Chicago’s Top 10 Easy Opening Golf Holes – Updated 2026

As a result of the forever closing of Village Green Golf Course in Mundelein on September 15, 2025, its opening hole #1 must be removed from our Top-10 list of ‘Easy Openers’. With the start of 2026 golf season having arrived, the updated listing for Chicago area public golf course ‘Easy Openers’ now includes the pleasant initial offering at Hickory Knoll Golf Course.

The description and explanation for this Lake Villa starter, and the revised rankings are listed below.

Purposeful, but obstinate, there are products whose containers have lids and caps that are difficult to open; bleach bottles, prescription medicine containers, and even paint cans come to mind. Especially troublesome are those clear plastic clamshell encasements with molded seams around the entire perimeter. Most folks, like me, prefer things that are easy to open. Senior golfers in Chicago, especially those with good memories, will recall the introduction of the pop-top can, which was followed by the twist-off bottle cap — yes, “easy openers”.

In a previous edition of Chicago Golf Report, our article entitled “Ultimate Ultimates” proposed our list of the top 10 most difficult finishing holes on public access courses in the Chicago region. Now, we flip and turn the tables 180 degrees and list our choices for our area’s top 10 least difficult starting holes, our “Easy Openers”. To assure minimal stress and low scoring opportunities, our criteria takes root in this equation, namely, “short + straight + flat – hazards = easy”. A birdie, eagle or even albatross might be possible.

10) Shepherd’s Crook-Par 4-(350 / 331 / 326 / 268 yards) Hdcp 17

One of the area’s most challenging, and fair, courses offers its players a chance to begin their round on a good note with a wide fairway to accept that initial drive. Almost every airborne tee shot that is longer than 50 yards will find the fairway, and being a moderately short par-4, provides an opportunity to reach the large green in two shots. No trees to worry about on Shepherd’s Crook’s first hole, but there are mounds of fescue grass on both sides of the fairway. The forward tee is given a logistical advantage by being placed to the left side of the small marshy pond.

9) Deerfield Golf Club-Par 4-(322 / 315 / 315 / 281 / 244 yards) Hdcp 15

The piece of property that the Deerfield Golf Club occupies is long and narrow and is bordered along its entire eastern edge by the TriState Toll Road, thus rendering a routing of many long and narrow holes. DGC’s opening hole is a precise precursor of what challenges lie ahead, but on a shorter scale. The complete official name of this golf facility is the Deerfield Golf Club and Learning Center and features a full-flight driving range with both grass and matted hitting areas, separate pitching and chipping greens, a chipping and putting green, sand bunkers and two large putting greens. This superb practice area is conveniently located near the #1 tee, providing the opportunity to groove and repeat straight warm-up golf shots. Favoring the right-center of this fairway will set up a comfortable approach to the green.

8) Woodruff Golf Course-Par 4-(352 / 341) Hdcp 12

As part of the Joliet Park District golf group, Woodruff, an 18-hole par-68 is a favorite of local senior golfers. There are no par-5 holes here, and the longest par-4 measures 387 yards. The Woodruff layout saves its trouble for its later holes; beginning with the par-3 #7 hole, golfers will experience water hazards on 11 of the final 12 holes.

To the contrary, Woodruff throws very little in the way of trouble at its patrons on its early six holes; with its starting hole devoid of sand and water this Joliet course, therefore, earns a spot on our “easy openers” list.

7) Cog Hill Golf & Country Country Club -Course #3 -Par 4-(268 / 247 / 215) Hdcp 11

The opening hole on Course No. 3 at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club offers a welcoming start that allows golfers to ease into their round with confidence. This par 4 features a wide, forgiving fairway that gently bends through mature trees, creating a clear visual target off the tee without demanding precision from the first swing. Players who keep their drive in play are rewarded with a straightforward approach into a generously sized green, making it an ideal opportunity to start the day with a solid par—or even an early birdie.

What makes this opening hole particularly player-friendly is its balance between structure and forgiveness. While the hole has enough character to feel engaging, it avoids penal hazards or forced carries that can derail a round before it begins. The green complex is approachable, with subtle contours rather than severe undulations, allowing golfers to focus on tempo and rhythm rather than recovery. It’s a thoughtful design that sets the tone for an enjoyable round on Dubsdread’s approachable sibling, giving players a chance to settle in and build momentum from the very first hole.

6) Lincoln Oaks-Par 4-(346 / 331 / 325 / 231) Hdcp 17

A short walk from the clubhouse past the 18th green and golfers will arrive at Lincoln Oaks’ first tee for a mild beginning, a 346-yard (back tee) par-4. There is a single fairway bunker on the right side halfway down the fairway, followed by two greenside bunkers, one to each side of the green.

These two greenside bunkers are widely separated, and, with no frontal bunker approach shots may effortlessly run up or crawl up onto this green. A slightly shorter par-4 hole follows, and if you par the opening two par-4’s, you can state that you parred all the par-4’s on the front-9, as holes 3 through 9 are alternating par-5’s and par-3’s.

5) Macktown-Winnebago Forest Preserve-Par 4-(327 / 316) Hdcp 17

A trek out to Rockton in Winnebago County, just west of I-90 and just south of the IL/WI state line, and golfers will find the location of Macktown Golf Course. The yardage guide’s ‘pro tip’ for this hole reads like ‘this short par 4 sets the tone for the entire round at Macktown GC; if you are not so accurate with tee shots then leave the driver in the bag for most of the day’.

No bunkers whatsoever to worry about on this opener. The fairway tilts slightly right to left — just stay out of the trees.

4) Renwood Golf Course-Par 4-(310 / 295 / 284 yards) Hdcp 15

Many golfers need a few holes to get warmed up and into the complete swing of things. If you are one of those golfers then Renwood Golf Course in Round Lake might just have the opening that’s right for you. Not just one short opening hole, but two more to follow. Hole #1 is a straight par-4 measuring a mere 310 yards from the back tee.

There are three fairway bunkers and two greenside bunkers, but the trees are major defense of this opening hole. FYI: two short, straight par-4’s follow, with hole #2 measuring 280 / 272 / 256 yards, and, hole #3 measuring 300 / 300 / 285 yards. Golfers executing straight shots are rewarded with birdie opportunities and many pars.

3) Chick Evans-Par 4-(312 / 300 / 288) Hdcp 7

Chick Evans Golf Course is one of the Cook County Forest Preserve District courses operated by Indigo Sports that offers affordable greens fees to the general public. It is a regulation 18-hole course measuring 5691 yards. Its opening hole is flat, both fairway and green, with a few trees to the right of the fairway that suggest that tee shots favor the left side of hole #1.

There are no bunkers, so that’s no concern. What is of concern is the nearly annual springtime flooding of the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River that flows through the course. Best to play during the summer months and benefit from firmer fairways.

2) Hickory Knoll Golf Course -Par 4- (240 yards) Hdcp 3 (3 of 9)

Whatever the total length of a golf course, be it short, medium, or long, it is always comforting to begin with ultra-managable par-4. Hickory Knoll in Lake Villa delivers this gift to golfers with its 240-yard first hole.
Hickory Knoll GC is a nine-hole executive length course in a still almost rural portion of Lake Villa in Lake County. It has a total par of 30 for its nine holes that stretch to a distance of a mere 1750 yards; 6 par-3’s and 3 par-4’s. Of the trio of par-4’s, hole #1 is the shortest.

While the hole handicap assignments at Hickory Knoll appear to be based on length alone (the three par-4s are ranked 1, 2, & 3), it could be argued that the first hole is the easiest of all nine, and should carry a handicap of ‘9’ as opposed to its listing as handicap ‘3’. With a few hardwood trees and bushes flanking both sides of the fairway for the first 70 yards from the tee, the remainder of the hole is an open fairway with minimal width rough. Easily accepting straight drives, this friendly fairway is also amicable to fades and draws. The circular green is not elevated and pitches ever so slightly from back-to-front.

Two bunkers are mildly protective of the green, guarding the just the right-front and left-edge of the putting surface, allowing golfers an opportunity to have their approaches run onto this green. The ground / fairway is firm during warm weather months and the hole plays in a west-to-east direction that often has the advantage of a helping tailwind. Thinking par, birdie, or eagle – ya gotta love this hole!

1) Old Top Farm Golf Course -Par 4-(230 / 220 / 171 yards) Hdcp 9 (of 9)

Our supreme choice for easy openers is the first hole at Old Top Farm. The course occupies property that was a former tree and sod farm, thus dictating that the whole course is flat. Old Top Farm opened as a golf course in 1998 and at that time started rounds with a par-3 hole; in 2008 the routing was changed to its present, more logical configuration, thus positioning a very short par-4 as the starting point.

At a mere 230 yards, OTF’s first hole is potentially drivable by a large percentage of golfers. Trees and out of bounds are trouble along the left side. A solitary greenside bunker sits to the left of the green but is tucked behind some of the final leftside trees. A limited number of trees have been planted on the rightside of the fairway.

At approximately 160 yards from the green (seventy yards ahead of the back teeing ground) the fairway slopes slightly downhill. Adding to the downhill advantage, the prevailing westerly wind is a helping tailwind. After experiencing just two or three drives from the #1 tee, golfers can be dialed in as to which club efficiently gets the round started at Old Top Farm…and listen for the sound of the birdies.

Welcomed by nearly all golfers, these top-10 easy openers, and others similar to them, provide ample opportunity to start a round with a par, and, as the saying goes “if you don’t par the first hole, you can’t par them all.”