2024. Prices and selections may vary and are updated frequently.
The Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest, Illinois certainly has this unmistakable old-school, old-money feel. That’s not surprising considering that it was established way back in 1895, with a membership list that included just about all the famous financiers and industrialists of Chicago at the time.
It was founded with golf as the main event, and the members kept adding and upgrading the golf facilities. By 1899, the course hosted the US Amateur, and then the US Open in 1906. They also included other activities aside from golf, which was why they changed the name from Lake Forest Golf Club to Onwentsia Club.
The current clubhouse was designed by an architect from New York, who was chosen for the sake of diplomacy. That was because the membership included too many architects, and choosing just one of them would have offended all the rest. The clubhouse was completed in 1928, and the current clubhouse still retains those dark wood and floral fabrics.
Membership here is rather old-school as well. You will need 8 to 10 current members to sponsor your application, so you better have many friends as members in the first place before you even think you can join in.
After that, the membership committee will look over your history, and you won’t be allowed in if you have any sort of scandal in your history. You better Google yourself and check for any sort of negative public information, and you may want to refrain from posting embarrassing pictures through social media.
With this old-school vibe, it’s not surprising that the club doesn’t publicize much of anything. That’s certainly true of their initiation rates and annual dues. The prevalent attitude of the members is that everything about the club is private business.
That’s why even their website doesn’t boast of their amenities and special features. Most of the information is about the rules that guests should follow. The use of mobile devices isn’t allowed except for special “phone booth” areas or inside your car. There’s no smoking here, and no tipping either. The dress code is quite strict as well.