 09/23/2018

Thank you for your comprehensive review of Cog Hill No. 4. We appreciate your thoughtful review and I will share it with our staff and owners. Cog Hill is a very special place and Dubsdread is one of the best. Thank you again for your review.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Coop

The staff could not be better the course always in great shape, the last redo turned out to be a nightmare for the average player as they were trying to get the U.S. Open. They are redoing bunkers to make it much friendlier for the average player and they do all the
re-dos very fast. No tricks here just straight golf. You will use every club in the bag from any tee you choose which are many and also combination tees for whatever yardage you would want to play. Plenty of places to stay in the area

Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Ready for Sand Bunkers

Dubsdread is the course that hosted the Western Open for years that became the BMW Championship. For $155, one can play a course that the PGA Tour played. Course conditions: awesome tee boxes, fairways and greens were excellent, green speeds were quick but not too fast, bunkers are in the middle of getting a re-do. Green complexes are very difficult, large, many pin placements, ridges, over 150 bunkers. I played from a combo set of tees of 6,500 yards and was very thrilled to shoot an 81 with bogeys on each of the par 5s (ouch). I can drive the ball about 240 to 260 and I would be comfortable going to blue tees at 6,700+ yards and have fun. There are two more sets of tees further back at 7,100+ and 7400+ yards if you want to constantly test all your long irons and fairway woods. The difficulty is most greens are fronted by bunkers or are elevated or border deep runoff areas or water. One needs to carry the ball to the green on most holes. The rough is thick and tree lines come into play realistically on holes 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 17. There is a snack shack on the front nine after hole 6 but then there is no snack shack or beverage cart the rest of the way (Disappointing for $155). This was my first time I played the course and was impressed by the course.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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