By Jim Zuccarelli

6th Hole Cog HillCog Hill Golf & Country Club, the 72 hole public golf facility in southwest suburban Lemont, recently unveiled their greens fee schedule for  the 2014 season, and new for this year is a twilight rate on the #4 course, the iconic Dubsdread.  Beginning at 4 pm each day, a round can be played for $100 (including cart and range access), a 35% discount from the normal rate of $155.

“It was my daughter’s idea” stated owner Frank Jemsek, referring to Cog Hill President Katherine, “and we wanted to give golfers who might not be able to afford the regular rate an opportunity to experience the #4 course.” In the height of the summer (mid-June to mid-July), the first few twilight times have a good chance of completing the round, so as many as 500 additional golfers can play 18 holes on a course that has held 20 PGA tour events and have some extra dollars left for a drink afterwards.

18th Hole Cog HillThe green fees have remained the same on the other 3 courses from last year, with a mid-day (1 pm) weekend rate carried over from the previous year on courses 1 & 3 offering a $6 drop from the $45 walk / $61 ride morning rate.  Cog Hill has traditionally shunned coupons and tee time discounters that are commonly used by many courses to lure golfers, but the reasonable 3 pm fees ($29.50/35 weekdays / weekends on 1 & 3, $40.50/$42.50 on the Ravines course, less $10 for walkers), coupled with consistently excellent conditions, provides the type of value that brings golfers back to Cog Hill on a regular basis.

But it’s the twilight rate on Dubsdread  that has my attention (there’s also a reduced Juniors rate of $100 / $80 after 4 pm for golfers under 18), and with a 90 day in advance booking policy for foursomes, I’ll be picking up the phone in late March to secure a mid-summer spot at one of the premier public courses in America.