THE GOG BLOG SPEAKS OUT-THE PGA SHOW IS BACK

MISTWOOD GOLF DOME on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is your home for indoor golf all winter long. But the dome is home to McWethy’s Sports Bar where you can see all the game action, while enjoying some good food & the cold/warm beverage of your choice.

CLICK HERE to hear the latest on Mistwood Golf Club & The Mistwood Golf Dome in our recent interview with Mistwood Director of Golf Andy Mickelson (A-R). #Simulators

The new Willow Hill Golf Dome in Northbrook, is now inflated-But not yet open.

YOU CAN TELL IT’S DOME SEASON, because just a few of them are popping up around town.

BU THEN AGAIN it seems like the home of the golf simulators are really starting to pop-up as well.

I don’t think one can drive it more then 10 miles around the Chicago area without finding a place that has golf simulators, with a bar and grill attached.

EVEN THE PREMIER Golf Dome in town-the Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook, is getting ready to add maybe 3 simulators. But with the prospect of maybe playing the Mistwood Golf Club on them. So stay tuned.

OUR VERY OWN LEN ZIEHM of LEN ZIEHM ON GOLF had a wild week at the ING (International Network of Golf) Winter summit in Sebring Florida. It started with Len in a pro-am for a Mini-Tour event. His pro partner opened the round with his first shot of the day by making an ace. Then another pro-partner holed his final shot of the day from the fairway to tie for lead after Round 1.

LEN ZIEHM ON GOLF photographer Joy Sarver joined the ace club, when she hit a 7-Wood 110 yards into the jar for a hole-in-one (her first). Congrats Joy.

BROADCASTING word is that NBC is replacing Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch, with two new members of the their golf broadcast team. Brad Faxon and Smylie Kauffman are rumored to be the new members of NBC Golf. At least NBC didn’t hire yet another UK type, now if they could get rid of Dan Hicks.

CBS replaced retiring Nick Faldo with South African Trevor Immelman, the weak link of CBS golf. Trevor the timid-one won’t come close to filling the pair Sqairz Golf Shoes that Faldo wore in recent years.

TIGER CAN’T WALK which meant he Withdrew from the Hero Outing. Tiger in an outing named Hero-what’s wrong with this picture. Well Mr. December was replaced with Sepp Straka, who actually is a competitive player and was T-1 after the first round. Woods also spent time calling the removal of Greg Norman from the LIV Tour. Maybe Woods should look in the mirror and call for the removal of PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. DITTO TO: RORY MCILROY on the same topic. Norman has since fired back at Woods and McIlroy and good for him.

THE PGA SHOW IS BACK January 24-27 in Orlando Florida. Or at least most of it is. 10 major equipment companies are back, so far only TaylorMade Golf and Tour Edge are not returning. I have reached out to Tim Clarke at Wilson Golf to confirm or deny a return to the show-but Clarke has been out of the country and not as of yet responded.

Front Office Executives from companies like Callaway-Topgolf, Titleist-FootJoy, and Cobra-Puma all issued statements about returning to the show. Several major apparel brands are also making a return to Orlando, like Ashworth and Peter Millar. Chicago based woman’s golf apparel leader Golftini announced a return to the show.

I AM VERY curious what this years attendance will end up being. Much better than last year-that’s for sure. But not likely as many as 2020-right before Covid struck.

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.