Olympia Fields Country Club is located in Olympia Fields, Illinois. It is a suburb of Chicago and located about 25 miles south of the loop. Here you will find two 18-hole golf courses, the South and North course. It is a private club and one of the few with multiple courses ranked in the United States. You will also find this country club on the National Register of Historic Places.
Membership Cost
Olympia Fields Country Club, since its founding, has always been a private club, with membership only by invitation. Currently,there are six levels of membership.
| Membership Level | Details |
|---|---|
| Regular Golfing Membership | Voting rights and full privileges including spouses and children under the age of 23 |
| Regular Membership with Corporate Sponsorship | All the same privileges as above but at the request of sponsoring corporation, the membership could be transferred to another qualified person. For the future nominee who meets candidate requirements, there is a transfer fee and a one-time initiation fee. |
| National Membership | To have this membership, they must reside at least 250 miles from the country club. Per season, they can enjoy 24 rounds of golf with full use of the whole facility. |
| Associate Membership | This membership is for those between the ages of 23 and 39. Dues are based on age. At age 40, dues credit is given toward the initiation fee for Regular Membership |
| Social Membership | This membership includes most privileges of the club. With the appropriate fee, they can golf up to five times. Children of these members can participate in swimming, tennis, and Jr. golf programs. It is a membership for those that don’t golf regularly or are not golfers but just want to socialize with other people. |
| International Membership | For this membership. Their primary business and residence must be outside of North America |
| Regional Membership | This membership will allow people who are members of another local club to play up to 24 rounds of golf per year. |
The membership fees depend on the membership but according to a brochure in 2017, the initiation fee was around $20,000 but if paid in two installments, it was $25,000. The Olympia Fields Country Club does offer reduced rates for younger members ages 23-39 and seniors.
The monthly due range from $300-$800 plus capital due per month ranging from $37.50-$100. The club also has annual dining and food minimums of around $750 for a year.
Olympia Fields Country Club History
It was founded in 1915, 107 years ago. Amos Alonzo Stagg was the first club president. At the University of Chicago, he was the athletic director and football head coach at that time. They have named the main dining room in his honor.
One of the first things you notice when you pull up to the country club is the clubhouse, which was finished in 1925 in a distinct Tudor style. It cost 1.3 million at the time to build. It was designed by George Croll Nimmons and Thomas Bendelow.
Olympia Fields Country Club operated its own hospital and ice-making plant. In the dells of the clubs 692 acres, one hundred families owned cottages. Today, Olympia Fields Country Club has adjusted to more contemporary portions, including the number of private cottages.
| Name | Olympia Fields Country Club |
| Membership Cost | $20,000 |
| Established | 1915 |
| Phone Number | +1(708) 748-0495 |
| Website | https://www.ofcc.info/ |
| Address | 2800 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE. OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL 60461 |
| Type | Private Club |
Golf History
In the 1920s, Olympia Fields Country Club had four golf courses with a fifth one on the way. Unfortunately, WW2 and the Great Depression caused major financial difficulties so they were forced to sell off half of the land. Today, the stars of the golf course are the South Course and the North Course.
In 2015, Olympia Fields Country Club joined only eight other American clubs to have hosted the named championships below on the North Course. In 2020, they hosted the BMW Championship. By continuing with the championship tradition, this country club is in line with it being the Host of Champions.
North Course
This course was designed by Willie Park Jr, a two-time British Open Champion. Before the U. S. Open in 2003, the length of the course was lengthened. The course now features hundreds of native oak trees, some significant elevation changes, and a meandering creek. This is where major golf tournaments are hosted. This was originally Course 4 before the land was sold off. It is 7,343 yards
They have hosted four major championships and other golf championships. The Western Open on the PGA Tour was played here five times. Since 1966, this course has been selected as a Top 100 Course by Golf Digest.
- U. S. Opens 1928, 2003
- PGA Championships 1925, 1961
- U. S. Amateur 2015
- U. S. Senior Open 1997
- KPMG Women’s PGA Championship 2017
South Course
There were the other three courses that had been configured after the land was sold. They became the South Course. It is a course that players rave about playing on. It was designed by Tom Bendelow and is 7,106 yards. In 2007, it was renovated by Steve Smyers. Since it was renovated, it has relieved Top 20 honors consistently in Illinois.
Amenities
In the clubhouse, there is a dining room that can seat 800 people plus café seating for another 600. The club offers 500 feet of veranda but there is only one outdoor dancing pavilion. The golf courses, tennis courts, clubhouse, aquatic center, and all other facilities are for members and their guests.
The dining offered by the Olympia Fields Country Club includes:
- AA Stagg Grill Room for casual dining
- 73rd Hole for casual dining
- Olympia Fields Country Club Candlelight Steakhouse for formal dining
The Pavilion Room and Normandy Room are available to members for weddings and other catered events.
There are also, for overnight members and their guests, 25 rooms for them to stay in. The clubhouse offers two private boardrooms to conduct business meetings. For more informal meetings, there are other comfortable areas of the club to have these.
The tennis facility is geared for the family, no matter what level they are playing. They offer six Har-Tru courts with the court surfaces making playing tennis less severe, more comfortable, and a little cooler. There is also a tennis boutique that carries swim, yoga, resort, and tennis wear for all ages plus shoes and rackets. The first platform tennis court was installed in the early 70s.
The Aquatic Center offers its members a zero-entry pool, lap pool, The Vortex, and diving boards. All of these are offset by a lot of leisure space and fountains. Also in this area is The Cabana Café, offering full food service with an outdoor Cantina.
Is Guest Allow?
As a guest, you have to stop at the guard gate and give them the name of the member hosting you and your name. Then you will go to the front of the golf shop to drop off your bag, which will be taken by one of the service staff. You will park your car in front of the clubhouse or next to the locker room. As a guest, you will use the locker room facilities to change shoes and clothes. You are not allowed to change your shoes in the parking lot. You may arrive no earlier than one hour before your scheduled tee time.
Dress Code And Rules
No matter if you are on the golf course or in the clubhouse, there are strict dress codes.. The dress code will change according to activity or event. This also includes Junior golfers.
Rules-1: Allowed
Only appropriate and conventional golf clothing may be worn while at the club, practice facilities, and golf course. Shorts for members and guests should not be above the knee more than four inches. Men’s shirts, at all times, must be neatly tucked in. All hats have to be worn with bill pointing forward and when entering the clubhouse, all headwear has to be removed.
Rules-2: Not allowed
- Cargo shorts or pants
- Shorts such as tennis, jogging, cutoffs, or athletic
- Tops for ladies such as halter
- Swimming attire
- For men, uncollared shirts
- No denim of any color or type, including jeans
- For men and women, no tee shirts or numeral jerseys
Use Of Cell Phones
All cell phones have to use the vibrate mode or turned off. Using them on club property is highly discouraged but when it is necessary for you have to use your cell phone, move to a private location.
Trivia Facts
- The clubhouse is famous around the world for its four-face, 80-foot-high clock tower, which can be seen from the first tee on all four courses.
- When it was built in 1925, at that time, it was the largest clubhouse in the world.
- Olympia Fields Country Club was the first country club to offer its members 72 holes of golf.
Conclusion
Olympia Fields Country Club has a lot to offer its members. It is one of the premier golf courses not only in Illinois but in the United States, just like Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. Although it is a thriving country club, the highlight is golf. If you are an avid golfer, this is a country club you should check out.