MISTWOOD GOLF DOME IS OPEN DAILY UNTIL 10 PM. But if your ready for new sticks this year, it’s time to go see Mistwood fitters Matt Carter (R) and Eric Russell. This time of year is a great time to break-in some new clubs. Do you have a warm weather trip planned soon, to be ready get a lesson before you head out. The Mistwood Golf Dome is home to McWethy’s Sports Bar where you can catch all the action while you enjoy the food and beverage. So bring your appetite and your clubs to the Mistwood Golf Dome on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook-book a hitting bay online or call (630)-739-7600.

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy as the trip to the PGA Show is getting ready to start.

2023 HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

I wasn’t sure that there would be this much to talk about this early in 2023.

The PGA Merchandise Show that runs from Jan. 24-27 is where plenty of the early season news is made.

But so far, nobody seems to waiting for the big show to start.

Last Friday at 6 Am my “In-Bin” had details of the big sale of Streamsong Resort in Florida. As the folks at Northbrook Illinois based KemperSports increase their stake in the property just South of Lakeland Florida.

This a great move for the folks at KemperSports and their subsidiary Lone Windmill LLP. It became obvious to me during my last visit their 2 years ago, that since KSM had taken control of the resort and wasn’t just managing the golf, things were going to get better.

Because there were already plans in place to upgrade the shaky wireless, redesign the common area’s with new bars and social area’s. The new shuttle vans designed to make guests only have to drive, when hitting off the tee boxes. Early in 2022, former Medinah Country Club head golf professional Mike Scully arrived as Director of Golf to oversee the golf operation. The halfway houses on the three golf courses with different food themes (like Mexican and BBQ) are really good.

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw will design “The Chain” the resorts fourth, but likely not last new golf course. Now the question is, what does LW and KSM buy next. I can’t believe the purchase of Streamsong will be the last.

Welcome to the PIT or what’s left of it.

THE PIT… now to be Pinehurst #10

This project is really interesting for me. I never did get to play the Pit while it was open, but I did hike the property a few years back when word broke that Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw would build Pinehurst #10 on that site, or part of it.

NOW comes word that will not happen. Bill and Ben are out and Tom Doak is in, building the new #10, on the land of the Pit. Coore and Crenshaw’s routing included 4 of the old Pit holes, and 14 holes on land that the Pinehurst Resort acquired that sat next to the Pit course in recent years.

Tom Doak stands on the land that was formerly The Pit Golf Course.

So the new question is how much of the land from the old Pit golf course will Doak use.

Doak says the land that is being used for #10, has 75 feet of elevation change.

My walk around the abandoned Pit Course was something like out of a Scooby-Doo mystery. I found a few golf balls, over-grown bunkers and greens. A water-cooler stand and other trinkets.

After the Pinehurst #10 story was released by the resort, pictures showed golf course work had started. I saw pictures in the local Pinehurst newspaper “The Pilot”, that showed a line of John Deere tractors already on site.

I will be in Pinehurst and go exploring again later this week. Pinehurst #10 will be no different, as yet another top rated architect gets to show his talents at the Home of-Or Cradle of American Golf.

ISN’T time to get over to the Schaumburg Golf Club and try out the indoor simulators. Which include the option of playing the Schaumburg Golf Club. (847)-885-9000 401 North Roselle Road and home to chandlers Chophouse. SchaumburgGolf.com.

The restoration side of Pinehurst just wrapped up on Pinehurst 8.

25 years after opening Pinehurst redid in record time, like just over 100 days this past summer, Pinehurst 8.

Because over than span of time, golf courses like other things show off their wear and tear.

So Pinehurst decided to give No.8 a Tom Fazio classic, a restoration with updates to what you see and what you don’t. Credit Pinehurst for pulling this off in record time and getting the golfers back on the golf course.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS-yes up here in the cold weather north. But it’s not all that cold. So courses like Cog Hill 1 & 3 are open. Pine Meadow is open today and tomorrow for a few hours anyway. (847)-566-4653 (GOLF).

CALLAWAY GOLF is off to a fast start in 2023 on the PGA Tour. Si Woo Kim’s win at the Sony Open, makes it two straight wins for Paradym clubs. Kim backed up Jon Rahm’s win at the TOC at Kapalua. So if your buying new clubs this year, hit the Callaway Paradym’s before you buy anything else.

TITLEIST has now released it’s line of TSR Hybrids for 2023. I will have details on the pre-sale and date in shops coming up this week.

The Gog Blog returns tomorrow. RS