Westmoreland Country Club

Overview: Westmoreland Country Club is a private William Watson course in Wilmette, Illinois. The Chicago District Golf Association record lists the black tees at 6,958 yards and par 72. It occupies a 128-acre North Shore site chosen for its deep gravel base and excellent natural drainage, with mature trees, ponds and a traditional sequence of fairway and green shapes. The course is not defined by one dramatic hazard; its character comes from the way the holes use subtle movement, strategic width and changing approach angles. The current routing remains connected to Watson's original plan while carrying the imprint of several important Chicago-area architects.

History: Westmoreland was founded in 1911 by golfers leaving Evanston Golf Club as the city expanded around their original course. William Watson designed the new layout in 1912 and supervised construction with Joseph Roseman. William Langford and A. W. Tillinghast carried out major redesign work in 1920 and 1921, and Arthur Hills later supervised a 1993 renovation that added or reshaped several ponds. Westmoreland has hosted the 1917 Western Open, the 1921 Western Amateur and the 1938 U.S. Women's Amateur, where Patty Berg won her first national championship. Its modern identity is therefore layered rather than tied to one untouched historical moment.

Did You Know? Westmoreland's name is a piece of club history: the founders moved west from Evanston in search of more land. The 128-acre site was selected partly because a deep gravel bed beneath it provided unusually good drainage for turf.