Idlewild Country Club

What Idlewild Country Club does

Idlewild Country Club is a privately held, member-owned private country club located at 19201 Dixie Highway in Flossmoor, Illinois, approximately 25 miles south of Chicago. Founded in 1908 by Fred Newman alongside founding members including Julius Rosenwald and Albert Loeb, the club has operated continuously for over a century. Its core asset is an 18-hole, par-72 championship parkland golf course originally laid out by Al Naylor and enhanced by William Langford, with playing distances ranging from 5,400 to 6,750 yards and a 2021 state-of-the-art irrigation system. Surrounding amenities include a driving range, short-game practice area, a fully stocked pro shop, a seasonal swimming pool with dining deck, two pickleball courts added in 2020, and a century-old caddie program.

The club generates revenue primarily through private membership dues (golf and social), supplemented by food and beverage operations across a dining room, lounge, patio, and poolside service, and a wedding and banquet venue business that accommodates 50-350 guests without requiring membership. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective members are directed through website inquiry forms and reciprocal-club introductions, while weddings are also marketed via The Knot marketplace. As of 2021 the club reported over 400 golf and social members. A reciprocal partnership with the Union League Club of Chicago extends member benefits to downtown Chicago. The club operates a robust year-round social calendar (Lobster Night, holiday brunches, fireworks, themed dinners) alongside men's, women's, and junior tournament programming, and has historically absorbed members from neighboring clubs during regional contractions (Woodmar 2005, Ravisloe 2009, Calumet 2019). The club has no disclosed parent company, no institutional investors, and no subsidiaries.

Name

Idlewild Country Club

Legal name

Idlewild Country Club

Website

https://idlewildcc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Idlewild Country Club is a privately held, member-owned private country club in Flossmoor, Illinois (south of Chicago), operating since 1908 and serving over 400 golf and social members with an 18-hole championship course, dining, recreation, and a wedding and event venue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Country Club & Golf Club Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Private country club
• Championship golf course
• Country club membership
• Wedding event venue
• Golf and recreation club

Headquarters

HQ city

Flossmoor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The primary revenue driver is private membership dues from golf and social members. The club operates as a private facility, with membership required to access core amenities. Revenue is recurring in nature, billed on a periodic basis.
2. Food and Beverage: Dining room, lounge, patio, and seasonal poolside food and beverage service generates ancillary revenue from members and their guests. The club is renowned for having 'the best food in the south suburbs.'
3. Event Hosting (Weddings & Banquets): The club hosts weddings, receptions, and special events. Membership is not required to host events, making the venue accessible to external clients. Events accommodate 50-350 guests with custom menus and planning services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Idlewild Country Club is a private member-owned country club offering access to a championship 18-hole, par-72 golf course built in 1908, along with golf instruction, a Pro Shop, dining, swimming, pickleball, a tournament and social events calendar, and a historic caddie program. The club also operates as a premier wedding and event venue accommodating 50-350 guests, with custom event planning and on-site catering. Membership (golf or social) is required for core club amenities, but event hosting is open to non-members.

Product overview

Idlewild Country Club is a private country club offering a unified portfolio of recreational and hospitality services centered around its championship 18-hole golf course. The core offering includes championship golf (18-hole, par 72 course built in 1908), golf instruction and Pro Shop services, a historic caddie program, swimming facilities with pool, pickleball courts, and comprehensive dining services. The club also operates as a premier wedding and event venue with custom planning and catering capabilities. A robust social events calendar and tournament program (including junior golf) round out the member experience. The club's product portfolio functions as a single integrated country club offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Championship Golf Course An 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course built in 1908, featuring playing distances from 5,400 to 6,750 yards across gently rolling parkland terrain enhanced by Butterfield Creek. Available to club members and their guests.
• Golf Instruction Professional golf lessons and instruction for every skill level from the experienced golf staff, including individual instruction, group lessons, and youth golf development.
• Pro Shop A fully stocked pro shop offering golf equipment, personalized service, sponsored demo days, and professional tournament planning services.
• Caddie Program A century-old caddie program offering young individuals opportunities to develop life skills, work ethic, and mentorship, with structured training to build Evans Scholar-type caddies.
• Swimming Facilities Seasonal outdoor swimming pool with dining deck and kiddie pool, available for family recreation.
• Pickleball Courts Two dedicated pickleball courts installed in 2020 for member recreational play.
• Dining Services Indoor and outdoor dining options including a dining room, lounge, and outdoor patio with fire pit, plus seasonal poolside food and beverage service.
• Wedding and Event Hosting Premier wedding reception and special event venue accommodating 50-350 guests, featuring cathedral ceilings, expansive windows, custom event planning, and on-site executive chef services. Membership is not required to host events.
• Social Events Program Year-round social and family events calendar including Valentine's Day Dinner, Easter Brunch, Mother's Day Brunch, Father's Day Dinner, Lobster Night, holiday BBQs, Fireworks Night, Halloween Family Fright Night, Wine Tasting, Holiday Luncheon, Holiday Dinner, and Pre-New Year's Eve Party.
• Tournament Program Dynamic tournament program featuring Men's and Women's Flighted Club Championships, Sox vs. Cubs Davis Cup, 2-Man Member-Member, 2-Man Member-Guest, Gold Putter Calcutta, Men's Invitational, and CDGA Southern District interclub matches.
• Junior Golf Program Junior program designed to introduce young players to the game and club life, fostering next-generation golfers.
• Private Membership (Golf & Social) Private membership access (Golf and Social tiers) granting entry to core club amenities, with reciprocal access to the Union League Club of Chicago. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective members must contact the club directly.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Union League Club of ChicagocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAs a reciprocal club arrangement, Idlewild Country Club members gain access to the Union League Club of Chicago, one of Chicago's premier private city clubs. The ULC offers downtown networking facilities, multiple dining options, fitness facilities, hotel rooms, events, meetings, exhibitions, and one of the Midwest's most significant private collections of American art. This partnership enhances Idlewild's value proposition for prospective members seeking a club with both suburban and downtown access.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Exmoor Country Club: A private country club in Highland Park, Illinois, offering golf, dining, and family recreation to affluent North Shore Chicago families. Comparable as a private Illinois country club with a similar member-oriented product portfolio.
• Olympia Fields Country Club: A nearby private country club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, just minutes from Idlewild. It is comparable as a Chicago Southland private country club competing for the same affluent members and historically interacted with Idlewild (e.g., 60+ Idlewild members marshaled the 2003 US Open held at Olympia Fields).
• Butler National Golf Club: A private golf club in Oak Brook, Illinois, serving affluent Chicago-area golfers with championship-level facilities. Comparable as a high-end private Chicago-area golf club competing for premium membership dollars.
• Ravisloe Country Club: A historic private country club in Homewood, Illinois (adjacent to Flossmoor). Comparable as a Chicago Southland private club; notably, 50+ of its members joined Idlewild in 2009, indicating direct competitive overlap in member base.
• Calumet Country Club: A private country club in Homewood, Illinois, serving the same Chicago Southland market. Comparable private club offering; notably, its talented golfers joined Idlewild in 2019, evidencing direct competition for the same member demographic.
• Medinah Country Club: A prestigious private country club in the western Chicago suburbs offering 18-hole championship golf, dining, and event hosting. Comparable as a private member-owned Illinois country club competing for affluent Chicago-area families seeking premium golf and event experiences.
• Chicago Golf Club: One of the most prestigious private golf clubs in the United States, located in Wheaton, Illinois. Comparable as a private Chicago-area club of historical pedigree (founded 1895) competing for top-tier golf enthusiasts and aspirational members.
• Flossmoor Country Club: A neighboring country club in Flossmoor, Illinois (Idlewild's own hometown). Direct competitor for the same South Suburbs affluent member base and a same-geography private club offering golf and family amenities.

Broad incumbents

• Union League Club of Chicago: A premier private city club in downtown Chicago that is Idlewild's reciprocal club partner. Comparable as a private member-owned club offering dining, lodging, events, and amenities — though its primary identity is as a downtown city club rather than a golf facility.

Regional players

• Briarwood Country Club: A private country club in Deerfield, Illinois (Chicago North Shore). Comparable as a private member country club offering golf, dining, and event hosting for affluent Chicago-area families, though operating in a different sub-market than Idlewild.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IdlewildCountryClub
• Instagraminstagram.com/idlewildcountryclub
• Xx.com/idlewildcc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/idlewild-country-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Idlewild Country Club