The Chicagoland area is known for its stout tournament tests, including Conway Farms -- the venue for this week's BMW Championship.
The public course selections in the area are just as worthy of attention. Cog Hill's Dubsdread gets most of the press as a former tour venue and potential U.S. Open site, but after an extensive four-year renovation, Mistwood Golf Club deserves a look. Thanks to an attractive fall special, you both can take the Ray Hearn design's measure and improve your game in the process.
Book a tee time Monday through Thursday and for $150 you'll get 18 holes plus a one-hour session on a TrackMan system with either an instructor or expert clubfitter in Mistwood's new 5,000-sqft Performance Center.
If you're ambitious --- and you get an early first tee time -- you can beat the faltering daylight and catch 18 holes at both Dubsdread and Mistwood in the same day. The courses are just 13 miles apart in the Southwest Chicagoland suburbs.