ANDY MICKELSON-DIRECTOR OF GOLF, NICOLE JERAY TEACHING PRO-MATT CARTER-CLUB FITTING SPECIALIST. You can find all of them at the Mistwood Golf Dome on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook all winter long. The Mistwood Golf Dome is home to McWethy’s Sports Bar, so bring your clubs and your appetite. Hit some balls and then check out all the big games. Book your hitting bay today at Mistwoodgolfdome.com or you can call the dome (630)-739-7600. Club fitting/lesson season runs all year round.

THE GOG BLOG BY RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram

Jasmine Koo from Cerritos California won the 123rd Women’s Western Amateur at the White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville.

ONWENTSIA TO HOST 124TH WWGA-AM

The historic Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest IL., will host the 124th Women’s Western Amateur Championship from July15-20.

Jasmine Koo-17 won the championship this past July. Koo was the first aged golfer to win the championship since 2015. So it’s likely that Koo will return to defend her title.

The WWGA Women’s Amateur is the longest annual championship in golf. There  has been no interruption of play since it’s founding in 1901.

Past champions include Patty Berg (1938), Louise Suggs (1946,1947), Stacy Lewis (2006) and Ariya Jutanugarn in (2012). But all of the success has not just come from the championships past winners. Because former participants have gone on to win 135 major championships in women’s golf.

The historic Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest.

“Onwentsia Club is honored to welcome the games top amateur players back to our historic golf club for the fifth time,” said Amy Lincoln, Onwentsia tournament co-chair and Western Golf Association Director.

“We’ve all witnessed some incredible moments over the decades since this championship established it’s roots at Onwentsia. We’re looking forward to adding another chapter to our storied relationship with the Women’s Western Golf Association, and the Western Golf Association (WGA).

Onwentsia Club history dates back to 1893, when it was known as the Lake Forest Club. But the club a seven hole course on the estate of Sen. Charles B. Farwell, went by that name for only two years. But in 1895, it moved to it’s current location on Green Bay Road and was given it’s current name.

Mistwood Golf Dome on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook. (630)-739-7600.

It was the famed Charles Blair Macdonald that designed the clubs first nine holes. But the back nine holes were designed in 1898, by Herbert Tweedie, James and Robert Foulis.

There was a renovation in 1996, by Tom Doak.

Onwentsia has a history of hosting major championships including the 1899 U.S. Amateur, 1900 western Amateur, 1906 U.S. Open, 1949 and 1965 Women’s Western Juniors and the 2021 Western Junior Championship.

The Shack Golf Club in Glenview is expanding. By mid-to late January the current four simulators will become seven, with the addition of a new large putting green. See TheShackGolfClub.com 1717 Chestnut Street in Glenview.

So this years field will be 120 players with a handicap of 5.4 or less. But while the first two days are 18-holes of stroke play.

The field will be reduced to 32 players, who will play single elimination match play until the championship is crowned.

“It’s always special when you can bring a marquee championship back to it’s original host site,” said Susan Buchanan, WWGA president. “We look forward to continuing to build the legacy of the Women’s Western Amateur at Onwentsia and celebrating the proud tradition of attracting the finest amateur in women’s golf to compete for our W. A. Alexander Cup.”

Past WWGA amateur champions at Onwentsia include, Illinois Golf Hall of Fame inductee Bessie Anthony in 1901-1902. Edith Cummings in 1924. Dorothy Germain in 1944. So for more information visit www.womenswesternamateur.com.