Redtail Golf Club

Redtail Golf Club sits in the Village of Lakewood in northeastern Illinois, part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Roger Packard designed the course, which opened in the mid-1990s as a daily-fee facility serving the region's public golf market. Packard, who worked extensively throughout the Midwest during this period, typically routed courses to maximize natural terrain features while creating playable layouts for a range of skill levels. The course occupies rolling terrain characteristic of the glacially-formed landscape common to this part of Illinois. Water features come into play on several holes, and mature tree plantings frame fairways and define playing corridors. The routing incorporates elevation changes that provide visual interest and strategic variety, with approach shots often played to greens set at different levels than the fairways. Redtail serves as a neighborhood amenity and regional golf destination, drawing players from surrounding communities in McHenry and Lake Counties. The facility includes practice areas and a clubhouse with dining services typical of modern daily-fee operations. The course hosts local tournaments and league play throughout the season, functioning as part of the network of accessible public golf options in the Chicago suburbs. The layout reflects the design priorities of its era, balancing challenge for better players with forward tee options that keep the course approachable for recreational golfers. Conditioning and maintenance standards align with expectations for a public course in a competitive market.