One week left to go play Oak Meadows before the renovation starts on July 8th, open play all 4th of July weekend and through the 6th of July. Dupagegolf.com for details on the final days of Oak Meadows. The Encompass Championship tee’s off the week of July 7th through the 12th, defending champion Tom Lehman is in the field. For more information and tickets see Encompasscahmpionship.com. The Mt. Prospect Golf Club is expected to reopen on August 1st. Stay clicked in here for details on opening day.       ______________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin & Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With USGA Executive Director Mike Davis (L) and USGA President Tom O’Toole Jr. (R).

It’s always nice when summer arrives and it’s open season for golf.

The last two weeks the USGA has conducted two of it’s three “Open” Championships with the Women’s Open coming up in two weeks from Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster Pa., it’s nice to be in the middle of open season, or in my case (picture left) the men who run them.

It appears by all accounts that the USGA just pulled off a great U.S. Senior Open, and that Fox Sports is learning on the fly about covering golf. It seems several things got quickly changed after media critics had their say, and so did the golfing fans on social media sites. Several things were done much better this week. I’m not so sure the USGA needs to continue running back to back opens, by week’s end of the first open most people need a break. Including those of us watching at home. But congrats to Jeff Maggert on winning the 36th U.S. Sr. Open, Maggert has won two senior majors this year after coming up just short several times on the younger circuit.

THE JULY ISSUE OF CHICAGOLAND GOLF is out and in the pro shops and golf retail stores around town. I’m thrilled to make the cover with my story on the two park district courses reopening from renovation, Glenview and Mt. Prospect. Glenview will open in July and the date is still TBD, but it sounds like Mid-month at the earliest. Mt. Prospect is expected to open on August 1st, stay clicked in here for details on opening day.

OAK MEADOWS is down to it’s last 8 days of public play, before it closes until 2017 for a Greg Martin renovation. The historic course where Ben Hogan once won will see many changes, but keep a share of it’s great history. Go play Oak Meadows one more time while you still can.

THE ILLINOIS PGA has several members playing at the Philadelphia Cricket Club this week in the PPNC, or club professional national championship. Curtis Malm the last man out of the PGA Championship in 2014, leads the Illinois contingent in 35th place after day 1 with a +1 score of 73. Jim Sobb is a shot back, while Mike Small, Jim Billiter and Matt Slowinski are 3 back, but north of the cut line.

VOLUNTEERS are needed at the Western Amateur at Rich Harvest Farms coming up in early August, see Wgaesf.com to volunteer. They are also needed at the U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields Country Club the third week of August, 2015usamateur.com for more information.

I NOTICED the work is underway at Arlington Lakes as I drove by last week, the renovation by Mike Benkusky is starting to move forward. Course reopening should be in July of 2016.

CONGRATS to my radio partner Mike Munro on being named the New Director of the Illinois PGA Foundation, Munro says he has a few new programs he would like to introduce to the foundation and see if they can benefit golf in the area. Good Luck Mike.

THE IPGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR job has been filled according to sources, the name will be a familiar one when it’s announced. Stay tuned,more details coming shortly.

THE KPMG LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP, could be coming to town in about 4 years. Word is that 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship host club Olympia Fields could be the host if they wish to do so. The club will probably not take a vote until after the amateur is in the books and the USGA has left town.

This week provides a break before the tournaments come to Illinois next week, so I’m off to go play. You should too. RS