Harry Semrow Driving Range Mini Golf – Des Plaines, IL

Played July 8, 2021 & August 28, 2021

Reviewed by Mr. Tee

In an odd happenstance, I somehow played this course twice in one summer. The annual M.C. Mini Masters hosted by Mick Cullen in the Chicagoland area was scheduled for later in the summer of 2021. This tournament had traditionally been held on the final Saturday of June but as the world was beginning to open up more post-COVID vaccines, Mick set a new date for the tourney in late August. I could not make that date but had a work vacation in July where I was going to play courses in the Chicagoland area and since I knew the schedule for the 2021 M.C. Mini Masters, I made it a priority to play all the courses. This is how I got to the Harry Semrow course once. I played it and documented it but didn’t feel bad I wouldn’t be playing it in the tournament because it was in the worst shape of all the courses. Fast-forward to August and I ended up being able to make the trip down to the M.C. Mini Masters and it was the 2nd course we played of the day. I shared my round in August with Aaron Kaminski of O-Street Mini Golf, Mick’s son Eli, and his friend. I remember it being hot and that the scores were VERY high on that course.

Rating

Woof! This course has seen much better days. The turf is threadbare and the cups are in bad shape. I did like that some of the holes offered multiple cup placements but I was confused by them given there was no explanation of how you would play with them. For the M.C. Mini Masters, we were allowed whichever hole we preferred. I think this was in part due to how poorly the course played. I’m not 100% certain but this course felt like it was built by the Harris Miniature Golf company. Traditional green synthetic turf and widely spaced red bricks coupled with minimal obstacles, pipes, and slight variations in the turf as “hazards” are a hallmark of Harris built courses. These types of courses play fairly for competition when they are in good condition but when they are worn down and beat up, they make for an unexceptional mini golf experience. I could see this course playing fairly well with new turf and cups alone. Hope that happens someday. Otherwise, I couldn’t imagine what would compel me to play this course again.

The flowers with the signage are a nice touch

The M.C. Mini Masters crew gets ready to compete

Wacky rule for the course required folks to start and finish this hole with one of these odd “balls”

Aaron’s trying to get the ball over near Eli and the cup

Hmmm, this course is looking like a bogey

You’re get a better sense of the condition of the turf. It’s speedy to say the least.

This turf is WELL beyond its useful life and this cup was sticking up a little too

Aaron carefully trying to get the ball in the cup

The condition of the turf matched with this volcano make this a hard hole not to stroke out on

The shoot-through rock on this hole makes no sense. Likely moved by mistake.

So many paths to the pipes with none of them leading to possible aces

Ben made the odd decision to play his shot from OB

Harry Semrow Website

1150 E Golf Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Comments

Worn out turf
Several chipped and beat-up cups
Lots of debris throughout the course
Not worth playing until they get new turf
Could be a decent competitive course if it was given a little love
Either a Harris built course or very similar layout
Not wheelchair accessible

Nerdy Notes

18 holes, Par 48
Open 8am to 10pm during the summer months
Other amenities include 73 open air stalls and a grass tee practice area. Lessons are available as well.