The Encompass Championship coming this July 7-12 at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Defending Champion Tom Lehman in the field for more information on tickets and more visit Encompasschampionship.com. The Glenview Golf Club reopens from renovation in Mid-July, the Mt. Prospect Golf Club will reopen from it’s renovation on August 1st. Stay clicked in here for details on both opening days. _____________________________________________________________________
The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor & Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin, & Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With US Open Trophy at Harborside Golf Links.
WOW, what a finish. For all the crying and complaining about the Chambers Bay Golf Course, the Fox Sports broadcast. Mike Davis and his course set up, this US Open did not lack for a great finish.
First on the tee. Jordan Spieth, Congratulations and well deserved. I send you the best in route to a Grand Slam, the drought has ended in horse racing with a Triple Crown winner after 37 years, lets end the drought in golf with a Grand Slam champion for the first time in 85 years. I hope with all the Grand Slam talk, Spieth does not submit to pressure and back out of the John Deere Classic. Time will tell.
DUSTIN JOHNSON.. Where is Dick Enberg when you need him, OH MY ! For all the power and talent Johnson has, whether it’s course management or his putter Johnson is not getting it done at crunch time, especially in the majors. St. Andrews is a course that can be overpowered in the right conditions, and he already plays well at Whistling Straits if he can stay out of the bunkers.
RORY MCILROY..another great major rally that was just too little too late. Slow starts have killed McIlroy in both majors this year, here’s betting he doesn’t make that mistake at St. Andrews.
BRIAN CAMPBELL..to the now Illinois Alum, great job winning low-amateur at the U.S. Open, maybe you will get the same award at the John Deere Classic, you and your former teammate Nick Hardy represented Illinois very well this week. I bet Coach Mike Small is proud of you guys.
USGA Executive Director Mike Davis
Regardless of what you think about the USGA or the choices of courses this week for the U.S. Open or the set up, give USGA Director Mike Davis an “A” for effort.
First off Davis showed that the USGA is the United States Golf Association, it is just that, the United States Golf Association. Not the east coast golf association, and that the U.S. Open can and should be played all over the United States. Different parts of America play golf in different ways, and on different styles of courses. In a society like we have today where people get tied of the same old thing all time, Davis goes and finds new and yes unproven venues. Pinehurst, Oakmont, Pebble Beach, Shinnecock Hills, Merion, they had had to have their first open at some point, Chambers Bay needed to have it’s first open too. What is now important is what the long term effects of having an open on a county course in the Northwest part of America.
Will it grow golf in the area, will more people from around the country and world flock to Chambers Bay to play one of the U.S. Open courses you can play, and help local business and tourism in the area. Jordan Spieth’s caddie lives down the road from the golf course, maybe another caddie from Chambers becomes the next name caddie on a the bag of a great player we haven’t heard of yet but will in 5 or 10 years. As a result of what I saw this week, now I can’t wait for Erin Hills in 2017. I will enjoy Oakmont next year and Shinnecock Hills in 2018, but another new venue such as Erin Hills, can’t wait for that. Thanks Mike for continuing to find the next new challenge. Just one thing, once par is set, leave it that way for the week, I guess I’m old fashion in that manner.
FOX SPORTS..Okay there is work to be done. I did miss Johnny Miller and did not miss Dan Hicks. Joe Buck is a step up, Greg Norman wasn’t bad and will get better, he isn’t afraid to speak his mind and that’s a good thing in broadcasting. I thought Corey Pavin was good and could be used more. Tom Weiskopf didn’t do much for me. Some camera angles and graphics were good, others need to change some. Please put the score up more often with the players name and go a little deeper when rolling through the leader board.
Thank You for using the weekend to focus on the players that matter, and not letting Tiger Woods talk become a weekend distraction. As someone who enjoys golf course architecture, I liked the addition of Gil Hanse on the broadcast, but we could have used more from the guys who did design the course. Robert Trent Jones Jr., Bruce Charlton and Jay Bilasi.
Chambers Bay reopens to the public, yes that means you this Friday. Go online and visit Chambersbaygolf.com. More coming up on the U.S. Open this week and we will hear from Jordan Spieth, stay clicked in. Go Play everyone, summer is here. RS