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The Olympia Fields golf course is the host venue for the 2023 BMW Championship. It offers insights into a golfing arena rich in history and grandeur. Situated in Olympia Fields, Illinois, this private golf club boasts two esteemed eighteen-hole courses: the North and South.
Renowned as one of the top three courses in the Chicago region, the North Course consistently ranks among the top 50 courses in the United States. The South Course also garners acclaim, often securing a spot in the top ten in Illinois. Remarkably, Olympia Fields stands as one of the rare private clubs in the U.S. with multiple esteemed courses and is a distinguished member of the National Register of Historic Places.
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Olympia Fields has welcomed four major championships, two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003) and two PGA Championships (1925, 1961). It has also set the stage for other prestigious events such as the U.S. Senior Open (1997), the U.S. Amateur (2015), and the 2017 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. The illustrious history is further enriched by Olympia Fields' role as the backdrop for the PGA Tour's Western Open on five occasions.
Olympia Fields is renowned, not only for its historical significance, but also for its remarkable clubhouse. Completed in 1925 at a cost of $1.3 million, the clubhouse is an impressive half-timbered English Tudor-style structure featuring an iconic 80-foot-high four-faced clock tower.
This tower has become synonymous with the club's identity. Olympia Fields' geographical border is marked by the Metra Electric District commuter rail line, with the Olympia Fields station situated near the clubhouse.The forthcoming BMW Championship marks a return to the origins of American golf.
Olympia Fields golf course's rich golfing history
Olympia Fields holds a distinguished title. It is the world's largest country club. When it opened the North Course in 1923, marking the introduction of its fourth 18-hole course. Willie Park Jr., a two-time British Open champion, boldly proclaimed his creation to be the equal of any golf course he had ever seen, both in beauty and natural terrain.
Olympia Fields' significance transcends its scale. Notably, it was here that Bobby Jones endured a 36-hole playoff loss to Johnny Farrell in the 1928 U.S. Open. Walter Hagen secured his second-consecutive PGA Championship victory here in 1925, while Jack Nicklaus claimed the 1968 Western Open title. Legends of the game are commemorated with plaques situated near the first tee.
The course's rich history extends to the 2003 U.S. Open, won by Jim Furyk. The USGA's mandate to add 350 yards to the parkland layout challenged even the best players, resulting in an intense competition where only four players finished under par. This legacy of formidable competition continues, as seen in the 2020 BMW Championship. This event witnessed Jon Rahm emerging victorious over Dustin Johnson in a playoff, underscoring the course's ability to test elite golfers.
In the 2023 BMW Championship, Olympia Fields' North Course is set to challenge the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings, affirming its reputation as a major championship-caliber course that will undoubtedly examine the skills of the world's best players.
