It has been a long and glorious season to play golf in the Chicago District. True, we had some warmer-than-average temperatures (mid-90s); the heart of the summer saw dew points and humidity soar. But for the most part, rain didn’t interfere. Playing golf when the heat index is 115 is a tough walk, even for young caddies. Things cooled off in mid- August. After a high of 94 on the 16th, the rest of the month was mostly mid-70s. But it was September that made 2025 seem like the golf season that’d never end. Always the perfect month to play, September couldn’t have been better. A few days in the 90s, but with most days maxing out in the mid-70s or low-80s. And very little rain. Just the way we like. October started out in the upper-80s, too.
The inevitable cool front arrived Oct. 7. “Feels good,” people said, zipping up those quarter zips. Now, it’s November. Unpredictable. Weather widgets will be closely scrutinized for golf-able days. Fifty-five doesn’t feel as cold with the sun shining down, the wind barely breathing. Walking keeps you warm; a cart invites a wind chill factor. Sundown and tee times both come earlier.
We golfers are here for all seasons. This one was longer than most – and much appreciated. Let’s keep it going. Wool cap, long pants, a layer or three. Time for some November golf.
Speaking of Fall golf, congratulations are in order for Evanston Township’s Lester Low and Oswego High School’s Alli Wiertel, who won their respective boys and girls Illinois State High School 3A and 2A individual championships. The two sophomores each shot a round of 7-under 65 during their 36-hole tournaments. Meanwhile, the Glenbrook North girls team, led by second place individual finisher Martha Kuwahara, won their third consecutive state 2A title. New Trier won the boys 3A title led by two top-10 finishers, junior Liam Kelly (third) and sophomore Jack Gill (T8). Both New Trier and Glenbrook North’s winning teams had three players finish in the top 20. In 1A downstate Mt. Carmel won the girls team title while the boys from Teutopolis took boy 1As. In 2A, University High School in Normal took first place in the Boys division.
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When Terry Duffy arrived at Marquette Park Golf Course on Chicago’s Southwest Side, he surveyed the first tee area and said, “Where are the mats?”
Duffy, the Chairman and CEO of CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, was at Marquette Park to have his photo taken for the cover of this month’s issue. He learned to play golf at Marquette Park. Little did he know then that it would lead him to become one of the leading figures in golf, most significantly for his influence on the women’s game.
Mats? All the Chicago Park District courses had ‘em back then. But no more. Troon, a private contractor with a worldwide reputation, keeps the grass tee boxes well-groomed. Don’t blame Duffy, though. He hadn’t been there in over 50 years.
Golf simulators are all the rage these days, and the technology therein has changed the way instructors teach the game. Ed Sherman, whose work graces these pages on a regular basis, caught up with three of the Chicago District’s top teaching pros – Hank Haney, Brad Ray and Joe Sheren – to find out how their indoor facilities cater to today’s golfer.
The First Tee – Greater Chicago celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Our correspondent Lauren Withrow takes stock of a quarter-century’s worth of accumulated day-to-day activity focused on using the game of golf to change the lives of children and youngsters in neighborhoods all over the city and suburbs. In addition to being a prose pro, Lauren does play-by-play on PGA TOUR LIVE broadcasts (early tournament coverage on ESPN+).
This month, Chicago District Golfer supplies some “news you can use” on how to pack for a golf trip, courtesy of Marty Hackel, who served as Golf Digest’s Fashion Director for 16 years. Marty is known in the industry as “Mr. Style” and that applies to his writing, too.
If you’re looking for a winter travel destination not known as Florida or Arizona, travel writer Abbey Algiers has an alternative. Check out Spain. Warm, easy to get to, comparatively inexpensive, excellent golf and full of nice resorts. Abbey grabbed my interest at, “You fly direct into Madrid, take a fast luxury train to your destination, and you don’t have to rent a car. Plus, it’s probably cheaper than the warm parts of the U.S.”
Jeff Rude grew up in Waukegan. There, he got to know fellow Waukegan native David Ogrin, the former PGA Tour player who was inducted into the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame last month. Jeff covered the PGA Tour for Golfweek for over a decade. Who better than he to write a Final Word column about Ogrin, one of the best and more colorful golfers ever to come out of the state of Illinois?
