Opens and Walker Cups, and was founded by renowned course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Charles Blair Macdonald.

Known as the Father of Golf in Chicago, designer Macdonald went to college in Scotland at the University of St Andrews,[3] where he learned to play the game.

Farwell, and his son-in-law, Hobart Chatfield-Taylor, laid out seven informal golf holes on an interesting piece of lakefront property known as "Bluff's Edge".

This was to become the first golf course built west of the Alleghenies, and second to Shinnecock Hills in Long Island, New York, which opened 12 holes in 1891.

The first American woman to win an Olympic event, Margaret Abbott, was a member at the Chicago Golf Club in the 1890s.

They purchased a 200-acre (81 ha) parcel of the Patrick farm in Wheaton, for a complete sum totaling $28,000, which became "a first class 18-hole course of 6,500 yards."

Macdonald designed the links-style layout himself; since he was a chronic slicer, he routed the holes so that both nines would play in a clockwise fashion so that he would stay out of trouble.

Once the private land adjacent to the course became developed, a new rule was needed for errant golf balls leaving the premises.

While at Chicago Golf, Dave brought the metal hole-liner to the U.S. from Scotland and improved the design to hold the flagstick upright, even in the wind.

The original site has remained a golf course through the years, passing through several owners, and now is owned and operated as a public facility by the Downers Grove Park District.

(History collected from Chicagoland Golf magazine, April 1992, by Phil Kosin) The 1897 Open was the first tournament hosted at Charles Blair MacDonald's club, as well as the first championship west of Appalachia.

The 1900 Open was the sole USGA Championship won by Jerseyman Harry Vardon, who is regarded by many to be one of the greatest players of all time.

McDermott won in a playoff over Mike Brady and Chicago Golf Club member George Simpson.

The 1928 Walker Cup was the first championship played across the newly designed Seth Raynor course at Chicago Golf Club.