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Doug Ghim vs Doc Redman in Sunday’s championship match for the U.S. Amateur title at Riviera Country Club, near Los Angeles.

Ghim of Arlington Heights, and Redman of Raleigh North Carolina, and Western Amateur runner-up.

   CALLAWAY GOLF, making an Epic move in the golf world. See Callawaygolf.com.

THE GOG BLOG, part of GOLFERS ON GOLF. Written and Edited by Director of Content Rory Spears. Follow Rory to the Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison now open for public play, and on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

The Talamore Golf family is expanding and improving. Both up north near the city of Philadelphia, and down in the Sand Hills country around the Pinehurst North Carolina area.

Up in Pennsylvania is the Applecross Country Club in Downington, and the Talamore Country Club of Ambler. In the south there is Talamore Golf resort along with it’s partner across the street the Arnold Palmer designed Mid-South Club.

Applecross CC less than 40 minutes from Philadelphia, has just opened it;s new stately clubhouse. Which is just one part of this golf community that opened just seven years ago, it includes a Nicklaus designed golf course, where it was Michael Nicklaus played the role of lead architect.

The new clubhouse is over 15,000 square feet over three levels, and includes locker rooms, pro shop and offices. The Eagle’s Nest a 30 seat member bar has scenic views of the 18th and 19th holes, from under it’s timber frame design.

   Talamore Resort in Pinehurst is looking incredible after recent improvements. (R) nothing like an early morning round at Talamore as the dew melts and the ground fog lifts.

Last summer Talamore after 25 years redid it’s green complexes, that were upgraded from bent grass to the new Champion Bermuda. The reviews have been great which is part of the reason over 90% of Talamore’s guests return again and again.

On the property once known for it’s llama caddies, it now goes by it’s new name “The new course at Talamore.” The clubhouse has been renovated, where guests and golfers enjoy Southern breakfast buffets at the Sodfather’s Grille.

  Part two of the Talamore Experience is it’s partner the Arnold Palmer designed Mid-South Club, which like Talamore will see it’s greens converted to the Champion Bermuda grass that improves conditions year round.

Mid-South during it’s greens renovations, is adding a new set of forward tee’s. These tee’s are expected to help beginners enjoy the game at a faster level. The clubs cart paths are being redone and re-concreted as part of the improvement plan. Around the clubs pool area, is a new barbeque and the addition of basketball and pickle ball courts.

Members and guests are enjoying the more than six million dollars in improvements in the Talamore family, both in the north and down south as well. For information on all properties, call (800)-552-6292 or see online TalamoreGolfResorts.com for package information.

  THE 16TH HOLE AT THE PRESERVE at Oak Meadows in Addison, now open for public play, see DuPagegolf.com and while your there sign up for the famed Rambo Scramble at Maple Meadows in October. IT’S BEEN AN EPIC SUMMER Callaway Golf is on the move with the new Epic Driver, Steelhead Fairway Woods and Mack Daddy Wedges by designer Roger Cleveland. visit Callawaygolf.com for more information.         ______________________________________________________________________

GOG BLOG EDITOR-RORY SPEARS APPAREL is, ANTIGUA’S SUMMER SLEEVELESS WINDSHIRT. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

Those Playoff’s, yes PLAY-OFF’s are now underway, and Dustin Johnson is on the move after defeating Jordan Spieth at the Northern Trust in New York.

Who isn’t on the move to this weeks event in Boston is, Steve Stricker, D.A. Points and Luke Donald, who have all been eliminated from the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs and Conway Farms in two weeks.

Kevin Streelman is still alive but needs a god week in Boston to make the field in Lake Forest. Below is an interview that I and BIG 3 partner Len Ziehm did with Streelman at the John Deere Classic in July that I just found in the files.

Our interview with Kevin Streelman on Wilson golf, his season and more.

I hope you were able to catch our 1 on 1 with U.S. Amateur finalist Doug Ghim here on the site last week. What a great run by Ghim, and some good thoughts after having a few days to think about things. If you haven’t heard it yet, scroll down a few stories.

Earlier today I posted a story about the new True Spec Golf in Highland Park. It is a pretty top notch fitting lab, I enjoyed checking it out and finding out somethings about my clubs and getting the fairway woods end of my game improved. Or at least I think, I haven’t hit the new Callaway Steelhead fairway woods yet, but I will tomorrow when I play in the famed McWethy Cup Tournament at Mistwood Golf Club.

Mistwood Owner Jim McWethy speaks in the Great Hall at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville

McWethy Cup invitational tomorrow at Mistwood is one of the fun events of the year. Happy Birthday To Jim McWethy as well, we know it’s coming up.

If you have not been to Mistwood you need to go play it, it’s one of the finest public courses in the Chicagoland area. See Mistwoodgc.com.

Another one of McWethy’s projects is the Green Street Grille in Bensenville, which is taking off according to our Golfers on Golf partner and GSG co-owner Mike Munro. GSG has a great menu and can be enjoyed outside on the patio, go do that while the weather is nice enough to do so.

The Par 5, fifth hole at the Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison.

The Preserve at Oak Meadows has opened to rave reviews, and the feedback my Golfers on Golf Radio partner Ed Stevenson (Ex. Director DuPage County Forest Preserve District) is getting has been great.

If you have not yet played The Preserve you should head over and check it out, in advance see DuPagegolf.com. for more details and information on tee times.

September and Labor Day are coming soon, and many courses are expected to run some Labor Day Specials, be on the lookout. September also means the BMW Championship will be driving into town from September 11th through the 17th, which 70 players will make the field is a god question.

GREAT COLLEGE GOLF returns to Jerry Rich’s Rich Harvest Farms in September with the arrival of the Northern Intercollegiate on September 24 and 25. Besides NIU, three Big Ten schools will be playing, Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin. The week earlier running head to head with the BMW Championship is the Illinois invitational at Olympia Fields Country Club. Stay clicked in for more details on both events.

Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley, joined Golfers on Golf Radio this past Saturday.

Pinehurst Resort “The home of American Golf” where it’s always a beautiful day has several projects on tap.

Resort President Tom Pashley joined Golfers on Golf Radio this past weekend and spoke about the many changes to the resort and it’s nine golf courses.

Pinehurst 4 will undergo a Gil Hanse renovation starting this fall and be closed for a year. Pinehurst 1&3 are about to reopen from adjustments to a few holes, due to the creation of a new short course by Hanse. Early reports says this will be popular. The resort has not decided yet on moving forward with Pinehurst #10 on the land formerly known as the Pit GC. But has now completed renovations at the Holly Inn and says work is underway on a Pinehurst Brewery, that will wet the whistles of golfers and everyone who visits Pinehurst.

Stay clicked in for our stories coming up on Pinehurst improvements. With that, do you have your BMW Championship tickets yet. BMWChampionshipUSA.com if you don’t.

The Gog Blog returns this week. RS

  CALLAWAY GOLF presents the MACK DADDY wedges by designer Roger Cleveland, see Callawaygolf.com. THE PRESERVE at OAK MEADOWS is open DuPagegolf.com   ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG an extension of Golfers on Golf Radio, by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. hitting into the fitting screen at True Spec Golf in Highland Park. For more follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

The days of just buying clubs off the floor in your favorite sporting goods store are over.

These days when you make the investment in new golf clubs, the way to get clubs so they work the best for you and your game, is to be fitted.

Okay, where to go and how to make sure it’s done right. Chicago area golfers have a new option in town that takes fitting to a new level.

It’s called True Spec Golf. True Spec is not new to golf, just to the Chicago area. They have opened their first Chicago facility in north suburban Highland Park, located on Old Skokie Road above the Tesla car dealership.

Fitter Michael Glauberman welcomes you to the True Spec fitting lab.

“True Spec Golf’s foundation is built on fitting and building golf clubs that provide a measurable improvement to our clients,” said Hoyt McGarity, CEO of True Spec Golf. “Our new studio will provide Chicagoan’s with the ultimate premium fitting experience.”

What the new Chicago/Highland Park studio includes is: A spacious fitting bay. Foresight GC2 Quad Launch Monitor. State of the art Putter Fitting Studio. Fitting Matrix with 30,000+ club head and shaft combinations. GEARS Golf Biomechanics lab. 2 Spacious Golf simulators. In the end, True Spec puts together the right combination of club head and shaft to help every golfer get the most out of their game and equipment. True Spec’s technology gives every golfer the best chance to play a fun round of golf, and help improve scoring.

A full range of monitors give golfers all the numbers they need to make an informed decision on new clubs.

“I could not be more excited to bring a truly technologically advanced studio to the Chicago golf community,” says Scott Anderson, True Spec Golf Chicago Director. “The combination of our fitting capabilities and a matrix of 30,000+ fitting options will differentiate the experience we offer. Our goal is to assist players in improving their game by providing the most innovative technology in combination with data driven analytics.”

True Spec builds clubs by hand in their Scottsdale Arizona facility. The full technology components are in place to make all sure all clubs are built to the exact specifications of the players fitting.

Golfers can be fit wearing a testing jacket for a variety of measurements.

True Spec’s fitting services do include fitting an entire set of golf clubs. Drivers, fairway woods, irons, wedges, hybrids and putters.

If you wish to test out which golfball is the right one for your game, True Spec can do that as well.

Cost for True Spec fitting sessions range from $125 to $450 per fitting session, and the type of session.

With the addition of Highland Park, True Spec now has 16 studios on three continents and in six countries. Top ranked amateur players and players from all of the major professional tours have used True Spec’s fitting services.

To hear our interview with True Spec Golf’s Scott Anderson and Certified Club fitter Michael Glauberman, click here.

To schedule your fitting and taking the next step to improve your golf game, visit TrueSpecGolf.com or call Michael Glauberman at (330)-283-1896. True Spec Golf in Highland Park is located at 1200 Old Skokie Road, above the Tesla dealership.

Stay clicked in for a report and review from Editor Rory Spears, on his fitting and new club results, from the True Spec Golf fitting session.

 OPEN FOR BUSINESS: The new Shepherd’s Rock Golf Club by Pete Dye at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington PA. (L) see Nemacolin.com for more information. (R) The Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison renovated by Greg Martin for information on tee-times and more, please visit DuPagegolf.com #previewseason.    _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG part of Golfers on Golf Radio, that tee’s off on Saturday mornings at 9 Am on AM 750 WNDZ. The guys in Myrtle Beach in 2016, home of this weeks World Largest Amateur Golf Championship.

Chicago’s favorite foursome is back for week #20, even though we might only be threesome in need of a fourth. So we hope you will join us to complete the group.

Golfers on Golf Radio is on the tee at 9 AM on AM 750 WNDZ, Chicago’s home for golf talk radio.

Joining us this week is Scott Anderson the Midwest Manager for True Spec Golf, which is a golf club fitting studio. It’s first Chicago area facility has now launched in Highland Park. Tune in for the details on how to get the right clubs in your bag, in your hands, on the tee, in the fairway, in the bunker, and on the green.

Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley joins the show to talk improvements at the home of American Golf.

Tom Pashley the President of the Pinehurst Resort, joins us on the back nine of the show to talk improvements to the resort.

Course #4, the new short course, improvements to courses 1&3, the upgraded Holly Inn, Duece’s, a new pool and more.

Could Pinehurst #10 be in the works on a former Pinehurst area course favorite.

Fall trips and more see Pinehurst.com.

During the hour, we will hear from U.S. Amateur Championship finalist Doug Ghim and new IPGA section champion Adam Schumacher from the Indian Hill Club.

The Par 3, Fifth hole at Sand Valley Resort in Wisconsin.

The Sand Valley Resort in Rome Wisconsin is your next resort destination golf trip. Created by golf destination property designer Mike Keiser, Sand Valley’s first course named Sand Valley is fully open.

The second course by David Kidd called Mammoth Dunes now has nine holes open. More holes are expected to open before the 2017 golf season ends. Coming up from September 2-4 is the Heathland Cup. A 54 hole-two person best ball contested over two courses in two days. There is also 27 holes of practice rounds, a welcome reception and awards lunch. Email reservations to reservations@sandvalleygolfresort.com or call Sand Valley at (888)-651-5539.

Arnold Palmer takes a rip at it. The Palmer statue at Bay Hill

ARNIE’S ARMY is on the move. Arnie’s march against Children’s Cancer has spread into new markets.

While the signature fund raiser will still be the Mastercard Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Classic, three other tournaments the Firestone-WGA Birdgestone, the Dell Technologies in Boston and the Tour Championship at East Lake, will now have special events to support the march.

For more information on the Arnold Palmer Charitable Foundation, please visit Arniesarmy.org. and join Arnie’s march.

KEMPERSPORTS management has been selected to manage four properties. First on the tee is the famed Golden Horseshoe golf club in Colonial Williamsburg VA., The 45 hole golf facility is home to the Golf Course rated by some publications in the Top 100 public courses in America.

KemperSports has landed it’s first course to manage in Arizona, by landing the Bear Creek golf complex, designed by Jack Nicklaus Design Company. the complex has 36 holes a practice area and a grill called the Bear’s Den Bar& Grill. The club is 25 miles from downtown Phoenix.

KemperSports has been selected to manage the St. James Bay resort in Carrabelle Florida, located in the panhandle part of the state and less than 50 miles southwest of Tallahassee. The center of the resort is a Robert Walker Signature design course that plays to a par of 72, and tops out at 6,600 yards. The resort is under new ownership. For more information on KemperSports and the properties they manage, please visit kempersports.com.

LINCOLNSHIRE FIELDS in Champaign has selected KemperSports to manage the club. LFCC has a strong reputation in the Champaign area for over 40 years. The Par 72, Larry Packard design plays over 6,900 yards and KSM has started at the club as of this past week.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR for the Northside Beerfest at the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course on Saturday Sept. 23rd from 1-4 PM. over 50 brewers from at least 6 states. See Northsidebeerfest.com hosted by Billi Casper Golf.

TO SEE THE AUGUST GOLF 360 with Dave “Links” Lockhart and former Chicago Bear Patrick Manelly, visit http://vimeo.com/229871241 take a tour of the new Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison.

ANTIGUA congratulates Neal Furlong is their golf division salesperson of the year. For more information on Antigua see Antigua.com.

LINKS CAPITAL ADVISORS Inc. and Chris Charnas announce the sale of the Club At Aberdeen in Valporaiso Indiana.

DUPAGE GOLF announces the famed Rambo Scramble will be held at Maple Meadows on Saturday October 14th, sign up at DuPageGolf.com.

  CALLAWAY WEDGE DESIGNER ROGER CLEVELAND talks at the Mistwood Golf Club on the new line of Mack Daddy Wedges, see Callawaygolf.com for more details.     ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG the extension of Golfers on Golf Radio, by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to the French Lick Resort’s Donald Ross course, celebrating 100 years. Rory Spears golf shirt by Callaway Golf.

It was an incredible run through a USGA championship. It just didn’t end quite right.

21 year old Doug Ghim of Arlington heights had the US Amateur in the palm of his hands, and it just slipped out.

These things happen in golf and sometimes at the worst of times. Ghim was two up with two holes to play, you would like to think Ghim should at least get a half point at worst.

It’s just that the championship match of the US Amateur doesn’t end that way. Credit 19 year old Doc Redman who rallied from 2 DN with two holes to play, to winning the US Amateur for stepping up big time when he had to. Redman was the player who lost the playoff recently at Skokie Country Club in the Western Amateur. At Skokie, Redman from Raleigh North Carolina who plays on the Clemson University golf team was 4 Dn with nine holes to go, rallied to force a playoff that he lost after 22 holes. This time he beat Ghim after just one hole.

For Ghim there was some consolation in finishing in second place. Ghim did earn a spot on the USA Walker Cup team that will play in Los Angeles in two weeks. Ghim will get to tee it up in the Masters come next April, and the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in June. Not too bad of a consolation prize.

Click here to hear our interview with Doug Ghim on the US Amateur and looking ahead in the career of the senior to be at the University of Texas.

Doug Ghim hits the driver

Ghim who was the Big 12 player of the year in his junior season, should have quite an exciting senior season before at some point likely in 2018, he will turn professional.

Ghim who along with Nick Hardy of Northbrook are two local players, who not only started in Illinois Junior Golf, but have moved on to Division 1 college golf and before long a professional golf career.

While Ghim didn’t come home with the Havemeyer Trophy, he showed that the state of Illinois is turning out some upcoming golfers with a bright future ahead of them.

  THE NEW CALLAWAY EPIC DRIVER making it’s mark in golf, see Callawaygolf.com and the Titleist 917 Driver, the longest driver in the Titleist family. See Titleist.com            ____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington PA., and on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. Shirt for Rory Spears by Antigua Golf Apparel see Antigua.com

Adam Schumacher of the Indian Hill Club shot a final round 2 under par 69, to win the 96th Illinois PGA Section Championship at Medinah Country Club.

Schumacher’s final round of 69 was one of the four under par rounds carded in Round 3.

Schumacher shot 67-73-69 in route to his first IPGA section major title, that gives him some hope of catching Kemper Lakes head professional Jim Billiter for the IPGA section player of the year award.

Speaking of Billiter, the wheels came off in Round 3, after two stellar rounds of golf in Rounds 1 and 2. Billiter hung on for a solo fifth place finish after shooting a 9 over par 80, but got spot in the PNC (club pro championship) next year in California.

Indian Hill Club Assistant Professional Adam Schumacher holds the Jim Kemper Cup after winning the 96th Illinois PGA Championship at Medinah.

Schumacher opened his round with birdies on the first and third holes, and even though he didn’t know it, his six shot deficit by the fourth tee, was now only two two shots.

Schumacher didn’t look at a leader board until after the fifth hole, where he saw Billiter was off to a shaky start and that he had now played his way into contention.

Twin Orchard’s Dakun Chang had lost a shot from his starting score of six under par, and quickly the top of the leader board was bunched up with three players. Brett Walker (Conway Farms) who was the third member of the final group, and ended up finishing in second place after a 73, was right behind the leaders.

Doug Bauman (Biltmore CC) who at age 60, showed he could hang tough with the young guns finished at even par for the championship (T-3) after a final round of 73.

Click here to hear our interviews with 1st and 2nd round leader Jim Billiter (first) and then champion Adam Schumacher.

12 time winner of the section championship, University of Illinois golf coach Mike Small finished with a 3 over par 74, but ended up in a T-6, with Medinah’s highest finishing professional Rich Dukelow and Kyle Bauer of the Glenview Club.

Matt Slowinski new head professional at the Hinsdale Country Club, was one of the four players who shot under par, with a one under par 70. Slowinski earned a spot to the PNC, along with Royal Hawk pro Brian Carroll who birdied the first playoff hole. Simon Allan of Flossmoor Country Club earned the last spot in the PNC when he made par on the third playoff hole. Steve Murray from the Golf Shack will be the first alternate.

62 players made the cut that came at +11, and Schumacher’s winners check was $11,700. The 2018 IPGA Section Championship will be held at the Stonewall Orchard Golf Club in Grayslake Illinois.

  SWINGOIL a new energy supplement for what you need during and after your round, try all three flavors, learn more at Swingoil.com. The Preserve at Oak Meadows is open for public play in it’s preview season, check out the course and range DuPagegolf.com . ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington PA., and on Facebook, Linkedin and TWitter @gogblogguy.

Jim Billiter seems locked in and steady as he shots for his second IPGA major of the year, and his second IPGA Section Championship at Medinah Country Club.

Billiter fired his second straight 4 under par 67, and sits alone at the top of the leader board by two shots over Dakun Chang.

Billiter at Kemper Lakes and Chang at Twin Orchard have clubs that are almost neighbors. In the final round at Medinah on Wednesday, they will be closer than neighbors, as they will be sharing status in the final group on Medinah’s No.1 course.That is playing over 6,700 yards and to a par of 71.

Jim Billiter holds the hardware from winning the Illinois PGA Section Championship at Medinah in 2015.

In round one Billiter started on the tenth tee, and made his run on the back nine, round two was a different story.

It was two birdies and an eagle on the par 5, 9th hole, as Billiter did his scoring mostly on the other nine in round 2.

There was two birdies to be had on the back for Billiter, who did drop one shot a side with two bogeys in the round.

For the final round he will start off the first tee with partners Chang and assistant pro Brett Walker from Conway Farms.

Chang on the other hand started off fast on the back nine with five birdies in the first 8 holes. But then a bogey on 18, and three more on the front side dropped him back to 6 under par after 36 holes. All of Walkers movement happened on the back nine, two bogeys on 10 and 11, then follow by three birdies later on the same side.

Adam Schumacher of the Indian Hill Club started round 2 tied with Billiter for first place. Then he opened round two with a birdie on the first, after a long run of pars, three late bogeys pushed him back to a 73, that left him six shots behind Billiter.

Schumacher is T-4, with Doug Bauman from Biltmore Country Club, who last won the section championship in 1997, 20 years ago. Bauman doesn’t feel like he a chance to win on Wednesday, but is hoping for a birth in the PNC (Club pro) Championship in 2018.

Click here to hear interviews with leader Jim Billiter and Doug Bauman in fourth place.

University of Illinois golf coach Mike Small a 12 time winner of the championship is at 1 under par 7 shots back after a 70 in round 2. Small is T-6 and should not be counted out. After his second round he headed to Medinah’s practice range for a full practice session.

The cut came at +12 that allowed 63 players to make the final round. The winners purse will be $ 10,000 according to the Illinois PGA. 

     IT’S ILLINOIS PGA SECTION WEEK at Medinah Country Club. Come see the championship and Medinah this week, admission is free. IPGA.com. Tickets now on sale for 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes GC next June.        _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG PART OF GOLFERS ON GOLF by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. On the new back tee at the Par 4, 16th hole at Kemper Lakes Golf Club.

Jim Billiter of Kemper Lakes Golf Club and Adam Schumacher of the Indian Hill Club are the leaders of the 95th Illinois PGA Championship at Medinah Country Club.

Both players came from the morning flight, and Billiter was in the first group out.

“I love being first out,” said Billiter. “But the negative was that I was four under par for the first nine, and I ended up 4 under par for the round.”

Actually Billiter started out on 10, with partners Danny Mulhearn (Glen Oak CC) and Travis Johns (Medinah CC). Mulhearn shot a +3 (74) and Johns a +5 (76), both were expected to post lower numbers than they did. Billiter said both of them played better than they scored.

12 time PGA Section championship winner University of Illinois golf coach Mike Small playing out of the last tee time after attending his U of I golf team fund raiser, shot an even par 71, he was as low as 1 under par late in the round.

Jim Billiter holds the IPGA match Play trophy after winning the first section major of the year at Kemper Lakes Golf Club in May.

“The greens especially early were perfect,” said Billiter. “They were like putting on glass, and were the best greens we have seen in a section event all year.”

Billiter said the 10th hole is a hole where you driver it in the trees left off the tee, so that is exactly what he did.

“I hit it left and off of a tree and the ball ended up back in the fairway,” said Billiter. “From there I hit it to two inches and tapped in.”

Billiter says he had played the course 5 times before Monday and now he knows where to miss, and where not to miss. Billiter feels the scoring holes are early on both nines, but then players have to hang on the last three or four holes.

Schumacher’s highlight was an eagle on the short par 4, 13th hole. It came on his fourth hole, and took him from 1 over par to 1 under.

Dakun Chang from Twin Orchard Country Club and Brian Carlson of River Forest Country Club are tied for third place at 2 under par. Overall 10 players were under par for Round 1.

Heavy rains are expected overnight into Tuesday morning, and could possibly delay the start of Round 2, watch IPGA.com for details.

 THE DONALD ROSS COURSE at French Lick Resort, celebrating 100 years. Book your tee time today at FrenchLick.com  The Mid South Club at Talamore in Pinehurst North Carolina, come stay or play at Mid-South/Talamore, visit Talamoregolfresort.com.  _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG the Internet Section of Golfers on Golf, Edited and written by Rory Spears. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. Rory’s apparel provided by Cross Golf USA.

It’s the 95th Illinois PGA Section Championship at Medinah Country Club in Medinah Illinois.

The section championship is also a tournament that will put 12 of the Illinois section professionals, into the the PGA National Club Pro Championship in California.

The IPGA Section Championship for lack of better terms, has become the Mike Small Tournament.

The Illinois golf coach has won the championship a record of 12 times. It’s a record that will likely never be broken. What is more likely is that Small will win the title another time or two before he quits playing in the championship.

Mike Small with trophy #12 at Olympia Fields in 2016.

Small will likely be ready for to win after not being able to play in the Illinois Open, because of the conflict of him playing in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte.

At the PGA Championship, where Small has been the low club professional on two occasions, this year he failed to make the cut. Which is something that won’t sit well with Small.

Small played pretty well at Steve Stricker’s Champions Tour event in Wisconsin and the PGA Section is even more of an event that he feels comfortable at. Speaking of Stricker, the PGA Tour star and Illini Alum is in Chicago to participate in the annual U of I fund raiser, so as a result Small took the last tee time in Round 1, so he can make it to Medinah in time to play from Olympia Fields.

Tee times start at 7:30 for Rounds 1&2 on Medinah Course #1, the cut falls after 36 holes and third and final round will be played on Wednesday.

Kemper Lakes head golf professional Jim Billiter has the point lead for Illinois PGA Section Player of the Year. Billiter who has won the section title before, can pretty much wrap up a Player of the Year Award with a win this week. Billiter has already won the IPGA Section’s first major of the year the Match Play Championship on his home course. He was the low IPGA Section professional at the Illinois Open two weeks ago. he is expected to give Small tough competition along with White Eagle Professional Curtis Malm who was runner up last year.

For tee times, see IPGA.com. For complete coverage of the championship keep it here at Golfersongolf.com. Coverage of Round 1 from Medinah starts tomorrow.

  THE SWINGDUKE by Mike Roelle, weight train your body and your golf swing all at once, Swingduke.com (L). Clubhouse designs for the new Preserve at Oak Meadows, the Preserve is now open for public play, visit DuPagegolf.com for details and tee times. ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG, the Internet division of Golfers on Golf, is written and presented by Editor and Director of Content Rory Spears. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With the Havemeyer US Amateur Trophy.

It’s down to the championship match of the 117th US Amateur. Doug Ghim of Arlington Heights Illinois faces Western Amateur runner up Doc Redman from Raleigh North Carolina.

Ghim attends the University of Texas in Austin, and Redman is a member of the Clemson University golf team in Columbia South Carolina.

Ghim defeated Theo Humphrey 2&1 in the semi finals to advance, while Redman won his match on the 18th green over favored Mark Lawrence. Redman barely made it to the match play part of the championship, and was the #62 seed out of 64 players in the match play. Ghim was only a slight underdog to Humphrey as both were seeded in the top 10.

Ghim fell behind Humphey early and went 1 Dn after two holes. But rallied quickly with a birdie to square the match. From there Ghim slowly built his lead to 2 Up at the turn after a pitch in eagle on the short par 4 8th hole. Ghim made eagle again on the back nine on a par 5 11th hole, and then won the par 4, 12th hole with a par to build his lead to 4 Up.

Ghim never won another hole after that but he didn’t need to. Humphrey rallied to win two holes down the stretch to extend the match to 17, but ran out of holes when both players parred the 17th hole to end it at 2&1.

Redman had a tougher battle with Lawrence who took the early lead on Redman. But Redman won three straight holes on the front nine to go 2 Up. Lawrence closed it to 1 Dn, but Redman pushed his lead to 2 Up after a birdie on 10, only to see it go back to 1 Up after Lawrence won the 12th hole.

With a 2 Up lead and three holes to play, Redman that had to survive Lawrence winning both 16 and 17 to square the match. Redman won the match on the 18th green by making par to a bogey for Lawrence.

With their wins, both Ghim and Redman have earned their way into the 2018 Masters and US Open championships.

Click here to hear USGA interviews of Doug Ghim and Doc Redman.

The championship match starts at 10 Am CST time and will be shown on Fox Sports.