Butler National Golf Club is a private golf club located in Oak Brook, Illinois.
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°50′28″N 87°55′59″W / 41.841°N 87.933°W |
| Location | Oak Brook, Illinois, United States |
| Established | 1972 |
| Type | Private |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Events hosted | Western Open (1974–1990) |
| Website | butlernational |
| Course | |
| Designed by | George & Tom Fazio |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 7,523 yards (6,879 m) |
| Course rating | 78.1 |
| Slope rating | 152 |
History
editButler National was the creation of Paul Butler, an affluent entrepreneur, philanthropist, and sportsman who was also the founder of the village of Oak Brook, Illinois.
In 1972, renowned golf course architect George Fazio designed Butler on what was previously York Country Club. It was built and seeded in the relatively short span of two years, and the construction was completed under the supervision of Fazio's nephew Tom Fazio, an internationally acclaimed architect in his own right.
This club was home to the PGA Tour's Western Open from 1974 to 1990. The course policy of not allowing female members caused the club to lose the Western Open.[1]
In May 2007, Golf Digest rated Butler 21st of "America's 100 Greatest Courses."
Course
editButler National is a relatively flat, tree-lined course, requiring solid golf shots to shoot a good score. The Fazio design is penal and rewards successful positioning and shot shaping. A right to left ball flight is preferable as there are more dog leg lefts than rights. Water hazards will frequently come into play as do the deep faced bunkers. There are approximately 40 sand bunkers.
The Butler (back) tees play 7,523 yards (6,879 m), with a course rating of 78.1 and slope rating of 155.
In the fall of 2004, all of the greens were converted to an A-1 Bent grass and the sand to tour grade signature. The greens are fast, but the difficulty comes in reading the greens as they are very subtle.
Membership policy
editButler National Golf Club is one of four all-male golf courses in the Chicago area, which is subject to criticism.[2] Butler has not hosted a PGA or USGA tournament since 1990 due to their admissions policy, most notably missing the opportunity to host the US Open.[3]
References
edit- ^ Greenstein, Teddy (19 November 2012). "Butler National votes to keep women out". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ Kusinski, Peggy; Smyser, Katy (19 July 2012). "Four Chicago-Area Golf Courses Ban Women". WMAQ-TV. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ Greenstein, Teddy (7 April 2013). "Butler's all-male policy remains deal-breaker for majors". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
External links
edit- Official website
- "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses" (PDF). Golf Digest. May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2012.