WET AND SNOWY WEATHER IN THE FORECAST-Outside this week. Nice and warm inside the Mistwood Golf Dome and McWethys Sports Bar. Blast the driver, work on the short game, get fitted for clubs. Visit Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call (630)-739-7600.      _____________________________________________________________________

The former WGA headquarters is now home to the Illinois PGA.

HOME- 1 Briar Road Golf, Illinois.

For many years the address above meant you had found the home of the Western Golf Association (WGA) and the Evans Scholars. That is true no longer.

1 Briar Road, Golf Illinois is now home to the Illinois PGA Section office. There is still some work to do before the IPGA actually moves in, but when they do, the section office space will have been expanded. Plus credit to the Illinois PGA for keeping the address in Golf alive, in the world of local golf agencies.

It does seem fitting that an Illinois based golf organization, resides in Golf Illinois.

The building was constructed in 1955, and was home of the WGA/ESF for 64 years. Joining the Illinois PGA in this historic building will be Village of Golf Post Office, and the offices of the village itself. But they have already been tenants for many years.

The WGA was kind enough to leave the welcome mat out for the Illinois PGA.

“The Illinois PGA Foundation and Section have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with KemperSports and the Glen Club where we’ve been fortunate enough to have a rent-free office space for nearly 20 years. Their generosity cannot be overstated. The Glen Club has also been home to the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame, which the Foundation manages,” said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of both the Illinois PGA Foundation and the Section. “But the time has come for us to establish our own headquarters and John Kaczkowski (President/CEO of the WGA/ESF) and the WGA/ESF Board have given us an incredible opportunity to make that happen.”

The WGA moved to a new facility on Patriot Drive in The Glen area of Glenview in fall of 2019.

“As an allied association working in the Chicagoland-area golf business, the WGA/ESF has enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship with the Illinois PGA and when we were ready to sell the building we immediately thought the Illinois PGA Foundation and Section were the perfect organizations to carry on the tradition of a golf association owning and occupying it,” said Kaczkowski.

“From a few boxes of folders in the Executive Director’s car trunk to an Oak Brook office space to Ruffled Feathers Golf Club to the Glen Club and now the purchase of our own building, the Illinois PGA Section and Foundation have a come a long way,” said Jim Miller, PGA of Bloomington Country Club, president of the Illinois PGA Section.

The historic parking signs for WGA staff still are posted in the parking lot in Golf Illinois.

The Illinois PGA Section was first founded in 1921, with the intention to serve it member golf professionals, while growing the game and increasing enjoyment and involvement at all levels.

The Illinois PGA Foundation was created in 1991, and was designed to focus on efforts in the community, and to promote goodwill and growth initiatives. Among the programs created and or now overseen by the foundation include the PGA Junior League, Drive-Chip and Putt, GolfWorks Illinois, The Illinois Golf Hall of Fame and college scholarships.

The IPGA will move into the new offices later this year, once renovations and upgrades to the building are complete. The Illinois Golf Hall of Fame displays will remain at the Glen Club, for all who visit to enjoy to at no charge.