THE GOG BLOG’S SUNDAY MORNING SHORT GAME-LATE EDITION

TWO GREAT INDOOR GOLF FACILITIES that allow you to play golf all year long, even here in Chicago. The Mistwood Golf Dome located on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook, and the Schaumburg Golf Club on Roselle Road in Schaumburg. Test out the Mistwood Golf Dome, get a round in on the simulators in Schaumburg. Call Mistwood (630)-739-7600 and call Schaumburg Golf Club at (847)-885-9000. Get your game ready for summer.     _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. Back in a Flash, with the Callaway Epic Flash, in the Mistwood Golf Dome.

YES THIS IS THE LATE EDITION, busy weekend with the golf show that flew by in a flash, and our local sports teams. The Gog Blog Speaks Out returns tomorrow, with more thoughts on Chicago’s only golf show.

For our news column, we start with the Fighting Illini men’s golf team in the hunt in Louisiana in the final round of the Louisiana Classic tournament in Lafayette LA. In windy conditions the Illini sit in third place as a team, but Fr. Tommy Kuhl is playing as a individual and leads the tournament, but his score does not count for the team score in the championship. Tough break for the Illini. Full wrap up tomorrow here on the site.

THE FLOWER HOLE at Sentry World in Stevens Point Wis. Home of the 2019 USGA Junior Girls Championship.

SentryWorld in Stevens Point Wisconsin, has announced that the course will open for the season on Friday May 3rd weather permitting.

SentryWorld will also hold two Callaway golf equipment demo days, coming up on Saturday March 30th from 10 Am until 2 Pm, and on Wednesday June 5th from 4-7 Pm. Come check out the full line of Callaway Clubs including the new Epic Flash Driver and Fairway Metals.

The USGA comes to town with the 2019 U.S. Junior Girls Championship from July 22-27, volunteers are needed. For tee times and more see Sentryworld.com.

DuPage Golf has three golf courses, the Preserve at oak Meadows, Maple Meadows and Green Meadows, see Dupagegolf.com

Golf season is right around the corner at DuPage Golf, and the three DuPage Forest Preserve District Golf Courses.

There are still some limited spaces for permanent tee times at both courses The Preserve and Maple Meadows.

This year there is a new perk for permanent tee time holders. Come out during the week, Mon-Thurs, and you and your foursome receive a discount on that days green fees. See all the details at DuPagegolf.com.

Topgolf opens in Myrtle Beach South Carolina

This past Friday Myrtle Beach opened it’s doors the new Topgolf. The three level 53,000 square foot venue, and the companies 53rd location in the world.

Schaumburg Illinois will open in late summer 2019.

“We are thrilled to finally open the door to South Carolina’s first Topgolf venue,” said Topgolf Myrtle Beach Director of Operations Jeff Kowalski. “Topgolf is everyone’s game and we are looking forward to serving the best possible experience for our Topgolf guests. The new location is 2850 Robert M. Grissom Parkway, and over 350 associates have been hired for the new location. More details at topgolf.com.

Click here to hear our interview with Top Golf Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Andrew McCauley, on Topgolf, the new Schaumburg Topgolf location, and Toptracer range technology, now in place at the Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook.

TOPGOLF is now hiring in Greenville S.C. for another new location that will open later this spring, some 350 jobs are available. See Topgolf.com

MORE ON MYRTLE BEACH…

The 9th hole at Tidewater Golf Club in Myrtle Beach SC.

When one talks about the best golf courses in the Myrtle Beach, which name keeps coming up.

That would be Tidewater Golf Club that has repeatedly ended up on or near the top of every credible list of top Myrtle Beach Golf Courses.

The Tidewater Golf Course has several stunning holes, with great views along holes 3,4,12, and 13.

In 2014 Tidewater underwent a renovation of it’s greens that have left the course in outstanding condition. For more details on how to golf one of the top courses in Myrtle Beach see Tidewatergolf.com.

MORE MYRTLE BEACH PART 2…MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com has unveiled a new package-The Founders Group-All Inclusive. This package allows golfers to pick from 22 of the Myrtle Beach area golf courses, including the Grand Dunes Golf Resort (as featured by Golfers on Golf.com last month) TPC Myrtle Beach, and Kings North at MB National. The package includes range balls, lunch and 2 draft beers per day. For a full list of courses, see the website listed above or call (866)-694-2448.

THE NEW AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN”S AMATEUR that will be contested for the first time April 3-6, has invited to it’s field Tristyn Nowlin from the U of ILL (second place at last summers WWGA Women’s Amateur and the Illinois Women’s Open both played at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeville), and Stephanie Lau from the University of Northwestern’s Women’s Golf Team.

The field of 72 of the top women’s players from around the world will compete in the 36 hole event of stroke play, with the first 36 holes coming at the Island and Bluff nines at the Championship Retreat Golf Club in Augusta on April 3-4. The low 30 players will advance to a practice round on April 5th at Augusta National Golf Club, with the final round being played on the Masters Tournament course ANGC on Saturday April 6th, with NBC Sports showing three hours of Live final round coverage from 3-6 PM EST.

The champion if she remains an amateur gets a five year exemption back into the field, and exemption into the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open, the Women’s British Open and a 1-year exemption into any USGA, R&A, and PGA of America amateur championships.

A WELL DONE to one of our fellow golf media brothers. AP’s Doug Ferguson (55) becomes the third AP golf writer to be awarded the 2019 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. Ferguson the 30th winner of the award will be honored at the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) dinner in Augusta GA. on April 11th.

The US Open trophy on the 15th hole at Erin Hills, host of the 2017 US Open.

ERIN HILLS that hosted the 2017 U.S. Open, and two other previous USGA Championships has announced new for 2019 an extended putting green just off to the right of the courses first tee.

The large putting green can be seen on the Erin Hills website in a animation view.

Once finished an opened for play at a date to be named yet this summer, Erin Hills will add lights so the contests and the games and bets can go on all night night long. Check out Erinhills.com for rates and special dates for the summer ahead.

JOIN BRIAN MCCASKEY and Liberty Auto Center Care for a fundraiser supporting Brain Cancer and the Ross K.MacNeill at Knollwood Golf Club in Lake Forest, on March 8th, from 7 to 11 PM.

CHAD JOHANSEN’S BLACKBERRY OAKS, is gearing up for a busy summer starting on April 14th with the BBO 4-man scramble. Sign up is underway for the Blackberry Oaks Amateur coming in June. Visit Blackberryoaks.com for details.

CHAMBERS BAY home of the 2015 U.S. Open will reopen in April after a renovation of the greens and other parts of the golf course, for tee times see Chambersbyagolf.com.

WHITTAKER WOODS Exit 1 in Michigan, is in the running to win a contest sponsored by the newspaper the Times of Northwest Indiana. If Your love WW, place a vote for them on the contest website.

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.