ACORN GRILLE at Heritage Oaks Golf Club in Northbrook-Now featuring the brand new Transfusion Beverage. Tasty and refreshing as the warmth of the summer season arrives. Tuesday is now Taco Tuesdays-or try Wings on Wednesdays. Just $1 per wing.

Golfers on Golf Radio is L-R Ed Stevenson, Len Ziehm, Bill Berger and Rory Spears at WNDZ AM 750-Chicago.

WEEK-FORE is here is already.

Golfers on Golf Radio is back again today on the tee at 10 AM, on it’s home WNDZ-AM 750-Chicago.

So this week Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears will bring you some of top news from this week in golf.

Len Ziehm is representing the show in Valley Forge PA., at the ING spring summit. So his report on travel golf in that area, will run next week.

But this week should be an exciting one, with the guest list we have on the course with us for Week #4.

Architect and Evans Scholar Ray Hearn a member of the American Society Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) whose courses in Illinois include Flossmoor GC, home of the 2023 Illinois Open and 2023 USGA Senior Open qualifier, Mistwood GC, home of the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open, Midlothian home of the 2023 WGA Junior Championship.

Hearn’s renovations at two courses out east and in Panama, have or will host Korn Ferry Tour events this year.

Tim Cronin-head of the Illinois Golf HOF Selection committee, speaks at the 2021 induction ceremony.

TIM CRONIN of the Illinois Golfer and the Director of the Selection Committee for the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame.

Cronin joins us at 10:10 to discuss this years Hall of Fame process for the Class of 2023, now underway.

Cronin will discuss how many candidates there are for this years class. But then how many will be left standing after the first cut. The Illinois Golf HOF located at the Glen Club.

CLICK HERE to hear this weeks show-with guests Tim Cronin and Ray Hearn.

So stay tuned to Golfers on Golf Radio, heard every Saturday at 10 AM on WNDZ AM 750. Because Chicago’s longest running golf show, is the place to hear the best guests in the world of golf.

So thanks for listening, Chicago’s Favorite Foursome-Ed-Len-Bill and Rory.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 2023 Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open at the Mistwood Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday July 24-25. See MistwoodGC.com. NEW from Callaway Golf for a limited time-the Night Mode Paradym driver. Callawaygolf.com

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect- LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram

Dustin Johnson is back in the winners circle at LIV Tulsa-Photo courtesy of LIV Golf and Montana Pritchard.

DUSTIN JOHNSON was back in the winners circle, with his second solo win on the LIV Golf Tour at the LIV Golf Tulsa Tournament.

So with his win in a three-man playoff against Cam Smith and Branden Grace, Johnson is now the third player with multiple solo wins on the LIV Golf Tour.

Johnson with an eagle in a playoff last year at the LIV Golf Boston event.

Johnson said,” next time it would be nice to win without the playoff.”

Johnson’s team 4Aces ended up in second place. Grace’s team Stinger GC, won the team championship by 1 shot at Cedar Ridge.

FOLLOWING THE TULSA LIV GOLF TOURNAMENT was the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, won by Liv Golf Brooks Koepka. So for Koepka it was his fifth major title, and his third PGA Championship victory.

LIV GOLF CEO GREG NORMAN called the victory, “a commanding win that cements Brooks place as one of the greatest players to ever play the game.”

COG HILL GOLF will host two days of Ping Golf fittings on June 22-23. Fittings run from 11 Am to 3 Pm. Call (866)-COG-HILL to make an appointment.

HAROLD VARNER III won for the first time on American soil, with his 1 shot win over a late charging Branden Grace.

But Varner did not get to celebrate his win with his team. Because the team honor went to Torque GC, over Varner III Rangegoats.

But for the second straight event in LIV Golf, the attendance record was broken. Because both ratings and galleries continue to surge for LIV Golf.

The next stop on the LIV schedule is LIV Golf Valderrama from June 30-July 2. But before LIV Golf returns, 12 regular members of LIV Golf will participate in the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club in two weeks. Reigning major champions Brooks Koepka, 2023 PGA Champion and Cam Smith 2022 open Championship winner, are among those playing at LACC.

But for more information on LIV Golf, see LIVGolf.com.

THE NEW RANGE at Heritage Oaks Golf Club in Northbrook, is now an award winning facility, complete with Trackman and top level instructors. (M) Teaching professional Michael Wenzel (L) and Heritage Oaks Director of Golf Greg Baron (R) show off the two recent awards presented by the Golf Range Association of America (GRAA). Heritage Oaks is on Dundee Road in Northbrook call (847)-291-2351 or HeritageOaksGC.com.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect- Linkedin/Instagram/Facebook

Molly Hamer with the IPRA Executive of the Year Award.

THE SECRET WAS KEPT…

But maybe that was the hard part after all, when the Northbrook Park District senior staff learned that the parks executive director Molly Hamer (pron:Hay-mer) had won the Illinois Park & Recreation Association (IPRA) Professional of the Year Award. They had to keep it a secret.

So Hamer’s staff knew, her husband and family knew-but she didn’t know. So as a result people were lying to her about things-so the secret was well kept. But that was until the award was presented.

Which was at the IAPD/IPRA New Heights Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. The award, which is a major one in the Illinois Parks and Recreation industry. Is one award that given Hamer’s long track record in the industry, was well deserved. Just ask the people that know her the best.

Hamer on the porch of the new Heritage Oaks Clubhouse in front of the 18th green. A clubhouse Hamer guided the Northbrook Park District through it’s construction.

But the award is presented to an individual with more than eight years of full-time service.

With those years come the need to have made major contributions to the park, recreation and conservation profession. Plus a leader who has made the effort to go above and beyond the call of duty.

“IPRA is thrilled to see Molly recognized by her peers with this award. Because she exemplifies the leadership and dedication to her community that Park, Recreation and Conservation professionals can look to for inspiration.”-Barbara Arango, CAE, IPGA Executive Director.

Hamer started at the Schaumburg Park District for 11 years, and ended her time there as Superintendent of Recreation. But following her time in Schaumburg, Hamer was Executive Director of the Geneseo Park District from 2007-2016.

In her years at Geneseo, the park district approved it’s first Master Plan, and became an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency. The park system received awards for financial reporting. Among the capital projects undertaken, was the $6.3 million dollar outdoor pool renovation that finished on time and on budget. The project was funded in part by a $2.4 million dollar PARC grant, and community capital campaign that raised $2.25 million.

Molly Hamer at Heritage Oaks Golf Club in Northbrook, one of the top golf course renovation projects in the Chicago area over the last decade.

But then while serving on the IPRA Board of Directors from 2014-2016. Hamer was named the recipient of the Joseph Brannon Practitioner Award from the University of Illinois.

Hamer joined the Northbrook Park District in September of 2016, as Executive Director. As part of her role with the NBPD, Hamer oversees 543 acres of open space, 36 holes of golf, 13 facilities, 24 parcels of land, 7.7 miles of walking trails, plus 18 playgrounds and athletic courts and fields. While Hamer is involved with various Northbrook area organizations, she has lead the park district through the Covid-19 pandemic era. During that time was the planned renovation of Sportsman Golf and Country Club. That evolved into the new era of the renamed and rebranded Heritage Oaks Golf Club project.

Welcome to Heritage Oaks Golf Club in Northbrook.

So while Heritage Oaks is now fully reopened to the public, what is complete is really Phase 1 of the project.

Because what still needs to be done, is the finishing of a full set of cart paths. A bunker renovation project, and some tree removal work.

But what Hamer and the Northbrook Park Board needs to do next, is find the next golf architect for Northbrook PD golf properties, with the retirement of Rick Jacobson. Jacobson has stepped back from taking on any more work from NBPD as he ends his long career in golf design.

Heritage Oaks is home to a brand new clubhouse.

Hamer admits that the new architect has not been selected yet. But one is likely to be named in the next few months.

That person will help decide a 10-year master plan for Heritage Oaks. Then the 9-hole Anetsberger golf course.

Some of the above named parts of the renovation that were done during the recent work, was to keep the project on budget. Hamer led the board through the tough decision process on what cuts were made to originally proposed plan of over $14 million dollars. So to avoid reaching out to the taxpayers wallets, the project was trimmed down to $12.5 million dollars.

But since the Northbrook community made it clear to the park board, that golf was important. Work started and will continue over the next few years, to various parts of Heritage Oaks and Anetsberger.

The 18th hole at sunrise on the Classic 18 golf course at Heritage Oaks.

But while Heritage Oaks is a big project, it has not been the only major capital project that park district has taken on in recent years.

Which is amazing considering the restrictions the NBPD has worked though, especially with the Covid-19 restrictions and supply chain issues.

But what’s good news for the golfers who enjoy NBPD golf, is that Hamer confirmed to Golfers on Golf that the improvements will continue to happen to the Northbrook Park District Golf operation.

CLICK HERE TO HEAR the full interview with Northbrook Park District Executive Director Molly Hamer.

The Heritage Oaks renovation and rebranding, was one of the three biggest golf renovation projects in the Chicago area. In the last decade, only Mistwood Golf Club and the Preserve at Oak Meadows. Have undertaken projects the size and cost of Heritage Oaks.

The Heritage Oaks Transfusion-See what’s new in 2023 at Heritage Oaks.

Late last year, the Northbrook Park District and Heritage Oaks received notice it received it’s certification as a Audubon Certified property.

This year the golf staff worked with the board and Hamer on several improvements to Heritage Oaks.

The golf carts received all new GPS screens for yardage and more. The driving range got a new picker cart, to help retrieve golf balls more efficiently.

During the years ahead, Hamer and board will continue to improve the golf product offered by the park district. With Hamer leading the way, Heritage Oaks, will continue to be one the of the area’s top public golf facilities.