Like almost everything in life, golf courses must evolve in order to thrive. They aren’t paintings that you finish and walk away from. The grass grows, the trees mature and they constantly change. The very best guardians of our historic golf courses understand this and consistently take action. Fortunately, the fine folks at Glen View Club are worthy guardians.
Having hosted the US Amateur in 1902 and the US Open in 1904, Glen View has a proud and rich history. Architects like Tom Bendelow, William Flynn, Harry Colt and Donald Ross have all contributed to the course’s current state. However, it is William Flynn’s 1922 master design that the club has decided to restore in 2026. Golf course architect, Tyler Rae has been scheduled to lead the effort. With courses like Beverly CC, Wakonda Club, Lookout Mountain and many others under his belt, the results are certain to be spectacular.
In June of 2026, I arrived to capture the final photographs of the current golf course as part of a “before and after” project. I always do my best to make any golf course look spectacular and the following photographs are designed to make you ask the question. “Why are they tearing this course down, again?” My hope is that post renovation, the golf course and resulting photographs will resoundingly answer that question. Based on the plans and previous works from Tyler Rae, I would imagine that Glen View will be a completely different and nearly unrecognizable golf course. We will have to wait until the summer of 2027 for the final verdict.
Please enjoy a brief and very high level plan for the Glen View Club restoration. I feel honored to have taken the final photographs from the end of an era at Glen View Club and can’t wait to capture the photographs at the beginning of a new one.
Hole #1 - Par 4 - 454 Yards
With all of the short grass being replaced and every bunker being rebuilt across the entire course, everything at Glen View Club is going to look much different. That becomes evident on the very first hole. The biggest change to this opening downhill beauty is happening at the green. The green will be enlarged and the bunkering will be redesigned to match the 1922 Flynn Plan. The fairway bunkers will be shifted to match modern distances and provide more interesting angles into the green. These small shifts should make a major difference in the way the golf course looks and plays.
Hole #2 - Par 3 - 202 yards
Big changes are coming to the 2nd hole. What exists today will be no more. The green will be moved to the right next to an existing ridgeline at the end of the property. Instead of the parallel bunkering, the green will be transformed into a reverse redan featuring a strong kicker slope on the left hand side of the green. I am excited to see just how bold this redan will be.
Hole #3 - Par 4 - 382 yards
The tee boxes on #3 are moving onto the ridgeline next to the new 2nd green. Most importantly, this creates an interesting left to right tee shot that provides variety in the opening stretch of golf holes. Trees will be thinned to expose the dogleg and the fairway bunkers will match the 1922 Flynn plan.
Hole #4 - Par 4 - 500 yards
The tee boxes will be shifted to the left which should open up a pretty cool view from the tee box. The green will also be relocated to its original spot from 1901-1923. This hole is going to be a beast at 500 yards from the back tees. These first few holes were difficult for me to fully visualize compared to some of the holes on the back nine. This serves as a great reminder of just how much trust Glen View is putting into Tyler Rae and his team.
Hole # 5 - Par 4 - 298 yards
The tee boxes are going to move to the edge of the property and a lot of the dense buckthorn is going to be removed in order to create some visibility. The green is being moved back and to the right and the fairway is going to turn from left to right to create more of a dogleg with two different lines of play. Rae likens the options for play to the 10th hole at Merion. If you are going to replicate something, the 10th hole at Merion is a good inspiration.
Hole #6 - Par 5 - 628 yards
A new and bold set of tees will be created along the edge of the property. At 628 yards this thing is going to be a monster. Trees are going to be thinned along the left side of the fairway but the most significant change is going to be the bunkering that will match Flynn’s plan. The idea is to give the green more of a perched feeling. The result should tranform the 6th into one of the finest holes on the golf course.
Hole #7 - Par 3 - 171 yards
A lot of Rae’s efforts during the redesign are intent on bringing the Chicago River back into play as Flynn had originally intended. The 7th hole is our first good example of this. The green will be moved much closer to the water’s edge. Those bunkers behind the green are also going away, allowing for a smooth transition into the 8th tee. The current green looks beautiful as the sun goes down, so I am excited to see if Rae can keep up with the current aesthetic.
Hole #8 - Par 5 - 570 yards
“I hope you get rid of that pond.” That was my only thought when I originally saw the 8th green. The pond was added by a club pro back in the 1980’s and fortunately, it will be replaced with a large waste bunker. Hell yeah. The green will also be moved back and to the right to meet Flynn’s original plan.
A back tee will be added on the other side of the river to accommodate modern distances. Two large cross bunkers will be added in front of the fairway to provide a dramatic visual to the opening tee shot. A mediocre hole should be transformed into something excellent.
Hole #9 - Par 4 - 397 yards
This one should be pretty awesome. Currently, the hole is reachable and best played towards the clubhouse and down the left hand side of the fairway. The new tee shot will play over the new waste bunker which was the old pond on #8. The green will be modified for an improved infinity look and will be best approached from the right side of the fairway.
Hole #10 - Par 4 - 462 yards
Currently, there is a fairly tight fairway corridor with several trees challenging the accuracy of the tee shot. This corridor will be expanded and several trees will be removed.
The green will be moved further to the right and will work from right to left and back to front. According to Rae, Flynn has used a similar technique at other courses which encourages a fade from the tee and a draw into the green. I am excited to see how this green transforms.
Hole #11 - Par 3 - 153 yards
The 11th hole is another example of increased use of the Chicago River. By relocating the tees to the other side of the river and moving the green along the edge of the water, this should be a far more aesthetic tee shot. With the water actually coming into play, the river becomes a strategic part of the hole. Right now, the river is simply something that players walk over.
This project is freaking exciting. Just typing out these descriptions gets me excited for my return next year.
Hole #12 - Par 4 - 318 yards
The Chicago River is rocking and rolling now. The current green location, 20 yards beyond the river, provides a penal option for only those that hit an absolutely awful golf shot. The strategy involved is minimal. By bringing the green site up to the river’s edge, Rae is honoring Flynn’s original intention for the green’s location. Water will be a real possibility for those misjudging their approach shot and finding the false front. Golfers choosing to lay up will have a strategic option to decide which distance they want into the green.
Hole #13 - Par 5 - 553 yards
While I enjoyed this golf hole from a photography perspective, big changes are coming to #13. The restoration will be immediately noticeable from the tee box. Like many holes, I don’t expect this view to be recognizable at all. By shifting the fairway towards the river, removing trees, and introducing a large cross bunker before the fairway, there is now a risk reward option concerning the river and the ideal line of play.
The green will be moved to the right and into the space the currently occupied by the 14th tee box. To meet Flynn’s original plan, the bridge will be removed, creating a clean and bunker free green set in the crook of the Chicago River.
Hole #14 - Par 3 - 212 yards
The final par 3 is perhaps the most pedestrian at Glen View and I am stoked to see how that changes. The tees are moving across the river which should give the player a better view of the enlarged green. The current trees will be removed in order to make room for the new angle. This should feel like a completely new golf hole.
Hole #15 - Par 4/5 - 499 yards
The tees are being moved up to avoid congestion around the 14th green which converts this par 5 into a par 4 from the back tees. Some fairway bunkers are being restored and swales are being enhanced. The green is going to be moved 20 yards to the right and provide more of a perched feeling. Right now, the 15th hole has an awkward double dogleg feel and this original green location should remove that vibe. I am eager to see how much this hole improves.
Hole #16 - Par 4 - 388 yards
The 16th hole is getting a full face lift in accordance with the 1922 Flynn plan. The idea is to reintroduce bunkering and mounding that will give the golfer two options. The first option is to bomb one down into the valley leaving a short blind over the bunker. The second option allows the golfer to lay back and play a more straightforward but longer approach.
Hole #17 - Par 4 - 381 yards
As it exists right now, the 17th is one of the strongest golf holes at Glen View. Fortunately, no major changes are coming to 17. Slight tweaks include rebuidling the bunkers, adding new tees and slightly enhancing the green.
Hole #18 - Par 4 - 447 yards
The 18th is currently the most recognizable golf hole at Glen View and for the most part, the view won’t be changing that much. Several new tees are being built to provide more strategic angles. The old cemetery has been exposed and will now be a much more prevalent part of the 18th hole tee box experience.
Look for this old time golf graveyard to make a respectable move up towards the top of the world’s greatest golf course graveyards rankings. You can also look forward to Glen View Club making similar moves up the ranks of Chicago golf in 2027.
