THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is open daily to 10 Pm. So start your season with a club fitting or lesson. See what score you can post on a Top 100 course on Toptracer. McWethys Sports Bar is open with all the great food and drinks. So book a hitting bay today at Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call (630)-739-7600.

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

      ZERO FRICTION PRESIDENT JOHN IACONO with the Stride walking trolley. (R) Zero Friction products including gloves, balls, tee’s and back packs.

Zero Friction has announced it will give away a ZF Golf Glove to each PGA Merchandise  attendee, while supplies last, to show-goers who stop by the Zero Friction booth (#3173) and register.

“This year, we’re excited to do something a little different at the PGA Show,” said John Iacono, Founder and President of Zero Friction. ‘We’re giving all attendees who register at our booth one of our favorite golf gloves. So for those who haven’t has the chance to try our golf gloves yet, we want to offer you a firsthand experience of what everyone is raving about as our gloves offer an amazing fit every time. But for our loyal fans, we’re gifting you a glove as a token of our appreciation for your continued support.”

Owner Nick Larkin (L) and All-world caddie Greg Kunkel welcome golfers to The Shack Golf Club at 1717 Chestnut Ave. in Glenview IL. So book a simulator at TheShackGolfClub.com or call (847)-904-2905.

Zero Friction’s Cabretta leather golf gloves, eliminate the need to guess your size.

So golfers order the glove in one size, and stretch the compression glove to fit their hand.

There are a variety of sizes for men, women and youth golfers.

“Zero Friction’s gloves are the perfect fusion of fun, style and high-quality craftmanship,” said Iacono. “Zero Friction gloves allow pro shops and retail stores to offer a variety of exciting colors without having to carry a large inventory of different sizes.”

So for more information on Oak Brook Terrace based Zero Friction golf products, call (630)-317-7700 or visit Zerofriction.com.

  THE SHACK GOLF CLUB at 1717 Chestnut Ave. in Glenview is making your golf season a little longer, and little warmer this winter. Now with seven simulators and a new putting green, there is plenty of space to work on your game. So book a bay or come in for lessons and club fittings. Then you can join Arnie at the bar for some great pizza flatbreads, and a nice warm beverage. TheShackGolfClub.com (847)-904-2905.

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

Jon Rahm holds the trophy at Bolingbrook Golf Club as the 2024 LIV Golf individual champion. (photo by LIV Golf).

THE FULL 2025 SCHEDULE IS OUT

LIV Golf will return to the Chicago area, at the Bolingbrook Golf one month sooner in 2025-from August 8-10.

But now the full schedule has been released by LIV Golf.

The tour will remain in the Midwest after Chicago for the next two weeks.

Because from August 15-17 will be the new Indianapolis event. But then comes the LIV Team Championship, at the new Cardinal Course at the St. John’s Resort in Plymouth Michigan. The recently built Cardinal Course by architect Ray Hearn will be played August 22-24.

More new events include RIVADH from Feb. 6-8. Mexico City from April 25-27. Korea from May 2-4. Indianapolis and Detroit/Area Michigan in August.

So LIV Golf is following the footsteps of the PGA Tour by wrapping up before the main body of college football and the NFL kickoff for the season.

LIV Golf will also return to Trump Doral on the “Blue Monster” in Miami from April 4-6, then play in DC June 6-8 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

So more information will be released as it becomes available for the Chicago area event, five weeks earlier this year. But will again be played at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.

The full 14 tournament schedule is found at LIVGolf.com.

  THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME located on Bolingbrook Drive (Rt.83) in Bolingbrook is open daily until 10 Pm. So now with 2025 underway, it’s time to get a lesson before the winter golf trip, and start getting fit for any new clubs you might add to the bag in 2025. In addition to Toptracer Golf, there is McWethy’s Sports Bar where you can catch all the games, and enjoy some award winning chicken wings, burgers and more. So book a hitting bay today at Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call the dome at (630)-739-7600 #MGD

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter-X @GogBlogGuy or on LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram Rory putting in Bettinardi’s Studio B in Oak Brook IL.

WOW-THAT’S REALLY LOW !

Hidecki Matsuyama the blew the lid off low-scoring records in professional golf.

Matsuyama scorched the Kapalua Resorts Plantation Course for 35 under par over four days, to walk away with the PGA Tour’s season opening event The Sentry Championship.

The Sentry is no longer the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Because to increase field size, which had dropped into the 20 player range. The PGA Tour made the event players who won on tour the previous year, and or anyone in the top 50 players not already qualified.

Collin Morikawa shot a measly 32 under par and had no chance of winning. I’m sure by Sunday night Morikawa who didn’t win 2024, has to be wondering what it will take to carry home a trophy in 2025.

The Shack Golf Club-1717 Chestnut Ave in Glenview. 7 simulators and a putting green. Plus you can always join Arnie at the Bar. Book a bay, take a lesson, or get fitted for new clubs. The ShackGolfClub.com or call (847)-904-2905.

IS PLANTATION THAT EASY OF A GOLF COURSE. Actually no it isn’t. But there are some wide fairways on a few holes. I have logged some 20 rounds on Plantation, and it the Trade winds or Kona winds are strong, it’s brutal. The course can be a real golf ball eater, if your off-line or get blown around too much. The winds were not a factor this past week at The Sentry.

ONE YEAR I lost a dozen balls over two rounds on Plantation. So I would have gone back to Chicago with an empty golf ball pouch on my bag, if Kapalua VP-the late Gary Planos had not sent me home with a dozen special logoed balls from a cabinet in the back of his office.

WHAT I WILL DO is look for the C&C team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in Florida at the PGA Show. I can only imagine their reaction to the low scores posted this past week. Crenshaw might say something like, 35 under par over four days is a game I am not familiar with.

The Schaumburg Golf Club 401 North Roselle Road, has three simulators open for play. Enjoy the comfort’s of indoor golf all winter long at Schaumburg Golf Club. The pro shop and Chandlers Chophouse are also open. See more at Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000

TITLEIST HAS ANNOUNCED that the new Pro-V1 and Pro-V1x golf ball is coming out at the end of the month. It should be great. But it’s not the ball used by Matsuyma at Kapalua this week. So how about this, what did he use. The new Srixon Z-Star XV Ball available January 24th, at a cost of $49.99 a dozen. But I still wonder how many dozen’s of these balls pro shops will order. MIZUNO has launched new irons, the JPX 925 series, I’m wondering what their impact will be on the market.

THE TGL GOLF LEAGUE-starts tomorrow on ESPN. So what is TGL. Well it’s an indoor simulator like dome, with room for 1200 fans. It’s location is down in Florida, near where many of the PGA Tour players live. So it should be an easy drive over to compete.

TGL-Tomorrows Golf League, is the Rory McIlroy & Tiger Woods project where the original bubble got wrecked by a storm. This one is located on the campus of Palm Beach State College. Six teams with 3-players each will battle it out over the next two months to determine a winner. I’m curious to see what the golfing public will think of this latest venture. The television ratings should be interesting.

MORE NEWS-LIV Golfers Phil Mickelson now has his own YouTube Channel. Which is interesting, but what kind of content will “Lefty” provide. I can’t believe it will be a bunch of gambling or stock market tips.

THE BETTINARDI TIKI HIVE will be open tomorrow (Tuesday Jan. 7) at 10 Am CST. So do you need some Hawaiian flavor in your golf game. So to learn more visit bettinardi.com.

2025 has started, so let’s get the ball rolling. I can’t believe it’s only 9 days until departure day for the PGA Merchandise Show. The Gog Blog returns this week. RS.

  THE SHACK GOLF CLUB has extended Chicago’s golf season. Located at 1717 Chestnut Ave. in Glenview, The Shack now has seven simulators and a putting green. It’s a place where Arnie will always join you at the bar. So with top dates filling up quickly, book your bay today and start hitting the ball. TheShackGolfClub.com or call (847)-904-2905. Lessons and club fittings are available, try out Bettinardi Putters.

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Director of Content and creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter-X @GogBlogGuy or connect at LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram In the fitting tent at Heritage Oaks GC in Northbrook.

HAPPY NEW YEAR…

I HOPE YOURS is off to a great start.

HERE at Golfers on Golf, I’m not so lucky. Because digging out of a 5 day brutal illness, is no way to start the season.

Have you ever hit your opening tee shot Out-of-Bounds. Then some joker yells “that’s two.” A joker who deserves a shot in the chops with 56 degree wedge.

But none the less, I feel like the opening days of the 2025 year or golf season have been brutal. Because I have no interest in being back on the “DL.” With the PGA Show 3 weeks away, I don’t want to be on the “IR.” I don’t want to be hitting 4 off the first tee box either. But it sure feels like that’s exactly where I am. So I am starting to feel better, so I’m back here on the forum. I will try to get caught up, but I’m running at a pace that averages out to slow play.

OKAY ENOUGH ABOUT ME… now some other golf topics.

THE PGA TOUR IS UNDERWAY with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, my old Hawaiian haunt. I have played about 20 rounds on the Plantation Course, which is a fun golf course. Almost as much fun as blasting a long iron past Mark Rolfing’s fishing poles that hang out behind his house on the resorts Bay Course. Chris Kirk is the defending champ, but didn’t have the best 2024 season after winning the season opener in 2024. I don’t expect him to repeat. Sahith Theegala last year’s runner-up, Justin Thomas or Collin Morikawa have a better chance of winning this year.

SOME OF THE BIG NEWS to start the season, is that Max Homa has bolted from Titleist to join Cobra-Puma. Homa could use a spark in his game after a sluggish 2024, and will need one to make this years Ryder Cup team. Homa has brought in a new swing coach to go along with new clubs, new clothes and new shoes.

VICTOR HOVLAND the 2023 BMW Champion at Olympia Fields broke his toe while banging his foot on his bed while sleeping. So Hovland is taping up the toe as much as possible and taking some drugs. But as each round goes on-his limping is starting to show.

THE GOLF WORLD/MEDIA WORLD has been hit hard by some year-end passing’s. USA today writer Steve Dimeglio (63) lost his two year fight with cancer earlier today, only a couple of weeks after Geoff Babineau (62) passed away from natural causes.

DAN BAKER (58) of the PGA of America, who was very involved with the upcoming PGA Merchandise Show, was killed in a car accident last month, in route home from volunteering at a season ending LPGA event in Naples Florida.

THE NEW CALLAWAY CLUBS-ELYTE Woods and Irons are getting strong reviews. I can’t wait to test them out vs my Paradyms. May the best model win. Demo day at the PGA Show should be much more exciting now, I’m also hearing that Elyte with the right Fujikura Shafts can be a real dynamite combination.

TITLEIST GOLF has announced the new PRO V1 golf ball is coming out at the end of show week.

Locally Oak Brook Terrace based Zero Friction products has announced a return to the PGA Show.

NOW I just need to get healthy, I’m getting pumped for the show. But coming soon, my list of 10 courses I want to play in 2025, add them to your list as well. RS

  THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME on Bolingbrook Drive in Bolingbrook. So get a start on 2025 by taking your game & clubs to the Mistwood Golf Dome. (630)-739-7600 #MGD

   OWNER NICK LARKIN invites golfers to enjoy the warmth of the winter golf season at TheShackgolfclub.com at 1717 Chestnut Ave. in Glenview. Call (847)-904-2905 #SGC

   THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB 401 North Roselle Road Schaumburg IL. Check in for three simulators located right below Chandlers Chophouse (847)-885-9000.

                          Happy New Year from Ed Stevenson (L)-Rory Spears (M) and the IPGA Hall of Famer Len Ziehm.

Golfers on Golf is the longest running golf show in Chicago broadcasting history, and four-time national award winner. Entering it’s 35th season on radio, while Golfersongolf.com enters it’s 16th season. So stay with us all year for the best in Chicagoland Golf and beyond.

2025 is here, it’s drive time. Let’s go.