Bob O'Link Golf Club

Overview: Bob O'Link Golf Club in Highland Park is a compact private course whose character comes from the relationship between Donald Ross's original plan and later C.H. Alison work. The directory data gives a 6,713-yard, par-72 setup, but the course's strategy is shaped by its tight 125-acre site, mature trees, drainage channels and carefully positioned greens. The routing rewards accurate placement and thoughtful recovery, with little room for a careless line. Its compact scale gives Bob O'Link the concentrated character of a classic North Shore course.

History: Donald Ross designed the original Bob O'Link course in 1916. After the club acquired additional land in 1923, C.H. Alison redesigned the layout, creating the routing associated with the modern course. The property later faced drainage problems because of its position near the Skokie River floodplain. A 2014 project led by Jim Urbina removed trees, improved drainage and restored a more strategic relationship between the fairways and greens.

Did You Know? The course was named for Bob O'Link, another name for the American robin. The bird reference suits a North Shore property where mature trees, open turf and wildlife remain part of the visual experience.