The 116th U.S. Open at Oakmont starts today, follow it all week long on the Golf Channel and Fox Sports. Details and updates of the U.S. Open on USGA.org. Once the final putt falls at Oakmont, Erin Hills home of the 2017 U.S. Open will be on the clock.    _____________________________________________________________________

Rory Spears (L) with USGA Executive Director Mike Davis (M) and Big 3 Partner Tim Cronin (R). The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content, Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

It should be a special week. When the United States Golf Association (USGA) brings the U.S. Open Championship to a true and tested venue like Oakmont, there is usually another great chapter of golf history that is waiting to be written.

I would that very thing to happen again this week.

I don’t care how long they hit it these days, or the fact that these guys are good. I don’t see another 63 at Oakmont this week, based on the reports I keep hearing and defending champion Jordan Spieths comments made at media day.

The famed Oakmont Church Pews

Plain and simple, Oakmont has never been easy and never will be.I’m not sure if thats the Pitsburgh way, but those greens are the fastest greens I have played. I have plenty of PGA Tour courses and PGA Championship courses and other courses after they have held tournaments. Nothing compares to Oakmont period. While the pro’s are different than the 9 handicap I was when I played Oakmont, those greens are just crazy fast. Of course the joke among the membership is that, they will slow down the greens to so the professionals don’t get embarassed.

Actually they would have to, because the USGA would have a nightmare getting the players in every day before dark if they didn’t.

I played Oakmont on an 82 degree day in October, right after the event called the “Fall Swat” was played. The greens were running at 15 on the stimp. This was in 2007 right after the last U.S. Open had left town. The first putt I hit on the putting green might not have stopped yet. The first six greens I could not get the ball to the hole because I was afraid to hit it. The next six holes I got brave and ran everything past, the last six holes I finally locked in. I made three hard earned pars and was happy with my 89 on the par 71 golf course. I hiked across the bridge that runs over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, it is a really neat experience.

I made par on the 9th hole, where the back of the green runs right into the putting green. There is not better way to put it than there is a trench that run’s through the 9th green. The par 5 9th is not a super hard hole, but when I landed on the green in 4 shots, I found myself in the trench. I putted up and out of the trench and the ball went 25 feet and right into the cup for par. I got a nice ovation from several members on the putting green who were watching.

Nice long putts made by the professionals should get a great ovation this week as well. If Mike Davis and his team wish to set up the golf course so that nobody breaks par, they can do that. The players this week need to avoid the church pews, that I didn’t during my round. But I still made bogey from there. The players this week can make plenty of bogeys without hitting it there.

So who wins. My pick on the air this morning is Rory McIlroy. But my sentimental pick is Phil Mickelson who with a win, will complete the career Grand Slam. But it would not suprise me that someone that most people don’t pick, actually wins. Yes the winner will have to be hot with the putter. Jim Furyk who is from Pennsylvania will go all out to win this championship. Whether his surgically repaired wrist allows him to do that is another story.

Oakmont is a course where the fariways just run and run, and that’s when the USGA is not in town. Do expect to see Fox tell you about long drives that week, that seem much further than you ever believed was possible. It’s okay, it’s Oakmont and it’s U.S. Open conditions.

If you can do yourself a favor come Thursday or Friday. Find a way to sit in front of your TV and just enjoy the golf, you will see some interesting play as the round goes on. The U.S. Open brings out some of the best and worst golf you will see played on Tv all year. Dont miss it, and then head to your course and appreciate the fact your geens are not at 13-14 or 15. Leave that for the Oakmont members to play every week.

If you haven’t played yet this year, hopefully this inspires you to do so. GO Play.

    The Web.com Tour plays it’s fourth and final round of the Rust Oleum Championship today at the Ivanhoe Club in Mundelein. Josh Teater leads the field by three shots.          _____________________________________________________________________

Golfers on Golf Radio is, standing L-R Mike Munro and Ed Stevenson. Seated L-R Rory Spears and Bill Berger.

Golfers on Golf Radio is about to complete the front nine of the 2016 golf show season. 9 Am on AM 1240 WSBC Chicago.

Chicago’s Favorite Foursome of Mike Munro, Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears, is ready for week #9.

Joining us this week first on the tee is WGN’s Rich King, who will retire in the week ahead, after 40+ years of Chicago sports and over 40 years of covering Western Open’s and other  golf championships in this town.

JIM RICHERSON Director of Golf for Kohler Company in of course Kohler Wisconsin, joins us to discuss the entire resort from the American Club, to the 4 Pete Dye designed golf courses in Kohler and Haven Wisconsin, where golf is booming. For more information or to plan your next Kohler Getaway, see Destinationkohler.com.

Harbor Shores keeps on evolving

Today Sunday from Noon-3PM is an open house at 533 Emerald Court in Benton Harbor Michigan.

As the new Enclave neighborhood opens at Harbor Shores, it’s the sixth neighborhood and it’s bordes the 6th fairway of the harbor Shores Golf Club, that just hosted the Sr. PGA Championship.

For more on Harbor Shores and what’s happening around the golf course as well, see harborshoreslife.com. The Enclave homes on the golf course from $385,000.

cdga.org

The CDGA auction is on going. You can bid for prizes and or golf trip experiences or golf trips during the auction. All of this supports the CDGA Foundation.

Do you and your favorite foursome need a trip to places like Pinehurst, or Winged Foot. How about a chance to play some of the great private clubs in the Chicago area.

Well here is your chance to do it. Visit CDGA.org by this Tuesday to place your bid and support CDGA golf.

The Par 3, 12th hole at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster PA.

The Lancaster Country Club that just hosted the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open, and attracted the largest attendence of any U.S. Women’s Open in history. Is back in the market for another major women’s golf event.

The club announced this week that is was one of the five finalists for the 2021 Solheim Cup, but it appears that Lancaster might be one of the two finalists now. It’s rumored that only Lancaster and Inverness are the real two remaining finalists.

None of the five finalists were clubs from Illinois, the Solheim Cup was played in Illinois at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove in 2009. The 2017 Solheim Cup will be played in Iowa. The next LPGA event in the Chicago area is in July with the UL International Crown being contested at the Merit Club from July 21-24. See ULCrown.com for details.

The Merit Club of Libertyville.

The UL Crown and the LPGA will have a media day this week in the chicago area, with several LPGA stars on hand to meet the media and some VIPs, to tee off the UL Crown that is now just over one month away. More on that in the week ahead.

Tune in this afternoon to see all sorts of great golf on TV, if you are not headed out to the Rust Oleum Championship.

The final round of the PGA Tour at St. Jude in Tennessee, with both Steve Stricker and DA point lurking near the top of the leaderboard. The Sr. Players Championship that will come here to Exmoor in 2018, and the LPGA/KPMG/PGA Championship that will come to Chicago at Olympia Fields in 2017 and to Kemper Lakes in 2018.

The Gog Blog Speaks Out returns tomorrow.

 ARROWHEAD GOLF CLUB on Butterfield Road in Wheaton has 27 holes of golf and a great 28th hole to enjoy before or after golf. See Arrowheadgolfclub.org for more details. Erin Hills golf club in Wisconsin is the home for the 2017 U.S. Open, and tee times to play the open course in 2016 are filling quickly, so call now or see Erinhills.com _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG, by Rory Spears. Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. At the Phildelphia Cricket Club home of the 2016 Sr. Players Championship.

The PGA Champions Tour and Constellation have announced the newest destination for the Sr. Players Championship.

The future site announced is the Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park Illinois, for the year of 2018.

It is the first time since the 1997 U.S. Sr. Open was played Olympia Fields, that one of the five senior major championships has been played in the Chicago area.

The dates are not set as of yet, but the championship will be played in June or July of 2018. Exmoor beat out two other Chicago area clubs to be the host of the 2018 championship.

The 18th hole and clubhouse at Exmoor Country Club.

“We are looking forward to bringing the excitement of the Constellation Senior Players Championship to a golf-rich market such as Chicago,” said PGA Tour champions President Greg McLaughlin. “This event has established a history of playing some of the games elite venues, and that will continue in 2018 as we wlecome Exmoor to the PGA Tour Champions schedule.”

The last time the Senior Players Championship was held in the Midwest was in 2006, when it was played at the TPC Michigan in Dearborn. In 2017 the championship moves to Caves Valley outside of Baltimore that in 2014 held the first LPGA UL International Crown won by Spain.

“We are pleased that the tournament is headed to the Midwest and to another top ranked location in 2018,” said Bruce Stewart, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Constellation. “Chicago is a key market for Constellation and home to our parent company Exelon. The move to Exmoor Country Club will enable us to host the championship at another memorable course and share it’s long tradition of giving back to communites that we serve with our many customers in the region.”

WGAESF.org

The 2018 championship will be managed by the Western Golf Association (WGA) in conjunction with the PGA Tour Champions and PGA Tour management division.

“We are pleased to be partnering with the PGA Tour to bring a premier golf championship to the Chicago area,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments. “We are especially proud that this event will be played at Exmoor Country Club, which is one of the Western Golf Associations founding clubs. Exmoor has hosted several of our championships and is a longtime supporter of the Evans Scholars Program. We look forward to our new partnership with Constellation.”

Exmoor’s history starts in 1896, and is one of the 11 WGA founding clubs from 1899, of which only seven of those clubs remain. The orginal designer was H.J Tweedie, but in 1914 the famed Donald Ross redesigned the course bringing in several of the features he known for including his strategic bunkering style.

“Continuing the 120-year heritage of of championship golf, we are proud that Exmoor Country Club has been selected to host the 2018 Constellation Senior Players Championship,” said Club president Sandy Stevenson. “To have legends of the game of golf grace us with their presence is a testament to the powerful place that Exmoor Country Club holds in the local community for hosting meaningful and memorable sporting competitions.”

The last major championship hosted by Exmoor was the 2012 Western Amateur Championship won by Chris Williams. Exmoor was scheduled to host the Western Amateur again in 2018, but the amateur that year will be moved to yet another course that has not been announced. It’s expected that Exmoor might be hosting the championship again in 2022.

Champions Tour golfer and Chicago area resident Jeff Sluman is looking forward to playing at Exmoor.

“It’s a beautiful course. Old style. Exactly what our players and fans like to see, I’d like to get on and get a look at it,” said Sluman. “It’s going to be a wonderful event, and I can’t think of a much better place to go.”

The championship has a great history, Arnold Palmer won back-to-back titles in the championship in 1984 and 1985. Bernhard Langer did the same thing in 2014 and 2015. For more information see PGATour.com.

  THE RUST OLEUM CHAMPIONSHIP today and tomorrow at the Ivanhoe Club in north suburban Mundelein. ARLINGTON LAKES will reopen in less than 3 weeks, call for your tee time today at (847)-577-3030 short loops of 3-6 or 9 holes available. The new cottage and course are open, ERIN HILLS home of the 2017 U.S. Open Erinhills.com ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. On the covered bridge at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel Indiana.

The 2016 BMW Championship is on the road again, and this time it’s close enough to home, that Chicago golf fans can hit the road and still attend the championship.

This years home is a return to the Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel Indiana, a course designed by Hall of Fame course designer Pete Dye. (See our interview with Pete Dye from yesterday).

The BMW was played at Crooked Stick in 2012, and it was won by Rory McIlroy.  In 2017 it will return to Conway Farms in Lake Forest, before heading to Aronimink near Philadelphia in 2018, and back to Medinah Country Club in 2019 the final year of the BMW contract.

Crooked Stick will also host the 2020 Western Amateur Championship.

This year the top 70 players remaining the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs, will compete for a spot in the top 30 field the following week in Atlanta at the tour championship. The BMW Championship is the primary fund raiser for the Evans Scholar Foundation.

At the recent media day,defending champion Jason Day was not in attendance, but did tape a preview message that was played. His message is heard on the interview below.

WGA Vice President of Tournaments Vince Pellegrino speaks at BMW Championship media day, at the Crooked Stick Golf Club.

WGA Vice-President of Tournaments Vince Pellegrino spoke at media day about the championship, along with members of Crooked Stick and the chairman of this years championship.

Pellegrino himself is an Evans Scholar who attended Indiana University.

Current Evans Scholars were on hand at media day, to both speak about their experience in the program, and to caddie for those playing the round of golf on media day.

Click here to hear the press conference from BMW Championship media day at Crooked Stick, along with the message from PGA Tour player Jason Day.

The Crooked Stick Golf Club has had a few changes made to the golf course since 2012, and Pete Dye tells golfers on Golf that he might add “a little something” for those tour players before they show up in September. The championship week is September 5-11. See BMWChampionship.com or visit WGAESF.org for more details.

   ARLINGTON LAKES REOPENS IN THREE WEEKS, BE AMONG THE FIRST TO PLAY IT, call (847)-577-3030 and make your tee time today. McQ’s Dome is having some special events, there are new additions to menu Mcqsdome.com. Bolingbrook.     ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG, by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. In the clubhouse of the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort, with the Hall of Fame Architect.

The news hasn’t been good about Pete Dye the Hall of Fame Golf Architect.

He’s slowing down one person said, another said Dye was slipping. But at age 90, Dye might not be as fast as he was earlier in life, but he still isn’t the most easist guy to catch up to.

When it comes to his afternoon walk around his home course of Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel Indiana, if you want to keep up with Dye it helps to have your running shoes on. He can move up the par 4, 10th hole and back down the par 5, 11th hole, faster than some members will do in their golf carts.

Pete and his wife Alice are there to greet all the golfers coming off the 18th hole at Crooked Stick.

Dye doesn’t miss much when it comes to what’s going on around the “Stick”.

Dye was just back in Indiana after a winter in Florida, and he couldn’t help but notice the new homes being built around the course, and the ones that were being torn down only to have biggers homes going in on the same lot.

Some architects and golfers might not like homes around the golf course, but Dye doesn’t mind, “they sit far enough back from the course,” says Dye. “Nobody here is hitting over a barbeque or a swimming pool,” Dye chuckles.

Dye has made some changes to Crooked Stick since the 2012 BMW Championship, there are some new tees, new bunkers and new lake that runs alongside of the par 3 17th. But Dye admits that water won’t bother the pro’s much come tournament week, “they all hit so far these days.”

Dye remembers when the pro’s hit it just over 250, then the average went to 275, 300, 315, and 317 he says. He expects the PGA Tour to shorten one of Crooked Stick’s par 5’s into a par 4.

The suggestion box at Crooked Stick is just to the right of the 18th fairway.

You might think Dye would be slowing down on the work front, after some 57 years in the golf course design business.

After his walk around Crooked Stick earlier this week, he told a recent visitor he had to get ready for the next day, as his crew was coming to get him and take him to another property to look at. He wasn’t exactly sure which one, but there are many these days.

Dye is again working for Herb Kohler, as the two men look to add another course along the shores of Lake Michigan in the middle of Wisconsin. He is involved in the renovation at Ackerman Hills on the Purdue University campus in Indiana.

The Nemocolin Woodlands Resort just outside of Pittsburgh has one Pete Dye course, now Dye is helping them with a second course that is under construction. TPC Sawgrass home of the Player Championship is having some work done on the greens and a couple of other places on the course. Dye has been there too.

The new lake on the Par 3, 17th hole at Crooked Stick.

Not long ago Dye opened a brand new course called Keswick Hall in Virginia. The reviews have been very good.

The golf course architecture business has changed in recent years, and Dye is quick to admit it.

“All I’m doing now is fixing up my old courses,” said Dye.” All 75 of them or whatever there is” (the number is more like 120+ but who’s counting). Even though the Kohler course will be new.

Dye admits the new Kohler course will be different than Whistling Straits. “About 5 holes on the lake,” says Dye. “But that’s it because of all the tree’s, humps, bumps and mounds.”

Click here to hear the interview with course designer Pete Dye while he walked the 11th hole at Crooked Stick Golf Club.

When asked about creating courses where the color brown is the new green, and with ideas so the courses require less water or other things, Dye says, “(I) don’t build’em that way.” Still big and bold Dye is asked, “yep big and bold” he responds.

With that he told his visitor it was nice to see him again and bid him farewell. He had to go see the 12th hole before walking home. The BMW Championship was coming in three months and he was still planning on adding a new surprise for the tour players by the time they arrived tournament week. Dye said it he didn’t know what that surprise was going to be just yet, but he’d figure it out. Just like he had been figuring it out at Crooked Stick over the past 50+ years.

  ARLINGTON LAKES REOPENS on July 1st from their 13 month Mike Benkusky renovation of the golf course, and come see the improvements in and around the clubhouse. Visit AHPD.org or call (847)-577-3030 to book your tee times today. The Titleist 716 AP1 and AP2 Irons by Titleist, get more for your game, see Titleist.com.       _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. In the Sunice Typhoon Jacket, and Sand Valley Cap.

The Illinois PGA professionals ended up with another hard fought day at the Oak Park Country Club, in their annual battle with the best amateur golfers the Chicago District Golf Association can put together.

But this year in the 55th battle of the Radix Cup Matches, the professionals made a late charge to hold off and then defeat the amateurs by a score of 11-7.

It was only the 7th time the professionals have won the Radix Cup since 2000.

The Radix Cup on display at Oak Park Country Club

The first match out saw a birdie and eagle parade between professionals Curtis Malm and Travis Johns, and the amateur team of Illinois Open Champion David Cooke and recent NCAA Regional champion, Ohio States T-K Kelly.

Cook and Kelly had two eagles and host of birdies but it wasn’t enough to hold off the professionals, who made 16 birdies of their own in route to a 2-1 win.

Click here to hear interviews with professionals Curtis Malm, Travis Johns and amateurs David Cooke and T-K Kelly.

Match 2 saw host professional Frank Bruno and Steve Orrick fight to a 1 1/2-1 1/2 point draw, that left the professional holding a 1 point lead after two matches.

Match 3 saw Alex Burge and John Ehrgott rally the amateurs with a 2-1 win over professionals Brian Brodell and Jim Billiter. Now with half of the six matches complete the score was tied at 4 1/2 for each team.

Kyle Bauer of the Glenview Club rolls in a birdie on the Par 3, 17th hole for the professionals.

Match 4 turned out to be the match that set the tone for the final score. Kyle Bauer who won the first IPGA major championship of the year, the Match Play Championship at Kemper Lakes along with partner Connie Demattia swept the amateur team of Blake Johnson and Andrew Price 3-0. this put the professionals up 7 1/2 to 4 1/2.

Match 5 sealed the win for the professionals win Scott Baines and Garrett Chaussard defeated Dave Ryan and Kevin Economos 2-1. With the win the professionals had a 4 point lead with only 3 points remaining on the golf course.

Match 6 between professionals David Paeglow and Matt Slowinski, and amateurs Derek Meinhart and Todd Mitchell was halved at 1 1/2 points per side. leaving the final score at 11  for the IPGA Professionals and 7 for the CDGA Amateurs.

The captains were Chris Gumbach for the IPGA professionals, and Keith Frankland for the CDGA amateurs.

The professionals in spite of their struggles since 2000, have now won 3 of the last 4 Radix Cup matches.

   THE NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT just 60 miles Southeast of Pittsburgh, one Pete Dye Golf Course open for play, another one under construction and on the way. The Rust Oleum Championship tee’s off tomorrow at the Ivanhoe Club in Mundelein, come and see the Web.com Championship make it’s debut in the Chicagoland Area.     _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. At the covered bridge on the Par 3, 6th hole at the Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel Indiana. Home of the 2017 BMW Championship.

MIDWEEK GOG NEWS…

It’s official, the 2018 Sr. Players Championship is coming to Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, multiple sources have confirmed.

Exmoor Country Club had been previously scheduled to host the Western Amateur in 2018, but that championship has been pushed back according to the club, possibly to 2022.

The Sr. Players Championship, was played in 2012-2013-2014 at the Fox Chapel golf club outside of Pittsburgh. In 2015 it moved to the Belmont Country Club outside of Boston, this week it’s being played near Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. In 2017 the Championship moves to Caves Valley outside of Baltimore, that played host to the 2014 Inaugural LPGA UL International Crown. With the championship being played at several classic historical courses of late, it’s easy to see why the Exmoor was selected to host the championship.

2014 Western Amateur Champion Beau Hossler at Beverly Country Club

Beau Hossler who just wrapped up his collegiate golf career at the University of Texas, as part of the Longhorns Men’s golf team, suffered a torn labrum while playing in the NCAA Men’s national golf championships at Eugene Country Club in Oregon.

Hossler injuried his shoulder during the back nine of the semi-final matches. His shoulder popped out of place four times in the closing holes, and he had to putt out of a bunker to avoid more serious injury. He was forced to concede is his match in the finals, and Texas ended up losing to Oregon by a 3-2 score for the NCAA Title.

Hossler the 2014 Western Amateur Champion and the member of the 2015 Palmer Cup team at Rich Harvest Farms who clinched the winning point for Team USA, will miss at least 4 months after having surgery. Hossler had been given a sponsors exemption to the John Deere Classic by Tournament Director Clair Peterson. Peterson has not yet announced a replacement for Hossler. The John Deere Classic will be played August 8-14 at TPC Deere Run, for tickets and information see Johndeereclassic.com.

The 18th hole and clubhouse at the Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, home of the 2018 Sr. Players Championship.

U.S. Open news. Tiger Woods has announced he is not playing in the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Woods released a statement on Tuesday announcing that said he would not play at Oakmont or in his PGA Tour event, the Quicken Loans Championship around the 4th of July weekend.

Woods claimed he is not physically ready to return to golf at this time, and gave no time table for his return to golf. Wood last won the U.S. Open in 2008 at Torrey Pines.

   Today marks the 55th Radix Cup macthes at the Oak Park Country Club. It’s the CDGA Amateurs vs the Illinois PGA professionals. The pro’s hold a 34-18-2 record against the amateurs who have been coming on strong the last few years.

The professionals have home professiona Frank Bruno on the team for his 10th time, along with 9 year veterans Matt Slowinski, Connie Demattia, and David Paeglow. the amateur team has Dave Ryan, Todd Mitchell and TK Kelly who just won the NCAA Regional at Kohler.

More golf news coming up this week, stay clicked in for details.

 THE RUST-OLEUM CHAMPIONSHIP tee’s off this week at the Ivanhoe Club in Mundelein. Come out and see the PGA Tour stars of the future, and our local players.   _____________________________________________________________________

 THE IVANHOE CLUB (L) will be home this week to the Web.com Rust-Oleum Championship, (R) Illinois Golf Hall of Fame member Jim Sobb has been the clubs only head professional since it opened in the early 1990’s.

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

The Rust Oleum Championship gets underway this week at the Ivanhoe Club in Mundelein.

It’s the first of three years at the club for the championship. The tournament was played in Cleveland in recent years, but has moved to the Chicago area under CEO Tom Reed a member at Ivanhoe.

Rust-Oleum makes it’s offices in Vernon Hills, not far from Ivanhoe.

The new destination with a purse of over a million dollars, with $108,000 to the winner has attacted a great field. Locally several players with ties to the Chicago area are in the field.

They include Deerfield’s Vince India, Brad Hopfinger of Lake Forest, and Michael Schachner of Libertyville who grew up playing Ivanhoe since his family were members. Some other players with Illinois connections include former University of Illinois Brian Campbell and former John Deere Classic champion Jonathan Byrd.

Click here to hear interviews with Ivanhoe head professional Jim Sobb, and sponsor exemption Michael Schachner.

Ivanhoe is a 27 hole facility,but only 18 holes will be used for the championship. Ivanhoe has three nine’s, the Forest the Prairie and the Marsh. The entire Forest nine will be used, and parts of the Praire and Marsh. The 18 holes used, will be the clubs original 18 holes.

The weeks schedule is as such. There is a pro-am today with some former members of the Chicago Bears. On Tuesday there is the first qualifier for Drive-Chip and Putt, and the players will have practice rounds. Wednesday there is another pro-am with some players playing practice rounds.

Thursday through Sunday are rounds 1-4. All four of the rounds will be shown on the Golf Channel. Check local listings for times, because the Golf Channel coverage will not always be on live when the tournament is being played.

The field will be 156 players, and that will include 9 of the top 10 players from the money list of the Web.com tour. Multiple players with wins on the PGA Tour will compete as well.

For more information see Rustoleumchampionship.com

   McWethy’s Tavern at Mistwood Golf Club is open year round, first class dining in a golf enviroment, you can’t beat it. See Mistwoodgc.com or call (815)-254-3333. Arlington Lakes Golf Club reopens in less than 30 days get your tee time today (847)-577-3030.    _____________________________________________________________________

Golfers on Golf Radio is, standing L-R Mike Munro and Ed Stevenson. Seated L-R Rory Spears and Bill Berger. Golfers on Golf Radio tee’s off at 9 Am Sunday morning on WSBC AM 1240.

Golfers on Golf Radio is back for week #8, teeing off Sunday morning at 9 AM on WSBC AM 1240.

Your hosts as always are Mike Munro, Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears. Chicago’s Favorite Foursome.

The show brings you the best guests of any Chicago area golf show, both lovally and from the national golf scene.

This week Golfers on Golf is proud to bring in two guests ( both ladies) that are having a great year in golf.

  (L) Elisa Gaudet golf author and Founder of this weeks Women’s Golf Day, that is taking the world by storm joins us first about 9:10. Duncan Finigan from OOFOS footwear that has been a huge hit with golfers since they found there way to the 2016 PGA PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando this past January. If you need a comforatble way to walk around your home your club, in public or private OOFOS is the way. If you like to walk 18 holes or more, or if you caddie, your feet need OOFOS after your round is complete. Join us to learn about OOFUS, you owe it to your feet to give them some real support.

FATHERS DAY GOLF, there are plenty of courses that are giving dads a deal on golf for Fathers Day coming in two weeks. One of those places just hosted the U.S. Open. How about $99 for dad to play Chambers Bay by July 14th, valid Sunday-Thursday. For more information see Chambersbaygolf.com.

John Deere Classic coming in August this summer. New date for 2016.

John Deere Classic Tournament Director Clair Peterson has announced his sponsors exmeptions for the JDC, that will take place in August of 2016. There is a one year date change this year becuase of the olympic games in Rio.

Peterson as always has brought in some of the top stars in the college golf game, and they are players you are likely to see on the PGA Tour in the years ahead. Some former JDC exemptions include players like Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson.

This years exemptions include, NCAA Champion Aaron Wise of Oregon, Jon Rahm from Arizona State, Beau Hossler from Texas, Lee McCoy of Georgia, Jordan Niebrugge of Oklahoma State and Charlie Danielson from Illinois. For tickets and more information on the John Deere Classic visit Johndeereclassic.com.

Volcano Bunkers on the Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort.

The French Lick Resort has been listed as one of the ” Best Resorts in the America’s” by Golf Digest Magazine.

The listing of the top 75 resorts was in the May issue of the magazine. the resorts listed are from the USA, Canada, Caribbean/Bermuda, or the Mexico and Central America.

Regardless of what type of trip you wish to take, business, pleasure, family, buddies or other French Lick Resort is a destination you should consider. The top 5 Midwest resorts were the American Club, Erin Hills, Forest Dunes, Giants Ridge and French Lick.

French Lick resort has two 18-hole courses. The Pete Dye Course and the Donald Ross course. The old Tom Bendelow course by the West Baden Hotel is still in operation but is now a nine hole course. See Frenchlick.com for more details.

The Gog Blog Preview of the Rust-Oleum Championship appears tomorrow. RS

  THE 2017 SR. PGA CHAMPIONSHIP sponsored by Kitchen-Aid will be played Memorial Day weekend at Trump National D.C., the Sr. PGA Championship will be sponsored by Kitchen-Aid through 2024 with the announcement being made last week at Harbor Shores, that will host the championship in 2018-2020-2022 and 2024. PGA’s Pete Bevaqua, Derek Sprague, Kitchen-Aid CEO Jeff Fettig and Colin Montgomerie L-R ______________________________________________________________________

   The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. On the left with Brian Henninger at the Grand Bear Golf Club in Beloxi Mississippi, and Right with Joey Sindelar at Fallen Oak Golf Club also in Beloxi Mississippi.

EDITORS NOTE: In Spring of 2015 I had the chance to play in two pro-ams on the Champions Tour in Beloxi Mississippi on back-to-back days. My two pro-am partners were Brian Henninger and Joey Sindelar. I reconnected with both players at the Sr. PGA Championship at Harbor Shores.

It was nice to catch up with a couple of former playing partners from the Champions Tour, it’s amazing how 1 day in a pro am can make a bond with someone for life. I was fortunate to get to great professionals and two great people as well to play with during those two days in Mississippi.

After their final round at the senior pga, I spoke with Henninger and Sindelar about Harbor Shores, the new Kitchen-Aid sponsorship for the Senior PGA, the Champions Tour, senior golf in Chicago and more.

Click here to hear the interviews with Brian Henninger and Joey Sindelar.

Henninger finished T-51 and Sindelar T-22 in this years Senior PGA Championship.