Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Course #4, Lemont, Illinois ? A Nationally Ranked Golf Course Since 1964, Now New and Improved

The Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Illinois is one of the premier golfing venues in the country, with 72 holes of championship golf. The #4 Course, nicknamed "Dubsdread,'' is considered the best of the bunch.

The Course #4 has been nationally ranked since it opened for play in 1964, then underwent a $5 million renovation from September 2007 to September 2008 by renowned golf-course architect Rees Jones.

According to a press release issued by Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, the renovations maintain the original routing of the course, but "...upgraded the course's features and restored the strategy, design integrity and overall character inherent in the work of original architects Dick Wilson and Joe Lee. Dubsdread remains a pleasant challenge for the average golfer, but will offer more strategic shot-making options and risk-reward challenges for the tour professional.''

The renovations included reconstructing all 18 greens and tee boxes, reshaping the fairways, significant tree management and repositioning, the sculpting of 98 bunkers, and adding a pond to hole No. 7. The par-4 finishing hole has also been revamped to 497 yards, including relocating the green perilously close to the nearby water.

A SubAir System was also installed on all 18 grees and accounts for one of the biggest investments in the renovation. The SubAir system is an aeration and moisture-removal system that acts like a vacuum and subsurface drainage under the greens, accelerating the draingage process. At the time this was written, Dubsdread is the only course in the Chicago area to make use of the system.

Thus far, the new course has been well-received, including a return to a ranking among the 50 best golf courses in the United States. Dubsdread came in at No. 45 on the 2009 Golf Digest list of "America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses,'' marking the 18th appearance for the course on the list. The course is also home to the PGA Tour's BMW Championship event.

The par-72 course now plays to 6,940 yards from the longest tees, with a USGA rating of 75.4 and a slope rating of 142 on Bent grass.

Cog Hill Golf & Country Club also features some outstanding practice and learning facilities. The practice area includes a combination of natural-grass hitting areas, target greens, Callaway range balls, and a well-groomed short-game area. The Golf Range Association of America Magazine also recently named Cog Hill's Learning Center as one of the "Top 100 Ranges in America.''

Cog Hill Golf & Country Club also offers a number of instructional options, including the No Embarrassment Golf School (NEGS), a mentor program, and the Dave Pelz Scoring Game Golf School for more advanced golfers looking to improve their scoring. The club also features a golf shop and staff which is recognized by major golf club manufacturers as a top, club-fitting site.

Cog Hill also features a large, "old-world'' style clubhouse with three dining rooms that can be converted to one large dining room with a seating capacity of 350.