Knollwood Club – Membership Cost and Fees

Knollwood Club is an exclusive private club, and current initiation fees and annual dues are not publicly disclosed. Estimated initiation fees range from approximately $75,000 to $150,000, depending on membership category and availability. Annual dues are estimated around $10,000 to $15,000, although actual charges may differ substantially. Membership generally requires sponsorship and approval through the club’s private admissions process. Full golf members typically receive playing privileges without paying standard daily green fees. Additional expenses may include assessments, food minimums, locker charges, caddie fees, and other member services.

Guest green fees are unpublished, although older estimates placed golf charges around $107 to $117 per round. Current guest fees could be higher and generally require playing with or through a sponsoring member. Golf carts are available, but the club does not publicly publish current cart fees. Walking is encouraged, and club policy requests using caddies whenever they are available. Caddie charges are paid directly to caddies and can increase the overall cost of each round. Prospective members should contact Knollwood directly for current initiation, dues, assessment, guest, cart, and caddie charges.

Knollwood Club Facilities

Knollwood Club provides an extensive private-club campus centered around its championship 18-hole golf course. Golf facilities include a driving range, putting green, practice areas, golf shop, professional instruction, carts, and caddie services. The clubhouse provides dining, beverage service, locker facilities, social spaces, and accommodations for private member events. Racquet facilities support tennis and other organized activities with professional instruction and member programming. Members also enjoy a swimming pool offering seasonal recreation, instruction, and family-oriented activities. Social programming, dining, golf tournaments, and recreational activities create a traditional family country-club experience.

The club occupies more than 200 acres of rolling property in Lake Forest on Chicago’s prestigious North Shore. Lake Forest features wooded residential neighborhoods, historic estates, parks, shopping districts, excellent schools, and extensive Lake Michigan shoreline. Nearby communities include Lake Bluff, Highland Park, Deerfield, Libertyville, and Northbrook. Knollwood’s grounds provide a secluded setting despite convenient access to major North Shore transportation routes. Mature trees, rolling terrain, and expansive fairways give the property a spacious countryside character. The surrounding community ranks among the Chicago area’s most established and affluent suburban residential markets.

Knollwood Club Golf Course

Knollwood features a private 18-hole parkland course designed by renowned British architects Harry Colt and C.H. Alison. Built in 1924, the course prominently reflects Alison’s bold bunkering, strategic angles, and large-scale Golden Age architecture. Bentgrass greens and fairways provide traditional playing surfaces maintained to high private-club standards. Current back tees measure 7,094 yards, playing to par 72 with a 74.5 rating and 138 slope. Approximately 61 to 70 bunkers are reported, while several holes incorporate water hazards and natural drainage features. Excellent conditioning, strategic bunkering, broad fairways, and demanding green complexes characterize the playing experience.

The long par-four eleventh and demanding par-three holes showcase Alison’s strategic bunkering and dramatic architectural style. Knollwood’s signature holes reward thoughtful positioning rather than simply favoring maximum driving distance. Water influences selected holes, although an authoritative current count of water holes is not publicly published. The club has a longstanding relationship with the USGA, Western Golf Association, and important amateur golf competitions. Knollwood hosted the 1956 U.S. Amateur, won by Harvie Ward during his second consecutive championship victory. Its championship history and Alison architecture establish Knollwood among the Chicago area’s historically significant private courses.

Knollwood Club Address

1890 Knollwood Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 234-1600