WILSON GOLF STAFF PLAYER KEVIN STREELMAN shows off the Driver vs Driver 2 hat in advance of the Wilson Golf Reality Golf program, that will be airing on The Golf Channel, starting on October 2nd, other segments will air on Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6 and 13. IT’S RYDER CUP WEEK go Team USA, bring the Cup back home from France _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram. In the broadcast booth at the 2016 Ryder Cup at HNGC.

IT’S RYDER CUP WEEK and the USA is looking to win on foreign soil for the first time in over 20 years. The matches start on Friday, and conclude on Sunday. TV times will start just past midnight, due to the time change from the USA to the Paris France area.

Some odds makers say the USA is the favorites this year, but Europe on it’s home turf is always tough to beat. Since the USA heads over in possession of the Ryder Cup, they will only need 14 points from the matches to retain the cup. Team Europe will need 14 1/2 points of the 28 points that are available, to claim the cup back to Europe. More on the Ryder Cup as the week continues here on the site.

The Ryder Cup now for sale in the Ryder Cup Store in Kohler Wisconsin, by the Inn on Woodlake.

ARE YOU READY FOR 20. Yes the Ryder Cup returns to the United States in 2020, and Haven/Kohler Wisconsin will be the hosts, as the Ryder Cup matches will be held on the Whistling Straits golf links part of the Kohler and the American Club resort.

Whistling Straits has already hosted the PGA Championship in 2004, 2010, and in 2015. It hosted the U.S. Senior Open back in 2007, and other events over the years during it’s 20 years.

Right now Kohler is offering a special 72 hour sale, if you book an upcoming visit by 5 PM this Friday, from the dates ahead of October 7, through January 31st, you can receive special rates on that visit, that include stays at the American Club, Inn on Woodlake, Blackwolf Run, Whistling Straits and the famed Kohler Waters Spa. Call (877)-257-4349 to make your reservations today. Visit Destinationkohler.com for information on this anniversary season in Kohler.

The Par 3, 11th hole on Pinehurst #4, recently redone by Gil Hanse, now open for play. See Pinehurst.com

IT’S OPEN FOR PLAY, Pinehurst #4 that has been recently renovated by architect Gil Hanse is now open for play. The course did get a little wet during the recent hurricane, but is in stellar condition and ready to go.

In some ways #4 is almost being called a new golf course, since the project is more that just a renovation or restoration. The look that Hanse installed is something that looks more like course #2 than some of the other designs in the resorts list of courses.

The USGA has already selected the golf course to be the second course for the 2019 U.S. Amateur that will be played at Pinehurst next August. More exciting news from Pinehurst is that new Pinehurst Brewery will be opening shortly. Details at the home of American Golf, Pinehurst.com.

DUSTIN JOHNSON at the Groundbreaking of his new Academy in Myrtle Beach SC. earlier this year.

PGA Tour star and USA Ryder Cup Team member Dustin Johnson, along with other celebrities are helping raise money for the Myrtle Beach area, that was affected by Hurricane Florence.

Music stars Hootie and Blowfish, NASCAR Champion Denny Hamlin, and the PGA Tour Superstores are also working to help the area’s victims.

On the golf scene in Myrtle Beach, at least 45 courses have now been open for a week, another 24 were reopened last weekend, with more courses having reopened this week. A vast majority of all courses in the Myrtle Beach area, are now open for play and welcoming back the golfers. Details at PlayGolfMrytleBeach.com.

The news thread will continue next week. RS

 IT’S RYDER CUP WEEK-FROM PARIS FRANCE. Can the USA win on foreign soil for the first time in years. (R) A massive gallery on the first tee at Hazeltine back in 2016.     _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter@GogBlogGuy, Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram. With Le France National GM Paul Armitage at the 2016 Ryder Cup.

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR, every other year that gets golf fans worked up from around the world. It doesn’t matter who is on either team, it’s the Ryder Cup so galleries will be massive, and the TV ratings will be large.

USA vs Europe, the biggest and best international team golf matches that are held.

More on the Ryder Cup in the week ahead. But get ready for some great golf in a charged up atmosphere. Live from Paris France, where the matches will be held for the first time.

The big question, is can the USA win on foreign soil for the first time since before the calendar turned the year 2000. Will the Tiger Woods jinx hurt Team USA. Remember, the USA is undefeated since 2000 when Woods is not on the team (2-0), and they are (0-5) when he is playing.

EVERYTHING IS COMING UP ROSES for golf and Fed Ex Cup Champion Justin Rose, the real winner yesterday at East Lake just in case you hadn’t heard. In the outing for just 30 players in which about 25 or 26 of them already knew the outcome of the Fed Ex Cup, and spent the week getting ready for the Ryder Cup or some vacation time away from the tour. Rose has been playing solid golf in recent months and the WORLD #1 will be a big factor in this weeks Ryder Cup for Team Europe.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE WGA… It was nice to see the Western Golf Association be granted a Web.com event for the 2019 season. The Evans Scholars Invitational will be conducted in late May at the Glen Club. No word yet on who the sponsor will be, should one get named for the event. The WGA is hoping this fundraiser event, will help push the number of caddies in college for a single year to over 1,000 which is a major goal of the WGAESF, that they are hoping to meet within two years.

SAND VALLEY… I took the drive up to Nekoosa Wisconsin this past week to play the holes on Mammoth Dunes and the Par 3 Course the Sand Box, that were not finished when I visited the property last year. If you have not yet been to Sand Valley, or haven’t been there in the past year, it’s time to make the trip up before the resort closes for the year which is just about a month away. I will have more on my visit up to SV later in the week.

I PLAYED in the big event of the year at Mistwood Golf Club last week, The McWethy Cup, held in conjunction with owner Jim McWethy’s birthday every year. Happy Birthday to one of the great golf course and dome owners in the sport. A fun time was had by all, and Mistwood is in great shape. Kudo’s to superintendent Ben Kelnhofer and his team, the greens were unlike I had ever seen them before. Visit Mistwoodgc.com and play Mistwood before the season ends.

SUMMER is over, so says the calendar and the fall golf season is underway. Fall is one of the best times of year to play golf, so get out and hit it. Many courses will start offering fall discounts, so why not take advantage of them and enjoy.

IF YOUR READY FOR MORE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF, head down to the French Lick Resort October 15-17 to see the LPGA Sr. Women’s Championship. Defending Champion Trish Johnson is back, and so is U.S. Sr. Women’s Open Champion from the Chicago Golf Club Laura Davies, see Frenchlick.com for more details. French Lick has announced a room expansion at the resort.

THE GOG BLOG returns this week, so stay clicked in. RS

 PINEHURST #4 by GIL HANSE IS OPEN FOR PLAY, and Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley welcomes all golfers to the home of American Golf to see Hanse’s latest work, and newest improvements to Pinehurst. For more information see Pinehurst.com.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Folow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram. At one of the classics, Chicago Golf.

In it’s latest multi-year, multi-event deal, the PGA of America has teamed up with the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda Maryland, to have CCC host 8 of it’s championships over the next 18 years.

Congressional lands the 2036 Ryder Cup, the 2031 PGA Championship, the Women’s PGA Championship in 2022-2027, the Senior PGA Championship in 2025 and 2033, the PGA Professional Championship in 2029, and the PGA Junior Boys and Girls Championship in 2024.

The championships will be played on the clubs Blue Course, that was first built in 1924 by Devereux Emmet. The Blue Course was later renovated by Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones and Rees Jones. The course will be renovated again in 2019 by Keith Foster.

Pga.com and Congressional Country Club

Congressional will additionally host a PGA Hope event annually over the years, that helps introduce the game of golf to our veterans.

The clubs hisotry dates back to 1921, so that members of Congress would have a social place to meet with business leaders. The club has a rich golf history that includes the 1976 PGA Championship won by Dave Stockton. There have been three U.S. Open’s contested at Congressional, 2011 won by Rory McIlroy, 1997 won by Ernie Els and the battle in the blistering heat won by Ken Venturi in 1964. Congressional has also hosted the 1995 U.S. Sr. Open, 1959 U.S. Women’s Amateur and multiple PGA Tour events.

ARCHITECT KEITH FOSTER using the Digital Sloper on the greens at the Baltimore Country Club during the 2014 Renovation.

“This partnership with Congressional Country Club and it’s membership is monumental in scope and stature, and we are excited to showcase the range of championships and events the PGA has to offer,” said PGA of America Interim CEO John Easterbrook. “We’re also looking forward to building a lasting relationship with the legions of golf fans that very knowledgeable from the Maryland, Virginia, and District of Columbia, and believe they will enjoy their time with us and marvel at the talents we will bring to Congressional in the following years.”

“Congressional Country Club is proud to be partnering with the PGA of America and looks forward to creating future championship history,” said Bev Lane, President of Congressional Country Club. “The PGA of America and it’s nearly 29,000 professionals represent the very best that golf has to offer. We are excited to bring major championship golf back to Congressional and represent our country and the Nation’s Capital as the host of the 2036 Ryder Cup.”

During an exchange of emails with Golfers on Golf, Foster said he is excited to be working at Congressional, and called it a big time project. Restoration work begins in 2019, and the course should reopen in at some point in 2020.

 PINEHURST #4 by Gil Hanse is now open for play, see Pinehurst.com for details. THE NEWEST arrival on the sunglasses scene is Peakvision, visit Peakvision.com for more.  _____________________________________________________________________

  THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Linkedin, Facebook, and now Instagram. Web.com Tour  ______________________________________________________________________

WGAESF.org

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT the Web.com Tour was leaving Chicago, it returns with a new face, a new logo, and at a new location. Rust-Oleum and their spray paint and cans of stain are gone, along with the Ivanhoe Country Club. The WGA, it’s caddies and the Glen Club are in, with the announcement of the new Chicago area based Web.com event the Evans Scholars Invitational.

The dates for the new event will be from May 20-26 in 2019. This new four year partnership runs through 2022. All proceeds will benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation.

The Glen Club, home of the Illinois PGA and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame.

“We’re very excited and pleased to be expanding our championship operations to include an annual event on the web.com Tour,” said WGA Chairman Frank Morley. “This new event will feature the future stars of golf, including many that have competed in our Western Junior and Western Amateur Championships. Combined with our annual BMW Championship, this allows us to be a part of these players development throughout their competitive years.”

The championship gives the WGA another major fundraising opportunity for the Evans Scholars Foundation.

“Our goal is to have 1,000 caddies in college in 2020,” Morley said. “To reach that number and provide for future growth, we need these fundraising opportunities. This event  will help us do that, while also building further awareness of the WGA and our focus on championships and scholarships.”

Web.com Tour President Dan Glod says,” with the incredible work being done in the Chicago area by the (ESF) we will be able to leave a meaningful footprint here in the greater Chicago community.”

“Anything that the Western Golf Association does is first class,” said KemperSports President Josh Lesnik. (KSM manages the Glen Club). “It’s an honor for us to host the Evans Scholars Invitational at the Glen Club to showcase the next generation of great golfers and help raise money to send deserving caddies to college.”

For more information on this new event please visit PGATOUR.com. For more details on this event as they emerge, continue to click on Golfersongolf.com.

 THE FRENCH LICK RESORT proudly presents the second Sr. LPGA Championship to be contested on the Pete Dye Golf Course. Defending champion Trish Johnson returns and U.S. Senior Open Champion Laura Davies will compete looking to win both senior women’s major championships this year. For details see Frenchlick.com. Oct. 15-17th.    ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram. On the Par 3-Cradle at Pinehurst, which is wet this week. Stay dry everyone there.

IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND FOR COLLEGE GOLF this past weekend in the Chicago area.

Both the University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University held their invitationals this past weekend. It would have been nice if they were scheduled a week apart, but just as this year has gone, we can’t schedule a golf event in the Chicago area, unless there is already one scheduled for the same day or week already.

Many of the top college powers were here, including nine of the Top 25 schools at the Illinois event. Defending national champions Oklahoma State won by plenty at Olympia Fields and according to Illinois head coach Mike Small they deserved it. I spoke with Small this morning about the tournament and Illinois Jr. Michael Feagles the lone Illini under par (69 -1) in yesterdays final round and below are their thoughts. Small was still shaking his head on how Illinois led the entire field in birdies made, but lost the championship by 33 shots and finished in 6th place. Illinois now has two weeks to get ready for the Macdonald Cup on the Yale University course.

Click here to hear interviews with Michael Feagles and then Illinois Coach Mike Small.

Illinois was 15 shots back of second place USC. The Olympia Fields North Course was set up at a par of 70 and over 7,300 yards, with the pin placements being those that were used for the 2003 U.S. Open. The golf course was in outstanding condition and Director of Grounds Sam Mackenzie and his crew should get credit.

IN SUGAR GROVE at Rich Harvest Farms it was Marquette that held off Notre Dame for the win by one shot. While I was at Olympia Fields on Sunday, I was at Rich Harvest Farms on Saturday, and was the only local media outlet covering either event.

While I did not see this in person, I was told by multiple sources that behavior by a few of the coaches at RHF was out of line. One coach drove his cart up on a tee box to speak with one of his players, and another had a cart on the side of a tee box, and another had his cart on the side-slope of a green and almost on the putting surface. SERIOUSLY !!! if you are a D1 college coach, please set an example for your team and others watching, instead of being someone who looks like they don’t know anything about the sport they are coaching.

The members of RHF can’t do that, so why should some visiting college coach get away with that type of poor behavior. It should cost that coaches team 2-shots, with an assessed penalty.

Maybe it’s coaches trying to over coach, that pace-of-play was a disaster at RHF. The first round on Saturday was almost six hours, so as a result Round 2 on Saturday did not finish. Players had anywhere from 2-5 holes left to play on Sunday morning from Round 2, before Round 3 could start. Pace of play at Olympia Fields was running just over five hours per round.

COURSE NOTES… at Olympia Fields.

The men’s grill at Olympia Fields.

The men’s grill and the dining room are getting redone as a result of water damage, that occurred on January 2nd of this year, when at 2 AM a water pipe broke and started flooding the clubhouse. It was not until almost 6 Am that the leak was discovered by security.

Both area’s that were part of the clubs master plan for a redo-saw the time table get bumped up. The clubs new 1915 club looks great along with area’s in both of the locker rooms that have been upgraded. Architect Keith Foster returns next month to present his plan to clubs board for improvements on both the North and South Course’s. Foster one of the best in the golf architect business, will really put the shine back on OFCC’s diamond if the board allows him to proceed.

AT RICH HARVEST FARMS…tournament season returns over the next three years as RHF will host the 2019 Western Junior Golf Championship. In 2020, the Big Ten Men’s conference championship comes to town, and in 2021 the Palmer Cup returns and unlike in 2015, there is now both a men’s ans women’s division for the event.

What about 2022 at RHF. Stay tuned, professional golf might be a possibility by then, let’s hope so.

THERE IS NO DECISION YET, but as of earlier today the debate was on whether to open the Gil Hanse renovated Pinehurst Course #4 as scheduled this Friday. Pinehurst is not flooded, but has received quite a bit of rain from Hurricane Florence. Even the sandhills area is well soaked.

KUDO’s to the membership at White Eagle Country Club in Naperville, as architect Todd Quitno who is doing great work at the Schaumburg Golf Club, will be working on renovations just approved by the clubs board at White Eagle.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mistwood Golf Club and McQ’s Dome owner Jim McWethy, who will celebrate by hosting the annual McWethy Cup tomorrow at Mistwood. I predict a good time will be had by all in attendance. See Mistwoodgc.com.

I DID play at Mt. Prospect Golf Club last week, and the course is in great condition, and has really grown in from the renovation work done a few years ago. I suggest a round at Mt. Prospect before the season ends.

IT WAS fun to be at the grand opening of the new PXG Fitting studio located on Techny Road in Northbrook, the studio the first of it’s kind, should bring more golfers with the bigger budget to spend on clubs, into the fold of PXG (Parson’s Xtreme Golf). Owner Bob Parson’s is one colorful guy, that every person who loves golf should have a chance to meet on a golf course, or in the 19th hole someday. He loves the game.

I’m off to Sand Valley later this week, I’ll have a recap on that trip and visit to the Par 3 Sandbox, and Mammoth Dunes later this week. Golf season is slipping away, get out and play everyone. RS

 DRIVER CLUB HEADS at the new PXG Fitting Studio in Northbrook, see PXG.com for details and information. (R) The new clubhouse at the Highland Park Park District’s recently reopened Sunset Valley Golf Course, course renovation by Rick Jacobson.        ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy and now Instagram. Photo in Myrtle Beach, and thinking of everyone trying to stay in the Carolina’s from Hurricane Florence.

IT WAS QUITE A WEEKEND for college golf in the Chicagoland area with both the University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University holding their men’s golf invitationals.

Many of the top golf programs from around the country were in town to play two of the better courses in America.

Starting at Olympia Fields where The University of Illinois held it’s OFCC/Illini Invitational, nine of the top 25 programs where there. The defending national champions, the Oklahoma State Cowboys won the championship with a score of 11 under par, USC was second at +7 and University of California finished third at +16. Illinois was sixth at +22. Junior Michael Feagles led Illinois in the final round with a score of 1 under par 69, Feagles was +5 for the tournament, while Brendan O’Reilly who had a 67 (-3) in round two finished at +4 for the tournament along with Giovanni Tadiotto. Illinois entered the tournament ranked #16.

Oklahoma State’s Matthew Wolff earned the medalist honors with a score of 6 under par for the tournament.

“It was a successful tournament,” head coach Mike Small said. “Oklahoma State deserved to win, they played great. On our side I saw a lot of positive things that led me to believe this team will make some improvements this year. We reverted back to some things that we are not used to doing, things that good programs cannot do, and we will address those in the coming weeks.”

Coach Small also thanked Olympia Fields it’s membership and pro staff fro running a great event, and said his program and the U of I were very grateful to the club. Next up for the Illinois men’s team is the Macdonald Cup at Yale, on the schools golf course on September 29th and 30th.

AT RICH HARVEST FARMS in Sugar Grove. Marquette University won the Northern Illinois Intercollegiate (+10) by 1 shot over Notre Dame, and by 5 shots over Missouri that fell back on Sunday. NIU was 7th at (+24), 14 shots back of Marquette.

The second round had to be completed on Sunday morning, due to slow play in Round 1, that took almost 6 hours to finish. Second round play moved faster, but players from all schools did not finish on Saturday due to darkness. Players had anywhere from 2-5 holes left to play in Round 2 on Sunday morning.

Hunter Ostrom (ND) won the tournament as an individual with a score of -6. Salvador Rocha of NIU was the low scoring Huskie, finishing in 23rd place with a score of +5. Rocha was followed on the NIU team score by Jordan Less at +7, Thomas Demarco at +9 and Paul Schlimm at +12.

Tournament champion Marquette University of Milwaukee Wisconsin, will host it’s own invitational on October 1-2 at Erin Hills in Erin Wisconsin, that hosted the 2017 U.S. Open.

 ZACH JOHNSON welcomes you to the new PXG fitting studio in Northbrook located on Techny Road, see PXG.com for details. PEAKVISION Sunglasses, made for golfers by golfers based in Myrtle Beach. To see the entire line of sunglasses visit Peakvision.com. ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram. Soaking up college golf all weekend long.

IT’S A COLLEGE GOLF WEEKEND and two of the biggest fall NCAA Division 1 tournaments are both here in town this weekend.

First up at Olympia Fields the Illinois Invitational has the defending national champions the Oklahoma State Cowboys in first place at 9 under par after 36 holes. Eight shots back at 1 under par is California, with Alabama in third place 16 shots back at +7.

Illinois is in sixth place as a team, but has Sophomore Brendan O’Reilly in 7th place at even par, and Jr. Giovanni Tadiotto in 9th place at 1 over par.

“Different day, same story,” said Illinois head coach Mike Small. “We played well most of the day, once again, but we didn’t close. We did play a lot of good golf, evidenced by the fact we are leading the field in total birdies. But we are in sixth place because we are not saving shots around the green and put the ball in the fairway on a consistent basis.”

The final round starts tomorrow morning at 7:30 Am and Illinois will have players headed out at 7:30 off the first tee, with it’s individual players starting off of the tenth tee at 8:45 Am. The Olympia Fields North Course is playing to a par of 70 from 7,353 yards. Admission and parking are free.

THE NORTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Golfers on Golf was the only media outlet covering the event.

The first day of play on Saturday included two rounds of golf, and a 36 hole day. However due to extremely slow play in Round 1, (almost 6 hours to play 18 holes) Round 2 was not completed before darkness. Round two had some players only needing to finish two holes, while some other players will have to play 5 holes to finish the second round.

Marquette university at 3 under par is leading the event, with Missouri in second place seven shots back at +4. Notre Dame playing a rare road game (sorry got confused with football) is in third place at +9, with Wisconsin in 4th place at +10, and then the hosts NIU in 5th place at +11. The Huskies are lead by Paul Schlimm who is under par in his second round that has three holes to go.

Second Round play will continue at 8:00 Am, and third and final round play will start shortly after Round 2 is complete. Admission and parking are free at Rich Harvest Farms.

Golfers on Golf will attend the Illini Invitational on Sunday, at Olympia Fields.

  THE ILLINI MEN’S GOLF TEAM brings their games to Olympia Fields for this weekends Illini Invitational. Illinois is in 6th place after the first day, tee times start at 8;30 Am tomorrow and Sunday. THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS INTERCOLLEGIATE hosted by Northern Illinois starts in the morning at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. 36 tomorrow and 18 on Sunday. The admission and parking for both events is free, see many of the top NCAA teams in America this weekend right here in the Chicago Area.    _____________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation, follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram.. With team PXG Zach Johnson and Billy Horschel at Wrigley Field.

PXG-Parsons Xtreme Golf, owned by Bob Parsons, is again taking his golf company to a new level. Not only are the Generation 2 Irons on the market, but he is bringing PXG golf clubs and product line to your doorstep if your in the Chicago area.

This past week Parsons and PXG pro staffers Billy Horschel, Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, and LPGA star Gerina Piller were on hand to open the very first PXG’s new club fitting studio’s located on Techny Road in Northbrook.

Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, Cubs team president Crane Kenney and Chicago Bear Defensive Back Kyle Fuller were among the local celebs who came out for the Grand Opening. Parsons a Vietnam veteran makes it well known right from the start that PXG is an American company, and that PXG events start with the national anthem, and this event was no different. Singer Calvin Bishops rendition of the anthem is one that everyone needs to hear.

LPGA star and Solheim Cup hero Gerina Piller stands by her golf bag in the new PXG fitting studio in Northbrook IL. outside of Chicago.

What is PXG you ask. Well it’s a line of golf clubs that spare’s no expense in the production process. Parsons made it clear to his design team, to simply build the best clubs on the market whatever it takes, and that is exactly what PXG has set out to do.

Parsons doesn’t tie the hands of his engineers by worrying about price points and other restrictions, just make the best golf clubs, period.

How would Parsons know his clubs are good ? Well as a serious golf junkie Parsons is quick to say how he bought every new product or club that came on the market over the years. You pick a company, you pick a brand, you pick a model, you name a set, and Parsons has had them in his bag. What did he learn by doing that he says, is that the better the clubs he used, the better his golf game became. So when he started out in the golf business, he made sure his line of clubs were as good as they could be. In fact Parsons doesn’t let the calendar decide it’s time for another new driver, set of woods, irons, wedges or putters.

He simply doesn’t release any new club with a PXG stamp on them until they are significantly better than what his company has previously had on the market.

Click here to hear the full interview with PXG Golf owner Bob Parsons.

L-R Ozzie Guillen, Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel, Bob Parsons, Renee Parsons, Gerina Piller, and Charl Schwartzel.

PXG is located in Scottsdale Arizona, but is now going to be found everywhere, as the PXG fitting studios will continue to launch around the country in the months and years ahead.

The new Northbrook Illinois store is complete with a full product line of clothing, travel and golf bags, glasswear, hats, visors and gloves.

Then there are two full-sized hitting bays, an indoor putting green, and  display area’s to see the full line of putters, shafts, and club heads for those ready to invest in a set of PXG golf clubs.

So why did several top golfers from both the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour make the jump when they did to PXG products ? Well listen below to their answers of how and why PXG works for them.

Click here to hear the interview with 2014 Fed Ex Cup Champion Billy Horschel.

Click here to hear the interview with Masters and British Open Champion Zach Johnson.

Click here to hear the interview with Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel.

Click here to hear the interview with LPGA and Solheim Cup star Gerina Piller.

  BILLY HORSCHEL (L) and CHARL SCHWARTZEL At the new PXG studio in Northbrook, standing in front of the of the product line they support.

  ZACH JOHNSON standing with his golf bag (L), and some of the PXG store product line of golf wear and more.

 THE PXG driver heads (L) and the new Gen-2 PXG irons on display in the fitting area.

For a closer look at PXG clubs and the product line, visit the new PXG fitting store, located at 1955 Techny Road Suite #2 in Northbrook, call (847)-480-GOLF, or visit PXG on line at PXG.com or social media sites.

Golfers on Golf will test out PXG clubs at a late date this fall at the new Northbrook studio.

  THE LODGE OF FOUR SEASONS in Lake Ozark Missouri is on the rebound with new management and support from ownership, 4seasonsresort.com. University of Illinois golf gets started on Friday at Olympia Fields Country Club, see the top powers in men’s NCAA golf. 9 of the top 25 ranked teams in the country are teeing it up this weekend.     _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Facebook, Linkedin and now Instagram. On the 3rd hole at The Club at Porto Cima, Lake Ozark Mo.

THE SOGGY BMW CHAMPIONSHIP  finally finished on Monday. Keegan Bradley finally won on the first playoff hole over the last BMW Championship winner at Cog Hill, Justin Rose.

Both players put approach shots into the bleachers, but lived to tell about it. While Rose did not win the championship, his second place finish did elevate him to the #1 Player in the World.

For Bradley it was his first win in 6 years on tour, and it for him it was long overdue. The field of 30 is now set for Atlanta next week, and it’s a good thing it is next week after the long soggy week everyone had in Philadelphia. (Meanwhile the weekend was dry in Chicago). Aronimink while wet, did look good on TV, however it got it’s fair share of shot from critics, complaining about the short yardage (7,200+), trees taken out in the recent renovation project, it’s bunker design being easy for pro’s and not so easy for the members. The pro’s were all way under par, and make the course look like a pitch and putt, the BMW won’t have it so easy next year on Medinah 3.

Chicagoland Golf publisher Val Russell invites everyone to pick up a copy of the 2018 season finale of Chicagoland Golf now available at your favorite course and golf retail stores everywhere.

Speaking of BMW, the clock is ticking on their sponsorship deal with the tournament and the PGA Tour. 2019 at Medinah is it, and are they done after that ?

The rumblings are out there that they are done, but nothing is final as of yet. BMW has been a great partner to the WGA, and has done a fantastic job in adding things like more scholarships when a player in the championship makes a hole-in-one.

This past week Brooklyn Gabriel of Philadelphia, who caddied for three years at the Glen View Club, was awarded the $100,000 Evans Scholarship to attend Penn State University, as the recipient from the Hole-in-one that Jason Day made last year at Conway Farms in Lake Forest.

If BMW does leave, it wouldn’t be the end of the world for the PGA Tour in Chicago. In fact one option the WGA and the PGA Tour have, would to find a Chicago based sponsor, that could keep the championship here in the Chicago area every year. Which Chicago golf fans would love to see. The window to do that comes at a great time. With both the PGA of America and the United States Golf Association (USGA) not having anything scheduled for the Chicago area on the calendar going forward.

In fact while Chicago has had it’s share of tournaments the last two years, many of them are gone and not scheduled to return. The three year run of the Web.com Rust-Oleum Championship seems over, the NCAA Championship that was at Rich Harvest Farms in 2017 is gone, the Women’s KPMG-PGA Championship here the last two years is gone. The Western Amateur leaves town for two years before returning back to the Glenview Club in 2021. The Sr. Players Championship is gone after one year at Exmoor, and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open that had it’s debut at Chicago Golf Club is gone as well.

One possibility would be to have the Chicago based playoff event rotate around town to as many as 4-6 courses in the area. Options include, Olympia Fields in the South burbs, and Conway Farms in the North Shore. Medinah and Butterfield in the Western Burbs, maybe Kemper Lakes in the Northwest area. If it ever gets built, and it likely won’t be, the Jackson Park project could enter the mix if it’s redone in grand fashion. Of course the other option new presented is to redo Jackson, with local architects, and designed for local players, at locally flavored green fee prices. Time will tell.

IN OUR FINAL ISSUE of Chicagoland Golf, I interviewed my Eye-Doctor Robert Mack about Cataracts and more, as eye vision issues pretty much ruined my summer on the golf course. Dr. Mack tells me that people with a lot of outdoor exposure over the years are Cataract candidates, if you smoke your really increase your chances of getting Cataracts. Dr.Mack said it was not uncommon in some of his younger patients (like early 40’s) that have Cataracts to have had a history of working as a caddie. The final issue is out, pick up a copy today at your favorite course or retail golf store.

Coming again next month from October 15-17 at the French Lick Resort. See Frenchlick.com for details.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO is done for the year, and I’d like to thank all the listeners and people who supported the show, Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and I look forward to returning next year, a little earlier on the calendar with the PGA Tour schedule changing around, and the BMW teeing off here in Chicago in Mid-August and not September. We hope to return in late March, again on Am 750 WNDZ-Chicago.

SOME OTHER THINGS coming out of the BMW Championship. National reports claim Dustin Johnson and Five-year fiancee Paulina Gretzky might be over, engaged five years, what’s the point of that anyway. Jordan Spieth did not make the Fed Ex Cup finals in Atlanta, since he is 31st on the point list. As a result he faces fine and a suspension from the tour for not playing in enough events, (falling one short) and not adding an event to his schedule that he has not played in the last four years. It will be curious to see how that plays out.

Past BMW Champion Billy Horschel throws out a first pitch at the Cubs-Brewers game on Wednesday night at Wrigley.

OUT THOUGHTS are with everyone in the Carolina’s and along the east coast, with the incoming hurricane. I will try and keep everyone up to speed on what happened to any golf courses that are impacted, as we learn details.

There are only a few days left of summer, go enjoy them on the golf course, before the fall season starts later next week. Go Play everyone, I am again and it’s great to be back. RS

 THE LODGE OF FOUR SEASONS, in Lake Ozark Missouri has three golf courses now available, check out the Cove, Ridge and The Club at Porto Cima, 4seasonsresort.com PEAKVISION Sunglasses are made by golfers with golfers in mind, see Peakvision.com ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. Thinking College Golf.

THE FALL SEASON IS HERE and that mean’s the beginning of the college golf season is underway.

This coming weekend at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, the Eight Annual Northern Intercollegiate will be played. The field will consist of 14 schools and 17 individual golfers. Marquette University that will compete is the defending champion in the event.

13 of the schools are Division 1 schools, but accepting an invitation to play on behalf of Rich Harvest Farms owner Jerry Rich, is a Division III school Aurora University that is located only a few miles from Rich Harvest Farms.

The signature par 3 hole at Rich Harvest Farms

The other programs in the field are, the University of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami of Ohio, University of Michigan, Coastal Carolina, University of Wisconsin, Grand Canyon, Augusta College, Toledo University, University of Missouri and University of Missouri-KC, and the host school Northern Illinois University.

The schedule for the tournament is the following, 36 holes on Saturday, with shotgun starts at 8:15 Am and 12:30 Pm. The shotgun start on Sunday for the final 18 holes is at 8:15 Am. The tournament has no admission charge and parking is free as well located at 45W741 Granart Road in Sugar Grove.

The University of Illinois practice facility will get a work out this year, as both the men’s and women’s teams attempt to make runs to the NCAA National Championships next May.

University of Illinois head coach Mike Small admits this will be an interesting season for his program. For the first time in several years the Illini are a younger team, and as a result there are a lot of question marks.

Illinois has four fall events, and they start this coming weekend with the Illini Invitational at Olympia Fields. U of I is ranked 11th in the nation and welcomes in nine other schools in the Top 25. The top rated Oklahoma State Cowboys, #2 Texas A&M and #5 Alabama are in the Top 5.

“Traditionally regarded as one of the top events in collegiate golf, we are grateful to the folks at Olympia Fields for helping to host our event each year,” head coach Mike Small said. “This year will be no different as we are excited again to welcome the nation’s best to compete on the tough, demanding North Course. I know the visiting coaches and players truly appreciate the effort that the staff and members of Olympia Fields put into hosting this prestigious event and we are so thankful for their help year after year.”

The Illini will compete in the MacDonald Cup at The Yale Course on September 29 for the first time since 2013. Illinois won that championship by 25 shots. October 7-8 Illinois heads to the Fighting Irish Classic, before ending fall play from October 21-23 at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational.

“We are looking forward to the fall season with our young team, it’s going to be great to build some momentum before we head into spring play,” said Small. “We will play four solid golf courses, each a different style, that will challenge our young players and contribute to their growth.”

In 2019 Illinois will open the spring season, at the Big Ten Match Play Championship at Hammock Beach Florida Feb. 8-9. Illinois will then compete at the Louisiana Classic Feb. 25-26, followed by the Southern Highlands Collegiate from March 3-5. On March 23-24 it’s the UNC Invitational before returning to defend their title at the 3M Classic in Augusta Georgia, Illinois Alum Dylan Meyer now playing professional golf won the championship the last two years.

The NCAA National Championship Trophy

Illinois will conclude regular season play April 20-21 at the Hawkeye Invitational before heading to Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Cricket Club for the Big Ten Championship from April 26-28. NCAA Regional’s are from May 13-15 at six sites. The 2019 Men’s NCAA National Championships will be in Fayetteville Arkansas May 24-29.

THE ILLINI WOMEN’S TEAM headed up by Coach Renee Slone, is returning to some of the events they competed in last year, but there are four new tournaments on this years schedule.

One of the new tournaments will be held on October 8th and 9th, and it’s the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah Country Club.

“We are excited about our 2018-2019 tournament schedule as it combines a number of events we are returning to as well as several new tournaments for us,” said Slone.”

The new 9th hole on Medinah Course #2

The season starts in Tennessee at the Mercedes Benz Collegiate Invitational, where the Illini shot 12 under par and won the event.

Then it’s a return to the Coeur D’Alene Invitational on Sept. 24-25, where the Illini shot 12 under par last year and took second place.

Then it’s back to Medinah for the Illini Women’s Classic, that includes 15 teams and four of them from the Big Ten. The last two trips in the fall take the team to Louisville Kentucky, to compete in the Cardinal Cup, at the Louisville Golf Club. Then to close out fall play, it’s off to the Lone Star state and the Trinity Forest Invitational hosted by SMU.

The spring starts off at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando for the UCF Challenge, then it’s Arizona for the Westbrook Invitational hosted by Wisconsin. Then it’s the Briar Creek Invitational in South Carolina hosted by the College of Charleston. Then after a few weeks off, it’s back to South Carolina for the Clemson Invitational at The Reserve at Lake Keowee. Then it’s a return to the Lady Buckeye Invitational in Columbus Ohio where Illinois is the defending champion.

The following weekend, the Big Championships take place in Ohio at TPC River Bend in Maineville Ohio. The NCAA Regional’s are scheduled for May 6-8, withe the Nationals to be played at the Blessings Golf Club in Arkansas.

The Illini Invitational will be 36 holes on Oct. 8 in a shotgun start, then it’s 18 holes the next day for the final round. Follow Golfersongolf.com for updates on College golf all season long.