Kankakee at Kankakee Country Club

Kankakee Country Club sits along the Kankakee River in northeastern Illinois, approximately sixty miles south of Chicago. The course was designed by Tom Bendelow, the Scottish-born architect who shaped hundreds of American layouts in the early twentieth century while working for A.G. Spalding and later in private practice. Bendelow's prolific output ranged from basic nine-hole municipal courses to more substantial private club designs, and Kankakee represents his work during an era when golf was spreading rapidly through the Midwest.

The property takes advantage of the natural terrain along the river valley, with mature trees framing many holes and elevation changes that add character to the routing. Bendelow's design philosophy typically emphasized playability for average golfers while incorporating strategic elements that rewarded thoughtful shot-making. The course features traditional parkland characteristics common to Illinois layouts of this period, with tree-lined fairways and greens that reflect the architectural conventions of early American golf design.

Kankakee Country Club has served as a recreational and social center for the community for over a century. The club maintains the course as part of a broader tradition of private club golf in smaller American cities, where the layout provides a venue for member play, local competitions, and social gatherings. Like many Bendelow designs, the course has likely seen modifications over the decades to accommodate changes in equipment and maintenance practices while preserving the essential character of the original routing.