The first version of the course was a nine hole built by the members and credited to George Leslie in collaboration with H.J. Tweedie. Tweedie acknowledged they drew inspiration from acquaintance, “C.B.”, aka Board of Trade member and golf course architect, C.B. Macdonald, in concert with James Foulis. Tweedie ran the Spaulding store in Chicago and as part of his business operation, he was in connection with Spaulding Director of Golf and Consultant, Tom Bendlow the “Johnny Appleseed” of golf course proliferation…

Tweedie shared news of the work at Skokie with Bendelow who ultimately expanded and modified the course to eighteen holes in 1905. In 1914, Donald Ross was contracted to renovate the course into it’s third iteration that was ultimately deemed good enough to host the 1922 U.S. Open, won by Gene Sarazen.

Fourteen years later as Europe plunged into World War II; the club gave up several Ross holes when it sold to a real estate venture the land around the present fifteenth and sixteenth holes. In the process, it picked up additional land south of its existing border.

This time, Skokie hired the local architect firm of William Langford and Ted Moreau to design the holes on the newly acquired property. Thus, the present third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth holes were created with Langford/Moreau tying the remaining Ross holes into these seven new ones.

Unfortunately, from WWII until the mid-1990s, course tinkering occurred: cross bunkers were removed, other bunkers were softened and became maintenance nightmares thanks to their high sandy faces which were in vogue in the 1970s, mounds were added for ‘framing’, and the putting surfaces shrunk to where many greens were bland ovals. In addition, tree encroachment continued unabated, thus negating many of the playing angles within the holes. With the most interesting hole locations gone and the strategic requirements reduced, the course was a shadow of its former glorious state.

In 1999 Ron Prichard was hired to restore the course. Working closely with Course Superintendent Don Cross and his crew, Prichard’s work came in on time and on budget. The result was one of the earliest restorative efforts and returned the course to a centerpiece of classic design. Prichard’s effort was based on Ross work but did not have a providential cache of photos or plans. Nonetheless, the result was one of the nation’s earliest restorative efforts and returned the course to a centerpiece of classic design as evidenced by Skokie’s consistent top 100 ranking of classic courses in America by Golfweek.  He re-introduced abandoned cross bunkers and greens were expanded to their original glory with subtle contours that baffled even the best putters.

While every phase of the project was deemed a complete success, in retrospect, as was the case with many early restorations, there was still a measure of member reticence to “Go all the Way” with emotionally charged items such as tree removal, and full and complete bunker restoration.

Decades later, in a climate more informed and appreciative of complete golf course architectural restorations, the club subsequently located a number of photos and drawings depicting the course as it stood with the work of three architects in the ground, Bendelow, Ross, and Langford and Moreau. Brian Schneider, supported by the restoration seasoned Superintendent Don Cross, took extensive note of the freshly rediscovered photographic evidence, took that knowledge to the ground, and reinstated the work of Bendelow/Ross/Langford and Moreau’s masterwork. For a golf architecture aficionado, a round at Skokie is nothing less than historically fascinating. You will find bunkers and features from the full compliment of architects.

We at the Donald Ross Society are thrilled that the Membership and Staff of Skokie Country Club have agreed to share their twice reinvigorated classic with us.

Special thanks to Ross Society Member, Donald W. Potter, author of “The History of Skokie Country Club” ,  for vetting the club associated facts and historical accounting.

- Vaughn Halyard, President - Donald Ross Society