Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville, New Clubhouse opening in late September. Visit Mistwoodgc.com for details. Mt. Prospect Golf Club is now open, Call (847)-259-4200 to book your tee time. The Western Amateur tee’s off tomorrow at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, free admission-free parking courtesy of owner Jerry Rich and the WGA. _____________________________________________________________________
The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. At the newly reopened Mt. Prospect Golf Club.
What a week it was, and there is more golf to come the next few weeks here in the area and up in Kohler Wisconsin for the PGA Championship.
It is tournament time and the Western Amateur Championship tee’s off tomorrow at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. The WGA and Mr. Jerry Rich have provided you with free admission and Free parking. Do take advantage of this great offer.
Defending champion Beau Hossler is in the field, the California native and member of the University of Texas Golf Team will have some tough competition. Some of that will come from his own Texas teammate Doug Ghim from Arlington Hts., another semi-finalist from last year Nick Hardy of Northbrook is lurking as well. More on the Western Am during our preview tomorrow.
This past week started off with an incredible Illinois Women’s Open at the Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville. I’m pleased to have been part of a wining pro-am team that included our pro McKenzie Lyng. What a great player she is. She might not bomb it off the tee, but she hits fairways, greens and makes putts in an amazing manor. She has LPGA Q-school this week in California, and I’ll be keeping an eye on her.
IWO Champion Madasyn Pettersen and Mistwood Owner Jim McWethy with the Phil Kosin Trophy on the champions bridge at Mistwood.
Another young lady to keep an eye on is our new Illinois Women’s Open Champion, 15 year old Madasyn Pettersen from Rockford, she is quite a golfer and I have to believe that the college scholarships will soon be arriving in bunches.
Not only does Pettersen bomb the driver a long way, she is on a roll with her putter, after changing to Jordan Spieths grip. She saw it on TV and liked it, so she went with it and is on a roll herself.
Making birdies on every hole around Kelpies Corner at Mistwood is no small feet, especially tied for the lead with 5 holes to play in the state championship. I’m sure we have not heard the last of this high school sophomore to be.
The NEW Mistwood Clubhouse inches closer towards completion.
The final phase of the renovation of Mistwood is getting close to completion. The clubhouse is still about 7 weeks away, but by the end of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms, the food and merchandise could be moving in. The entire Mistwood staff is ready for the day. You will want to stop and play Mistwood, then enjoy a beverage at McWethy’s Pub that is front and center in the clubhouse.
I will have full story on the clubhouse right before it open’s to the public. From the inside of the clubhouse, it looks like a real winner for all who visit Mistwood. A construction tour story is coming even sooner.
The Par 3, 7th hole at Mt. Prospect Golf Club.
The media got the first rounds in on the newly renovated Mt. Prospect Golf Club that reopened from renovation last Saturday. Two shotgun outings that commanded top dollar were full and sold out, very quickly on the grand reopening weekend.
WSCR’s David Schuster was the first to get his score posted on media day, and was the first to have the new course record. Schuster says he was “mid-90’s”, that record stood for about an hour or two when lower scores started to come in. My struggles continue and while I broke 90, it wasn’t by much. I need to quit the blow up holes, so the par’s and birdies I am making look a little better when it’s all done.
MY SCORE’S aren’t much worse than Tiger’s these days and nobody is fussing over me like they are him. World # 260? and Golf Chanel still thinks it’s all about him, what are they thinking. Then again they aren’t thinking. #NeedlemovingsouthonTGC.
During our Sunday Morning Short Game Column yesterday, I ran some stories that I had posted weeks ago, and were finally confirmed.
John Deere gets handed the shaft by the PGA Tour, and gets moved to dates head to head with the Olympic Games. Tournament Director Clair Peterson is handling it well and putting on a brave face, but he and John Deere deserve better. Defending champion Jordan Spieth probably won’t be able to defend his title, until maybe 2017. John Deere Classic 2016 is August 8-14.
CARRIE WILLIAMS will take over the Illinois PGA as Executive Director replacing departed Michael Miller. Williams is a great choice by IPGA President Jim Opp and the board, she will take over later this month. The official announcement was made over the weekend by the IPGA.
THE GLENVIEW PARK DISTRICT Golf Course has reopened as of July 24th, I have not been there since it has opened for play, but will make a trip there soon and do a full review.
The weather has been hot, but golfers are hitting the links in droves. Mt. Prospect and Glenview have received a lot of play since reopening. Showing that renovations do pay. I hope to have updates on both Arlington Lakes and Oak Meadows that are now both currently closed for renovation work. Arlington Lakes will reopen in 2016, and Oak Meadows in 2017.
THE USGA has announced that (a)Paul Dunne, leader at the British Open after 54 holes, has accepted a special invitation to play in the 115th US-Amateur at Olympia Fields in 2 weeks. Dunne played college golf here in America for UA-Birmingham.
The Gog’s Blog’s preview of the Western Amateur runs tomorrow, join us then and in the meantime, DO GO PLAY. RS