Peoria Heights, Illinois
Peoria Country Club is a heritage-rich parkland layout with a sparkling tournament past and subtle shotmaking demands. Its blend of hills, varied yardages, and storied setting deliver a thoughtful, strategic round—even if you won’t find it atop national rankings. Expect club golf tradition and a routing that rewards placement over power.
On the walk from the 13th green, pause to take in the panoramic Illinois River view from Grandview Drive—a favorite spot for photos and a piece of club lore.
Peoria Country Club’s course is a quintessential Midwestern parkland—built on rolling hills and framed by stately trees. Modernized by Michael Benkusky in 2007, the current design weaves skillfully through the topography, blending traditional shot values with smart risk-reward decisions. With bunkering, varied green sites, and yardages that test club selection as much as power, the layout challenges every player to plot their way home, not just swing away. Its strategic DNA pays homage to classic club traditions while opening new angles for today’s game.
Benkusky’s approach respects Birks’s parkland vision but updates hazards and greens for 21st-century shotmaking.
A reachable par 5, the second hole rewards careful layup placement as much as big hitting off the tee. The fairway’s shape and subtle slopes force a classic gamble between going for the green in two or laying back for a preferred third.
Play to the widest part of the fairway and decide if your approach is worth the risk—or lay up for a comfortable wedge.
Poorly struck second shots can run out into rough or bunkers flanking the green, making birdie no certainty.
Generally lush and well-groomed, with firm, quick greens in season.
Member-paced; expect 4 to 4.5 hours unless a club event slows things up.
Classic private club hospitality, casual off the course but tradition-minded on it.
Standard upscale golf attire required; collared shirts and no denim.
The course’s hills and valleys guarantee you’ll face uneven stances frequently.
Short par 4s put a premium on sharp wedge play and creative approach shots.
Get a quick rules rundown for boundary markers and any unique course quirks.
Peoria Country Club founded
Land purchased for first local 9-hole course
Club builds one of region’s first swimming pools
Hosts Western Open; Harry Cooper wins
Course redesign completed by Michael Benkusky
Grandview Drive, running alongside the course, was dubbed 'The World's Most Beautiful Drive' by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1910. Many fairways offer panoramic views down to the Illinois River, infusing local pride into each round.
In the golden age of American golf, the club mounted the 1934 Western Open—then a PGA Tour major and a proving ground for legends. Harry Cooper’s victory became a chapter in Chicago golf lore and Peoria’s sporting identity.
Born as a nine-hole course by F.M. Birks, Peoria Country Club’s fairways have witnessed over a century of change—most recently with Michael Benkusky’s 2007 redesign. Each hole tells a story of adaptation while honoring original parkland lines.
Grandview Drive next to the course was once praised by President Theodore Roosevelt for its beauty.
The club’s pool was one of the first of its kind in the area when built in 1930.
Hosted the 1934 Western Open, making it a rare Illinois course with major championship pedigree.
The Peoria Country Club claims the title of oldest golf course in central Illinois.
Best-known public play in the Peoria area, challenging and scenic.
Classic local option for value and accessibility.
Quick, casual municipal round minutes from downtown.
Peoria Heights or north Peoria; near the club and convenient to the region’s best public and municipal courses.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Quashnet Valley Country Club's own setting.
Why it matches: If Country Club of Peoria is your kind of course, Highland Park Golf Course is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: If Country Club of Peoria is your kind of course, Myrtlewood Golf Club – Palmetto Course is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Community Sentiment
See something inaccurate in this listing?