If, by the end of your round at Settler's Hill, you feel as though you've just visited several different courses, don't be confused: that's totally normal. Though it's located in the Chicagoland area near the Fox River, Settler's Hill seems to morph from one hole to the next. Its windswept highlands, for instance, elicit images of Scotland, and its mature woodlands mimic those of northern Michigan.

Quirky greens, deep bunkers, and seasonal wildflowers only add to the course's eclectic layout. So, too, do the dramatic elevation changes, and those have a story of their own: the course is actually built on the site of a former landfill, whose legacy lives on in the form of the rippling terrain. The course's clubhouse carries a bit of history, as well, as it's a renovated dairy barn that dates back to the turn of the century.