THE NEW TOUR EDGE 521 HOT LAUNCH C & E SERIES-with the Houdini Sole. Stay tuned more coming up with Tour Edge including Parts 3 & 4 in our series. Touredge.com ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG-by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Facebook or Linkedin. At Trappers Turn Golf Club in the Dells.

VACATIONS are usually a wonderful thing.

But not always when they end up being unplanned.

In the middle of a busy week, last week while on assignment in the Wisconsin Dells, our site went down. But finally and fortunately after an exhaustive process with our provider, we are back up and running. Sorry for the slow play in posting, but now I plan to be back catching up at full speed for the next week.

I just caught up with architect Greg Martin, and the renovation work has started at Settlers Hill in Batavia, but the golf course is still open for play. I hope the weather does not get to cold too quickly, so all the golf courses can stay open for a while yet. Come the day we all must take golf back indoors, I’m still worried about what Gov. JB “Shutdown” will do to our state.

THE QUICK TRIP up to the Wisconsin Dells allowed me to play 36 1/2 holes of golf, before Mother Nature opened up from the heavens and stuck a fork in my final round of the trip at Coldwater Canyon Golf Club at the Chula Vista Resort. Never fun to hit that opening tee shot down the middle of the  fairway on the first hole, and before you get to your ball, a massive downpour explodes. Two hours later you head home because fairways are starting to be under water, and the temperature has dropped down to 38, when it was supposed to be 60 that day. But the 1923 golf course, one of the 5th oldest courses in Wisconsin looks great and I will have to make a return visit.

WHAT I DID LEARN while in the Dells, is that there is plenty happening at Trappers Turn Golf Club. The Roger Packard-Andy North design property is getting some serious upgrades.

IN 2021 the brand new 1-acre lighted putting green will open. In addition June will be the opening of the new Andy North-with Oliphant Golf Partner-Craig Haltom, 12-hole par 3 golf course. Haltom is the person who found the Sand Valley land, and convinced Mike Keiser to step up and buy it, and start building golf courses there, which we know Keiser did, and now Sand Valley is a major success story and outstanding golf destination property.

What else is interesting at Trappers Turn, is the addition of a new vineyard that started in late 2018. No wine is on it’s way anytime soon, but some Trappers Turn Brandy will be around in a year or so. Stay tuned.

THE 2021 PGA merchandise Show schedule for late January in Orlando, has been converted to a Virtual-Show. What-ever that means. I did reach out to Reed Exposition’s that operates the show for the PGA of America for a comment (as I would always do when necessary), and they sent me the official press release, which I will post shortly.

What affect that will have on the golf industry in 2021 remains to be seen. It does seem that the equipment companies are rolling out new things in advance of the holiday season, in fact they have been rolling out new equipment in the last 4-6 weeks. Chicago based Wilson Golf is the latest to roll out new equipment, including a new set of Irons that was spotted on Wilson Golf President Tim Clarke’s Facebook page this afternoon.

If you need some warmer weather golf clothes, the Schaumburg Golf Club has a pro shop merchandise sale going on-nice discounts to be had.

THE HOT and FALSE RUMOR Department. If you have heard the one about KemperSports and Keiser Golf being splitsville, with KSM out at places like Sand Valley and Bandon Dunes. IT’s FALSE. I reached out to both parties (as I would always do when a comment is necessary) and both Mike Keiser and KSM CEO Steve Skinner responded to me and flat out denied the story.

Next on rumor tee, is that Roscommon Michigan destination property Forest Dunes could be getting sold to the Mosaic Company that own’s Streamsong in Central Florida. I reached out for comment (as I would always do when necessary), and I am still awaiting for an official response.

WORD FROM AUGUSTA NATIONAL that the famed Wednesday Par-3 contest is cancelled this year. Probably more fall-out from the Virus, but the champions dinner is still on.

THE GOG BLOG returns tomorrow. RS