The Club at Wynstone
North Barrington, Lake County, Illinois · Chicago North Shore golf market
- Access
- non equity
- Holes
- 18
- Architect(s)
- Jack Nicklaus
- Gated
- Yes
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Wynstone occupies the former country estate of Chicago philanthropist W. Clement Stone in North Barrington, and since 1989 has paired a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course with one of the Midwest's most recognized gated residential addresses. The 750-acre community sits behind 24-hour guarded gates and holds 437 homesites -- estate homes, village and country homes, and a smaller Golf Villas product -- built out over more than three decades. The Club at Wynstone itself has an unusual ownership structure for a club of its caliber: in 2017, a group of nine resident families purchased the club outright, converting it from a traditional member-equity club to a privately-owned one. That structure lets the club guarantee no special assessments and no minimum spending requirement for its capped 250 members, but it also means membership is a distinct, separately negotiated relationship with the ownership group rather than something a home purchase confers. For a golf-oriented buyer, Wynstone is best understood as two related but legally separate products: the gated residential community (governed by its own Property Owners' Association, with a published 2026 annual fee of $6,555.52 plus metered water charges) and The Club at Wynstone (a private, capped-membership golf and lifestyle club whose current availability and terms must be confirmed directly with its ownership group).
Golf & Course
The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus across the rolling hills, wetlands, and mature oak stands of the former Stone estate, and remains the community's defining physical and social landmark. Course-specific architectural detail beyond the Nicklaus credit (routing changes, notable holes, rankings) was not found in sources reviewed this session.
Membership & Access
Does buying a home here include club membership?
Homeownership in Wynstone does not include or guarantee club membership. The community's own website is explicit that membership is separate from homeownership and not required of residents; club materials also state there is no initiation fee and no disclosed assessments under the current ownership-family structure, but membership remains capped at 250 and is administered by the ownership group rather than granted automatically to homebuyers. A buyer whose primary goal is guaranteed golf access should apply directly to the club and confirm current membership availability before assuming a Wynstone address secures it.
Living in The Club at Wynstone
Wynstone is governed by its own Property Owners' Association, distinct from the club. All 437 homesites pay a mandatory annual POA fee (published at $6,555.52 for 2026, billed quarterly) plus metered water charges, and some sub-sections carry additional sub-association fees. The community is guard-gated around the clock, giving it a genuinely different security/privacy profile than an ordinary subdivision, independent of whether a given homeowner also belongs to the club.
Lifestyle & Amenities
Club amenities available to members include the Nicklaus golf course, tennis and pickleball facilities, a pool, and dining -- but these are club benefits, not community-wide amenities, since membership is separate from homeownership.
Location & Surrounding Area
North Barrington sits in Lake County roughly 40 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, in the Barrington-area cluster of large-lot, low-density villages.
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What Buyers Should Verify
- Confirm current club membership availability, application process, and any current dues directly with The Club at Wynstone -- neither an initiation fee nor an annual dues figure is published.
- Confirm the current Wynstone Property Owners' Association fee and any sub-association fees directly with the POA before purchase; figures change year to year.
- Do not assume Golf Villas or any other Wynstone housing product includes club membership -- the separation applies community-wide.
Notable
- Wynstone sits on the former country estate of Chicago philanthropist and Napoleon Hill collaborator W. Clement Stone.
- In 2017, nine resident families purchased The Club at Wynstone outright, converting it from an equity club to a privately-owned club with no initiation fee and a 250-member cap.
- The Wynstone Property Owners' Association, not the golf club, sets the mandatory homeowner fee ($6,555.52/year as of the published 2026 schedule).
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Considering a Move to The Club at Wynstone?
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US Golf Living provides independent real-estate research and can connect consumers with real-estate professionals. Golf membership, availability, fees and approval are determined independently by the applicable club.