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Golf Courses Around Deerfield

by
Oct 10th, 2025

If you're a golf enthusiast living in or around our Deerfield apartments, you're in luck! This charming North Shore suburb sits at the center of one of the most golf-rich areas in Chicagoland, with nearly twenty courses within a ten-mile radius.

Whether you're looking for a quick nine holes after work, a championship-level challenge on the weekend or a place to introduce your kids to the game, you'll find plenty of options just minutes from home.

Golf Courses Around Deerfield

Deerfield Golf Club & Learning Center

Located on Saunders Road in neighboring Riverwoods, Deerfield Golf Club serves as the area's primary public course and lives up to its beloved reputation. 

This 18-hole parkland course stretches nearly 7,000 yards from the championship tees, offering a legitimate test of golf in a meandering course designed by Edward Lawrence Packard. What makes this course particularly appealing is that it delivers a private club experience without the membership fees or restrictions on tee times.

The learning center here is genuinely impressive, too, featuring both grass and matted hitting areas, dedicated pitching and chipping greens complete with sand bunkers and two large putting greens. If you're looking to improve your game, you'll have your pick of 14 skilled teaching professionals who offer programs for both adults and juniors.

After your round, you can grab a bite at the Tap House Grill or browse the pro shop, which carries top brands including TaylorMade, Titleist and Callaway. One standout feature that makes Deerfield Golf Club particularly family-friendly is the installation of two sets of family golf tees, created in partnership with the PGA of America and U.S. Kids Golf Association. This thoughtful addition makes the course more accessible for young golfers and families looking to play together.

Ravinia Green Country Club

Also in Riverwoods, Ravinia Green Country Club offers another private golfing option in the area.

This 18-hole course is known for being one of the most visually striking courses in the greater Chicago area, featuring more than 100 bunkers and water hazards that come into play in more than ten holes. Beyond golf, members can also enjoy tennis and swimming facilities, fine dining and reservable private event spaces. If you're in the market for a full-service country club experience in the immediate Deerfield vicinity, this is a pretty great option!.

Heritage Oaks Golf Club

Head over to Northbrook and you'll find Heritage Oaks Golf Club, a Northbrook Park District property that offers 27 holes of golf on tree-lined, Audubon-certified grounds. The variety here is excellent, and you can play different nine-hole combinations depending on your schedule and preference.

The practice facilities are particularly noteworthy, with a range equipped with TrackMan technology that provides detailed feedback on your shots, while the golf academy and indoor simulators make this a true year-round destination. The Acorn Grill + Terrace offers views of the course and serves as a great spot to relax after your round.

Willow Hill Golf Course

Willow Hill in Northbrook offers a different golf experience with its Scottish links-style layout. This 9-hole course is spread across 87 acres and provides some truly special views of the Chicago skyline that’s hard to find elsewhere. The elevated location also means you can watch breathtaking sunsets while playing, which adds a memorable dimension to your round.

The course features a substantial 35-station all-grass driving range, and the outdoor patio takes full advantage of those skyline views. For a shorter round or practice session close to Deerfield, this is an excellent choice.

An aerial view of a golf course during the late fall or early winter. The grass is still green, but many of the trees are bare and leafless, casting long shadows. A winding white cart path crosses the fairways, and a couple of golf carts are visible.

Anetsberger Par 3 Golf Course

Another Northbrook locale, the Anetsberger Par 3 course is perfect for beginners, those working on their short game or anyone who wants to squeeze in a quick round. The holes range from 95 to 190 yards, with forward tees playing between 60 and 120 yards.

What really sets Anetsberger apart is the large short game practice area, which includes a putting green, chipping green, two bunkers and 40 yards of fairway for wedge work. This facility is ideal if you want to focus on the scoring clubs without committing to a full 18-hole round!

Sunset Valley Golf Club

In Sunset Valley Golf Club on Sunset Road recently completed an whopping $7 million renovation that transformed the landscape into something truly special. The redesign features a unique British Heathland style with native grasses and strategic landforms that make each hole distinctive and memorable — plus, it’s just plain gorgeous!

The investment certainly ended up paying off, too, as Sunset Valley received the Illinois Park and Recreation Association Outstanding Facility of the Year award and the American Society of Golf Course Architects 2018 Design Excellence recognition! Between the 18-hole championship course, practice facilities and renovated clubhouse, this public facility competes with many private clubs in terms of quality and experience.

Highland Park Golf Learning Center

If practice is your priority, Highland Park's Golf Learning Center is the place you’re looking for. The 40-station driving range offers both grass tees and mats, and the short game area includes everything you need: a putting green, bunker practice area and dedicated spaces for working on every aspect of your game. 

You’ll be a pro in no time!

The Glen Club

The Glen Club in Glenview stands out as a truly unique design. Built on the historic grounds of the former Glenview Naval Air Station, this Tom Fazio masterpiece features unusual elevation changes for Illinois that were created from the remains of concrete runways. It's one of the few Fazio designs in the state, which makes it worth seeking out for golf architecture enthusiasts.

The course also offers challenging water hazards, particularly on the closing holes, and the precarious layouts on the 17th and 18th holes will almost certainly test your nerve and shot-making. 

Beyond the championship layout, The Glen Club features one of the better practice facilities available to the public and houses the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame in its clubhouse. Finally, the restaurant and dining options round out what is undoubtedly a premium golf experience.

A female golfer is successfully hitting a shot out of a large sand trap or bunker, causing a visible spray of sand into the air. The bunker curves alongside a bright green fairway, with a line of tall, dark trees in the background under an overcast sky.

Glenview Park Golf Club

The scenic Glenview Park Golf Club offers an 18-hole course set among rolling hills, mature trees and well-maintained gardens. This public course delivers amenities you'd typically expect at a private club, including a well-stocked golf shop, complete club repair service, professional instruction and Coarse Italian's restaurant.

Glencoe Golf Club

The forested Glencoe Golf Club features an 18-hole, par 72 regulation course with tree-lined fairways and five sets of tees, making the scenic course playable for all skill levels. The course maintains excellent greens and offers an all-grass driving range for practice.

If you’re looking for more than a game, the Golf Academy there also provides corporate clinics plus a new clubhouse that’s under construction. 

Also, an interesting environmental note: Glencoe Golf Club is a certified Audubon International member and actively supports monarch butterfly migration, adding an ecological dimension to your golf experience!

Wilmette Golf Club

Wilmette Golf Club is a par 70 municipal course that plays tougher than its 6,400-yard length might suggest. With only two par 5s, the course demands accuracy and smart course management rather than just power and distance.

A significant 2022 improvement was the installation of a continuous cart path, which allows for riding every day regardless of the weather conditions — an enhancement that has greatly improved accessibility and extended playable conditions throughout the season. The course also offers a driving range and a full-service restaurant and bar, giving you plenty of options for how to spend your time.

Chevy Chase Country Club

Don't let the "Country Club" name fool you! Chevy Chase on North Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling is actually a municipal course with a rich history dating back to the mid-1920s. 

Originally designed by Tom Bendelow and renovated by Bob Lohmann in 2002, this championship layout spreads over 127 acres and features mature trees, numerous water hazards and gentle undulations.

Beyond golf, Chevy Chase offers the Traditions restaurant, event spaces suitable for weddings and corporate functions and a pro shop with merchandise and rentals.

A close-up, low-angle shot of a male golfer's arms and shoulders at the top of his golf swing. He is wearing a white shirt and gloves, with the club held high against a clear, bright blue sky and a background of green trees.

Crane's Landing at Lincolnshire Marriott Resort

Crane's Landing offers a resort golf experience that’s just minutes from Deerfield. Designed by George Fazio, this 18-hole championship course spreads over 110 acres of scenic woodlands along the Des Plaines River Trail. Water comes into play on 12 holes, with the Des Plaines River running alongside several, creating both beauty and strategic challenge.

The course is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and the resort setting means you have access to Crane's Landing Bar and Grill, a pro shop with Callaway rentals and full resort amenities including spa services and multiple dining options.

Vernon Hills Golf Course

Ranked as one of the Top Ten Best nine-hole courses in the Chicagoland area, Vernon Hills Golf Course on Evergreen Drive offers a genuine challenge — despite its shorter length. Dick Nugent's redesign created narrow fairways and small greens set on rolling terrain, with a creek meandering into play on seven holes. 

The full-service clubhouse also includes a restaurant and bar, and banquet facilities can accommodate up to 80 people, making this a versatile entertainment venue beyond its golf offerings.

White Deer Run Golf Club

White Deer Run serves as one of Lake County’s premier public golf destinations. 

The course features generous landing areas and immaculately groomed bentgrass throughout, creating a high-quality playing surface. The clubhouse offers views of both the golf course and Lake Charles, and the banquet and dining facilities make it popular for weddings and special events.

A high aerial view of a lush, wooded golf course. The fairways are bright green, surrounded by dense trees. A dark pond with an irregular shape and a bunker are visible in the lower right, and cart paths wind through the trees.

Year-round golf options

One of the advantages of living in the Deerfield area is access to year-round golf facilities. While most courses operate seasonally from March or April through November depending on weather, several venues keep golfers active during the winter months.

  • Heritage Oaks Golf Club maintains indoor golf simulators year-round with generous hours.
  • The Glen Club offers indoor facilities and dining throughout the year. 
  • Wilmette Golf Club's continuous cart path, installed in 2022, extends the playable season considerably by allowing cart use in conditions that would typically require walking only. 
  • The Lincolnshire Marriott Resort provides full indoor facilities, spa services and dining options regardless of season.

For golfers who can't bear to put their clubs away for the winter, these year-round options make it possible to maintain your game even during the coldest months!

Finding your perfect course

With this many quality golf courses within a short drive, Deerfield residents can easily find a course that matches their schedule, skill level and preferences. Whether you're drawn to championship layouts that will test every club in your bag, family-friendly courses where you can introduce your kids to the game or practice facilities where you can work on specific aspects of your game, you'll find what you're looking for nearby.

The concentration of both public and private courses in this area means you can play a different course every weekend for months without repeating, and that's not even counting the many other excellent courses around our luxury Chicago apartments. For anyone who takes their golf seriously or simply enjoys getting out on the course regularly, Deerfield's location puts you right in the heart of some of the best golf the Chicago area has to offer.

Good luck!

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Featured photo by Edewaa Foster on Unsplash

Second photo by Welcome on Unsplash

Third photo by Mike Cox on Unsplash

Fourth photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash

Fifth photo by Troy Spoelma on Unsplash

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The AMLI Editorial Team consists of a team of writers and editors who work together on blog articles, and may occasionally employ AI tools to assist in developing content.

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