Arlington Lakes Golf Club 1211 South Wilke Road in Arlington Hts. is a fun golf course with options for 3-6-9 and 18 hole rounds. Book a tee time today at (847)-577-3030.
THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter-X @GogBlogGuy or Facebook/LinkedIn/Instagram.
Always nice to get a visit from Artoo-the pride of Heritage Oaks Golf Club in Northbrook. #Nomoregeese.
THE 2025 RYDER CUP at Bethpage Black on Long Island in New York.
PRICEY… is what some people are calling it, others say the ticket prices are outrageous.
$750 for a daily ticket on any of the three days of play. $400+ for a Thursday practice round and the opening ceremonies.
OVER $200 for Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds. Which is more that a Friday Saturday or Sunday ticket in 2021 at Whistling Straits.
So it’s believed that even corporate types will feel the pinch, when you include all the add-ons. But New York has it’s share of big corporations and big spenders. But because of the high prices, the fear is that the average fan, the noise makers at team golf events will be left out in the cold. So perhaps a home course advantage will be lost, to those dreaded Euro’s looking for their first win on American soil since the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012.
ONE STATISTIC claims that viewership of PGA of America events is down some 18% in recent years. But is it. I’m sure that number could be disputed. Because some golfers say they got an entire weekly ticket at Pinehurst this past June for $850.00 (and they probably did). So it remains to be seen what the response will be as tickets go on sale. So just in comparison-word is that you can get a ticket for Wednesday’s NLCS Game 3 in New York between the LA Dodgers and the New York Mets for $225.00.
ON THE BEVERLY CC SCENE-one of Chicago’s most historic clubs on the Southside is making some news. First off sadly was the passing of member Rick Ten Broeck who won a couple of major titles in the Illinois PGA Section, and the Beverly Club Championship 18 times. Rick’s brother Lance passed away in April of 2023. Rick also caddied in the professional ranks, including the bag of Jasper Parnevik when he was on the Champions tour.
The clubs old red brick clubhouse is getting a major redo-reports Tim Cronin of the Illinois Golfer. Because members of the club and the classic Donald Ross golf course voted to approve the $17 million dollar renovation by a vote of 185 to 25. So among the major changes include a new two story men’s locker room, and a expanded ladies locker room. Congrats to Beverly CC on these major upgrades.
MORE UPGRADES-credit to KemperSports Management and the folks at the Glen Club on pulling off a major bunker renovation on the fly this summer. Because during our visit and round of golf last week, several bunkers on a few holes were still a ” work in progress”. So it was a “free drop” if you landed in one of them. The new, I’ll call it off-white sand that has replaced the old brownish-orangish sand looks great.
RECENTLY I HAD A CHANCE TO PLAY THE EVANS-at Canal Shores. So in spite of only 12 holes being open at this time, it’s well worth the walk to jump out and play before the season ends. Tom Grey the Director of Golf says the “remaining six holes will open about May 1st of next year. But credit architect Todd Quitno with a job well done here, the putting hole that front’s the Baha’i Temple is plenty of fun. It plays about 65 yards downhill from the tee, and is an interesting and challenging hole to make a par (3) on. So I’m looking forward to playing the other six holes in the spring.
WINNETKA GOLF CLUB has reopened following the architect Rick Jacobson renovation. The new white sand there really stands out. While I had never played there before the renovation, and can’t compare the old with the new. But golfers who have a history there say the bunkers are the best they have ever seen them. So while they need some time to settle in, the course part of a storm water project has moved forward. But for Jacobson, it was his last project before heading off to Florida to retire. Congrats Rick on retirement after many years in the golf business.
KEMPERSPORTS Management has taken control of Winnetka, and says there are still more improvements coming. So stay tuned. In addition the par-3 course is really fun. So if you head to Winnetka GC, plan on playing 27 holes that day, it’s well worth it.
MEDINAH COUNTRY CLUB held a tee-off for the 2026 Presidents Cup. In attendance was Paul Azinger, architect of Course #3 from OCM Geoff Ogilvy and Jason Gore from the PGA Tour. I will have more on the this event coming soon.
LAST WEEK ON THE PGA TOUR-was a great week for our local players. Wheaton’s Kevin Streelman made a nice jump in the Fed Ex Cup point standings with a T-3. Streelman’s week included two rounds inn the low 60’s. Northbrook’s Nick Hardy and Arlington Heights native Doug Ghim also had solid showings. RS