While in Chicago for the weekend, we were guests of Joe Jemsek, owner, and played Cog Hill #4 Dubsdread, home of the BMW Championship. About 3 weeks ago, Tiger Woods won on these very grounds on his way to the Fed Ex Cup.
What a treat it was to play this golf course. We certainly struggled a bit. However, Superintendent Ken Lapp and his staff do a phenomenal job maintaining the course.
The course opened in 1964 and nicknamed Dubsdread, from the idea "dub" or poor golfer should beware and it serves as a warning to the challenges ahead. They weren't kidding. It was very difficult. Tiger Woods shot a low round of 62, I shot a 98.
In 2007, Cog Hill finished a renovation with Rees Jones to reposition bunkers and hazards, modify tees and re-build all 18 greens including the installation of the Sub-Air drainage system. The Jemsek family has something to be proud of with this golf course.
The weather was not too particularly favorable, but we played nonetheless. Tight fairways and dense rough demand precise shot-making. The greens are heavily guarded with bunkers and does not provide much room for rolling the ball onto the green. Large deciduous trees surround many of the holes, which made for interesting shots if you were to miss the fairway.
The greens are new bentgrass turf with a real true putting surface. The Sub-Air Drainage system was installed in all 18 greens, which a great tool for the right price. In a nutshell, Sub-Air removes excess moisture in the putting surface to provide a firmer and faster green. It is especially helpful when hosting tournaments through a rainy stretch when greens normally can get soggy and slow.
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