Harborside International Golf Center — Local services in Hyde Park Township

Personally I would have rated this course 5-stars about 2 years ago, and even to an extent last year. But I have lowered it to a 3, and honestly should be 3.5 if I could for a couple key reasons. But the issues as others have written about, it deserves a lower score until management wakes up one day.

The big one is the price has skyrocketed to unreasonable levels for this course. In 2020 you could get a Twilight rate on the weekend for about $62. Now it's about 76-86 for a Twilight rate, and that is during October when I think the prices dropped a little from the summer. In fact, I think on average most Twilight rates until 2 hours before sunset were in the 80 range.

Overall the prices have jumped about 25-35% on average in 2-years when looking at prices all season long. Even with inflation and so forth, their prices are easily outpacing inflation and it's peers in the area.

A part of me doesn't mind paying more if they are investing into the course and facilities, and they simply aren't. The cart paths are basically an off road adventure. I wouldn't be shocked if the cart paths haven't been worked on since it open up in the mid-90s. The cart GPS is worthless on days when it's cart path only. It has locked me up on the actual path. If I am going to pay over $80, fix your GPS and locking mechanism nonsense.

That said, the course itself is still mostly in good shape when I played there last. Some bad spots here and there, but minus the top private courses, that is going to happen. I like the layouts for both courses, and having a links style design where it's open with rolling hills and bunkers is fun. It's a fun course to play and travel on.

Sadly the prices are approaching Golf Digest top 200 public courses range, and it's not that at all. A couple examples, Lawsonia in Wisconsin is ranked in the top 100. They have about the same prices. I played at UNC Finley where the main college golf team plays at with white sand and amazing conditions for like $90 mid-morning with cart. TPC Deere Run in Western IL hosts a PGA tournament, and offers top notch conditions all around is the same price at peak times.

I know I've been hammering the prices, but Chicago is a good and competitive golf market. Outside of a splurge round, I've sadly taken this place out of my rota for multiple rounds a year. It's not worth 70-80+ for a twilight round where you may not finish. Let alone peak times in the 120 range. I think a 100 peak times, and $60 around twilight is fair.

Finally, the way they priced their times sucks too. You would pay full price at 1:50pm which is around $120, or $80 at 2pm. What kind of structure is that? Smart timing is you gradually go down as the day goes on. Yeah, there will be a spot where the price drops in 10 minutes, but normally not a 35% drop. It's usually gradual.

If I was in charge, lower the price, fixed the cart paths, and be smarter with your timing and prices by analyzing demand and be more gradual about it. Don't charge full price 10 minutes before dropping it 35%. Make that two hours before twilight like 15-20% lower from peak morning times. It's not hard to figure out.

Finally, it's a good course for the most part as I've said. Sadly due to bad management and not investing into key areas with their increased prices lowers it to a 3 out of 5, or honestly a 3.5 if Googled allowed me to rate...

Having played the Starboard course at Harborside International Golf Center—and both courses consistently over the past two years—I can confidently say this is one of Chicago’s standout golf venues. The Starboard and Port courses each have their own distinct personality, but both offer a challenging and enjoyable links-style experience with a wide-open feel.

For experienced players, these courses are fantastic. They demand precision, and you definitely pay for bad shots. If you’re someone who tends to spray the ball left or right, brace yourself for a tough day. Beginners might find the difficulty frustrating, but for seasoned golfers, it’s a rewarding test of skill.

One of the standout features of Harborside is its practice facility, which is absolutely awesome. It’s one of the highlights of the experience and a great bonus for a course that’s so conveniently located within driving distance of downtown Chicago. Whether you want to warm up or work on your game, this facility adds immense value to your visit.

The course conditions are usually solid, but there are areas for improvement. For example, the cart paths could use significant upgrades. They’re rough and remind me of Chicago streets with bad potholes, which detracts a bit from the overall experience.

Regarding amenities, the Pro Shop is excellent—perfect for grabbing a memento or some gear to make your visit even more memorable. However, the women’s dressing and changing room, located next to the restroom, could use significant improvement. It has lockers and a full-length mirror, which are nice touches, but the space feels cramped and more like a repurposed janitor’s closet than a dedicated area for guests.

As for food and dining, I’ve only ever grabbed snacks from the outdoor food shack, which is convenient but not a full dining experience. There seems to be an indoor restaurant or dining area that I’ve never had the chance to explore, so perhaps it’s worth checking out if you visit during a tournament or event.

For me, Harborside is more than just a great golf destination—it’s a place I call home every time I’m in Chicago. The consistent quality, challenging layout, and excellent practice facility keep me coming back, and it’s a course I look forward to playing again and again. A few improvements—especially to the cart paths, the dressing room, and food options—could elevate it even further, but it’s already a must-play for any golfer...

Absolutely insane story! I golfed there 3 weeks ago and left my $700 rangefinder on the first hole (amateur of course) Went back to get it a few holes later and it was no where to be found. Luckily i put an Apple Airtag on it and saw that an hour later it was on the expressway. That made it obvious it was an employee since golfers dont stop after the first hole. Spoke to the GM and he was very defensive about his employees not being thieves 😂. Eventually tracked it down to the guys house in Chicago Heights but couldnt get close enough to the actual item so i left. I told myself if hes an employee then he will be back and sure enough i pinged it at Harborside a few days later. Spoke with random managers of the day inside and said my range finder is pinging in the parking lot somewhere and guess what they said? “Our employees are honest and they would turn it in”. Well long story short it was pinging in a van. Called the cops, management came outside and asked the employee to give it back. He then stated that someone just handed to him until i told him ive been tracking him for the whole week. His story changed 3 times. Now ask my im upset? It has nothing to do with the rangefinder being taken. It was quite a few things

1. Never got an apology or a call back when I asked for management to call me with and update of what will happen to the employee and heard nothing for 2 weeks until i called them yesterday
2. never compensated for my time driving to chicago heights and harborside
3. when i told the managers that he needs to be fired the response was, we will have a talk to all of our employees to address this in the future. I said you have a thief on you hands. What team meeting do you need.

My buddy who i played with that day complained about the sand and was given a discounted foursome for future use and i get robbed and i cant even get an apology. Not that this is going to help in your decision to golf here but if i do build up the strength to want to come back here the i will not pay when i go to the first tee and when asked where my receipt is then i will say “im just stealing from you guys like stuff was...