THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME is back running daily for the winter golf season ahead. Open daily until 10 Pm, the dome is the home to Toptracer Golf, McWethy’s Sports Bar and fun golf team events. So book a bay at Mistwoodgolfdome.com or (630)-739-7600

MISTWOOD PRO SHOP HOLIDAY SALE Today through Friday 9-4P.

JUST IN CASE…

You didn’t know-Bernhard Langer and his son Jason won the PNC Father-Son golf championship. They won for a fifth time (25).

Team Duval was second, Team Singh was third. That is all anyone needs to know about this event.

The Korn Ferry Q-School has it’s last round pushed back into today-because of heavy rains.

Good luck to those trying to earn a tour card.

THE ICE HOUSE-A VERY COOL STORY: Sounds good on paper or on a shirt, as it was during the 2023 BMW Championship at Olympia Fields. But was it true. Because everyone who should know about the Ice House says it didn’t exist, or at least there is no record or evidence of it.

Because the ice-making facility under the clubhouse, as was told during championship week, sounds cool. So maybe even cold come winter time. But after a review with golf historian Tim Cronin of the Illinois Golfer, who wrote the Centennial Book on Olympia Fields Country Club. Cronin says, I can find no record of this “Ice House ever existing.” Multiple members whose family have long time ties to OFCC, say the same.

SO COOL STORY-Yes, Cool looking 1915 shirts with the Ice Block Tongs-Yes. If you bought one, thanks for your donation to the Evans Scholars Foundation, a cool charity.

LIV TRADES-FREE AGENCY IS HERE. When you have team golf through the season. The off-season can be filled with player movement. So maybe LIV golf teams will make more moves than say our Chicago Sports teams.

So with the off-season on-the LIV Golf players are on the move. 4Aces GC announces that Harold Varner III has been acquired from the Range Goats, joining team captain Dustin Johnson. But in return Peter Uihlein has been sent to the Range Goats.

Captain Bubba Watson of The Range Goats GC ah announced that both Harold Varner III and Matthew Wolff have joined the team. Wolff coming over from Smash GC. 2023 Individual Champion Talor Gooch has been traded to Smash GC. Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka has added F/A Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak to round out Smash GC. The Crushers were the 2023 LIV Golf team champions.

MOST OF THE LIV SCHEDULE FOR 2024 is out. But there are still a few TBD’s at the end of the list. Here is hoping that Jerry Rich’s Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove-fill’s in one of those spots.

PUTTING…

So how important is putting to your overall game.

Some teaching professionals will tell you very important, since you use the club for almost half of the strokes you take every round.

Because my putting has been good, but not great, I am taking the “Deep Dive” into putters in the season ahead. over the next few months I will add a few new putters to my collection.

I have not been three putting very often, but have not made enough one putts either. So keep it here for plenty of more putter stories that are coming up. But do check out the one I recently wrote about the new Bettinardi Putting Studio-Studio B in Oak Brook. A great place to wrap your head around the art of putting, and what it takes to get your golf ball in hole, quicker and with less putts. So here’s to plenty of more 1 putts in 2024.

LAUNCH TECHNOLOGIES INC. in Taiwan, a major manufacturer of golf balls for five companies, had two explosions in it’s main factory that killed 9 people.

Four of them were firefighters. The two explosions were 20 minutes apart and injured over 100 people.

LTI makes golf balls for Callaway, Taylormade, Bridgestone, Mizuno and Wilson Golf. LTI has 80% percent of its sales done in the United States. Callaway Golf President Glenn Hickey spoke out about the explosion and tragic loss of life. Hickey also confirmed that Callaway golf ball supply would only have minor interruptions. Which has been the case over the last 90 days.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE…

Plus they would make a great holiday gift. The 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst this coming June 10-16, is the 25th anniversary of the great win by Payne Stewart.

The U.S. Open will be played on the famed Donald Ross design Pinehurst #2.

Pinehurst #2 is one of six U.S. Open golf courses you can play.

So do checkout Pinehurst at Pinehurst.com, the new Pinehurst #10 course opens on April 4th.

FROM CHRIS CHARNAS at Wilmette based Links Capital Advisors, the Links at Carillion a 27-hole Greg Martin design in Plainfield are for sale, with an asking price of $5 million. So to learn more contact Chris@LinksCaptialAdvisors.com.

SORRY TO SEE…

That reigning Illinois Open Champion Vince India has been suspended by the PGA Tour for a period of six months.

India can resume playing in March. Both India and Jake Staiano were suspended for betting on PGA Tour events. The tour said neither player waged on tournaments they were competing in. But why did Staiano get three months and India receive a six month suspension. When contacted by Golfers on Golf Radio host Len Ziehm, India responded with a no-comment. But after Staiano went on a podcast and spoke of his situation, within 48 hours India posted an apology on his Twitter (X) account.

India to his credit took full responsibility for actions, and apologized to all. India promises this will not happen again. Where the two players were wagering, how the PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Tour found out and how much the players were betting is unclear. Here is to a better 2024 for India.

BETTINARDI FINAL 25th Anniversary in the Hive Release-tomorrow at 10 AM. Details at Bettinardigolf.com.

RECENTLY I TOURED the new Medinah #3 course, that has finished construction and moved into the grow-in stage. Stay tuned-more on Medinah as the week progresses. RS