Balmoral Woods Country Club

Balmoral Woods occupies rolling terrain in Crete, a village in Will County roughly forty miles south of Chicago. The course was designed by George Fazio with Don Mortell and opened in the early 1970s as part of a residential country club development. Fazio, who transitioned from professional golf to architecture in the 1950s and 60s, brought a player's perspective to his designs, often emphasizing strategic variety and playability across different skill levels. His work in the Chicago area reflects the region's characteristic landscape of gentle elevation changes, mature hardwood corridors, and seasonal water features. The routing at Balmoral Woods moves through wooded property with fairways framed by oak, maple, and hickory. Elevation shifts create natural interest on several holes, and water comes into play on multiple occasions, typical of courses built in this era of suburban development. The design balances risk-reward opportunities with straightforward holes that reward accurate iron play and course management. Greens are moderately contoured, and bunkering follows the strategic principles Fazio favored—placed to challenge aggressive lines while leaving recovery options for conservative play. Balmoral Woods serves a membership drawn from the surrounding south suburban communities. The club maintains traditions common to midwestern country clubs of its generation, with family-oriented programming and a clubhouse that functions as a social hub. The course provides a familiar test for members and guests navigating the wooded, parkland-style layout characteristic of Chicago's outer suburbs.