Mother Nature made her presence known in the Chicago District this summer, potentially like never before. Late July and early August proved to be the most destructive period, as heavy rains, storms and tornadoes left a slew of debris in their wake. Specifically, the Aug. 11 derecho that blew through the south suburbs of Chicago featured straight-line winds of 100 mph or more. The Chicago area received a total of 5 inches of precipitation during the month of August, contributing to the wettest summer in nearly eight years.
Need more insight into the historic weather patterns?
As of Aug. 29, the National Weather Service had listed 210 confirmed tornadoes in the state of Illinois. That number dwarfs the previous record of 142 in 2024. It’s more than three times the yearly average of 66. Additionally, dating back to 1950, only one other state has had more than 200 tornadoes in any given year. The Land of Lincoln in 2026 currently ranks first across three categories - tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flash flood warnings - since the National Weather Service began issuing these warnings in 1870.
To say that superintendents and their staffs have been busy would be an understatement.
To provide more context as to the trials and tribulations these crews have dealt with, browse the various social media posts below for just a small sampling of the work that has been, and will continue to be, done (and be sure to thank your superintendent the next time you tee it up!):
Chicago's north shore experienced severe weather in late July, just as the 10th CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship was set to get underway on the original Bendelow design. The event was rescheduled for early October due to flash flooding and debris across the course.
During the 124th Western Amateur at the south side club, Superintendent Marcus Chestnut and his team worked through the night to return the layout to playable conditions.
Superintendent Kurt Sams provided photo and video evidence of the destruction that the south suburban club faced following the derecho on Aug. 11.
Across town, the Tweedie/Collis-designed Flossmoor Golf Club bounced back from the storms with help from member volunteers to open within a week and a half.
The Donald Ross-designed club, which was the world’s first golf course arboretum, lost more than 100 trees in a late-July storm, and a few more during the Aug. 11 derecho.
Downstate, drone footage courtesy of Adam Drake shows the massive amount of downed trees spread across the back nine.