THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is open daily until 10 Pm. The dome is home to Toptracer Golf and McWethy’s Sports Bar. This winter Mistwood Golf Dome will host a series of golf events on Toptracer. So follow the news right here or at Mistwoodgolfdome.com. You can book a hitting bay online or by calling the dome at (630)-739-7600. Winter is a great time to take a lesson or get fitted for new clubs. But you can watch the best games in McWethy’s while you enjoy the award winning wings.

The Rich Harvest Farms holiday event L-R Jerry Rich, Monica Birnbaum and Rory Spears.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING…

This past weekend I enjoyed the annual Rich Harvest Farms holiday event.

Rich Harvest Farms has been the Chicago home of LIV Golf for the last two years. But will there be a year number three.

Jerry Rich has given LIV Golf the green light to return, but LIV still has not given RHF an answer if they are coming back to date. LIV has made no secret of their plans to take their tour to different markets. But right now they should simply just say yes to Chicago a great golf market. Published reports say LIV is coming back to Chicago, but that is not confirmed.

With no BMW Championship back in town for a while, it makes sense for LIV Golf to be in Chicago, a wide open market for 2024-2025-2027. The Presidents Cup is scheduled for 2026 at Medinah. But by then-will the Presidents Cup run by the PGA Tour, still be an event on the tour. So what if there is no PGA Tour, what if the PGA Tour combines with LIV Golf and the new name is ?

THE CANTLAY TOUR-will the Price Be Right for Cantlay to stay on the PGA Tour. So is Cantlay “calling the shots” for the tour as some on social media suggest he is. The Price Was Right for Jon Rahm to leave, but now as a team owner in LIV, will Rahm recruit three new players to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf. Because numerous reports says Rahm’s good friend Tony Finau is next to go, and join Rahm. Tyrell Hatton a two-time European Ryder Cup team member, reportedly is next to leave and join LIV after Finau.

ALREADY LEAVING THE PGA TOUR is one of it’s signature events-The Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte NC., after the contract runs out in 2024. The Price was Wrong for Wells Fargo to stay. So as costs escalate to put on PGA Tour events, will other sponsors stick around. Here’s hoping they do, but what if they don’t. What would the Western Golf Association do, if BMW drove off into the night when the current contract runs out.

SO CAN THE PRICE BE RIGHT-and the PGA Tour and LIV Golf reach a deal by December 31st deadline. But I’m not sure that they will. The PGA Tour is now getting equity partners on board, but is that enough to put them anywhere in the ballpark or golf club when at the bargaining table with the Saudi PIF.

SO WHAT’S THE FALLOUT-there was talk that Greg Norman would be pushed out-but as things move along and Norman remains quiet, it seems that Jay Monahan is likely the fall guy. Will Rahm’s departure be the final straw in Monahan’s tenure with the tour. It could be, maybe it should be. Maybe Monahan should have just taken Norman’s phone call months ago.

IS RORY’S DEPARTURE from the policy board, a result of disagreements with Tiger Woods. Because it seems that McIlroy has been thinking big picture, and the future of golf, while Woods is being stubborn and still wants to play hardball against those that have left for LIV Golf. McIllroy is looking for ways to get LIV Golfers back into the majors and the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, uniting both sides. Woods might not be on board with that line of thinking. Jordan Spieth is now claiming that reports which include him fighting specifically for the stars of the PGA Tour, is really fake media.

WHAT WILL BE INTERESTING is who the three players are, that will become part of Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf team. Will that mean three more players depart from the PGA Tour. So if that’s the case-what will the poor anti-LIV social media crybabies do. Because if the Price is Right, three more PGA Tour players will go join Jon Rahm. My money is on Tony Finau to be one of the three. (even though he now says he isn’t leaving).

The tee shot from the back tee on the new 18th hole of he Medinah #3 course.

MEDINAH #3…

Golfers on Golf was honored to be the first media outlet to tour a finished Medinah #3, what’s left is for the grow-in process to get the course ready to welcome back golfers. Hopefully by late June of 2024.

My story runs this week on the OCM renovation, and how the 2024 reopening will operate.

While this is not etched in stone, the PGA Tour is planning to make sure all the new holes get in play during the 2026 Presidents Cup. But due to the fact in match play many matches wrap up by hole 15 or 16. The first hole is likely to be the current Hole #5. So the first hole tee box could be right outside the front door of the Medinah gun club.

ARCHITECTS DAY-one upcoming column this week will have interviews with several architects, including new ASGCA President Mike Benkusky from Lake in the Hills Illinois. There is so much course improvement work underway or upcoming in the next couple of years. That some golfers might need to start finding some other courses to play. Both public and private courses are making improvements, on and off the golf course.

I’M ANXIOUS TO PLAY the new par-3 course at Boyne Resorts in Michigan next summer. Architect Ray Hearn is the course designer, and he is really excited how this project is turning out. Doon-Brae is the name of this new 9-hole short course.

THE GOG BLOG RETURNS-this week. RS