THE 2017 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS AT RICH HARVEST FARMS in Sugar Grove. Women play May 19-24. The Men are May 26-31. Well priced tickets on sale now at NCAA.Com/tickets, parking of course is FREE. The Championships presented by Northern Illinois University. Two Final-fours in two weeks.  _____________________________________________________________________

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO RETURNS, SATURDAY 9 AM APRIL 15TH, NEW STATION INFORMATION SOON. WE’RE MOVING TO THE HEART OF THE AM DIAL.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO-GOLFERSONGOLF.COM Welcome to the Gog Blog, by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy and to Blackwolf Run in Kohler.

Destination Kohler TODAY, wraps up a special 72 hour sale with discounts on stays fro the month of May.

From May 1 to May 31 you can stay at the Amercian Club, the famed Carriage House, and the Inn on Woodlake with new renovations. How about specials at the Kohler Waters Spa.

There are early season rates on golf as well. If you book your May stay’s by 5 PM today (CST), you can get some of the best deals of the year.

 SHIPWRECK the par 3, 7th hole at Whistling Straits, home of the 2020 Ryder Cup.

     THE AMERICAN CLUB  a 5 Star Destination, and the Kohler Waters Spa, one of the best places anywhere, to rest and relax.

CALL by 5 PM today about book your STAY FOR MAY. (866)-520-7452 or book online at Destinationkohler.com.

Four great golf courses and more. Drive time form the Chicago area is 2- 2 1/2 hours.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, editor and director of content. Follow Rory to the US Open at Erin Hills, and on facebook, linkedin and twitter @GogBlogGuy. With the U.S. Open trophy at Gino’s East in Rosemont.

THE U.S. OPEN makes a rare Midwest appearance this June when it visits Erin Hills just Northwest of Milwaukee. Do you have your tickets yet, if not visit USGA.org/tickets.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO RETURNS SATURDAY APRIL 15TH AT 9 AM, ______________________________________________________________________

The Seventh Hole of the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, IL as seen on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. (Courtesy USGA)

The USGA has announced that there will be 26 exemption categories for the inaugural U.S. Sr. Women’s Open, that will be contested from July 12-15 in 2018.

The U.S. Sr. Women’s Open is open to professionals or amateurs whose handicap index does not exceed 7.4 and have reached their 50th birthday by the first round of the championship on July 12th.

THE CENTENNIAL BOOK on the Chicago Golf Club.

The field will be 120 players, and exempt players who wish to compete must file and entry. Qualifying siteswill be announced in spring of 2018.

“Starting in summer fo 2018, the U.S. Sr. Women’s Open Championship will provide the game’s ultimate test for some of the most decorated women in golf, both professional and amateur,” said Stuart Francis, USGA Championship Committee Chariman. “Chicago Golf Club, one of the five founding member clubs of the USGA, will serve as a grand stage that will celebrate these incredible players who have paved the way for the current generation while continuing to elevate the game we all love.”

The clubhouse and MacDonald statue at the Chicago Golf Club.

There are several players who already fit the exemption criteria. They include three time U.S.Women Open champion Hollis Stacy, two-time champion Juli Inkster, Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, Laura Davies, Meg Mallon and Liselotte Neumann. All past U.S Women’s Open Champions.

Any player in her first three years of age eligibility who has won the U.S. Women’s Amateur, the ANA Inspiration, Ricoh Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Evian Championship or the Ladies British Open Amateur, players exempt from this category are Dottie Pepper ANA Champion 1992-1999, Kay Cockerill 1986-1987 U.S. Amateur Women’s champion, and Pearl Sinn 1988 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion.

The Chicago Golf Club is celebrating it’s 125th anniversary this year, and will be in it’s 126th year during tournament week. The Pine Needles Resort in Southern Pines, North Carolina, will be the host of the 2019 U.S Sr. Women Open Championship. The 2020 site has not yet been announced.

For more information visit USGA.org and see the championships section.

    The 2017 NCAA Men’s and Women’s golf championships coming to Rich Harevst Farms in Sugar Grove. May 19-24 for the Women. May 26-31 for the Men, come cheer on your team or alma mater. Well priced tickets moving quickly, parking is free. Order tickets now at NCAA.com/tickets. Enjoy walking the grounds of Rich Harvest Farms.       ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With my 2017 Illinois Golf Hall of Fame Nominee Len Ziehm (R).

In 2017, the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame committee will be electing a few new additions to the Illinois Hall of Fame.

The Illinois Golf Hall of Fame is located at the Glen Club in Glenview Illinois.

The panel will meet on April 18th to reduce the list of this years nominees, which is a list of 28, and make it only the 10 finalists.

Then on May 3rd the panel meets for the final vote. They will hear short presentations from the people who nominated the finalists before casting their final vote. Hall of Fame Director Tim Cronin will oversee the voting, and then immediately notify the nominees who have been selected into the Hall of Fame that evening.

The 28 nominees for this years class are: 1. Don Armstrong, winner of two Illinois stae majors. 2. Doug Bauman, winner of five state majors. 3. Robert Berns, graphic art expert for Wilson and Ram golf. 4.Louis Brown Sr. IPGA Foundation supporter. 5. Rick Dalpos winner of three state majors. 6. Emil Esposito, winner of three state majors. 7. Gray Groh, winner of Hawaiian Open on the PGA Tour and 5 state majors. 8. Gary Hallberg 3 time winner on the PGA Tour, and 5 state majors.9. Richie Hammel, co-founder of the Illinois PGA Central Illinois Chapter. 10. David Huske, winner of 2 state majors.

11. Drue Johnson, won WAC at Arizona. 12. Phil Kosin, publisher of Chicagoland Golf and founder of the Illinois Women’s Open. 13. Greg Kunkel, long time caddie and caddie master. 14. William Langford, golf architect ASGCA co-founder. 15. Carol Mann winner of two majors and 38 LPGA titles. 16. Tim Miles Sr. of GolfVisions. 17. Bruce Patterson, two-time IPGA professional of the year. 18. Francis Peabody, helped create the CDGA. 19. Gary Pinns, Five time Illinois Open winner. 20. Earl Puckett long time golf top rated golf instructor.

Ivanhoe Country Club Director of Golf Jim Sobb during his acceptance speech, as part of the 2015 class of the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame.

21. Harry Radix, created PGA Tour scoring award. 22. Jerry Rich, Rich Harvest Farms builder, Kids Golf Foundation, WGA supporter. 23. Horton Smith Masters winner and 26 other tour wins. 24. Jim Suttie, won several top teacher awards. 25. Roger Warren, former president of the PGA of America. 26. Bob Wittek ran Wittek Golf supply. 27. Bob Zender won six Illinois major titles. 28. Len Ziehm, 49 year golf writer/ Sun Times and Daily Herald.

Golfers on Golf will post the winners on selection night May 3rd. Stay clicked in. You can visit the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame at the Glen Club daily, there is no charge.

THE NCAA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS coming to Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, well priced tickets and FREE Parking NCAA.com/Tickets May 19-31.

GREAT GOLF ON A COLD DAY. Part 2 of 2 which concludes a run a of great courses out on Long Island in New York, from a a trip I took back in 2014. While there are many great golf area’s around America, Long Island ranks right up at the top.

Unfortunately a majority of the great clubs on Long Island are private, much like the North Shore of Chicago. So as golf leads into the first major of the year, The Masters Tournament in Augusta Georgia, I offer you yet one more reason to be inspired to get the clubs out of the closet, cleaned up, and ready for that first 18 holes of 2017. A year that will be a good one for golf in the Chicago and Midwest area. Go Play. RS

IF YOUR ON THE NORTH SHORE of Long Island and can get access to the Sands Point Golf Club, where golf really started in 1927, you will have a golf experience to enjoy. It’s a property and a club with a rich history, if you visit the clubs website and check out the history section, you will recognize some names that stand out from the clubs files.

The Par 3, second hole at Sands Point Golf Club, in Sands Point NY.

One name that golfers will recognize is the course architect A.W. Tillinghast, who convinced the club in the mid to late1920’s that the property would be good for golf, but that an old nine hole layout needed to go, and changes must be made for a top level, fun golf course.

Changes were agreed upon, and Tillie set to work, creating an 18 hole routing that golfers enjoyed.

One problem that nobody saw coming was that shortly after the course opened, the Great Depression came along and the club like many others started to have financial woes. But it managed to stay open and survive, and after WWII the club dropped polo for good, and settled on being a top notch golf club, which it still is today.

The Par 3, 7th hole at Sands Point

Sands Point upgraded it’s golf product in the fall of 2012, when restoration and renovation architect specialist Keith Foster was brought in by the club to retore the orginal nature of the Tillinghast design.

In two years the club was back up and running in a form that had everyone noticing the product, and the test of golf it produced.

Foster who is regarded as one of the best “bunker guys” in the world of golf architecture today, but some life back in Sands Point’s bunkers which is seen in the pictures of this feature.

    The par 3, 17th hole (L) is only 157 yards from the tips, but is all the golf hole you could want at that yardage. The 555 yard par 5, 18th hole requires two good shots, that set up a short iron or wedge into an elevated 18th green. Foster’s renovation project no doubt would have Tillinghast’s approval, and seeing this great classic course back in form, hopefully gets you ready to be in form for the start of golf season in Chicago.

SandsPoint is a Par 72 golf course, that plays 6,962 yards from the back tee’s and 5,545 from the front tee’s. See Sandspointgc.org for more history and photo’s.

THE GOG BLOG is written by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

Golfers on Golf Radio Returns SATURDAY April 15th at 9 AM, on a new station, stay clicked in for details.

   THE NCAA DIVISION 1 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS MAY 19-31. The Women from May 19-24, and the Men from May 26-31. Tickets are on sale NOW at NCAA.com/tickets. Tickets are well priced and parking is FREE, see the action up close ______________________________________________________________________

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO returns Saturday April 15th at 9 AM, Mike Munro, Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger all back for another season of great golf talk.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO RETURNS SATURDAY APRIL 15TH AT 9 AM, details later this week on our new station.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR NEW PRESENTING SPONSOR, THE FRENCH LICK RESORT.

Home of the new Sr. LPGA Championship, and celebrating the 100th season of golf on the Donald Ross course. For more information on the French Lick Resort, please visit Frenchlick.com

THE LPGA…. what a mess. The first major of the year for the women ends up being a fiasco. But the ruling does expose some issues in the rules and what needs to be changed in the days, not weeks months or years ahead.

Lexi Thompson who is a major someone for the LPGA, and someone the LPGA has going for it. For her to be treated the way she was by getting a ruling near the 13th tee box a day later is awful.

There needs to be a drop dead date for rules violations to be enforced, and the days of taking calls from fans on their couch needs to end today. I can only imagine what the first question will be that Dustin Johnson gets asked in the press room at Augusta this week. I hope for his sake he watched the final round of the ANA, he will need some answers ready.

Social media was abuzz about the Thompson ruling, and what got some play was that even Tiger Woods chimed in about the bad decision, but he wan’t the only player that had something to say about the situation. The bottom line in the end was, that the entire circus was bad for the game of golf, and rules changes from the USGA and the other governing bodies of golf, can’t come fast enough.

SPEAKING OF WOODS.. he pulled out of this weeks Masters on the 20th anniversary of his first Masters win. He will attend the champions dinner and head for home. While some might miss his presence at Augusta, most golf fans are looking forward to the broadcast being about the relevant players in the tournament, and Woods not making a 15 foot putt for double bogey. Woods says his back is not yet allowing him to compete, and based on the physcial test that Erin Hills is, I’m not thinking he plays there either. We will see.

THE LAKE MICHIGAN shoreline course that Woods is supposed to design near a proposed Obama presidential library could have more image issues, after 7 people were shot dead in random shootings just blocks from the course in the past week. Not exactly what organizers are looking for, as they try and raise millions of dollars for the course renovation and improvements.

Welcome to Magnolia Drive at Augusta National Golf Club

The first of four majors is on the tee this week as the Masters Tournament tee’s off. Danny Willett is the defending champion but nobody is picking him to repeat. I’m not either.

Jordan Spieth is likely to be right there and Rory McIlroy is ready to close out the last major he needs for the career Grand Slam. One of the favorites will be Dustin Johnson with his run of late, but while his putting has been better, is the rest of his game outside of his driver ready for Augusta National.

THE MASTERS, A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER where the tournament starts during the back nine on Sunday. It should be a fun week, and by next week hopefully you are ready to go tee it up as well.

Western Amateur Champion Dylan Meyer earns a spot in the Valspar Championship in 2018.

University of Illinois Jr. Dylan Meyer the reigning Western Amateur Champion, has won a place on the PGA Tour in 2018.

By winning the 3M collegiate invite this past week in Augusta GA. while playing for the Fighting Illini, Meyer earned an exemption into the 2018 Valspar Championship that will be played at the Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor Florida, on the Copperhead golf course. It will be Meyers first PGA Tour event.

More golf news coming out this week, stay clicked in. Enjoy the Masters. RS

 THE NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS AT RICH HARVEST FARMS MAY 19-31. Two final fours in two weeks. Tickets on sale NOW. Visit NCAA.com/Tickets. Hosted by NIU. _____________________________________________________________________

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO RETURNS SATURDAY APRIL 15TH AT 9 AM, JOIN US.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on facebook, linkedin and twitter @gogblogguy and to the French Lick Resort, presenting sponsor of Golfers on Golf Radio.

It’s always good to talk about courses that are just plain fun to go play. St. Georges Golf and Country Club is one of those places.

The club is not one of those mamoth giants that’s 7,500 yards from the back tee’s. It’s a whopping 6,232 and it’s the golf course you could want, and maybe the most fun you will have on a golf course under 6,300 yards.

On a day here in Chicago where the outdoor golf season is just starting for the year, and things are cool outside and or a bit wet from the all rain of the past week, I look back on two courses from my Long Island trip of a few years back that never made it as stories on this site. So today and Tuesday in Part 2, there will be stories of inspiration to get our local golfers excited about being on the course again this year. By Wednesday of this week, the sights and sounds from Augusta National will take over getting golfers back out to play.

The Par 3 15th hole at St. Georges Golf and Country Club, 164 yards from the tips.

St. Georges Golf and Country Club opened for play in 1917 and is celebrating it’s centennial this year.

The course was designed by an architect not well known, except by those who really study golf history by the name of Devereux Emmet, who had spent some time with the famed C.B. MacDonald and was now getting a chance to build a course on his own.

The toughest hole might be the second hole a 574 yard par 5, that’s ranked as the #1 handicap hole. The #2 handicap hole is the par 4, 13th hole that plays 450 yards.

  The par 4, 408 yard third hole that plays downhill on the approach shot (L), the par 5, 18th hole, 535 yard dogleg left that takes golfers into the clubhouse.

St. George’s is not a long course but takes advantage of the land, the rolling property and uses a mix of defenses to keep the course challenging but fun. Whether the landing area is little tight on some holes, or pin placements are tucked, St. Georges gives every golfer the feeling they can post a good score on every hole.

Hit around the fescue in places, hit it downhill, hit it uphill, keep it between the trees and make a few twisting putts and have a great time. St. George’s is a course that has stood the test of time and shows all golfers you don’t need a long course to have a great course. Go play.

Golfweek magazine has rated St. Georges in it’s Top 100 classic courses.

    THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S NCAA National Golf Championships are coming to Rich Harvest Farms from May 19-31. The Women are on the tee May 19-24, and the Men are up from May 25-31. Tickets on Sale NOW, at NCAA.com/tickets. Starting sooner is Golfers on Golf Radio on Saturday April 15th at 9 AM, golf talk radio while your awake to hear it, stay tuned for details on our new station, pumping wattage into your cottage.   ______________________________________________________________________

 GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO presented by the French Lick Resort, home of the Pete Dye Golf Course NOW OPEN for the season, and celebrating the 100th and centennial year of golf on the Donald Ross Golf Course, and the new Sr. LPGA Championship. Frenchlick.com for more details and information. The GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor&Director of Content, Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter @GogBlogGuy. ______________________________________________________________________

Coghillgolf.com Dubsdread under restoration

It’s been several years since the “Open Doctor” Rees Jones came to Lemont, in hopes of helping Cog Hill and it’s famed Dubsdread Course #4 land the U.S. Open.

Unfortunately for the Jemsek family and the golfers of Chicago who love Cog Hill so much, the Jones restoration of “Dubs” failed to bring in that U.S. Open.

In fact, it helped drive away the BMW Championship that was a semi-regular at the golf course, when several tour professionals came forward and said they didn’t like it.

Then BMW was upfront and admitted, they were looking for other neighborhoods to sell their cars in and the championship hasn’t been back since. The good news is that the Jemseks have not quit trying to bring top level championship golf back to Cog Hill.

“We are full speed ahead trying to land a tournament,” says owner Frank Jemsek.

The Par 3, 6th hole on Dubsdread with the old brown sand (L), and the Par 3, 2nd hole with the new ProAngle white sand (R).

In an attempt to bring top amateur or professional championship golf back to Cog Hill, the Jemseks are improving Cog 4, with some course changes and the new white sand, called ProAngle, that is in play at the Augusta National Golf Club. Home of this weeks Masters Tournament. Additionally, it’s what’s in the bunkers at Muirfield Village in Ohio, where the Memeroial Tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus is contested.

  The Par 5, 9th hole has the new ProAngle sand in place around around the green (L), while the sand has just been dropped in on the greenside bunker right of the 18th green (R).

The new Cart-Park to the right of the Par 3, 14th green.

Cog Hill Superintendent Chris Flick and his crew have just started putting the new sand into the bunkers, and are now starting to work it into place.

“As a result of the work we are pushing the opening of Course #4 back two weeks later than normal,” says Jemsek.

Cog 4 will open for the season on Saturday April 22nd. Jemsek says that Flick will have the greenside bunkers done by the 22nd, but that fairway work will still be ongoing after opening day.

“As it stands now the project will be completed by early May,” said Jemsek. “We intend to complete fairway bunker work, one bunker per hole, at a time to create the least amount of customer disruption.”

The other work on course 4 includes, some safe guard railings next to cart paths on a few holes that are made of wood. On the 14th hole, a cart-park has been created for easier access to the green, and to stop wear and tear on the grass near the cart path route, on the way to the 15th hole tee boxes.

In addition 11 sand bunkers are getting taken out, including one on the right side of the fairway on the first hole that hurt golfers hitting long straight tee shots. One that Jemsek admits he wasn’t a fan of anyway. Some of the other removals include to the front and right of the 2nd green, and in front of the 8th green on the right side.

For further information on Cog Hill and Dubsdread course #4 improvements, please visit Coghillgolf.com or call (866)-Cog-Hill.

THE NCAA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S NATIONAL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS at Rich Harvest Farms, May 19-31. Tickets NOW ON SALE at Ncaa.com/tickets. The championship is hosted by Northern Illinois University. #Wellpricedtickets #freeparking

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO RETURNS SATURDAY APRIL 15TH AT 9 AM. NEW STATION TBA THIS COMING WEEK.

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to Rich Havrest Farms in Sugar Grove for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, and on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter at GogBlogGuy.

THE PGA TOUR has announced that Distance measuring devices will be tested at select events on various tours. Those tours are the Web.com Tour, Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada, and the PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

Each of the three tours will allow distance measuring devices by players or caddies at four consecutive tournaments including the Monday qualifiers.

One of the tournaments on the Web.com Tour that will be allowed to test the distance finders will be the Chicago area Rust-Oleum Championship to be played at the Ivanhoe Country Club in Mundelein. For the events on the three tours, the PGA Tour will temporarily enact a Local Rule in accordance with Decision 14-3/0.5 of The R&A/USGA Rules of Golf, which stipulates the device can be used to measure distance only (use of functions to measure slope, elevation wind will not be allowed).

        The Rust Oleum Championship at Ivanhoe Country Club this June 5-11. Tickets are now on sale at Rustoleumchampionship.com.

“For years there has been significant discussion and debate on whether distance measuring devices would have a positive or negative impact on compitition at the highest levels of golf,” said Andy Pazder, Chief Tournaments and Competitions Officer of the PGA Tour. “The only way we can accurately assess their impact is to conduct an actual test during offical competition on one or more of our tours. We look forward to seeing how these tests will go and carefully evaluating the use of the devices over those weeks. Our evaluation will consider the impact on pace of play, optics and any other effects they might have on the competition.”

Once the test and comprehensive evalution is completed, the PGA Tour will share the results with it’s Player Advisory Council on all of it’s Tours for additional review discussion.

The PGA Tour is now co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on it’s six glboal wide professional tours. For more information on the distance finder testing program and the effects of it on tour, please visit PGATour.com or stay clicked in to this website.