COG HILL HONEY with your turkey spread. Supplies are limited, but the Thanksgiving Day meal at Cog Hill is sold out. THE MISTWOOD Golf Dome will safely reopen, So stay clicked in here for details. Mistwoodgolfdome.com or McWethysSportsbar.com ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram. Hitting it on the Firestone Country Club West Course, in Akron Ohio.

THE DAYS OF HITTING IT outside are winding down here in the Chicago area.

Because snow and colder temperatures are on their way.

So what do you do about this. You can hope the Tuesday morning snow in the area, melts by Wednesday when 50+ degrees arrive.

After Wednesday, 50+ is not on the 7 or 10 day outlook moving forward, and that is a problem. But it’s expected, as we reach this time of the year on the calendar. So what you can do is start exploring your golf holiday shopping this week. In some cases, Black Friday or Cyber Monday is starting in advance of Friday and next Monday. I’ll have more on holiday shopping later this week.

A few years ago at Cantigny. L-R yours truly, with former GM Mike Nass (C), and (R) pro Patrick Lynch.

PATRICK LYNCH steps down at Cantigny, after 22 years.

Patrick Lynch the head golf pro at Cantigny Golf golf is leaving after 22 years on staff.

Lynch served as the lead professional for the last 13 years, after Mike Jones moved on to Kapalua, and other stops since.

But when Lynch took over from Jones, Lynch had big shoes to fill, and he filled them well. There isn’t much that Lynch hasn’t done at Cantigny that hasn’t worked out well. Cantigny’s programs have grown, and the property has continued to excel under his leadership. Currently, so little is known about what’s next for Lynch. But whatever it is, I wish him well. There is no word yet on who will replace Lynch as the next head golf professional at Cantigny.

Ryder Cup 2020 Wine.

RYDER CUP WINE, and just in time for the holidays.

So if your a wine drinker there is good news. Because right from the heart of wine country in California comes Ryder Cup wine, created by WX Brands.

This limited edition series, can be ordered through the WX Brands Revel Wine Club, and or in certain US-based host sites. Which includes the Woodlake Market in Kohler, Wisconsin. And only a few miles from Whistling Straits. The first release of this one-of-a-kind collection, is the 2017 Silver Spur Napa Valley Limited-Edition Cabernet Sauvignon ($34.99). The wine was created by veteran winemaker Linda Trotta.

There is more good news for wine drinkers, because this wine launch won’t be ending here. Expect future editions and more wine launches for the 2021 competition coming out next spring. So if you order now, you should receive your order before Christmas.

EQUIPMENT PURCHASES BUYING TRENDS CHANGE.

The major surge in equipment purchases this past 6 months, have seen patterns change as to who is buying equipment. This signals good news for the golf industry.

Golf Datatech that studies major golf industry trends, and tracks the numbers spent by consumers is showing different data patterns.

3rd Quarter sales on golf equipment surpassed the $1 Billion Dollar mark for the first time is history. So now what does golf need to do. Find ways to continue the growth, so that this spike in growth, is not limited to 2020.

It was online sales that exploded early in the year, but when Brick & Mortar stores reopened from Covid-19 shutdown, those numbers fell back. Sales data actually showed a small decline in purchases by golfers who considered themselves, serious golfers. But a strong surge came from players new to the game, or golfers that had been away for the game and made a return in 2020. So in many cases, found it time to upgrade older equipment.

Customer fitters and golf specialty retailers are still the most popular way that golfers purchase equipment and golf supplies. And that is more good news for the industry.

COMING UP likely on Wednesday will be Edition 36, of the Ziehm and Spears Podcast Series 2020. Len and I will be starting to pass along golf holiday gift ideas. So stay tuned, and clicked in. RS