It’s all over at Oak Meadows until 2017, Come see us at Maple Meadows & Green Meadows in the meantime, your friends at Dupagegolf.com. Encompass Championship this week, tournaments rounds are Friday through Sunday. Defending Champion Tom Lehman in the field Encompasschampionship.com for tickets and more. Mt. Prospect Golf Club is expected to reopen on August 1st, stay clicked in here for all the details.      _____________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook. Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With Jerry Rich at Rich Harvest Farms.

The second big golf event of the year at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, tee’s off on August 3rd with practice rounds. First round play starts the next day on Tuesday August 4th, and concludes with the championship match on Saturday afternoon August 8th.

Defending champion Beau Hossler from the University of Texas golf team returns against a stellar field of players. Many of the players will be from the college ranks and will use the week to get a peek at the 2017 NCAA Championship site, and or U.S.Amateur site Olympia Fields.

This year is the 113th Western Amateur. It’s field of great past champions include Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, and Justin Leonard. Bobby Jones was the winner of the stroke play in 1920. There are many other top PGA Tour players who either won the stroke play part of the championship, or were finalists in the championship match like Ben Curtis, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, and Illinois Golf Hall of Fame member Jay Haas.

To hear interviews with Rich harvest Farms owner Jerry Rich, WGA VP of Tournaments Vince Pellegrino, 2014 semi-finalists Doug Ghim of Arlington Heights, and Nick hardy of Northbrook, click here above.

L-R at media day at Rich Harvest Farms. WGA VP Vince Pellegrino, Doug Ghim, Nick Hardy, and RHF owner Jerry Rich.

The tournament is a combination of stroke play and match play formats. Day 1 on Tuesday the 4th is 18 holes of stroke play. Day 2 August 5th is the second round of stroke play. After 36 holes the field is cut from 156 to 44 and ties.

Thursday August 6th, is a 36 hole day of stroke play. the field then gets cut down to the low 16 players who advance to match play.

On Friday August 7th their are two rounds of match play, leaving the final four players for Saturday. The Semifinal matches are played in the morning, with the championship match in the afternoon.

“As it has since it’s founding in 1899, the Western Amateur continues to attract the finest amateur players in the world to compete in one of the games most challenging formats,” said Pellegrino. “Four rounds of stroke play, followed by four rounds of match play, produces a champion befitting the rich history of our championship.

In addition to the U.S. Amateur, the players know they will be watched closely as spots on the 2015 Walker Cup Team are on the line.

For more details on the Western Amateur, please visit TheWesternAmateur.com or RichHarvestFarms.com. You can also follow the championship on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter @WGAESF.

parking and admission at Rich harvest Farms are free, come see all the action from these top players.

  The Final Hours of Oak Meadows, you have today Monday left to play Oak Meadows before it shuts down until likely May of 2017 for renovation. Dupagegolf.com. This week the Encompasschampionship.com at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, defending champion Tom Lehman is in the field. The Mt. Prospect Golf Club is expecting to reopen on August 1st, stay clicked in right here for details on opening day.  _____________________________________________________________________

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

I am hoping the weather is warmer and the course is dry, fast firm at the Straits today, for media play day in the “Land of Kohler”. As you can tell by my picture, it wasn’t that way in late April when I made my first visit of the year to Haven Wisconsin.

My full report on the course and what the professionals will see in August coming up later this week. Do stay clicked in right here at The Gog Blog.

Tuesday closes the end of an era, with the final rounds at Oak Meadows. If you wish to play Oak Meadows get out and do it today Monday, Tuesday is a private outing and then works starts with architect Greg Martin and the renovation crew. Oak Meadows should reopen in May of 2017, if all goes well and Mother Nature isn’t all to nasty the next two winters. Dupagegolf.com for details and information on their other courses Maple Meadows and Green Meadows.

It’s tractor time, John Deere Classic Week is here.

Brian Harman is back to defend his title against a stellar field at the John Deere Classic, that includes current Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth, who won the JDC in 2013.

Three-time champion Steve Stricker returns and so does JDC board member Zach Johnson winner in 2012. Johndeereclassic.com for tickets and more information, Deere Run is an easy drive for the Chicago area, just right out on Rt.88 make a left turn at the second stop light. Yes it’s that simple.

Comedian Bill Murray starts an incredible week for the JDC when he tee’s it up in the pro-am on Wednesday morning, before Spieth does in the afternoon. The Encompass Championship might attempt to kidnap Murray from the TPC Deere Run course on Wednesday afternoon and bring him to the North Shore Country Club for golf with Murray’s friend Jeff Sluman, who will tee it up at Encompass. Please visit online Encompasschampionship.com for details and more information.

  From Left to Right, Joey Sindelar, Brian Henninger, and Tom Lehman will be part of the Encompass Championship this week at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview. Come join them on the course like I did earlier this year.

Tournament time is here Illinois and Chicago area golfers, get out and see your favorite champions tour players. Fred Couples has now committed to play this week as well, Couples was second back in 2013 when Craig Stadler won on the last hole.

On the 18th Green of the Blue Monster at Trump Doral near Miami Florida.

DONALD TRUMP..It was obviously a slow day or two over at Golf Digest as Mike Stachura spent a good day or so writing about how golf could “Dump Trump” as in the Donald. Trying to take tournaments away from Trump courses and more.

Really, have we sunk to that level of nasty PC. Look if you don’t like a golf course owner, don’t play there, Don’t purchase a green fee, a shirt, cap or stop in the 19th hole. Go get fitted for clubs or buy the next dozen of Pro-V1’s in some other pro shop. I don’t want to make this golf site a political column but I will say this, Trump is running for president. A presidential candidate should take a stand on the issues that affect this country. Just voting “present” some 450+ times like the current guy did, when he “held” office in Illinois doesn’t get it done.

If you want to write golf and attack Trump, go after him on golf issues. I thought he did a great job in buying the Doral Resort and putting out the big money to elevate it’s status. He hired a great architect in Gil Hanse to fix up the Blue Monster, and it’s a much better golf course. Trump brought in the caddie experience on the monster and that gets a thumb’s up from me. But when I played there, it was $450 dollars to play, plus that caddie fee and tip. That does not get a thumb’s up from me. The rates are slightly different now but not much better. Trump runs the new Ferry Point Project, Links style course in the Bronx in New York. I saw the course from the expressway last fall, and it looked great. I give Trump credit for saving the project and bringing that tpe of golf experience to New York, but again bring your wallet. It costs more than the $155 to  play Bethpage Black, that has hosted 2-U.S. Opens and will host an upcoming PGA in 2019 and the Ryder Cup in 2024.

If you want to grow the game and put out a great golf experience and Trump says he does, that don’t have green fees that people won’t pay. It’s sad that many golfers who play the Blue Monster won’t play it a second time, or even a first time unless someone else is paying. I don’t enjoy hearing people say, “well I can say I played it” but I’ll never come back.” That’s sad when it’s a good golf course like the Blue Monster is. I’d like to see Trump come out with some golf, that’s under a $100.

IF GOLF really wants to make a PC statement, and move some tournaments. Well let’s move them away from clubs that have ILLEGALS in the caddie shack, the maintenance barns, and in the food and beverage operation, taking away jobs from local kids trying to make some money or pay for college. It happens far to often. Those kids are the golfers of tomorrow, golfers the sport needs to grow the game.

CARRIE WILLIAMS is the new Executive Director of the Illinois PGA Section, she will officially start in August, for over 8 years she has run the Illinois Junior Golf Association as the Executive Director, and has done an outstanding job. I think she will do the same outstanding job at the IPGA.

Tournament season is here, get out and enjoy. Hopefully the weather will co-operate and all of us can get out and play as well. Go play. RS

      Oak Meadows just 2 days left to play before the renovation starts, it’s all over on Monday July 6th. Dupagegolf.com. Defending Champion Tom Lehman returns to the Encompass Championship this week at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, see EncompassChampionship.com for tickets and details on the celebs playing with the professionals. The new look, or old time classic look is coming to Mt. Prospect, the course is expected to reopen on August 1st, stay clicked in for details right here.             ______________________________________________________________________

Golfers on Golf Radio 9 Am Sunday Mornings on WSBC AM 1240 and WCFJ AM 1470. Tee off with Chicago’s Favorite Foursome in their 20th season.

Golfers on Golf Radio is back for another week of the 2015 golf season, as the group makes the turn and prepares for an exciting back-nine to the golf season in Chicago.

In our picture (L), Chicago’s favorite Foursome is, Standing L-R Mike Munro and Ed Stevenson, seated L-R Rory Spears and Bill Berger.

Tournament time has arrived in Illinois, closer to home is the Encompass Championship at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview. Defending Champion Tom Lehman is in the field. Along with U.S. Sr. Open Champion Jeff Maggert, and just getting in today was Fred Couples.

Joining us on the program will be Tournament Director Mike Galeski, who will have all the information about the week ahead.

  It’s time to bring in the deer, because nothing runs like a Deere that comes from the John Deere Clasic, this week at the TPC Deere Run Golf Club in Silvis of the Quad Cities area.

Joining us to talk the JDC is Tournament Director Clair Peterson, who has all the Jordan Spieth news and will comment on the special guest playing in Wednesdays Pro-Am, yes he was in Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and a longer time regular on SNL, yes he was in Stripes as well. Okay it’s Bill Murray.

 The U.S. Amateur and the Western Amateur are looking for volunteers. The Western Amateur will be played from August 3-8 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, see WGAESF.com for more information. The U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields will be played from August 17th through the 23rd. For information see 2015usamatuer.com.

OAK MEADOWS is closing until 2017 after this Monday July 6th, the Greg Martin renovation begins this week. When it reopens it should be one of the top public courses not only in the Chicago area, but the entire state of Illinois. Dupagegolf.com to grab one of those final remaining tee-times.

THE NEW ISSUE OF CHICAGOLAND GOLF is in the pro shops. For all the details on the reopening of both the Glenview Golf Club and the Mt. Prospect Golf Club see Page 1. BIG 3 Partner Len Ziehm has a recap on the Illinois Open Championships both Men’s and Womens.

The Gog Blog Speaks Out, returns on Monday, I hope you will stay clicked in. Join us in the morning, mulligans if your on the golf course. Replay the show on this website, in our past shows area.

The weather is great go play. RS

  The Final Days of Oak Meadows, play this weekend or Monday before the renovation work begins next week. DupageGolf.com. Next week, the Encomapss Championship at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Defending Champion and new U.S. Sr. Open Champion Jeff Maggert lead the field, Encompasschampionship.com for more information and or to buy tickets. Mt. Prospect Golf Club expected to reopen on August 1st, stay clicked in right here for details on opening day.                                                    _____________________________________________________________________

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

There is a new name at the Illinois PGA office, but it’s not totally new to everyone because she has worked there before.

She, is Carrie Williams who used to work at the Illinois PGA and then went on to run the Illinois Junior Golf Association.

But with the departure of the Michael Miller to Arizona, the post of Illinois PGA Executive Director was open. There were over 20 people applicants for the position, the first cut saw the list drop to eight and then four. When it was all said and done, the IPGA selection committee decided to bring back a familiar face and somebody who knew Illinois, the Illinois PGA, and Illinois golf in general, and that was Williams.

Carrie Williams is the new Executive Director of the Illinois PGA.

Williams is not new to the IPGA, as she has worked there before in another capacity. Later she went on to take over the Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA) as executive director.

Williams spent eight years at the IJGA, and she will take over at the IPGA in late August.

On Thursday afternoon she sent her resignation letter in to the IJGA, and with the support of the IJGA Board of Directors announced the Jordan Abdel-Haq will serve as the interim executive director at the IJGA.

Williams comes to the IPGA during a time of change. The IPGA front office had no changes over an 8 1/2 year period. Since October of last year, Miller and three other top staffers have departed. In addition the IPGA announced new changes in the format and the field of the Illinois Open, along with a venue change to Royal Melbourne golf Club in Long Grove, and the Hawthorn Woods Country Club in Hawthorn Woods. Both clubs are operated by the Northbrook based KemperSports Management.

The Illinois PGA is working with KSM on a new lease to keep their offices at the Glen Club in Glenview.

PPNC News. The PGA Professional National Championship was held this past week at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The top 20 finishers do earn spots in the PGA Championship, which this year takes place at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler/Haven Wisconsin. Unfortunately none of the IPGA professionals competing did finish in the top 20 places. University of Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small was the highest finisher, completing the four rounds in 9 over par. He missed making the PGA field by 5 shots.

 On the left, Oak Meadows closing Monday, on the right Mt. Prospect opens August 1st. Stay clicked in right here for details, Oak Meadows information see Dupagegolf.com.     ______________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. @GogBlogGuy. On the 8th hole at Chambers Bay.

The 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers bay is in the books, and now it’s on to places like the John Deere Classic, the famed Greenbrier Resort, the Scottish Open and the Open Championship at St. Andrews.

What will the third leg of the seasons four majors bring, can it be a showdown between the worlds top two players.

World No.1 Rory McIlroy got it going just a little too late at Chambers Bay, World No.2 Jordan Spieth is on a roll with both 2015 majors in his back pocket, halfway to a Grand Slam.Before we move forward, we look back for the final words from Chambers Bay, and from Spieth, his caddie Michael Greller, and Rory McIlroy.

Click here to hear interviews with Spieth, Greller and McIlroy. What s ummer of golf we have ahead of us. Sit back and enjoy, when your not out playing golf yourself.

 The final days of the Oak Meadows Golf Club, the clock is ticking.Public play through next Monday July 6th. Dupagegolf.com for more details. Renovation work starts next week. Jordan Spieth will run like a Deere at TPC Deere Run next week in the Quad Cities, for more information on who else is coming Johndeereclassic.com.                       _____________________________________________________________________

Carl Spackler is coming next Wednesday to the John Deere Classic, Johndeereclassic.com

It’s official Carl Spackler is headed to the Quad Cities and the John Deere Classic, Spackler who also goes by the name of Bill Murray should rev things up next Wednesday in the Pro-Am. No word yet if Murray is arriving at TPC Deere Run in the Ghostbusters mobile,or the military motor home from Stripes. But he just might drive a John Deere tractor right of Deere Run at the end of the day.

Murray will play with his teammate from his win in the 2012 AT & T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, University of Illinois Alum D.A. Points. Murray a native of Wilmette, grew up being a caddie at the Indian Hill Club.

“The John Deere Classic is thrilled that Bill Murray will be playing in our Wednesday pro-am with D.A. Points, who has been a great supporter of the tournament over the years,” said John Deere Classic tournament director Clair Peterson. “Not only does the pro-am serve as a fun and enjoyable day for participants and fans, it is one of the fundamental ways the tournament raises funds for our Birdies for Charity partners, which is the core mission of the golf tournament.”

Murray is expected to bring some laughs to the crowds on hand next Wednesday at TPC Deere Run, Murray will play in the morning session of the pro-am. Points has won twice on the PGA Tour and has 17 top 10 finishes. Points has 4 wins on the Web.com Tour as well.

Along with Murray, the tournament has several names that are well known among golf fans and John Deere Classic fans. Defending champion Brian Harman heads up a field that includes current Masters and U.S. Open Champion Jordan Spieth, 2012 champion Zach Johnson and 2009-2010 and 2011 champion Steve Stricker.

In addition to the Johndeereclassic.com wesbite, tickets can be purchased by calling (309)-762-4653. The John Deere Classic is in it’s 45th season, has raised over $61 million dollars for charity.

Tournament play starts on Thursday, and concludes on Sunday afternoon. Golfers on Golf Radio and Golfersongolf.com will be at Deere Run during the week. Stay clicked in for the latest information.