Gateway National

Madison, Illinois

Rankings

Address18 Golf Dr #1677, Madison, IL 62060, USA

St. Louis, Missouri rightly takes most of the credit for the Gateway Arch, which sits within its area code. That said, the southern portion of Illinois offers some of the best views of the monument. Accordingly, much like Liberty National in New Jersey, Gateway National Golf Links is actually located in a separate state than its namesake.

Keith Foster has created mock links courses in the Chicago area, and was tapped for his talents on the opposite end of the state. Although there are a number of links-style pots, some of the more eye-catching sand hazards are Ross-style cross hazards, which either jut dramatically into the fairway — as is the case on holes Nos. 13 and 15 — or completely cross the fairway, providing a risk-reward for par fives such as No. 6.

Native marshland provides a more parkland touch to the links aesthetics, providing a number of forced carries across watery graves. It’s all enough to make some St. Louis residents come across the state line for what may be the best public golf course in the metropolitan area.