maps.golfThe hardest golf courses in Illinois, by slope rating
We ranked 74 Illinois courses with a maps.golf guide using the numbers on their own scorecards. Cog Hill No. 4 (Dubsdread) is the hardest: a slope of 153 from the Black tees (course rating 78.0).
Updated November 5, 2026
| # | Course | Location | Slope | Rating | Tees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cog Hill No. 4 (Dubsdread) | Lemont, IL | 153 | 78.0 | Black |
| 2 | Mistwood Golf Course | Romeoville, IL | 144 | 74.7 | Tournament |
| 3 | Seven Bridges Golf Club | Woodridge, IL | 144 | 74.6 | Gold |
| 4 | George W. Dunne National Golf Course | Oak Forest, IL | 142 | 75.4 | Gold |
| 5 | Bolingbrook Golf Club | Bolingbrook, IL | 142 | 74.3 | Gold |
| 6 | Bowes Creek Country Club | Elgin, IL | 142 | 73.2 | Black |
| 7 | Thunderhawk Golf Club | Beach Park, IL | 141 | 74.2 | Black |
| 8 | Steeple Chase Golf Club | Mundelein, IL | 141 | 73.6 | Gold |
| 9 | Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club | Channahon, IL | 140 | 74.9 | Gold |
| 10 | Pine Meadow Golf Club | Mundelein, IL | 140 | 74.9 | Black |
| 11 | Lick Creek Golf Course | Pekin, IL | 140 | 73.7 | Blue |
| 12 | Ruffled Feathers Golf Community | Lemont, IL | 140 | 73.7 | Championship |
| 13 | WeaverRidge Golf Club | Peoria, IL | 140 | 73.1 | Black |
| 14 | Hilldale Golf Club | Hoffman Estates, IL | 140 | 71.3 | Blue |
| 15 | TPC Deere Run | Silvis, IL | 139 | 75.5 | TPC |
| 16 | Makray Memorial Golf Club | Barrington, IL | 139 | 74.5 | Black |
| 17 | Aldeen Golf Club | Rockford, IL | 139 | 74.4 | Gold |
| 18 | Cinder Ridge Golf Course | Wilmington, IL | 139 | 73.1 | Black |
| 19 | The Arboretum Club | Buffalo Grove, IL | 139 | 71.7 | Champ |
| 20 | Gateway National Golf Links | Madison, IL | 138 | 74.6 | Championship |
| 21 | White Deer Run Golf Club | Vernon Hills, IL | 137 | 74.6 | Black |
| 22 | Stonewolf Golf Club | Fairview Heights, IL | 137 | 73.5 | Black |
| 23 | RedTail Golf Club | Village of Lakewood, IL | 136 | 73.0 | Black |
| 24 | Annbriar Golf Course | Waterloo, IL | 136 | 72.8 | Yellow |
| 25 | Coyote Creek Golf Course | Bartonville, IL | 135 | 72.3 | Black |
| 26 | Orchard Valley Golf Course | Aurora, IL | 134 | 72.4 | Black |
| 27 | Blackberry Oaks Golf Course | Bristol, IL | 134 | 71.3 | Blue |
| 28 | Glencoe Golf Club | Glencoe, IL | 133 | 72.3 | Blue |
| 29 | Downers Grove Golf Club | Downers Grove, IL | 133 | — | Blue |
| 30 | Fox Bend Golf Course | Oswego, IL | 132 | 73.2 | Black |
| 31 | Palatine Hills Golf Course | Palatine, IL | 130 | 72.9 | Black |
| 32 | Wedgewood Golf Course | Joliet, IL | 130 | 72.6 | Blue |
| 33 | Weibring Golf Club | Normal, IL | 130 | 72.6 | Black |
| 34 | Shepherd's Crook Golf Course | Zion, IL | 130 | 72.1 | Silver |
| 35 | Whitetail Ridge Golf Course | Yorkville, IL | 130 | 71.6 | Black |
| 36 | Oak Brook Golf Course | Oak Brook, IL | 130 | 71.4 | Blue |
| 37 | Prairie Vista Golf Course | Bloomington, IL | 129 | 72.2 | Gold |
| 38 | Highland Springs Municipal Golf Course | Rock Island, IL | 129 | 72.0 | Blue |
| 39 | Mendota Golf Club | Mendota, IL | 129 | 70.2 | Blue |
| 40 | Balmoral Woods Country Club | Crete, IL | 128 | 72.4 | Blue |
| 41 | Pinecrest Golf Course | Huntley, IL | 128 | 72.3 | Black |
| 42 | Deerpath Golf Course | Lake Forest, IL | 128 | 70.2 | Blue |
| 43 | Far Oaks Golf Club | Caseyville, IL | 128 | 69.8 | Championship |
| 44 | Glenview Park Golf Club | Glenview, IL | 128 | 69.6 | Black |
| 45 | Cedardell Golf Club | Plano, IL | 128 | 69.0 | Blue |
| 46 | Ironwood Golf Course | Normal, IL | 127 | 73.0 | Black |
| 47 | Cog Hill Golf & Country Club – No.2 | Lemont, IL | 127 | 72.7 | Black |
| 48 | Hickory Point Golf Course | Decatur, IL | 127 | 72.3 | Blue |
| 49 | The Rail Golf Course | Springfield, IL | 127 | 71.7 | Blue |
| 50 | Schaumburg Golf Club | Schaumburg, IL | 127 | 70.0 | Black |
| 51 | Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course | Chicago, IL | 127 | — | Blue |
| 52 | Shambolee Golf Course | Petersburg, IL | 126 | 72.1 | Blue |
| 53 | Spring Creek Golf Club | Spring Valley, IL | 126 | 71.9 | Blue |
| 54 | North Greens Golf Course | Atlanta, IL | 126 | — | Blue |
| 55 | Edgewood Park Golf Club | McNabb, IL | 125 | 71.7 | Blue |
| 56 | Fox Run Golf Links | Elk Grove Village, IL | 125 | 70.1 | Blue |
| 57 | Woodbine Bend Golf Course | Stockton, IL | 124 | 71.8 | Black |
| 58 | Lake Bluff Golf Course | Lake Bluff, IL | 124 | 71.3 | Black |
| 59 | Villa Olivia Country Club | Bartlett, IL | 124 | 71.3 | Blue |
| 60 | Lincoln Oaks Golf Course | Crete, IL | 124 | 69.5 | Blue |
| 61 | Bunn Golf Course | Springfield, IL | 122 | 69.7 | Blue |
| 62 | Meadowview Golf Course | Mattoon, IL | 122 | 68.4 | Yellow |
| 63 | Park Hills Golf Course | Freeport, IL | 121 | 71.3 | White |
| 64 | Phillips Park Golf Course | Aurora, IL | 121 | 69.8 | Championship |
| 65 | Pine Hills Golf Club | Ottawa, IL | 121 | — | Black |
| 66 | Cog Hill Golf & Country Club – No.1 | Lemont, IL | 120 | 70.0 | Black |
| 67 | Cog Hill Golf & Country Club – No.3 | Lemont, IL | 120 | 70.0 | Black |
| 68 | Gibson Woods Golf Course | Monmouth, IL | 118 | 69.8 | Blue |
| 69 | Woodlawn Country Club | Farmer City, IL | 117 | 69.0 | Blue/White |
| 70 | Willow Pond Golf Course | Rantoul, IL | 115 | 71.8 | Blue |
| 71 | Byron Hills Golf Course | Port Byron, IL | 115 | 70.5 | Back |
| 72 | Wing Park Golf Course | Elgin, IL | 115 | — | White |
| 73 | Chick Evans Golf Course | Morton Grove, IL | 112 | 67.2 | Blue |
| 74 | South Shore Golf Course | Chicago, IL | 112 | — | Blue |
How we ranked them
Slope rating measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer; 113 is average and 155 is the maximum. Each course is ranked by the highest men's slope on its own scorecard, from whichever tees carry it. Ties go to the higher course rating.
The list covers courses with a free maps.golf guide whose scorecard we’ve published, and it updates on its own as new guides go live. Numbers are as printed on each course’s card; courses re-rate and re-tee, so check the course’s own scorecard before you play. Running one of these courses and see a wrong number? Tell us.
You’re welcome to cite or link this ranking; please credit maps.golf.