GOLF’s latest High 100 Programs within the U.S. rating contains 11 newcomers, which we’ll introduce you to right here. Meet Medinah (#3) in Illinois.
Nick Novelli/Medinah Nation Membership
GOLF just lately launched its newest rating of the High 100 Programs within the U.S. (2024-25), an inventory that features 11 newcomers. A few of them you may know. Others you may not. Right here, in our newcomer spotlights, we’ll introduce you to those rookie High 100 gems.
Newcomer highlight: Medinah (#3) / Rank: 74th
Location: Medinah, Unwell.
Sort: Non-public
12 months: 1928/2024
Architect: Tom Bendelow/Ogilvy, Cocking & Mead
What you should find out about Medinah (#3)
One of the recognizable programs in American golf returns to our High 100 rank after an eight-year absence. The driving pressure was a house run restoration by the Australian design agency of Ogilvy Cocking and Mead. Initially accomplished in 1932, No. 3 was arguably Tom Bendelow’s boldest and most interesting design, however enjoying host to main occasions took a toll because the slim, closely treelined course strayed removed from its Golden Age roots. OCM eliminated poorly positioned bushes and reverted to Bendelow’s daring bunkering as a unifying theme. The rolling property is as soon as once more each hanging and spacious, and it’s laced with nice holes all through. Using a break up rail fence (which demarks out of bounds) at holes 5-7 gives glorious strategic rigidity, and holes 15 and 16 (the Cape sixteenth is certainly one of 5 new holes created by OCM) are a blockbuster one-two punch.
What our raters say
“Medinah has benefited drastically from a cleanse. The OCM renovation delivers a championship venue configurable to supply for an fulfilling member-guest expertise. The participant should completely nonetheless play glorious golf to attain. It was profoundly a lot better than the earlier iteration with a touch of an Australian ethos. Had performed beforehand with not a lot intent to return. This time, your entire group left with a way of wanting ahead to the potential of enjoying once more — earlier than later.”
“Medinah had a well-earned popularity of being a protracted and troublesome championship venue and OCM reworked it from being uninteresting to being considerate, attention-grabbing and in spots downright quirky. The six model new holes on the conclusion of the course deliver the form of thrilling end {that a} championship deserves with a lot flexibility in how the holes may be arrange. The redesigned routing has a a lot better stream to it and the greens are attention-grabbing whereas not being so extreme that it’s important to be involved about them at championship inexperienced speeds. These modifications ought to make Medinah #3 the Midwest anchor venue that the USGA is looking for.”
“Medinah’s renovation is revolutionary and has transformed a troublesome however disjointed course right into a extra aesthetically pleasing one which sits extra naturally on the terrain (really probably the greatest websites in Chicago). The course is replete with technique and selection with appropriately scaled bunkers. Greater than something it now exudes slightly appeal — one thing I by no means thought of at Medinah #3.”
