WELCOME TO ILLINOIS-L/ IN THE STUDIO-GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO RETURNS

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

ABOUT THE TIME YOU THINK, you have seen it all, we get this virus, and the world comes to a halt.

People are getting sick, people are dying, it’s not good. But somehow in the middle of all this, our world as we know it is crumbling. Especially here in Illinois where the business model is moving to other states, or closing down because of being choked to death by taxes. It’s no longer time for Springfield to dodge the question, open the golf courses on May 1st. Quit passing the buck, it stops here.

It doesn’t matter which party proposed the taxes, voted to approve them, and or put them into law. What we do know, is that the situation will get worse, a lot worse, if things don’t change, and soon.

While everyone has been asked to stay home and help stop the spread of the Covid-19 Virus, it is still important to get outside, get your exercise, and maybe do something that gets your mind off the non-stop virus talk, that drives all of us nuts. I suggest we start driving golf balls, on the range, down the fairway, and onto the green. GOLF is a great way to do many things, while doing it safely, with guidelines that have been set down during this pandemic.

I do believe a shutdown was necessary for a few weeks, things got bad here, real bad. But all of the surrounding states have, or will shortly have open golf courses. Illinois should too, Springfield no more ducking the issue, or you are DQ’d from the equation going forward.

MAYBE AFTER MOTHER’S DAY on the 10th of May, Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) can ease up on a few more things. Food operations can expand what they offer a little, and us golfing types, can get a hot dog or a burger to go, with a soft drink after our round.

Governor, don’t come crying poor this fall with your hand open looking for tax dollars if you won’t do something, anything, to help restart the economy of this state. Golf courses are a big part of that, golf and golf courses help on so many fronts. So unless you want to lower the far too large tax bills that Illinois sends out to golf courses up and down the Land of Lincoln, get the courses open on May 1st. EVERYDAY they are not open after May 1st, they should be able to subtract up to 5% of their tax bills.

IS THERE A UNIFORMED coordinated plan of protest from golf organizations in Illinois, there are hints that there could be. Let’s hope so, Springfield you need to listen.

GOLF COURSES are home to plenty of charity events over the summer, many more of them are helped by the major tournaments that come here. Governor, is the state prepared to support all the charities that don’t get their badly needed funds through the golf outings that help them.

IF YOU HAVE TO, have your people and the golf organizations of Illinois draw up uniformed guidelines that must be maintained in order to open, and stay open. But May 1st, it’s time to unlock the gates and let golf take it’s place. The weather wasn’t always great in April, so those were good days to be closed anyway. Plus area golf courses hopefully took advantage of the time closed, to have the course in better shape for the summer ahead. Let’s hope they did.

From the 2020 PGA Show-Rory Spears (L), with Jim Richerson of Troon Golf and current VP of the PGA of America.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO will return this Saturday, at 10 AM on WCPT-AM 820.

We are still working on our guest list for show #1. One confirmation we do have is that Jim Richerson of Troon Golf and the Vice President of the PGA of America will join us.

Our guest list should be good over the first few weeks of the show, especially as the Illinois golf industry tries to recover from this poor start to the season from lock down, stay-at-home orders and cold and snowy weather.

In the week ahead, more updates on the radio show. Part 3 of our look at the Pinehurst Resort, and our product reviews of CBD and CB5 products. Len Ziehm returns for volume 6 of our podcast series on Wednesday.

Let’s hope this is a start to golf season hitting stride. The Gog Blog Returns tomorrow. RS