Makray Memorial Golf Club Review, Barrington, Illinois

Although I’ve played Markay Memorial Golf Course a few times in the past, this review will be based on the Sunday morning I played it, which happened to be the Sunday of the 2008 British Open (Yay Padraig!) Here’s a shot of the corner of the clubhouse you pass just before getting to the bag drop.

Our entire foursome arrived at least an hour prior to tee time to hit the range, which unfortunately was closed, due to the rain from the previous evening. In addition, the course was cart-path only, which is kind of a pain if you’re not expecting it, but after seeing how soaking wet some of the early fairways were it was totally understandable.

Although the course was wet, it was supposed to be pretty hot that Sunday, and it was. Luckily, there were coolers packed with ice cold water bottles throughout the course. Not a necessity, but a very nice touch.

Three of the four in our group decided to play the Silver tees that day, instead of our regular Gold. The course was so wet, we knew we wouldn’t get any roll (and we didn’t). That meant the first hole was an uphill 387 yard par 4. I remember hitting just barely into the right rough, and still having an approach to the flag. If I would’ve gone a few yards farther, I would’ve had to punch it, so better left than right off the first hole.

The second is a downhill par 4, and about the same distance as the first hole, but tee shot placement is key. You can barely (if at all) see the flag from the tee. My suggestion is to aim for the middle to right side of the fairway, and hit a tee shot so you’re left with about 120-130 yards. In that range, you’ll have a perfect shot at the flag. Remember, the middle of the fairway is your friend here, and key if you want to shoot par. Here’s a shot from the green looking back to the fairway; note the angle of the dogleg.

There are so many interesting holes at Makray Memorial, it’s difficult to pick out the best ones. A real “player” (meaning someone better than I am at golf) will really appreciate this course.

The third is a short par 4 at only 333 yards. The key is setting up the second shot. If played correctly, this is a definite birdie hole. The green slopes back to front, making it receptive to wedge approaches.

The fourth is a downhill par three that isn’t very difficult; until you see the size of the green. It’s 52 yards deep, and slopes away from you. Club selection is key here.

The eighth is a perfect risk-reward par four. I personally love this type of hole. Playing only 274 yards from the tee (and downhill to the green), it gives you the ability to go for it, or if your wedge game is on, have a potentially easy birdie. For those that go for it, it’s a blind shot and there’s no bail out area. Behind and to the right of the green is wet (and it slopes towards the water), and a bunker in the front right. Better short than long, but the hole is short enough, I say go for it!

The ninth is a par four that almost always plays into the wind. Be careful with the tee shot, and try to hug the middle or right of the fairway. Too far left and you could trickle into some water that you can’t see from the tee. There are bunkers on either side of this thin, long green so accuracy is important on this approach.

The eleventh is what I would call a “full” par 4, measuring 429 from the Silver tees (471 from the tips). It also plays uphill, making it that much tougher, and earning it’s place as the #1 handicap hole on the course. All water up the right side, and a semi-thin fairway make the tee shot a toughie. Focus! Your approach is uphill to a 42-yard long green, so club selection is everything here. Good luck; I took a double here.

The 12th is an all-carry par three. It doesn’t carry water, but it’s a hollow of tall grass between the tee and the green. As is true with most of this course, accuracy is critical. Luckily, one of my playing partners had this hole figured out, and missed a hole-in-one by a foot. Here’s a picture of the entire hole, followed by a shot of his tee shot.

The fifteenth is a straight-forward, very long par 5. I love this type of tee shot; you feel like the ball will go forever. With water right, and OB left, accuracy matters, but the landing area is fat enough to try to get that extra couple of yards.

Sixteen makes its way towards the clubhouse. If your driver is on (and the wind in your face isn’t too strong), you should be able to poke it out there long enough to take the water on the right out of play. If that’s the case, you can let it fly. Although there are two distinct tiers, this green is accessible so the shorter the approach, the greater the chance of getting one more birdie.

Seventeen is a straight-forward par three except… it’s LOOOONG! From the Silver tees, it plays 197 yards, and from the tips, 244! The wind should be on your back, and the green is long (lie a lot of greens here), but there are bunkers on both sides, so again, accuracy rules the day. I had the distance, but pushed it right, into a bunker.

Eighteen is a wind-in-your-face finishing par 5, and I love it. The landing area is pretty wide and open, so give it a rip, then focus on placing yourself to a good spot for your approach. As is often the case, the green has bunkers on both sides, leaving little room to bail. In addition, your third shot will probably be on a slope from left-to-right (like mine was), which may push you to the right. Seeing the impressive clubhouse from the fairway is a welcome sight.

This course was so beautiful, and in such great shape that I really didn’t mind the cart path only rule. It gave me more opportunities to take pictures, and see the course for what it really is: A well-designed and well-maintained layout, that I can’t wait to play again. Isn’t that what a golf course is supposed to be?