Evanston Golf Club formed in 1898 and operated multiple 9-hole sites within Evanston before acquiring its long-term Skokie property. In 1915–1918 the club constructed a new (and notably grand) clubhouse, then commissioned Donald Ross to design and build an 18-hole course on the new grounds. The club’s timeline records the “Donald Ross Golf Course” opening in July 1919, while a detailed Chicago District Golf Association feature specifies a grand opening on May 24, 1919 and an original length of 6,468 yards after a two-year build with Ross present on site. Both sources agree Ross personally laid out and oversaw construction of the new course.
Contemporary club materials emphasize that Evanston possesses documentary evidence (period photographs, etc.) of Ross on the project—“unlike some other clubs that claim a Ross course.” That material, visible at the club, underpins local consensus that Ross’s authorship at Evanston is direct and personal rather than merely consultative.
Through the interwar years Evanston hosted prominent events. Mid-century changes and maintenance practices altered aspects of Ross’s hazard scheme and corridors, and a round of design work occurred in the early 1980s. (Forum documentation attributes 1982 alterations to Nicklaus Design; see Notes for the evidentiary status of this claim.) In 2006, the club undertook a comprehensive clubhouse renovation and a golf course restoration directed by Ron Prichard, a Ross specialist, to recapture original scale and strategic intent.
Most recently, Tyler J. Rae initiated a major multi-phase renovation in June 2024, focused on rebuilding greens and bunkers and refreshing infrastructure while hewing to Ross’s strategic language. The club and Rae have documented ongoing work—green re-builds, seeding progress, and design rationale—through official social posts and videos. Notably, Rae has highlighted significant improvements to the usability and pinnable area of certain greens (e.g., No. 12) and has shared master-plan context for the project.
Timeline (concise):
1898–1915: Club founded; prior 9-hole sites within Evanston.
1915–1918: New clubhouse built.
1917–1919: Ross designs and oversees construction; course opens 1919.
2006: Prichard-led restoration.
2024–present: Rae-led renovation, with greens and bunkers rebuilt and reseeded in phases.
Unique Design Characteristics
Scale and green surfaces. Evanston’s site is broadly level by Chicagoland standards, and Ross responded by using large, contoured green pads as the primary defensive and expressive element. Contemporary observers during the 2006 work remarked on the unusually generous green sizes at Evanston and the restoration effort to reclaim original perimeters. The current renovation has continued that emphasis: Rae’s 2024 documentation of Hole 12 shows a substantial expansion of usable pinnable area—reported as increasing from roughly ~18% to ~40%—which meaningfully changes approach incentives and recovery options around that green.
Strategic bunker patterning. A 1939 aerial referenced during the 2006 project shows a variety of fairway bunker placements and scales on the southern stretch of the property. Photographic documentation from that restoration phase shows Holes 13–16 receiving renewed fairway-side and greenside bunkering and fairway grading to re-establish diagonal lines of play—particularly on 14 and 15—consistent with Ross’s habit of creating choices on otherwise gentle terrain. The current Rae work continues to refine the No. 14 green (club videos and reels), with shaping intended to restore edge interest and tie-ins to flanking hazards.
Routing rhythm. The opening stretch (1–3) comprises long par-4s in the mid-440s to low-450s that establish a premium on controlled tee shots and precise mid-iron approaches; No. 6 (par-5 ~503) introduces a scoring chance before a compact Ross par-3 at No. 7 (~157). The holes’ measured demands and par distribution are consistent with Evanston’s present card and speak to Ross’s routing priorities on this site.
Most intact Ross corridors (as evaluated from available materials). Based on the 1939 aerial comparison and restoration photo sets, the south parcel sequence (13–16) appears to retain Ross’s corridors most plainly, with restored bunkering/restored fairway width re-introducing intended diagonals. This assessment should be verified against Ross’s original plan set and early-era aerials held by the club.
Historical Significance
Within Ross’s Chicago period (mid-1910s to early 1920s), Evanston represents a ground-up, on-site original where the architect devoted an extended build window and attended the opening, per the CDGA’s archival survey—placing it alongside his other Chicago-area work of the period while standing apart as a true from-scratch commission for a relocating club.
Competitive pedigree further underscores the course’s stature. Evanston hosted the 1926 Chicago Open, won by Macdonald Smith, and later the 1962 U.S. Senior Amateur (a USGA championship), which produced one of that event’s longest recorded quarterfinal matches. These records are confirmed by club histories and governing-body compilations.
Current Condition / Integrity
Restoration and renovation impact. The 2006 Prichard program re-established Ross elements that had been softened or removed over the decades—restoring greens to larger perimeters, re-introducing fairway bunkering of varied scale, and addressing regrassing and irrigation. Photographs and contemporary commentary from that period point to holes 13–16 as noteworthy examples of the renewed strategy and recovered green edge character.
2024–present Rae work. The club’s published updates indicate a comprehensive rebuild and reseeding of the green complexes and substantial progress on tees and fairways. Specific spotlights include the re-built 12th green—with a meaningful increase in usable surface—and the re-shaped 14th green, with videos explaining intent and early grow-in. By late summer 2024 the club reported high percentages of seeded and germinated surfaces (greens, fairways, tees), suggesting a project scope that touches nearly all primary playing surfaces. Collectively, this implies that many Ross surface expressions at Evanston are being reconstructed to historically informed sizes and tie-ins, updated to modern agronomy. As this work completes, the course should present Ross’s corridors and strategies with renewed fidelity, while inevitably reflecting contemporary interpretations of slopes and speeds.
What appears preserved vs. altered. The routing framework has been remarkably consistent since at least the late 1930s (as seen in aerial comparison noted during the 2006 effort). Over time, tree plantings and certain 1980s alterations muted fairway width and filled or moved hazards; the 2006 and 2024–25 projects have reversed those trends. Greens are larger and more varied today than in the late-20th-century interval, bunkering is more numerous and strategically placed, and turf connectivity (fairway-to-green) has been re-emphasized, all in line with surviving documentation and period norms for Ross.
Sources & Notes
Evanston Golf Club – History (timeline). Club site pages documenting the club’s multi-site origins, clubhouse build (1915–1918), and course opening “July 1919,” plus tournament history.
Course History & Highlights. Club page stating Ross’s personal authorship with photographic proof; lists major events (1926 Chicago Open, 1962 U.S. Senior Amateur).
CDGA feature, “The Enduring Genius of Donald Ross” (2022). Places Evanston’s build within Ross’s Chicago chronology; states a grand opening on May 24, 1919 and an original length of 6,468 yards with Ross present.
Top100GolfCourses entry: Evanston. Notes the 1917 appearance on the Chicago scene, Ross’s on-site role, and a sympathetic Ron Prichard renovation decades later.
2006 restoration reports. a) Local course profile noting a 2006 Ross restoration led by Ron Prichard alongside a clubhouse renovation. ChicagoGolf.com. b) Discussion thread from 2006 with photos/aerial references during the work, including comments on greenscale and southern-parcel bunkering (13–16); thread also asserts 1982 Nicklaus Design involvement. GolfClubAtlas forum. 2024–2025 renovation (Tyler J. Rae). a) Rae announcement that ground broke June 3, 2024 for a “major renovation.” b) Club and Rae posts and videos on Hole 12 (increased usable green surface) and Hole 14 (green shaping and intent), plus master-plan teasers and seeding progress updates. Instagram/X posts and YouTube videos from @TylerRaeDesign and @EvanstonGolfClub.
Championship records. a) 1926 Chicago Open winner Macdonald Smith at Evanston Golf Club. Where2Golf entry / historical records. b) U.S. Senior Amateur record book showing Evanston G.C. (1962) in the championship history with a noted 22-hole quarterfinal match length. USGA Senior Amateur Records. Note: The club also lists these events on its history pages.
Uncertainties & disputed points:
Opening date (May vs. July 1919): The CDGA article states May 24, 1919; the club’s timeline cites July 1919. Primary confirmation should come from club minutes, local press coverage, or Ross/Tufts correspondence.
1982 alterations attribution to Nicklaus Design: Presently supported by the 2006 GolfClubAtlas forum thread; architect-of-record documents or club project files should be consulted to confirm scope and authorship.
“Largest greens Ross ever built” observation: This characterization appears in forum commentary during the 2006 project; treat as informed opinion pending measurement against original plans/aerials.