Butler National Golf Club

Infobox_Golf_Facility
golf_facility_name = Butler National Golf Club


location = Oak Brook, Illinois,
United States flagicon|USA
establishment = 1973
type = private
holes = 18
tournaments = Western Open
1974-1990
course1 = Course
par1 = 71
length1 = 7,523 yards
rating1 = 78.1
slope1 = 152
designer1 = George Fazio

Butler National Golf Club is a prestigious private golf club located in Oak Brook, Illinois.

History

Butler National was the creation of Paul Butler; the affluent entrepreneur, philanthropist and sportsman who was the founder of the village of Oak Brook, Illinois.

In 1973, renowned golf course architect George Fazio designed Butler on what was previously York Country Club. It was built and seeded in the relatively short span of two years, and the construction was completed under the supervision of Fazio's nephew Tom Fazio, an internationally acclaimed architect in his own right.

This men-only club was home to the PGA Tour's Western Open from 1974-1990.

In May 2007, Golf Digest rated Butler 21st of "America's 100 Greatest Courses."

Course

Butler National is a relatively flat, tree-lined course loaded with magnificent scenery. Water hazards come into play once every three holes, and there are sand bunkers spread throughout the entire course.

The Butler (back) tees play 7,523 yards, with a course rating of 78.1 and slope rating of 152.

In the fall of 2004, all of the greens were converted to an A-1 Bent grass.
----From the 1988 Western Open Program:

1st Hole, 375-yard, par-4
"A hole that demands accuracy yet can be classified as a birdie hole." - Bruce Lietzke

2nd Hole, 563-yard, par-5
"A reaachable par-5 with a 4-wood or 2-iron if you can negotiate the fairway bunker on the right off the tee." - George Burns

3rd Hole, 433-yard, par-4
"Driving in the fairway sets up a medium to short iron to a well-bunkered green ... a very good setting for a second shot." - Lanny Wadkins

4th Hole, 411-yard, par-4
"You have to cut the driver off the tee and club selection is important on your second shot because of small, well-guarded green." - Curtis Strange

5th Hole, 227-yard, par-3
"The most demanding par-3 on the golf course ... take a three and pick up a stroke on the field." - Dan Pohl

6th Hole, 474-yard, par-4
"A very good par-4 and one of the tighter driving holes. Front right pin position is tricky because of big grass bunker in front." - Jerry Pate

7th Hole, 623-yard, par-5
"An almost horseshoe-shaped hole that requires three very well placed shots ... a legitimate three shot par-5." - Bill Rogers

8th Hole, 214-yard, par-3
"Probably the best hole on the golf course, a beautiful little par-3 across Salt Creek ... some excellent pin positions, back right being the best." - Tom Kite

9th Hole, 461-yard, par-4
"A hole where nothing's contrived and you can see everything before you. It's a key hole where I would love to take four pars and not play it anymore." - Ben Crenshaw

10th Hole, 450-yard, par-4
"A critical par-4 ... usually an iron off the tee. Using a driver is a very big gamble, but it can leave a wedge to the green." - Andy Bean

11th Hole, 193-yard, par-3
"Probably the most strategic bunkering at Butler National and the water on the left leaves no 'bail-out' positions." - Gary Hallberg

12th Hole, 492-yard, par-4
"Proper drive is to the right side for an open shot to the green." - Scott Simpson

13th Hole, 199-yard, par-3
"A very difficult par-3. Wind conditions and pin position play a big factor. The wrong club or a shot the wind carries and you're wet." - Bobby Clampett

14th Hole, 430-yard, par-4
"A placement/distance hole where you set up your second shot from the tee. It's an ultra critical hole that carries the possibility of disaster." - Hale Irwin

15th Hole, 638-yard, par-5
"The key here is a drive played down the right side and second shot placed at bottom of the hill leading to the green, which is a very difficult one to read." - Al Geiberger

16th Hole, 390-yard, par-4
"A great hole that doesn't overpower you with sheer length ... requires almost all finesse. Past the hole or off the green presents a tough up and down for par." - Hubert Green

17th Hole, 466-yard, par-4
"Tee shot as close to the left bunker as possible; 2nd shot has to be on the same level of the green as pin. Well-bunkered green is one of the fastest on Butler." - Larry Nelson

18th Hole, 484-yard, par-4
"One of the toughest finishing holes anywhere in the world. It demands an accurate drive and even more accurate second shot." - Tom Watson

Tournaments

Centel Western Open
*1990 Wayne Levi - United States

Beatrice Western Open
*1989 Mark McCumber - United States
*1988 Jim Benepe - United States
*1987 D. A. Weibring - United States

Western Open
*1986 Tom Kite - United States
*1985 Scott Verplank - United States (amateur)
*1984 Tom Watson - United States
*1983 Mark McCumber - United States
*1982 Tom Weiskopf - United States
*1981 Ed Fiori - United States
*1980 Scott Simpson - United States
*1979 Larry Nelson - United States
*1978 Andy Bean - United States
*1977 Tom Watson - United States
*1976 Al Geiberger - United States
*1975 Hale Irwin - United States
*1974 Tom Watson - United States

Intercollegiate
*1987 Mike Small - University of Illinois
*1986 Tom Stankowski - Arizona State
*1985 Jim Sorenson - Texas Christian
*1984 Trevor Dodds - Lamar
*1983 Jeff Combe - Oral Roberts
*1982 Jeff Combe - Oral Roberts
*1981 Chris Perry - Ohio State

External links

* [http://www.golfdigest.com/images/rankings/gd200705100greatest.pdf Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses in America]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4SUNA_enUS234US235&q=Butler+National+Golf+Course&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl Aerial view] on Google Maps