When it comes to great values in the region, the 36 hole facility at Countryside in Mundelein is probably in the top ten. Eighteen holes with cart for $52 is the most you can pay this summer. I paid that on Saturday morning and enjoyed it a lot. It’s a great layout with really well kept greens and tee boxes.

Of course, they don’t have bent grass fairways, but they’re very well-kept bluegrass. I have no complaints. In fact, if they can keep prices low and retain the near-perfect green complexes and nice tee boxes, then this place is going to stay busy every weekend morning for a long time. You really can’t go wrong. Both courses have nice layouts, there are very few houses in sight, and it’s super easy making a tee time on EZ Links.

Once again, I dragged myself out of bed at 4:00am on Saturday to make a 6:01am tee time. This gave my buddy and I plenty of time to stop for an Egg McMuffin (drive-thru). There was one foursome in front of us and they were professional speed golfers. We got through the round in less than 3:30 and never saw them.

Check out my pictures on Flickr. Once again, it was a dark day. I have not played many rounds this summer in blazing sun, but nary a drop of rain has fallen on me so far. I did get a decent picture of the tricky par three 4th hole. See below.

It’s a scary tee shot and a great hole. We played the black tees and my five iron found the right rough and I bogeyed. Here’s the full scorecard if you care.

The back tees are palatable for many skill levels, by the way.

The Traditional course that we played Saturday is pretty hilly. Both seventeen and eighteen finish on a hill top. They aren’t long, but they’re solid golf holes. Here is the approach to the seventeenth.

And here is a look back at the 18th.

I’ll tell you what folks, head out here some day, it’s worth the trip.