Butler National Golf Club
Encyclopedia
Butler National Golf Club is a private golf
club located in Oak Brook, Illinois
.
.
In 1972, 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 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."
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 and the sand to tour grade signature. The greens are fast, but the difficulty comes in reading the greens as they are very subtle.
Women are not allowed on the property.
Beatrice Western Open
Western Open
Intercollegiate
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
club located in Oak Brook, Illinois
Oak Brook, Illinois
Oak Brook is a village in DuPage and Cook Counties, in Illinois. The population was 8,702 at the 2000 census. A suburb of Chicago, it is the headquarters of McDonald's and Lions Clubs International.-History:...
.
History
Butler National was the creation of Paul Butler; an affluent entrepreneur, philanthropist and sportsman who was the founder of the village of Oak Brook, IllinoisOak Brook, Illinois
Oak Brook is a village in DuPage and Cook Counties, in Illinois. The population was 8,702 at the 2000 census. A suburb of Chicago, it is the headquarters of McDonald's and Lions Clubs International.-History:...
.
In 1972, renowned golf course architect George Fazio
George Fazio
George Fazio was an American professional golfer and a golf course architect.Fazio, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a respected player in the mid-twentieth century and competed in seven Masters Tournaments from 1947 to 1954...
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
Tom Fazio
Thomas Fazio, ASGCA is a golf course architect.Fazio graduated in 1962 from Lansdale Catholic High School and was inducted into its "Hall of Fame" in 2007. He began his career in golf course design with his family's firm in suburban Philadelphia, which he left in the 1960s; he established his own...
, an internationally acclaimed architect in his own right.
This club was home to the PGA Tour's Western Open
Western Open
The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
from 1974-1990.
In May 2007, Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
rated Butler 21st of "America's 100 Greatest Courses."
Course
Butler National is a relatively flat, tree-lined course, requiring solid golf shots to shoot a good score. The Fazio design is penal and rewards successful positioning and shot shaping. A right to left ball flight is preferable as there are more dog leg lefts than rights. Water hazards will frequently come into play as do the deep faced bunkers. There are approximately 40 sand bunkers.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 and the sand to tour grade signature. The greens are fast, but the difficulty comes in reading the greens as they are very subtle.
Women are not allowed on the property.
Tournaments
Centel Western Open- 1990 Wayne LeviWayne LeviWayne John Levi is an American golfer.Levi was born in Little Falls, New York and attended high school in Herkimer, New York. He enrolled at Oswego State University for two years and then the University of South Florida briefly, before turning professional in 1973.Levi went on to win 12 times on...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Beatrice Western Open
- 1989 Mark McCumberMark McCumberMark Randall McCumber is an American golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.McCumber was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He turned professional in 1974 and joined the PGA Tour in 1978. McCumber won ten times on the PGA Tour between 1979 and 1994 including the prestigious Players...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1988 Jim BenepeJim BenepeJames L. Benepe III is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Benepe was born, raised and lived most of his life in Sheridan, Wyoming. He attended Northwestern University and was a first-team All-American in 1986 as well as the 1986 Big Ten Champion...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1987 D. A. WeibringD. A. WeibringDonald Albert "D.A." Weibring, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including several on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Western Open
- 1986 Tom KiteTom KiteThomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1985 Scott VerplankScott VerplankScott Rachal Verplank is an American professional golfer.Verplank was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He was a leading member of the W.T. White High School Golf Team and a regular at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(amateur) - 1984 Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1983 Mark McCumberMark McCumberMark Randall McCumber is an American golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.McCumber was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He turned professional in 1974 and joined the PGA Tour in 1978. McCumber won ten times on the PGA Tour between 1979 and 1994 including the prestigious Players...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1982 Tom WeiskopfTom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1981 Ed FioriEd FioriEdward Ray Fiori is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.Fiori was born in Lynwood, California. As a youth, Fiori would sneak through a barbed wire fence to a nine-hole course near his Downey, California home to practice his game. He attended the...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1980 Scott SimpsonScott Simpson (golfer)Scott William Simpson is an American professional golfer.Simpson was born in San Diego, California. He attended the University of Southern California, where he was two-time medalist at the NCAA Championship . He turned professional in 1977 and graduated in 1978...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1979 Larry NelsonLarry NelsonLarry Gene Nelson is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Nelson was born in Fort Payne, Alabama and grew up in Acworth, Georgia, northwest of Atlanta...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1978 Andy BeanAndy BeanThomas Andrew Bean is an American professional golfer who previously played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1977 Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1976 Al GeibergerAl GeibergerAllen Lee Geiberger, Sr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous golf tournaments.Geiberger was born in Red Bluff, California...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1975 Hale IrwinHale IrwinHale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - 1974 Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Intercollegiate
- 1987 Mike SmallMike Small (golfer)Mike Small is an American professional golfer and college golf coach.-Amateur career:Small was born in Aurora, Illinois and grew up in Danville, Illinois. He was a four-time letter winner at Danville High School. He won the Junior Masters in 1984 and went on to play college golf at the University...
- University of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignThe University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system... - 1986 Tom Stankowski - Arizona State UniversityArizona State UniversityArizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
- 1985 Jim Sorenson - Texas Christian UniversityTexas Christian UniversityTexas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
- 1984 Trevor DoddsTrevor DoddsTrevor George Dodds is a Namibian professional golfer.Dodds was born in Windhoek, Namibia. He turned pro in 1985. He won the Canadian Tour Order of Merit in 1995 and 1996...
- Lamar UniversityLamar UniversityLamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher... - 1983 Jeff Combe - Oral Roberts UniversityOral Roberts UniversityOral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
- 1982 Jeff Combe - Oral Roberts UniversityOral Roberts UniversityOral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
- 1981 Chris PerryChris Perry (golfer)James Christopher Perry is an American professional golfer. He has featured in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings.-Amateur career:...
- Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...