THE SHACK INDOOR GOLF CLUB IS GETTING BIGGER IN 2024-Owner Nick Larkin is expanding the Shack-from 4 to 7 simulators and the addition of a putting green. So the bigger Shack is expected to be complete by the end of January. Right now you should plan your simulator time or special event before everything gets booked. Golf and the football playoffs are a great combination. But you can plan a golf trip while playing the course in advance at the Shack-plenty of options to pick from. So call the Shack at (847)-904-2905 or visit TheShackGolfclub.com 1717 Chestnut St. Glenview.

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

TWO of my favorite pictures from 2023-were taken early in the year. First on the left in the Sqairz Shoe booth at the PGA Merchandise Show. (R) with Angela Moser the lead associate designer for Tom Doak in the construction phase on the new Pinehurst #10.

PUTTING OUT FOR 2023…

GOLFERS ON GOLF had a good year in 2023-the 33rd year for the three time award winning (soon to be four) radio show on WNDZ AM 750. Golfers on Golf-DOT COM missed a beat with me being both sick and then injured. But finished strong over the last two months of the year.

NOT BEING able to play very much this year was a killer. So that will not happen again in 2024. My new Callaway Paradym’s didn’t get the use I was hoping for, but they are great clubs. I think I only got about 15 rounds in with them, so they still feel new. I am not sure what will be in my bag by April of 2024, but still time to figure that out.

BUT IF YOUR THINKING NEW CLUBS for 2024-it’s not too early to get fitted. The Mistwood Golf Dome is a great place for fittings-see Eric or Matt. But there are other options, such as Heritage Oaks GC in Northbrook. But for putter fittings Bettinardi Studio “B” in Oakbrook is a great option. So if it’s one thing I learned, you can’t learn enough about putting. 2024 will be plenty of practice putting and putting study. Because it’s time to get the ball in the hole quicker.

  (L-R) at Bettinardi Studio B-in the Tour Edge Plant-in the Sam Putt lab at Mistwood Golf.

With LAB Putters CEO & Highland Park IL. native Sam Hahn at Rich Harvest Farms-watch for DF3 putters coming out in 2024. LAB Golf makes really good putters, even if some are a little funky looking.

SO THERE IS plenty of social media chat, about favorite rounds for 2023, best new courses played, etc.

Here are some of my lists.

BEST NEW COURSES PLAYED. 1. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. 2. Cypress Course-Bonita Bay Club. 3. True Blue. 4. The Preserve at Reynolds Lake Oconee 5. The Landing at RLO.

BEST ROUNDS OF 2023. 1. Pinehurst 8, the new renovation is really good. 2. CCNC-Dogwood, one of the great courses in the Pinehurst area. 3.The Grove CC, final round of 2023, was starting to feel more like myself after a long layoff. 4. Cypress Course-Bonita Bay Club, Tom Marzoff’s work on the restoration was really good. 5.Mid Pines-the Kyle Franz renovation of the old Donald Ross classic is outstanding.

WILLOW HILL LIGHTS-the holiday show through Jan. 6-The Golf Dome with expanded golf hours through Jan. 6. 8a to 8p, hit balls in Chicago’s largest dome, 160 yards long the Willow Hill Golf Dome. Range balls supplied by Illini Guy Kent Knebelkamp. Willow Hill 1350 Willow road in Northbrook. WillowHillDome.com or WillowHillLights.com.

WEIRD THINGS COME IN 2’S. So one day in Pinehurst, my morning round on Dogwood at CCNC is the Par-3 third hole. 157 yards, and my 7-Iron one-hops the flagstick. No-ace, just a putt from the fringe for birdie, nope, a ho-hum par and on to the 4th hole. THEN IN THE AFTERNOON at Mid Pines on the par-4 12th hole. PW from 125, bang off the flag stick-no Eagle-but then missed the 18 footer for 3 and I’ll take the par-again. My crazy 36 hole day in Pinehurst-Sothern Pines.

HAVE YOU EVER tried playing golf hitting off a mat all day. Because I did for the first time at the U.S. Sr. Open media day at Sentry World. Sentry World is a great course, but hitting off mat’s is a really bad experience. Don’t try this at home or ever on a golf course. Not worth the time or the money to play golf that way. A few divots on the course 6 weeks before the open, would not have been a major disaster.

GOLF TOURNAMENTS-I had a great deal a fun working the John Deere Classic, the BMW Championship and LIV Golf Chicago. I wish BMW was back in town in 2024 and as of now, it won’t return until 2028.

GOLF RENOVATION PROJECTS-Cog Hill #4 is underway, Medinah #3 was closed all year, so both will start 2024 on the bench. I’ll talk the 2024 projects next week when I look ahead.

PGA TOUR-LIV GOLF the surprise was the deal bringing both sides together that still has to be finalized. I’m for Jay Monahan PGA Tour commissioner (for now) being shown the door. But for all you anti-LIV cry babies-you should go too-grow up.

THIS YEAR working at two courses was fun-but cut down my golf play. I was told once, you want to play less golf-work in the golf business. In 2023 I found there is some truth in that statement. But I wouldn’t trade the experiences and the people I met both at Heritage Oaks GC and The Grove CC for anything. 2023 will be the year I didn’t play enough golf. So that won’t happen again next year.

WHAT THE NUMBERS TELL US-in 2023 we learned the numbers from 2022 were as follows. GOLFS money portrait is $226 Billion dollars, which ties in purchases, travel and homes bought on golf courses. GOLF brings 1.65 million jobs, with over 1 million directly tied to the industry. THE GOLF INDUSTRY raised $4.6 Billion dollars for charity- a 16% increase from 2016. GOLF now has 41.1 million players, up from 32 million in 2016. GOLF is not an old persons game anymore-48% of golfers are between ages 6 and 34. THE SPORT OF GOLF is getting healthier for the environment, now using 29% less water in 2022, than it did in 2005.

IN CLOSING Golfers on Golf wishes all of our readers and listeners a Happy New Year. So from Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger, Len Ziehm and yours truly Rory Spears, we look forward to talking golf with you in 2024, and seeing you on the golf course. The Gog Blog returns January 2nd-2024. RS