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 The great Midwestern city of Chicago is home to a dedicated sports fan base knowledgeable in all seasons, including the long suffering North Siders who patiently wait for a late fall celebration to errupt on Waveland Avenue. It's also a beacon for social and cultural change, widely regarded as a hub of political activism and activity.
In the sports arena, the World Series drought of the beloved Cubs reached the cenutry mark as the boys in blue captured the Central division creating a glimmer of optimism, but again stumbled to the shagrin of their supporters still clouded by the Bartman hangover. However, the chance still exists that the eyes of the world will be simulataneously cast upon the Windy City. Chicago has been chosen as one of the final four candidates to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, and they only American city still in the running.
Regardless of the outcome of Chicago's Olympic bid, the city has secured at least one prominent international sporting event in the coming years. In 2012, Medinah Country Club will host the 39th Ryder Cup competition between golfers representing the United States and Europe.
The biennial event will only add to the rich and voluminous history of golf in a city that has hosted 13 men's U.S. Open championships and four PGA championships, more than any other major metropolitan area. That heritage, combined with a the recent build-up of upscale daily-fee courses, iconic private clubs like Medinah and Olympia Fields and population well versed in the games rules and traditions, propelled Chicago to the top of the list in Forbe's Travelers list of America's Best Golf Cities.
"It starts with the concentration of course," Paul Rogers, senior editor at Travel & Leisure Golf told Forbes. "Great golf cities have at least several good public courses along with private clubs that have history and some kind of golfing soul."
Leading the list of best Chicago courses you can play is the Dubsdread Course at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, which will again host the BMW Championship (formerly the Western Open) in September 2009. Camilo Villegas will return to defend his title, and will most likely have to contend with Tiger Woods, whose enjoyed fantastic success at Cog Hill throughout his career.
The Western Open, which was the third oldest active PGA Tour tournament at the time of its playing in 2006, was hosted by Cog Hill from 1991 to 2006.
"I love this golf course," said Woods, four-time winner of the Western Open/BMW Championship. "It's always fit my eye. Certian golf courses you say fit your eye, well this is one of them for me."
The Dubsdread Course at Cog Hill was ranked as Illinois' No. 1 golf course in Golfweek's "Best Course You Can Play" ratings. It was also listed as No. 29 by Golf Digest in the publication's "100 Greatest Public Golf Courses" rankings.
 Chicago is also home to an array of quality municipal layouts which preserve the city's blue collar mentality while celebrating its traditions. Noted municipal tracks include Bolingbrook Golf Club, historic Jackson Park, designed by Tom Bendelow, and Sydney R. Morovitz course near Wrigley Field.
According to Phil Kosin, publisher of Chicagoland Golf, the city's upscale public courses feature "conditions that are better than most private clubs." A few notable daily-fee courses are The Links at Carillon, the two courses at Harborside International, Klein Creek Golf Club, Blackhawk Trace at Indian Lakes Resort, Fox Bend Golf Course and Oak Grove Golf Course. For a complete list of the best places to play in the Chicagoland area, please click here .
Finally, Chicago features a few of the country's most notable exclusive golf clubs including the previously mentioned Medinah Country Club, three-time host of the men's U.S. Open, Butler National Golf Club, former annual home of the Western Open and Olympia Fields, the most recent Chicago area club to host the U.S. Open (2003). Olympia Fields, whose first president was legendary football coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, was the first Chicago golf club to host a professional golf major when it welcomed the 1925 PGA Championship, won by Walter Hagen.
 Chicago's links have been visited by the famous and the infamous, including Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka, Mr. Cub Ernie Banks, current President Barack Obama and the Tiger Woods of mobsters, Al Capone, who is known to have frequented the Burnham Woods Golf Course.
In addition to his unprecedented success at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Woods made quite an impression on the membership at Medinah. In winning the 1999 and 2006 PGA Championships at the club, Woods earned an invitation to become a member.
The other contenders for America's Best Golf City according to Forbes Traveler were in descending order, Scottsdale/Phoenix (No. 2), San Francisco, Charleston, S.C., Myrtle Beach, Atlantic City, San Antonio, Denver, Orlando and Las Vegas.
For the latest Chicago golf news, course features and golf deals, please visit chicago.golfersguide.com.
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