One does not have to be an aficionado of the links to fall in love with this tiny village, which was named after the game in the late 19th Century. With a population of just about 500, Golf is cherished by those desiring a small town atmosphere, homes on spacious lots, and Chicago near at hand.

The village measures just one-half square mile and is tucked between Glenview to the north and Morton Grove to the south. Settled in the 1920s around the Glen View Club, which today is the second oldest golf course in the area that is still privately operated, the Village of Golf maintains the character of its early days.

The architecture of the approximately 170 homes in Golf suggests another time and place, with 1920s-style homes set on half-acre lots. Many homes have been renovated, and custom-built homes in colonial and split-level styles have been built more recently wherever buyers found vacant lots.

The average list price of homes in Golf in 2000 was $656,250, Levkovitz said. Some large homes are priced in the upper-six figures, while smaller homes — some with three bedrooms and one and a half baths — are priced just under $400,000.

But homes are not always readily available. With a village as small as Golf, the number of homes on the market at any one time depends on the life cycle of the residents, said Leo Cronin, former village president. "There will be a dearth of homes and then suddenly several will be on the market," he said.

Rather than visiting at a community center, residents of Golf get to know their neighbors when they pick up their mail at the downtown post office. The building that houses the post office also contains the Village Hall, a euphemistic term for a smallish room that serves as boardroom, police station, village meeting hall, social club and whatever else residents need.
Another focal point in the tiny downtown is the train station, where residents can hop on the Milwaukee Road for a quick commute to the city, just 17 miles away.

Since this small enclave does not manage its own school or park districts, children from Golf attend the highly rated schools in neighboring Glenview. Residents are served by the Glenview Park District, which maintains three pools, a community center and indoor tennis courts.

Other Points of Interest

• Village Map
• Glenbrook South High School Report Card
• Schools
• Library
• Hospitals
• Places of worship