White Deer Run Golf Club is located in Vernon Hills, Illinois. I had the pleasure of playing this golf course on a lazy Sunday morning in the middle of August. It was unseasonably cool with a high temperature around 75, making for perfect golf weather.
I arrived early enough to hit the range. I noticed that the flow of the course was clearly laid out. I dropped off my clubs at the bag drop, parked and went in to pay. While I was doing this, someone carried my golf bag to a cart. I then checked-in, and stepped out the door where my cart was waiting for me. It was a short drive to the range (with a restroom available; nice touch), then another short drive to the practice putting green, which was adjacent to the first tee. I love efficiency!
I played as a single, and was paired with three others. They played from the Golds (which didn’t scare me, as the longest par 3 was only 180 or so) but the day I played, the Golds were located where the Black tees normally were, so the course played to about 7,100. I hit more 5-irons and hybrids into greens than ever before!
The first hole starts off relatively easy with a straight-forward par 4. There is a bunker in front of the green to the left, but it slopes back to front (for the most part) so not a huge deal. I will say that the greens were faster than I am accustomed to which is not necessarily a bad thing. Very well maintained, and the speed seemed pretty consistent.
The second hole has one very large fairway bunker to attend to with your tee shot. If you have the distance consider driving over it (if you can.) The green has a couple bunkers in front of it on the left, so the best angle is coming from the right, making that long tee shot worth the effort.
The third hole is a lengthy par 5 (534 from Gold) with a lot of sand to deal with. The smart play (as is usually the case with par 5’s) is to lay up. The real sand starts at about 110 and in. Leaving yourself short will give you a great approach to a pretty receptive green, and the chance for a birdie.
The 4th is probably the prettiest hole on the course. Unfortunately it’s also directly into the morning sunlight, making my photo pretty washed out sorry to say. It’s a par 3, with TONS of sand surrounding the green, and water surrounding the sand. I hit a 5-iron to 15 feet and two-jacked for a par, and the regulars in my group said a par here is almost like a birdie or eagle.
The sixth is a 573 yard par 5, with some very well-placed bunkers. There is a split fairway at the end of this hole, and the left side actually has some unexpected elevation changes so be aware of it. You can see it in the picture below. Also note the bunker directly in front of the pin, making a high wedge shot almost required if you choose to go up the right side.
The seventh is a potential birdie hole, if you hit a long ball and have the guts to cut the corner. It’s a slight dogleg right, meaning your tee shot hugs the left edge of the water on the right-hand side. There is trouble right but if you cut this corner correctly, you may have < 100 yards in; go for it! I did, and had a 130-yard Pitching Wedge from the rough.
The ninth hole has what could be my favorite tee shot on a par four this year. You have a lake on your left, trees on the right (which have been pretty much non-existent on this course until now), and another collection of trees on the left right where your ball needs to go. So much trouble, but such a beautiful shot. If you’re too far right (if you bail too much), there’s a very thin creek that runs up most of the hole. Easily the most demanding tee shot on the course, and possibly in the NW suburbs of Chicago!
The tee shot on 10 is no slouch either; Big pond on the left if you really cream a driver with that same thin creek as the last hole, now running up the right side. From the tee you can’t see any water on either side of the fairway but trust me, it’s there. Don’t be scared to hit a hybrid flush and leave yourself a longer approach.
The 11th is a relatively long (397 yards), challenging par 4. The tee shot is best hit up the left, giving you a better approach but be careful; if you hit it flush and it leaks right, you may be in the marsh or a fairway bunker. The approach is where the challenge comes in. Again the marsh to the right, and a very large bunker directly in front of the green. Another beautiful yet difficult hole.
I had about 190 yards to the flag on the 12th hole. The tee shot is critical here, as the green slopes both directions if you miss it. You can see what I mean by this picture:
The 14th is an uphill par 5, with some dramatic bunkering on every shot. From the tee you have to choose which side of the fairway you’d like to hit your next shot from (pick the left if possible), unless you’re super long and can carry the first huge bunker.
The final approach into the green is uphill, with some more bunkers up the right. The green does slope back to front, so be careful of spin here.
The 15th is a par three that has two connected yet distinct greens, so be SURE you get the proper measurement on this one. I took a picture from the bunker on the right side to show just how big this green is; club selection is critical here unless you want an 80+ foot putt.
If you haven’t noticed, the greenside bunkers on this course are substantial. This doesn’t slow down, as the sixteenth and seventeenth both have significant sand around their greens. Here are the two greens, starting with the 16th then 17th.
The final hole requires a relatively long carry over a marsh. Depending on your strength and tee selection, feel free to try and cut off as much as you can. It’s easier said than done, but the shorter the approach the better here. Here’s the view from the back tees; my line was directly over the bunker on the right:
I found it odd that there was so much water and marsh on this course, yet I rarely saw any wildlife. Come to find out they were all hiding behind the 18th fairway. This section is not in play (even with a killer hook), so it makes sense the animals would congregate there. I counted at least 8 birds in this photo:
The approach into 18 is (relatively-speaking) easy, depending on how much you were able to cut off with your tee shot.
The course finishes right at the clubhouse. My round took 4:20, which is great for a Sunday morning. I’m normally not a huge fan of golf courses with houses on every hole, and I definitely prefer seeing more trees but this course was in great shape, a significant challenge, and a truly interesting layout for a golf community. I’m looking forward to playing it again, and this time I’ll choose a little shorter tee. Length is clearly not the only challenge of White Deer Run Golf Club.
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Great review. I’ve never played White Deer because of the houses that appear to be on every hole. Houses will make me
Chili-dip faster than water, bunkers or trees. But, I may have to reconsider. If you want a real challenge later in the year, try the Vernon Hills muni. Tough, tough little 9 hole (water in play on 7 of 9 holes) the course and slope ratings do not do this course justice. Let me know if you do, I’ll be happy to be your tour guide.