Flossmoor Country Club was founded in 1893 by a group of young men who were looking to enjoy the sport they loved. The first course, designed by famed landscape architects Seth Raynor and Charles Alison, is what we now refer to as the Old Course. It was just shy of 9 holes and played through rolling hills and muggy wetlands that were found throughout the area at the time. After enjoying playing on this course for a couple of years, members quickly realized it would be best to expand the original layout. In 1899, two new holes were added; number 4 (known as "Bachelors' Row") and number 5 (one of the most famous par-3 holes in golf). These two additions essentially brought Flossmoor's first course to a full 18 holes.
In those early years, Flossmoor CC was home to some of the area's finest horses and served as host to many equestrian competitions. At that time, golf and horse racing were two of the most popular sports in the country – and this course played perfectly into both hobbies. Shortly after 1900, Flossmoor would gain national recognition when it hosted its first USGA event: The Western Open (today known as the BMW Championship).
Flossmoor continued to play host to various tournaments through World War I; but soon afterward, interest waned and other facilities began hosting these events. For nearly 40 years, only local amateur events would be held at Flossmoor.
In 1956, Flossmoor invested millions of dollars in the creation of a new course designed by architect Dick Wilson. The south course was built on property that had previously been used for grazing horses and featured wide-open meadows filled with flowers. For many years, this layout quickly became one of the best courses in the Chicago area due to its strategic design and tremendous conditioning. This success lasted well into the 1970s when interest in private country clubs began to decline significantly.
Flossmoor's quick response was to once again invest millions in another Donald Ross-designed renovation project in 1982; this time it would be what we now call "the North Course" which was built on land donated by longtime member Don Pearson who still resides at the club today. Being Ross' last design, this layout has received much praise from the golfing community and is often regarded as one of his finest works given its many risks and high rewards. The latest renovation brought a new clubhouse for both courses in 2008 that was designed by world-renowned architect Dan Meis.
Today, Flossmoor Country Club sits on just over 400 acres of land with two 18-hole courses to choose from. In addition to the North and South layouts, both facilities have recently been renovated with state-of-the-art practice areas (including multiple putting greens), brand new locker rooms, enhanced dining options (Grant's Grille), and an overall commitment to providing modern amenities without compromising the club's rich history.
In 2017, Flossmoor Country Club was selected as the site for the 2021 Ryder Cup matches. The club has been given a 10-year deadline to complete a multi-million dollar renovation project that will include updating all of its on-site housing structures and expanding its practice facilities even further.
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Mike Regan
Mike is a weekend golfer from Connecticut and a devoted fan of the game who turned his passion into the writing experience. Any day he keeps it under 80 is a cool day. When he's not writing about golf his is playing it.