IT’S YEAR ROUND GOLF at the Schaumburg Golf Club in the simulator bays on the lower level of the clubhouse. You can play several Top 100 golf courses and both the 2018 and 2020 Ryder Cup venues. Have Ryder Cup style match’s with the members of your favorite foursome, and have your game in shape when in less than 60 days it’s time to go back outside. Book your tee time at Schaumburggolf.com or (847)-885-9000.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook on the 17th hole of the Ocean Course, home of the Big Ten Match Play Championship.

The spring slate of the college golf season kicks into gear with start of the Men’s Big Ten Match Play Golf Championship.

The matches return to two courses on the Northeast coast of Florida. Hammock Beach Resort that has two golf courses, the Ocean Course by Jack Nicklaus and the Conservatory Course designed by Tom Watson.

The Ocean Course reopened over a year ago, after being shutdown for a long renovated, after hurricane Matthew flooded the course with salt water that killed the grass. Jack Nicklaus and the Nicklaus design team renovated the course, and the Ocean Course has never looked better. The Conservatory Course survived the hurricane and the golf course that Watson designed, and made 17 site visits to while under construction is also ready for the championship. both courses play to a yardage of over 7,000 yards, but the Conservatory is longer at 7,706 while the Ocean Course is 7,201.

This year, all 14 Big Ten schools will participate, and in the first round, the top two seeds will have bye’s. Those schools are the top seeded Fighting Illini, and the second seeded Northwestern Wildcats.

The par 4, ninth hole on the Ocean Course.

“This event is very important to our team as we continue to evaluate our development,” said Illinois coach mike Small.”We want all of our players to grow as individuals so they are all clicking come championship time. With a match play format this week it is important to start the process. Match play exposes different strengths and weaknesses in a players game. This week should show what they are.”

Matches begin at 7 AM CST on Friday morning, as teams enter into a single elimination format. The championship matches will be played at 12:30 CST on Saturday afternoon.

Live scoring can be found at BirdieFire. Illinois recaps will be posted after the days action is complete at Fightingillini.com.

REYNOLDS AT LAKE OCONEE an emerging destination, located halfway between the site of this years Superbowl, and the Masters Tournament, it’s time for you to have Georgia on your mind Reynoldslakeoconee.com. THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME home of Toptracer technology, come see where all the winter golf action is happening. The Mistwood Golf Dome is located on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook. For more information on the Mistwood Golf Dome, visit Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call (630)-739-7600. While at the dome visit McWethy’s Sportsbar, Mistwood Golf Dome a Top 100 Club Fitting location.    ______________________________________________________________________

Golfersongolf.com The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. With Erin Hills very own Rich Tock at the Chicago Golf Show in Rosemont.

THE CHICAGO GOLF SHOW, Chicago’s only golf show in 2019, is back for another year from Feb. 22-24 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.

The Chicago Golf Show is great place to learn more about new equipment and apparel for 2019. If you are planning a getaway golf trip in the year ahead, the golf show is great place to get started on your planning. There are numerous properties at the show that can help plan your trip to golf away.

ARE YOU READY TO WIN ? The Chicago Golf Show’s presenting sponsor the French Lick Resort, in French Lick Indiana, is giving away a free Golf Foursome Weekend, (worth $3,200) drop by the French Lick Resort Booth #801 and enter for a chance to win.

  THE LONG PUTT Contest will allow one lucky winner to win (2) free VIP tickets to the 2019 BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club. The tickets are for Sunday and they are Green Coat Club tickets ($1,590 value). Championship week is August 13-18.

Everyone attending the show this year will again receive a free round of golf from GolfVisions. The show includes demo day area’s where you can hit the latest in clubs from companies like Callaway and Mizuno.

PLAY GOLF YEAR ROUND at the Schaumburg Golf Club at 401 N. Roselle Road minutes from Woodfield Mall. The simulators have several new Top 100 and Ryder Cup courses. Tee it up today and be ready for the spring and summer golf season. (847)-885-9000 to book your tee time.

Show-goers get Free golf lessons from Illinois PGA professionals, you can have your lesson in the long game area or on the putting green.

Please support show sponsors like the French Lick Resort, the BMW Championship, the PGA Tour Superstore, GolfVisions, Illinois Junior Golf and the Illinois PGA, all year round.

So come and enjoy Chicago’s only golf show Friday-Sunday Feb. 22-24 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center on River Road in Rosemont. For more information on ordering tickets in advance, see Chicagogolfshow.com.

 THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB at 401 N. Roselle Road has become a year-round golf facility, with the addition of it’s simulators in the lower level of the clubhouse. Now you can play the 2018 and 2020 Ryder Cup venues (R), or have matches against your foursome. While golfing, enjoy food and beverages from Chandlers Chophouse right upstairs. Be ready for the start of the outdoor golf season, by getting some rounds in today. Book simulator tee times at Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000. #golf     _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG, by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. On the 6th tee of the Ridge Nine of the National Course at Reynolds at Lake Oconee in Greensboro GA.

IT’S A NEW NAME and a new look, and the best is yet to come. If you have never heard of Reynolds at Lake Oconee, that’s because this community has moved forward from the days of being known as a plantation.

The new owners are putting a fresh face on Reynolds, and everyone that visits, joins, or makes their home in this community, are enjoying the benefits.

Reynolds opened in 1988, and while the visitors back in the early days loved the property, they would often add, “but it’s out in the middle of nowhere.”

Welcome to Reynolds at Lake Oconee.

Years ago, there was some truth to that statement. Not anymore. Long gone are the days where homeowners had to travel 25 minutes to the closest supermarket, and other stores of need. Your chain drugstores, fast food places are right down the street. One of the biggest Home Depot stores you will ever see, is just a couple of miles from the from the front entrance. Closer to the entrance is the St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital that opened in 2013.

Where is Reynolds at Lake Oconee ? It’s just south of Interstate 20 in Greensboro Georgia. Greensboro is halfway between Atlanta and Augusta Georgia (that town where green jackets get handed out in April), and both cities can be reached in one hour just by driving the speed limit. Under an hour if your foot has some lead in it.

Former Medinah Country Club Director of Golf Mike Scully, is the new General Manager of Reynolds at Lake Oconee.

Reynolds at Lake Oconee is not just a golf club, it’s not just a golf development, it’s community that has grown another community around it. There are over 12,000 acres of land that comprise Reynolds, and it’s said there is another 7,000+ acres of water. Reynolds owns all the land around the lake, so when you talk about the destination property Reynolds has become, you are speaking to one of the biggest properties anywhere in the country.

In between the homes and the newly built cottages on the property, there are six golf courses, four marina’s, (a third boat storage facility is under construction now) tennis courts, a cooking facility, several pools indoor and outdoor, the Sandy Creek outdoor activities station opened in 2017, complete with 20 clay-shooting stations and room for the archery buffs as well.

If your looking for a place stay while on property, there are multiple options, including the new four bedroom cottages that sit on the hill right next to the National Course’s practice area, and in between the Tavern Building and the Golf Shop. For those who enjoy a first class hotel setting, there is always the glamorous Ritz Carlton.

The new Cottage Row at the National

There are six golf courses on property, five of them are open to resort guests, one of the courses the Creek Club, by Jim Engh that opened in 2007 is reserved for member play.

The courses have been designed by a variety of the games best architects. Bob Cupp designed the first course in 1988, The Preserve. The first golf course built at Lake Oconee by Cupp in 1986 the Port Armor course, was then acquired by Reynolds in 2005 and then renamed the Landing Course.

The 18th hole on the Jack Nicklaus designed Great Waters golf course, now under renovation.

In 1992 the Jack Nicklaus design, The Great Waters Golf Course is opened for play. When asked about the golf course Nicklaus said, “Great Waters is an appropriate name for my course at Reynolds. Other than hole #10, water is either in play or visible through out the back nine.”

Currently “Jack is back” and the Great Waters course is under renovation, with an expected reopening date of November 1st of this year. Recently Nicklaus was asked if he could sum up, how Great Waters will look after the renovation is completed in one sentence. Nicklaus responded by saying, ” I can sum it up in one word-spectacular.” Golfers on the Great Waters Course when it reopens will enjoy views that did not exist previously, due to the removal of trees that have opened up new sight lines.

The ninth hole on the Ridge Nine of the National Course by Tom Fazio.

In 1996 the National Course by Tom Fazio opened, the National has three nines, called the Ridge, the Bluff and the Cove nines.

Fazio says the course might be called National, but another name could have been “The Natural”, because of how the course plays and flows through the hills  and ravines that run along the water.

The Rees Jones Oconee Course opened in 2002, Jones feels his classic course design, that kicks in on the back nine, makes it one of the best back nine’s you will play anywhere. If you are in need of some golf, but not too much, there is always the “Quick Six” routing at the Preserve. There are six holes that all play no longer than 130 yards, and can be played at most times in no more than one hour.

You will never go hungry at Reynolds on Lake Oconee. The Langer Steakhouse is right on property, the Eighty8 kitchen for breakfast (one of the best southern style breakfasts you will find) and cocktails can be enjoyed all day long while enjoying the Preserve Course that runs just off the back patio of the clubhouse. The Tavern Building at the National comes complete with a full menu, and pizza’s that even fans of both Chicago and New York style pizza will enjoy.

  A cozy fireplace with big screen televisions await those who select a cottage at the National Course for their stay. The Oconee Langer Steakhouse sits right on property and walking distance from the Ritz-Carlton.

For those who need work on their game or to be fitted for clubs, the Reynolds Kingdom of Golf is right on property. (R) The new tavern Building at the National Course is a popular hangout for food and beverages.

Reynolds at Lake Oconee has a new General Manager in former Medinah Country Club Director of Golf Mike Scully, who arrived in Georgia after an almost six year run at Desert Mountain in Arizona. Scully is still settling in at Reynolds, but is already looking at the entire operation, and how to make the guest, the member, and the home owner experience even better in the days ahead.

If you are looking for a new golf destination, golf membership or home location, visit Reynolds at Lake Oconee, in Greensboro Georgia. More information can be found at Reynoldslakeoconee.com or by calling (800)-852-5885.

 THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is your home for winter golf, and the home of Toptracer technology. Come and see what has golfers flocking to the premier indoor golf experience in the Chicago area. Coming up on Feb. 16th you can come to the dome and hit, or get fitted for the new Callaway Epic Flash Driver. AT THE ARLINGTON LAKES GOLF COURSE on Wilke Road, it’s time to get signed up for the season ahead, outings permanent tee times, or other events says head professional Tim Govern. See AHPD.org or call the course at (847)-577-3030 #3holeloop #6holeloop ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. On the 7th hole of the Bluff nine of the National Course at Reynolds of Lake Oconee.

IT MIGHT BE OVER ONE YEAR AWAY but the preparations for the 2020 Ryder Cup matches are underway.

Whistling Straits part of the Kohler and the American Club Destination Resort will be the host for the matches, that were most recently won by Team Europe in Paris France.

Whistling Straits designed by Hall of Fame designer and architect Pete Dye, has previously hosted three PGA Championships in 2004, 2010, and 2015, none of which were won by American players.

RyderCup.com

Ryder Cup 2020 has now opened the volunteer process for the matches. The registration runs through 11:59 PM on March 1st, of 2019.

The 2020 Ryder Cup is requesting 4,000 volunteers for championship week. The volunteers are needed for both on and off the golf course positions.

If you worked as a volunteer for the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, you should have by now received an email extending you an invitation to be a volunteer and being able to skip the open registration process.

Click here to hear the interview with 2020 Ryder Cup Championship Director Jason Mengel, on the volunteer process, and other 2020 Ryder Cup news.

Volunteers must be 21 years of age or older, and should be able to work at least four 4-hour shifts during championship week. Those volunteers that are selected, will have to pay a volunteer fee, in exchange for the Ryder Cup volunteer uniform by Ralph Lauren, parking, food, beverages and a credential good for all six days of championship week.

The 2022 Ryder Cup will be contested in Rome, before back to the United States in 2024, and will be played at the site of this years PGA Championship, Bethpage State Park, on the Black Course, located on Long Island in New York.

For more information tickets and other Ryder Cup news, see RyderCup.com.

THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB on Roselle Road in Schaumburg, is now a year round golf facility, with the addition of the simulator bays in the lower level of the clubhouse. You can now play yesterdays PGA Tour venue TPC Scottsdale. So why not be ready for the opening of the outdoor golf season, now less than 60 days away, by playing all year round. Schaumburggolf.com or (847)-885-9000 #Chandlerschophouse   _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. On the 7th tee of the Bluff Nine, on the National Course at Reynolds at Lake Oconee, Greensboro GA.

IT’S OVER, my 24 day trip to see the South, that covered nine states, has come to an end, and I’m back home.

I’m really sorry (not), that I missed all the real cold weather here in town. But even though I was down South, the weather for the most part was not great.

I did play 12 rounds of golf while on the move before and after the PGA Show, but only in one round did I enjoy over 70 degree weather, and that was for about nine holes, and the temperature peaked at 72. But hey, I was out playing golf, and that’s something right there. I did started the 2019 golf season at Talamore in Southern Pines, with Dormie Club later that day, yes 36 holes the first day. At Talamore the morning temperature was 35, and was 41 by the time I came in. Dormie Club was 42 on the first tee, and 43 when I came in.

It then rained 3/4 of inch that night that delayed my tee time on the Arnold Palmer designed Mid-South Club, but I did head out and cart-path only it around the course when it was 44 degrees. The next morning was Mid-Pines, it was 38 when I tee’d off and 45 when I got in, that afternoon on the famed Par 3-nine hole Cradle Course at the Pinehurst Resort, it was 47.

Pinehurst No.2 the next day, was 39 when we tee’d off, and around 48 when we got in. Always nice to play U.S. Open Courses in those temperatures. The following day was a look at the recently renovated by Gil Hanse, Pinehurst No.4, 42 when I tee’d off and 53 when I got in. Tobacco Road the next day, located 20 minutes from Pinehurst was 38 at 10:30 in the morning on the first tee, 55 degrees on the 18th green.

The First Hole at Tobacco Road, Sanford NC.

The heatwave came on Saturday the 19th, when at the Grande Dunes Golf Club in Myrtle Beach. 58 was the opening temperature, and 72 was the finishing number.

Then after the PGA Show in Orlando, where the warmest day of the trip was the first day inside at the convention center. I was indoors and it hit 78 outside. The weekend after the show in Palm Coast Florida just south of St. Augustine area, temperature’s peaked at 54 degrees for a round on the redone Ocean Course by Jack Nicklaus at Hammock Dunes.

I arrived in Fort Lauderdale that night in time for a downpour, that was almost 3 inches of rain between Saturday and Sunday. Between heavy rains and overnight low’s of 42 in Port St. Lucie 100 miles north of Miami, BIG 3 partner Len Ziehm and I failed to get in a game this year.

The Par 3, 5th green on the South Course at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor FL.

I crossed the state of Florida and arrived at Innisbrook Golf Resort, home of the Valspar Championship. I played the recently renovated South Course, and 52 degrees was the tee time temperature when I putted out on 18.

My final round of the trip was on the National Golf Course, at Reynolds at Lake Oconee. Tee times were held up 90 minutes, due to a frost delay after temperatures hit and overnight low of just 24 degrees.

THE PAR 5, 6th hole on the Bluff nine of the National Golf Course at Reynolds at Lake Oconee.

The drive home was interesting, as traffic around Atlanta, on a Friday night of Superbowl weekend was awful.

My planned hotel in Kentucky that night was sold out of rooms, so by Midnight I had finally found another one.

A pile up on Saturday north of Lexington Kentucky, left me parked in one spot for 43 minutes, and the heavy Kentucky fog, returned through most of Indiana on the drive back into Chicago. I document all this for anyone who wants to know how the trip went, and thinks it was all fun and playing golf. It wasn’t.

But there were highlights, and plenty of them. I actually started the trip with one night at the French Lick Resort, where I took a few bucks from the casino. In Pinehurst my 31 score on the Par 3 Cradle Course was good for nine holes. Playing Pinehurst No.2 is always a treat, so is the new Pinehurst No.4. The Pinehurst Brewery is really good, the BBQ, Brews and brick oven pizza’s are all to die-for.

Tobacco Road, that course I had heard for years, was a you love it or hate golf course. Well put me down in the “love it” category. If you like places like Sand Valley-Bandon Dunes or Streamsong, you will like Tobacco Road. Course architect Mike Strantz (RIP) was ahead of his time building a course like Tobacco Road.

THE PGA SHOW in Orlando was outstanding as always. If your not there you are behind your competition for that year. Taylor Made didn’t show at the show, so the Callaway’s, Titleist’s, Ping, Mizuno, Wilson and Tour Edge companies all raced past them for 2019. I don’t care who on tour plays their products, they lost ground to the industry. If i’m a TM staff professional, I don’t care about what they might do later this year. I’m concerned about what they are not doing, right now.

Our local Chicago equipment companies Wilson and Tour Edge are on the move up, and they should be, they are both making good clubs and golfers like them. It was good to hear that Wilson’s first batch of Cortex drivers sold-out. Callaway has a winner with the new Epic Flash driver, and it’s new ERC Golf ball that flew good in the cold-weather I was golfing in. Both Wilson and Callaway have great new Irons too. I came away from the show ready to replace every club in my bag this year, and I might do just that.

It was great to return to Myrtle Beach after three years away, and the thought of playing in the World Amateur there this August, is on my mind.

Innisbrook’s South Course renovation and new room renovations are very good, and their onion rings that former Innisbrook Sales Director and KemperSports VP Doug Schmidt hooked me on, never get old.

The final stop in Georgia at Reynolds at Lake Oconee was a great one. Former Medinah Director of Golf Mike Scully has found himself an incredible property to be in charge of. Six golf courses is just the tip of the iceberg at Reynolds. Georgia really does have a major golf destination property and Reynolds at Lake Oconee is it. They might not give away green jackets there in April, but it’s a wonderful time to visit. I can only believe things will get even better there, under Mike’s direction.

The portrait of Pete and Alice Dye that hangs in the mansion at the Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort.

One sad note, the world of golf lost a great lady with the passing of Alice Dye, wife of HOF architect Pete Dye, who is poor health of his own. Alice Dye believed to be a winner of some 50 amateur championships was 91. In her own way, Alice contributed to many of Pete’s designs, including ones rated in the counties Top 100 golf courses.

There is a great recap of Alice Dye and more in Jim Nugent’s Global Golf Post, that has added a subscription addition for a small amount of $. It’s well worth the read, see GGP+.

It’s always nice seeing many great friends from over the years when I get down south, and this year was no different. Now it’s time to gear up for our golf season here, the Chicago golf show is next on tap. But I still have plenty to write from the PGA Show, stay clicked in. RS