THERE ARE LOADS of ways to display your awesome skills in Chicago, and there’s no reason to stick to the big four of football, basketball, hockey, and baseball.
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Columbus Park (5701 W. Jackson, 312-746-5573) on the west side are a paltry $15.50. If you want to go a full 18 holes, check out Jackson Park, another south-side course (6401 S. Richards Dr., 773-667-0524), for $25.50. None of these courses are like a country club, but then none are dog tracks either. Jackson Park, in particular, is a real steal. With a couple of holes well over 500 yards and one par three that plays at 210 yards, it’ll test the mettle of the weekend duffer. Waveland, aka Sydney R. Marovitz in Lincoln Park (3600 N. Recreation Dr., 312-742-7930), on the other hand, while appealing because it’s right on the north lakefront, is best avoided, unless a five-hour round of nine holes is your cup of tea. A better option on the north side is the nine-hole Robert A. Black course in Warren Park (2045 W. Pratt, 773-764-4045): the pace is quicker and the greens are generally better kept. If you want to practice, check out the driving ranges at Diversey Harbor (141 W. Diversey, 312-742-7929) and Jackson Park. The sixth course, at Marquette Park (6700 S. Kedzie, 312-747-2761), charges $16.25 for nine holes and also has a driving range.
Blarney Stone (3424 N. Sheffield, 773-348-1078), and Cody’s (1658 W. Barry, 773-528-4050) are all excellent places to get in a game ofcricket or 501. There’s almost never a charge to use a dartboard, and most bars will allow you to use their house darts in exchange for an ID. If you want to get good, however, consider purchasing your own darts either online or at one of the many bars that sell supplies. The Windy City Darters (windycitydarters.org) run all levels of leagues and tournaments throughout the year. There’s a $24 annual fee to join and it’s $18 for any season you want to play. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a bar to host and pay your team fees. The Windy City Open, an international dart competition that draws the best players in the world, was held here September 14-17.
