Vardon vs. Evans Showdown
Ravisloe staged a legendary 1913 exhibition pitting Harry Vardon and Edward Ray against local favorites Chick Evans and Warren Wood—a match that cemented the club's place in Midwest golf lore.
The verdict
A Ross Classic, Open to All
Ravisloe offers a taste of Golden Age architecture with public access, drawing architecture fans and strategists across Illinois. The classic design, restored greens, and historic aura make it a must-play for lovers of Ross golf and thoughtful shotmaking.
Course DNA
Difficulty
74
Scenery69
Conditioning82
Shot Variety85
Walkability88
Green Complexity87
Wow Factor77
Design Quality87
At a glance
Quick facts
Major Design Influence
Donald Ross, 1916–1924 restoration
Original Architects
Theodore Moreau & James Foulis
Restoration Architect
David Esler
Jewish Club Heritage
Long history with Chicago's Standard Club
Shortest Par 3
135 yds (6th)
Longest Par 5
550 yds (13th)
Walkability
Flat, easy to walk, routed for flow
Public Since
2009
The design
The architecture
Ravisloe embodies the best of Donald Ross’s American design philosophy—subtlety over spectacle, strategic challenge over brute length, and greens that reward imagination and precision. Esler’s restoration recaptured the course’s gently rolling mounds, classic deep bunkers, and devilish green contours, putting shotmaking and position squarely at the fore. The routing winds through mature trees and open corridors, offering classic par-3, 4, and 5 tests that keep every club in play and force players to navigate Ross’s trademark angled approaches.
Donald Ross brought masterful strategic concepts and subtle natural shaping to this property, later honored and revived by David Esler’s sensitive restoration.
Defining features
- Small, cunningly contoured greens
- Strategically placed, steep-faced bunkers
- Excellent mix of short and long holes
- Flowing routing with minimal forced carries
- Classic mounds and hummocks reminiscent of Ross’s best
- Restored tree lines opening historic sightlines
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 5
Temptation Under 320
PAR
4
YARDAGE
315
A wonderfully short par 4 that dares you with its yardage but punishes an unfocused attack with bunkers and a vexing angle into the green.
Play it smart
Decide off the tee: lay back safely for a precise wedge, or take on the challenge for a rare eagle look.
Where it bites
Miss the fairway or misjudge your approach and you’ll face tough up-and-downs from deep bunkers or awkward lies.
Course management
Shots to think about
Approaching a small, well-bunkered green
Err to the wide side—short-siding costs strokes around Ross’s contours.
Tee shot on the short par 4 (5th)
Judge your confidence—club down to wedge yardage or gamble for the green if you trust your line.
Taking on the par-3 11th
Play for the fat of the green and take your medicine—par is a huge win.
Laying up on par 5s
Give yourself a flat lie and a good angle—not just a preferred distance.
Bunker recovery on a downhill green
Use loft and be gentle—runoffs make bold recovery risky.
Late-round tight driving hole
Favor control over distance—staying out of trouble is critical down the stretch.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Generally excellent for public play, quick greens and well-kept fairways.
Pace
Manageable on weekdays; weekends see typical public-club Chicago traffic.
Vibe
Historic-yet-inviting, relaxed for a former private club.
Dress code
Standard golf attire recommended.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Sharpen Your Wedge Play
Approaches from tricky angles and tight pin positions favor sharp distance control and spin management.
02
Practice Lag Putting
Greens are small but full of movement—accuracy with pace yields crucial two-putts.
03
Rehearse Fairway Woods or Hybrids
Long par 3s and par 5s require comfortable long-iron or hybrid play into tough targets.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1901
Founded by members of the Standard Club; original layout by Moreau & Foulis
- 1913
Harry Vardon and Edward Ray defeat Chick Evans and Warren Wood in a celebrated exhibition
- 2009
Reopens as a public golf course under new stewardship
- 2014
Rated sixth-best public-access course in Illinois by Golfweek
Stories & legends
What makes it special
From Private to Public
After more than a century as a private club, Ravisloe’s transformation into a public course made Golden Age design dreams accessible to all Chicago golfers.
Ross’s Hand Restored
David Esler's restoration brought Donald Ross's original vision back to life, reviving the subtle mounding, strategic bunkering, and distinctive greens that define the course today.
A Name with Roots
The club’s unique name traces to a Dutch landholder, Ravisloot, whose moniker caught the ear of early members and was shortened to Ravisloe.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
The name Ravisloe derives from a Dutch landholder’s ‘Ravisloot’ moniker.
2
The course spent over a century as an exclusive private club before opening to the public in 2009.
3
Its proud Jewish club lineage is legendary in Chicagoland history.
4
Harry Vardon and Chick Evans once battled here in a classic 1913 match.
5
It has twice been ranked Illinois’s top ‘Classic’ public course by Golfweek.
Build the trip
If you're making a Chicagoland golf trip out of it
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Harborside International Golf Center
Public
Hub for public rounds, skyline views
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club No. 4
Public
Famed championship test
Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
Semi-Private
Pete Dye challenge, accessible tee times
The Glen Club
Public/Resort
High-end conditioning, club-level amenities
Cantigny Golf
Public
Superb maintenance, multiple nines
Homewood or South Chicago suburbs for the shortest commute; downtown Chicago for full city access.
Course DNA
If You Like Ravisloe Country Club
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.7
Garden City Golf Club
Garden City, New YorkWalkability
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Garden City Golf Club's own setting.
Strong DNA Match8.6
Sweetens Cove Golf Club
South Pittsburg, TennesseeGreen Complexity
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Sweetens Cove Golf Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Ravisloe Country Club.
Strong DNA Match8.4
The Park West Palm
West Palm Beach, FloridaGreen Complexity
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in The Park West Palm's own setting.
Community Sentiment
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