THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME is open daily until 10 PM. So with the weather outside not ready for outdoor golf season, get prepared for spring in the Chicago area’s premier golf dome. Because you can practice with Toptracer, get golf lessons or be fitted for new golf clubs. Located on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook, call the dome and book your hitting bay at (630)-739-7600 or online at Mistwoodgolfdome.com. Home of McWethy’s Sportsbar.

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.

WELCOME TO NCR COUNTRY CLUB in Kettering Ohio, and home of the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open. The field of 120 senior women will compete from August 25-28.

The 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at NCR-August 25-28.

THE 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open was supposed to be the 2021 U.S. Senior Women’s Open. But Covid-19 changed all of that, and as a result NCR Country Club will bring championship golf to the State of Ohio, and host the championship this August.

But NCR has been moving forward with it’s preparations for months, and will be ready when this August arrives.

The 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open will be the first held at NCR, and the fourth overall. But it’s not the first USGA Championship held at the Club, in fact it will be the fifth USGA championship at NCR. But the first since the 2013 USGA Women’s State Team Championship. In 1986 NCR hosted the U.S. Women’s Open, won by Jane Geddes who is expected to be in the field come August. Annika Sorenstam is the defending champion and is also expected to play at NCR.

The club hosted the U.S. Senior Open for the men in 2005 won by Alan Doyle. Ray Floyd won the 51st PGA Championship in 1969 in the clubs first major championship. Spider Miller won the USGA Mid-Amateur in 1998.

The new practice range for NCR.

Among the preparations getting done for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open and beyond, is a new full scale practice and teaching area.

“We’re very excited about the new practice facility,” says general manager/coo Jeff Grant. “The new building will have several hitting bays with trackman and our members should enjoy it, along with the women in the open field.”

Grant also spoke to the fire in the clubhouse three years ago. “The fire was noticed by an employee still on property working late in the day,” says Grant. “But while there was not much structural damage, it took some time to redo the area’s that had suffered smoke damage.”

The area affected by the fire was redone, and that small section was added to that end of the clubhouse. The area now fits right in with the rest of the original part of the clubhouse structure.

NCR’s Marissa Wenzler won the 2021 WWGA Amateur at Park Ridge CC in Illinois.

Grant says the club is proud of two local golfers with NCR ties that played great amateur golf last summer. Austin Greaser an area resident who has played at NCR over his junior years, advanced to the finals of the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont. While Marissa Wenzler whose family belongs to the club, won the 2021 Women’s Western Golf Association (WWGA) Amateur Championship. Wenzler went on to survive an 11 for 2 playoff to advance to the match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Wenzler then won her first match against the medalist the next morning, before losing in the Round of 32.

While the U.S. Senior Women’s Open is the next chapter in the clubs history, the clubs full history on it’s current site dates back to 1954. But NCR President Stanley Allyn wanted to follow in the footsteps of NCR founder John H. Patterson, and make sure that NCR provided recreational facilities for it’s employees.

The par 4, 3rd hole on NCR South doglegs right from an elevated tee box to an uphill green.

NCR’s two courses are both designed by Dick Wilson. Wilson’s list of other top designs includes Bay Hill, Cog Hill, Doral and Pine Tree. But the NCR property that makes up the two courses is extremely different.

The South Course that will host the Senior Women’s Open, has rolling hills and the holes run between a large amount of trees. From the back tee’s the South plays to a yardage of 7,108 yards.

But the North Course is par of 70 and the yardage tops out at 6,828. the North Course is a prairie links style course, on a flatter part of the clubs 350 acres with a far fewer amount of trees.

The par 5, sixth hole is the second of back-to-back par 5’s on the South Course. After a downhill tee shot, the second shot is risk-reward to an elevated green. For those golfers trying to get home in two shots.

While the current practice range is under construction, members and guest are using the state-of-the-art short game practice area, created in 2016 by the Hurdzan Design firm.

The short game area was built on six undeveloped acres on the property. it offers several practice target greens, bunkers and chipping area’s.

Inside the clubhouse is a golf studio equipped with a Tru-Golf simulator. This allows members the choice of 85 different championship courses, and 30 different varieties of play. PGA member Rob Karnes is NCR’s Director of Golf, and is the host professional for the senior women’s open.

But for more information on NCR Country Club, home of the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, please visit NCRCountryClub.com.