THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB 401 North Roselle Road is open year round. So you can play the Schaumburg Golf Club on one of the three simulators in the clubhouse. So don’t wait until April, play SGC now. While you are there, check out the clubs pro shop with plenty of items you will want for the summer season ahead. Chandlers Chophouse is open daily. So book your simulator time at (847)-885-9000 or Schaumburggolf.com.

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect on LinkedIn or Facebook. On the 13th hole at Great Waters Golf Course-Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro GA.

REPORTING FROM REYNOLDS-Lake Oconee.

IT’S BEEN an interesting winter golf trip through the South. The PGA Show and then visits to podcast partner Len Ziehm’s Palm Aire Club in Sarasota.

Then there was more time in Florida at Innisbrook Resort, and World Woods Golf Club, that is now Cabot Citrus Farms. Stay tuned for more on that.

Currently I’m at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia, and getting ready to depart for the final stop on the trip, which is the Pinehurst/Southern Pines area. Plenty more to learn about what’s new at the Pinehurst Resort, and the renovated Southern Pines Country Club.

But I’ll have more to say about the PGA Merchandise Show, which unfortunately has taken some cheap shots from media members. Not sure why some people are trying to paint the show out to be less than it was.

Sure attendance was down, and the major equipment folks bailed out. I hope that changes next year. But it still was a pretty good show. Did you not show up because of the poor weather, no big equipment companies, or are you a Covid-coward in which case you probably should stay home.

The Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook is open daily to 10 PM. Lessons, club fittings and Toptracer. Book your hitting bay at Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call (630)-739-7600. Located on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook.

I attended a party one night thrown by a Michigan based PR-firm. One comment I overheard by a few media types was, “if your somebody in the golf industry you are here at the show, if your not here, well the rest goes without saying.” Which pretty much sums things up.

There was plenty to see and much to learn at the show. I’ll have a great story in the days ahead on how a two-time U.S. Open Champion took my new pair of golf shoes and walked out the door with them. It’s funny-well kind of.

More quick notes, Streamsong Resort announced a fourth golf course, to be designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Disney World celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary is revamping it’s entire golf operation over the next few years. The Magnolia Course will get blown-up later this year for a full renovation, and then we will see.

There seems to be plenty of advancement in golf gloves, golf shoes and golf apparel. The presence of CBD companies was down. But not out at the show. With that it’s off to Pinehurst/Southern Pines before heading home with plenty of stories to tell. RS