Tiger's Comeback in 1999
Tiger Woods secured one of his legendary major victories here, winning the 1999 PGA Championship in a dramatic duel that cemented Medinah's lore as a stage for historic moments.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3)
Medinah, Illinois
Renovated 2024Established
1928
Architect
Tom Bendelow (original), OCM Golf (2024 renovation), Roger Packard (1986), Rees Jones (2006)
Access
Private
Par
Par 72
Length
5,400 – 7,564 yds
Recent Renovation
This course recently completed a major renovation. During this transition, course data may reflect a mix of pre- and post-renovation yardages, hole configurations, or routing. The Caddie Report monitors these changes and periodically reassesses the course as a reliable new baseline is established.
The verdict
Redesigned Major-Championship Icon
Medinah No. 3 has been transformed for a new age—wider, more strategic, and ready for golf’s biggest stages. Decades of lore and a 2024 reimagination cement it as a true bucket-list U.S. course.
Course DNA
Difficulty
95
Scenery73
Conditioning92
Shot Variety89
Walkability68
Green Complexity87
Wow Factor89
Design Quality91
Don't miss
Look up when you get to the clubhouse — Medinah’s 150-foot flagpole was believed to be the tallest at any golf club in the world when it was dedicated in 1928, the same year Course No. 3 opened.
At a glance
Quick facts
Major Championships Hosted
3 U.S. Opens, 2 PGA Championships, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup (2026)
Recent Redesign
2024 OCM Golf restoration and rerouting
Course Atmosphere
Storied, big-stage championship
Renovation Highlight
Wider corridors, strategic bunkering
Practice Facilities
Extensive, championship-level
Club Prestige
Golf Digest Top 100 since 1966
The design
The architecture
Medinah No. 3 is a grand-scale parkland championship test reborn: OCM Golf’s 2024 overhaul dramatically expanded the corridors, rebuilt bunkers and greens, and rerouted the final six holes to maximize drama and variety. What was once an over-treed, tight, and traditionally punitive layout is now a big-shouldered strategic canvas, with holes that demand thoughtful angles and risk/reward decisions for all skill levels. The result is a visually striking challenge that respects its history and exceeds modern expectations for variety and tournament drama.
OCM Golf’s masterful redesign creates an open, contemporary strategy on Bendelow’s historic bones—thoroughly modern, but forever Medinah.
Defining features
- Broad strategic corridors and angle-based play
- Extensive mature tree removal for new vistas
- Recontoured greens with creative surrounds
- Rerouted final holes for match-play drama
- Restored and reimagined bunkering
- Championship length with compelling short holes
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 7
The Gauntlet Par Five
PAR
5
YARDAGE
617
This marathon par 5 stretches to a daunting 617 yards, demanding three precise shots—even big hitters struggle to reach in two. Its fairway has been opened up, but elusive angles and bold bunkers amplify the challenge.
Play it smart
Work the widest part of the fairway and favor right-side angles on each shot to set up a more receptive approach; avoid getting greedy on the second.
Where it bites
Aggression brings bunker clusters and run-offs into play; any miss left or long risks recovery nightmares.
Course management
Shots to think about
Long par 4 approaches
Favor wider, drier angles—avoid over-committing to tucked pins; safe toward the fat side.
Par 5 second shots
Lay up to your best yardage unless you have the angle and can carry hazards—discipline prevails over bravado.
Front-nine bunker placement
Pick lines that use the new corridor width—centerline bunkers often guard best scoring angles.
Fast downhill putts on rebuilt greens
Play more break and less pace; new contours bite back if you miss above the hole.
Club selection on #13 par 3
Don’t under-club—the long green makes back pins treacherous. Err toward center.
Wind-swept tee shots
Use the open corridors to shape against the wind; don’t fight it blindly.
Tight driving holes after tree removal
Embrace expanded fairways, but stay alert—greenside trouble lurks after wayward swings.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Flawless fairways, fast greens, and thoughtfully maintained bunkers; championship level daily.
Pace
Deliberate and unhurried—plan for over four and a half hours from the back tees.
Vibe
Steeped in major-championship energy and Chicago-area tradition; formal, with high expectations.
Dress code
Traditional private club attire—collared shirts, tailored shorts/pants, no denim.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Practice Lag Putting
Newly rebuilt greens have bold contours—master pace control to save strokes.
02
Tune Up Long Irons
Multiple brutal par 3s stretch well past 200 yards; long iron proficiency is a must.
03
Bring Course Management
Embrace Medinah’s modern width—play to smart angles, not just away from trouble.
04
Pack for All Weather
The course is exposed; carry gear for wind, sun, and chill to stay sharp all round.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1928
Course No. 3 opens, designed by Tom Bendelow
- 1949
First U.S. Open hosted
- 1986
Major redesign by Roger Packard
- 1990
Third U.S. Open held
- 1999
Tiger Woods wins the PGA Championship
- 2012
Hosts the Ryder Cup
- 2024
Reopens after OCM Golf's full renovation
Stories & legends
What makes it special
A New Era in 2024
The OCM Golf redesign didn’t just refresh the turf—it revolutionized Medinah’s playing character, swapping bottle-necked corridors for bold width and new strategy, now set for the Presidents Cup spotlight.
Where Champions Gather
From U.S. Opens and the PGA Championship to the Ryder and Presidents Cups, Medinah No. 3 has welcomed golfing royalty, with a leaderboard that reads like a hall of fame.
Transformation of the Year
Golf Digest honored Medinah's renovation as the '2024 Transformation of the Year,' spotlighting its leap from an iconic tournament venue to a new-level strategic and aesthetic experience.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Hosted every type of men’s major and Ryder Cup—plus the upcoming Presidents Cup, a rare grand slam.
2
Tiger Woods is the only player to win multiple PGAs at Medinah, in dramatic fashion.
3
OCM Golf’s 2024 overhaul was golf’s most praised course transformation that year.
4
Original design was for women—but was rapidly toughened after a legendary round in 1930.
5
The fairways and views opened up by tree removal were a hot topic among major golf writers post-renovation.
6
Medinah also has a five-hole Camel Trail short course and an 18-hole Sahara putting course — both names are nods to the club’s Shriners roots.
Build the trip
If you're building a Chicago golf pilgrimage
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (Course No. 4)
Public
Elite public layout with tournament pedigree.
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
Public
Modern shotmaking test in the southwest suburbs.
Butler National Golf Club
Private
Another storied, exclusive championship venue.
Olympia Fields Country Club (North)
Private
Historic, recently restored major host.
Oak Brook, Lombard, or Rosemont for fast club access and dining.
Course DNA
If You Like Course No. 3
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.6
Omni PGA Frisco — Fields Ranch East
Frisco, TexasDifficulty
Why it matches: If Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3) is your kind of course, Omni PGA Frisco — Fields Ranch East is worth a look because it brings a comparable level of challenge.
Strong DNA Match8.1
Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course)
Johns Creek, GeorgiaConditioning
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course) offers similarly polished playing surfaces, making it a compelling counterpart to Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3).
Strong DNA Match8.8
Aronimink Golf Club
Newtown Square, PennsylvaniaWhy it matches: Aronimink Golf Club is a natural next stop after Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3): it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Community Sentiment
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