The State's Best Prepare to Tee Off in the 80th Illinois Women’s Amateur

As the weather begins to heat up, so is the amateur tournament scene in Chicagoland.

Among the most prominent events on the docket is the 80th Illinois Women’s Amateur Golf Championship, which will take place June 25–28 at Cantigny Golf in Wheaton. Organized by the venerable Illinois Women’s Golf Association, which has been around since 1933, the Illinois Women’s Amateur attracts some of the best talent from around the state, both young and old.

“It’s a joy to help promote golf for women in Illinois,” said Barb Haberer, this year’s tournament chair. “We really do enjoy helping women grow with the game of golf. This gives them a venue to come and participate in the game.”

Only the best, however, make it into the Illinois Women’s Amateur, which will have a field of 80 this year. To qualify for the tournament, a player must have a USGA handicap index of 28.0 or under, and Haberer says that many of the participants have single-digit handicaps. “These are really good golfers,” she said.

And they play in a format that only adds to the intrigue. After a first round of stroke play, the tournament turns to match play for the final three rounds. “It’s something we’ve had a lot of positive comments about because a lot of tournaments are stroke play only,” Haberer said. “We think it gives the golfers a good experience.”

Last year, when the tournament took place at Ravisloe Country Club in Homewood, Elizabeth Szokol of Winnetka had a particularly good experience, holding off Flossmoor’s Michelle Mayer to capture her first state amateur championship. Szokol, who just finished her freshman year at Northwestern, will be back to defend her title.

The site, however, will be Cantigny, as the tournament switches locales each year in order to attract players from all over the state. The competitors will play on Cantigny’s Woodside and Lakeside courses.

“With Cantigny hosting it this year, we’re pulling in more people because of its central location and the facility itself,” Haberer said. “The golf course is in excellent shape, and it’s also a challenging course. They’ve done a lot there to make golf a priority, but you can’t help but notice the surrounding landscape. It’s a beautiful wildlife sanctuary. It’s really very pretty.”

Given quality of the players and the picturesque backdrop, Haberer urges spectators to come out and enjoy the tournament. 

“It’s exciting to watch these ladies,” she said. “And you’re helping to make it an even more positive experience for the golfers. There are always some spectators on hand for the last day of the tournament.”

And if you really want to get your fill of quality amateur golf in Chicagoland, you can also check out the 94th Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) Amateur Championship, which takes place June 24–27 at Edgewood Valley Country Club in LaGrange. To be eligible for the tournament, a player must have a CDGA handicap index of 5.4 or under, so this, too, will feature topnotch talent. It’s yet another example of why Chicagoland is one of the nation’s most vibrant locales for amateur golf.