THE DONALD ROSS COURSE at French Lick Resort, Celebrating 100 Years in 2017. Great place for a fall golf trip, See Frenchlick.com. The Preserve at Oak Meadows in  Addison open for play until the end of October, closed Tuesdays. See DuPagegolf.com.  ______________________________________________________________________

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The Green Street Grille is our subject during today’s GOG Blog edition of the 19th hole.

The Green Street Grille is located in downtown Bensenville at 120 Green Street. It is owned and operated by by Mike Munro founder of Golfers on Golf Radio, and Jim McWethy the owner of Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville and MCQ’s Dome in Bolingbrook. The Green Street Grille opened back in spring of this year.

Rory Spears (L) with Mike Munro owner and operator of the Green Street Grille in Bensenville. Follow Rory the Editor and Director of Content for Golfersongolf.com on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

There are a few things golfers should enjoy at the Green Street Grille. The GSG is less than 10 minutes away from from courses like The Preserve at Oak Meadows, and Maple Meadows.

The White Pines Golf Club is another golf facility less than 10 minutes away, so if you need a place before of after golf for food and beverage, THE GSG is not far away.

If you enjoy checking out the professional and top amateur golf tournaments on television, while the Green Street Grille is for you. Because at least one big screen TV will always have the Golf Channel on, when the restaurant is open.

Patrons enjoy the bar at the Green Street Grille

The menu has a good variety of lightweight and bigger meals for the hungry and those really hungry.

Among some of the most popular items on the menu, are a great starter in the mozzarella sticks, with a tasty marinara sauce, and the French Onion Soup. A full line of salads to pick from is another option.

For more of a main course, you can get the Green Street Grille 1/2 pound burger, the steak sandwich, and the Italian beef grinder sandwich. Need more?, go for the full sized steak options or other choices.Need an ice cold beverage, or some warmer when the cooler temps arrive outside. Well long time Chicago area golfers appreciate the history a good summer shandy, or a long time Chicago favorite, Old Style Beer.

For hours and more information on the Green Street Grille, follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook. The GSG is now open with brunch and happy hour specials. GSG is now tying into local golf courses for golf and dinner events. Follow this site and social media sites for more information. The Green Street Grille, the beginning of a new downtown Bensenville.

 THE CRADLE AT PINEHURST, the new short course, 9 Holes-Par 3 789 yards of pure fun Pinehurst style, created by Gil Hanse, see Pinehurst.com. The Green Street Grille in downtown Bensenville, on Green Street. See Greenstreetgrille.com. Golf channel is on.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to the Preserve at Oak Meadows, and on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

It was back in late July I played the renovated Preserve at Oak Meadows for the first time. I decided to return again yesterday for another look.

As for the Preserve, it looks better every day.

What really jumped out was that this baby of a golf course is growing up quickly. Turf conditions had seen a big improvement over the first visit.

Where it was really noticeable was on the last hole completed, the 4th. While the hole is still cart path only, it is full of grass and actually looks like the fairways could handle cart traffic. Next year on opening day, it will. During this visit the driving range was open as well, it wasn’t last time. It looks solid now, even though Monday’s are mat days. But the natural grass is available on other days. What I really liked about the range, was an area about 100 yards down the left side, that is set up like a small island green. It’s a great place to get warm with the wedges, and see just how locked in you are that day. Architect Greg Martin gets a big Kudo’s for this addition.

DuPage County Forest Preserve District (Big Boss) Executive Director Ed Stevenson, has kept the Preserve project on track for years, that dedication is paying off. DuPagegolf.com

My round 1 at the Preserve was off to a good start, but an equipment issue derailed the round after six holes. The good news is that was not an issue yesterday.

The column photo of me above is from the second tee box, which is a great dogleg left par 5. The green is guarded by a small creek that makes trying to get home in two shots a little tough to do.

After a nice testy 183 yard par 3, third hole. The challenging short Par-4, 4th hole involves a real risk-reward 300 yard hole. When things do settle down for the year, Martin is expected to return and build another new back tee box. Which should add a little drama for the pro’s and big hitters.

The Par 5, Fifth hole which plays 529 yards from the back tees, plays a little longer with it’s uphill approach.

The Par 5, 529 yard Fifth hole is my favorite hole on the golf course. Not sure why, but it does look solid off the tee. Maybe that’s the start.

While there is some carry off the tee, Martin created a generous fairway that sets up an approach to an uphill green back in the preserve of trees that have defined the property and the courses on this site for years. The fifth might not be a birdie hole even for golf players, but most all players playing from the correct tee box, have chance for making a par.

The photo here from 114 yards to the greens center, not only shows off one of the signature holes, but the great condition of Preserve’s turf.

It was great to see the turf really looking good. For those who did wonder if the course should have opened this year, the answer was absolutely yes.

I have had my share of rounds on courses before they have held opening day to the general public. There are always going to be some grow in pains, but in most cases shortly after opening it really looks like the course should be open.

How management opens a golf course is becoming a strategy. In fact, The Preserve at Oak Meadows is undergoing what DuPage Executive Director Ed Stevenson calls a preview season. Which is a sneak preview that gets a limited amount of golfers out per day, for a limited time. It creates the buzz that renovated or new courses can use heading into a grand opening season. Which is what the Preserve will have in 2018.

I did mention that the fifth hole was my favorite on the golf course. What are my other favorites? After the 5th, it’s holes 16-2-17-4 and 7. If you wonder why, come out and play the course and you might see why. You can also come out and create your own favorites, maybe your first birdie on the course might help you decide. Stay clicked in to the this website, and DuPageGolf.com for more information on the Preserve.

There are limited amount of tee times per day, and the course is closed on Tuesdays for additional maintenance. The course will close for the season at the end of October, so get out there and play the Preserve while you still can. News on the new clubhouse could be coming soon, so stay clicked in right here.

Right across the street at Maple Meadows, on October 14th is the Rambo Scramble, sign up today, DuPageGolf.com.

Just 8 minutes from the Preserve, is the Green Street Grille. Details tomorrow on a Gog Blog 19th hole.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. Rory’s shirt by Antigua Apparel. See BuyAntigua.com for purchase information.

         The Mack Daddy Callaway Wedge.

THE PRESERVE at OAK MEADOWS now open for public play. See DuPagegolf.com for more details.

THE MACK DADDY wedges by Roger Cleveland at CallawayGolf.com.

GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America), has announced that four-time major champion Ernie Els has been named the recipient of the 2018 Old Tom Morris Award from the GCSAA.

The Ernie Els Autism Foundation was formed in 2009, one year before Els was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Els also created in his home country of South Africa, the Ernie Els Foundation in 1999, that has since joined the Fancourt Hotel and Golf Estate, that works with underprivileged teens and gives them a chance to get involved with golf and improve their education skills.

The GCSAA has presented the OTM award since 1983 to the individual, who through the game of golf, has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris.

Morris a four-time Open Championship winner, was the superintendent at St. Andrews until his death in 1896.

“I am honored and humbled to be asked to receive the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association,” said Els. “As I have grown in my involvement with the game of golf, from professional golfer to golf course designer, I have come to value the role of golf course superintendents. They are vital to this game as ever, and as vital to this game as anyone.”

Ernie Els

Els, known as the “Big Easy” from his soft but fluid swing, has 70 career world wide wins, and has spent 788 weeks ranked in the top 10 in the world.

Els has won two U.S. Opens and two Open Championships.

In 2009 Els and wife Liezl learned their son Ben was Autistic. This lead Els to help lead efforts in building the 30 million dollar Center for Autistic Children in Florida. The center provides both professional and medical resources to the over 300 students.

“Years from now people may remember me as a golfer and a major champion. But I’d like to be remembered a somebody who took the issue of Autism and did something with it,” said Els. “The rest of my life I’ll be fighting this thing. I hope you will join me.”

For more information and a list of past winners, see www.gcsaa.org.

  THE CRADLE NOW OPEN IN PNEHURST-Par 3 golf at the home of American Golf, see Pinehurst.com for more. The French Lick Resort, Home of the 100 year old Donald Ross Golf Course, and the Sr. LPGA Championship on the Pete Dye Course for more details on a great place for a fall golf trip, do visit Frenchlick.com #5starwestbadenhotel

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. With Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small at U of I. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

The Senior PGA Club Professional Championship is underway, and with three rounds in the books, Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small has a great chance of stamping his ticket to the Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton harbor Michigan next spring, to compete in the Sr. PGA Championship, sponsored by Kitchen Aid.

Small started out great with a seven under par 65, to take the lead by 4 shots after round one.

But day two was a different story, when Small shot 79 and gave back his seven shots under par. Round three he settled back into being himself and carded an even par 72. That leaves Small in a T-18 headed into today’s final round.

The championship is being contested at the Desert Mountain Golf Club in Arizona, Director of Golf is former Medinah head golf professional Mike Scully.

The field of 264 players at the Sr. PGA Club Professional Championship, is fighting for 35 spots in the field at the Sr. PGA, and possession of the Leo Fraser Trophy.

Colin Montgomerie hits one off the first tee on media day 2016, at the Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton Harbor, home of the 2018 Sr. PGA Championship.

Moving into the final round, Frank Esposito Sr. at 8 under par is the leader by one shot.

In addition to Small, also making the third round cut was Biltmore head professional Doug Bauman, who made the second cut on the number at +6. Bauman is tied for 70th place after rounds of 72-71-79.

Missing the third round cut was Ivanhoe head professional Jim Sobb, who had rounds of 77-71-78.

Illinois PGA Section professionals who missed the 36 hole cut included, Glen Oak head professional Danny Mulhearn, PGA Life members Randy Cochran, and Dick Wagley.