Quick Look - Kellogg Executive 9

Great learning course for new golfers, and an option for quick 9 after work.

Note: Course Reviews are in no particular order, but mainly reflect the courses I am playing with my 11-year old son and resident junior golfer.

My son and I have spent many hours over the last couple of golf seasons playing the Kellogg Executive 9. It’s short enough that on all but a couple of the holes, he can reach the greens in regulation from the red (forward) tees, if he’s hitting the ball well. It’s also the closest Executive 9 or Par 3 course to our home. On many summer evenings, we have been able to squeeze in 9 holes after work at the Executive 9 before darkness falls.

There are two courses at Kellogg — an 18-hole championship course, and the Executive 9. Both were completed in the early 1970s, and named after Howard B. Kellogg, an insurance executive who was a member of the park district board from 1943 to 1957.

The Executive 9 is a par 34/35 and features 6 par 4’s, 2 par 3’s, and one par 4/5 (the only hole that requires a driver carry over water). The par 4’s range from about 290 yards to about 390 yards, and the par 3’s are both about 150 yards. There are 3 sets of tees — blue at the rear, white in the middle, and gold/red up front.

The watered fairways are generous, and with the exception of the mild dogleg right 2nd, all holes are straight. There are mild elevation changes owing to the rolling landscape. Many of the greens are bunkered, but the bunkers are shallow and in reasonably good shape. The greens themselves are generally large and single-tiered, with gentle slopes that provide breaks of no more than a handful of feet for even the longest of putts. The green surfaces are well-tended and consistent, providing predictable roll and speed for putting. Tee boxes and fairways are also kept in good condition. If you miss the fairway, you will often still have a shot to the green, although there are numerous trees of varying shapes and sizes throughout the course.

All in all, the Executive 9 is a great track for juniors or any new golfer, or for anyone looking for a way to get in 9 holes relatively quickly. Golf carts and pull carts are available. On most evenings, it’s no problem to walk on with no waiting, but to be sure, call the clubhouse ahead of time, as there are several leagues that play the course throughout the season.

The day is drawing near that my playing partner outgrows the Executive 9 and will want to experience the championship courses available in the Tri-County HOI area. For now, though, we have both enjoyed our many visits to the Executive 9, and look forward to many more.