THE GOG BLOG’S SUNDAY MORNING SHORT GAME-NEWS COLUMN

THE 103rd PGA Championship-today on CBS-can Phil Mickelson hold on to win. Kevin Streelman the Wilson Golf staff player from Wheaton IL. is only 3 shots back. THE Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open is back at the Mistwood Golf Club. Call (815)-254-3333 to register for this years championship. Dates have been moved up to July 6 & 7 this year.  _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect on Facebook/LinkedIn or Instagram. On the 14th tee at the Ocean Course at the Kiawah Island Resort home of this weeks PGA Championship.

THE 103rd PGA Championship final round is today. But the early coverage is on ESPN-followed by CBS starting at noon. So good to see an earlier start for the final groups.

Chicago based Wilson Golf has some staffers playing well. Including Kevin Streelman the Wheaton native, and former Cantigny Golf employee.

Arlington Heights native, and former member of the John Hersey H.S. and Indiana University golf team. Made the cut and was one of two PGA club pro’s to do so.

Great week of golf and weather at the Kiawah Island Resort, and the Pete Dye designed Ocean Course. Next year’s PGA Championship moves to Southern Hills in Tulsa Oklahoma.

Dupagegolf.com offers a team event on Wednesday June 1st at the Preserve at Oak Meadows.

DuPage Golf will host a 1-best ball team golf event on Wednesday June 1st. With a shotgun start at 1 Pm.

But then there is a post round dinner at the Green Street Grille in nearby Bensenville. So for only $100.00 per player, enjoy a great day of golf and food.

But there is more good news, it’s a 1 Best-Ball event, and you get to play your own ball. See DuPagegolf.com to register.

LEN ZIEHM of LenZiehmongolf.com has written a tribute column to architect Arthur Hills, who passed away last week at the age of 91. Hills is best known in the Chicago area for his designs of Bolingbrook Golf Club, the Chicago Highlands Club, Stonewall Orchard Golf Club, and the Ivanhoe Club. Hills firm with top assistant Steve Forest did renovation work at Ruth Lake Country Club, and the Naperville Country Club. During his career, Hills designed over 200 courses, including the famed Bay Harbor Golf Course in Northern Michigan, part of Boyne Resorts.

THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN has announced that Women’s Assistant Golf Coach Lindsay Lovelace has resigned, after six years with the program. Because she is looking to spend more time with her family.

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are the 2021 ASGCA, Donald Ross award winners.

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS (ASGCA), has named Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, winners of the associations Donald Ross award.

The award, presented every year since 1976, is given to an architect or a team of architects, that have made a significant contribution to the game of golf.

The new welcome to Cog Hill sign on archer avenue.

COG HILL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB will host a Cleveland Wedge Scoring Clinic Experience, from 5-7 Pm on Wednesday June 23rd.

So to sign up for the $175.00 clinic, you need to be one of the first 12 golfers to do so.

But with two of every three shots happening within 125 yards from the green. Now is the time to get 45 minutes of expert short game instruction. So your fee includes a wedge fitting, short game lesson, and a new wedge from Cleveland Golf. But please register ASAP by going to Coghillgolf.com or call Cog Hill at (866)-264-4455.

CDGA.org

RYAN KOWALSKI of Arlington Hts. who plays out of the Mt. Prospect Golf Club, won the 6th annual Chicago District Golf Association’s Mid Amateur Championship at Lake Shore Country Club.

Kowalski defeated David Keenan of Champaign and Lincolnshire Fields CC, by a score of 3 & 2.

But he barely made into the Palatine qualifier before the field filled up, and his 2 under par 70 at Palatine, got him into the Mid-Am field. So with the victory, Kowalski is exempt into the next five Mid-Amateurs and into this summers CDGA and Illinois State Amateur championships.

GALVIN GREEN is reporting strong growth in both USA and Canadian markets, with it’s stylish and brightly colored golf wear becoming popular. But also because collections like “GameDay’ provide both a durable and are a premium lightweight. Items like the 100% waterproof APOLLO full-zip jacket made from a ultra-lightweight GORE-TEX Paclite fabric. So for information on the full line-see GalvinGreen.com.

THE BLACKBERRY AMATEUR at Blackberry Oaks Golf Club will be played June 26 and 27th. Sponsors include Wilson Golf. Register by calling Blackberry Oaks at (630)-553-7170, the field is limited to 120 players.

Club Championship has new club options for fittings.

WILLOWBROOK based Club Champion has announced new club options for fittings.

New options include PXG, Edel SMS Wedges, and the latest from Miura.

With Fathers Day right around the corner, a fitting at Club Champion for dad makes the perfect gift.

Club Champion will be offering Fathers Day specials. So visit Clubchampion.com to see upcoming specials. Club Champion has several Chicago area locations.

PINE LAKES Country Club in Myrtle Beach South Carolina, known as the “Granddaddy”, closed on April 26th for a restoration of the nearly 100 year old golf course. But the good news is that Pine Lakes should reopen in July. The main part of the work overseen by Craig Schreiner ASGCA, is the new Sunday Bermudagrass greens.

The overall green size will expand by over 21,000 square feet. Pine Lakes is on the dunes and less then 1 mile from the ocean. Schreiner will redo all the bunkers and drainage, so the course plays more like original architect Robert White intended it to. White originally from St. Andrews Scotland was the first president of the PGA of America.

For more details on this historical restoration, see PineLakes.com. The Gog Blog Returns tomorrow. RS

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.