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The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With the US-Amateur Havemeyer Trophy at Olympia Fields, site of this weeks US Amateur Championship.

What a week it was, and another great week is stepping up on the tee. From the PGA Championship in Haven/Kohler Wisconsin, to the U.S. Amateur at the Olympia Fields Country Club this week, it’s all that golf fans can ask for.

The best of professional and amateur golf back-to-back, and just three hours apart.

A tip of the cap or golf visor to Jason Day on his first major championship victory, well deserved. To Jordan Spieth for being right there and adding even more excitement to what was already an exciting week. Whistling Straits and the PGA for the most part put on a great week, the folks from Kohler Company could not have been better. If you watched the PGA on TV and have the desire to play the Straits Course you can, it’s open to the public. But there are not many tee times left for this fall before the course will close for the season. Go to Destinationkohler.com and plan your late summer or fall golf trip up there today. Then hit the first class spa as well, you will be glad that you did.

THE ONE BLIP on the week, was the poor handling of the announcement of the two PGA/LPGA Championships that are coming to Olympia Fields in 2017, and Kemper Lakes in 2018.

       The logo’s of the new LPGA Championships coming to town in 2017 and 2018.

The announcement should have been made here in Illinois, and the local golf media was not informed soon enough so we could get there in time for the presentation. The PGA the LPGA and both clubs sort of hit one OB on this presentation. Hopefully the rest of the course will play better as we get closer to championship time.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, well Illinois is turning into a state for major women’s golf events. It’s starts with the LPGA UL International Crown next July 19-24 and then the two new events hit town. Do the new events come at a good time for Chicago golf fans, well that remains to be seen.

I tried to pose that question to Jerry Rich owner of Rich Harvest Farms, the host of next years Crown event, but he was unavailable for comment.

It would seem that 2018 and 2019 might have been better years for back-to-backs here, the Crown group will still be trying to sell tickets and hospitality right up into July of next year, and that will overlap with Olympia Fields starting their push to do the same. But what might help all three championships, is that one is in the West Burbs, one is in the South Burbs and one in the North Burbs.

However as the top women’s players come to town repeatedly, the fans will start to identify with them and that might be a plus.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN PART 2, the question I’m being asked from golf fans is why this tournament, and why would these clubs want to take a women’s event. I’ll have more on that later in the week, but short form is that, whether it’s true or not, the perception is that the USGA has no intention in bringing a U.S. Open to the Chicago area anytime soon. But by hosting this championship, Olympia Fields and Kemper Lakes will receive PGA Championships around 2024 and 2026.

The U.S. Open is handed out through 2024, and rumor is in 2025 it’s going back to Chambers Bay. It’s quite possible the next U.S Open in the Midwest could be a return to Erin Hills in 2027. If it’s not held at Mike Keiser’s new Wisconsin property Sand Valley, that is quickly taking shape with two courses under construction.

BUT IF THE USGA was smart, they could take a year off from announcing U.S. Open’s since they are nine years ahead, and at Erin Hills open week in 2017, announce future opens for Midwest Clubs in 2025 and 2027. If needed, put Chambers Bay in 2026 and give the over-used New York area clubs some time off. I bet Jordan Spieth would like to play in some Midwest based U.S Opens before he is 35 or older.

STEVE STRICKER held court with the media after his final round on Sunday at the PGA, Stricker has no idea when he will play again, other than the Shark-Shootout in December. (Hear his press conference on this site posted yesterday.) Stricker will start his season sooner in 2016 and is looking forward to maybe Hawaii and the Bob Hope Tournament. Kudo’s to Steve for still calling the tournament, the Bob Hope.

STRICKER is looking forward to playing in more majors if he can get in them. He will still try and play in the U.S. Open, and wants badly to play at Erin Hills in 2017. In fact based on the love and support he gets in Cheeseland, if he doesn’t qualify for Erin Hills the USGA better give him an exemption. If they don’t, the USGA might get run out of Wisconsin.

STRICKER PART 3, Stricker speaking like a guy in the know, said he feels Whistling Straits will get another PGA Championship somewhere between 2022 and 2025. With the crowds, the results, and a sold out merchandise tent by Sunday afternoon, Stricker could be right about that one.

IT’S US-AMATEUR WEEK at Olympia Fields and with two great courses on site, it’s one of the best places in America to hold such an event, and Kudo’s to the USGA for recognizing that. Unlike most of our other amateur golf events around town, there is a charge to get in, but hey It’s the U.S. Amateur, the best amateur championship in the world and the oldest in the United States, yes even older than the U.S Open by 1 day.

I’m not predicting a winner, but surely rooting for one of our local or Midwest guys. Sure wouldn’t mind seeing Aaron Wise from California win either. He is the member of the Oregon Ducks golf team, who was runner up at the recent Western Amateur at Rich Harvest Farms, he got beat by Dawson Armstrong’s incredible holed bunker shot on the 20th hole of the championship match. His classy demeanor in defeat sure won him some fans in Illinois.

I’m headed down to Olympia Fields the next Six days and I hope you will come out and join me, it should be some great golf. It’s been 18 years since the last amateur was here, don’t take the chance on it being that long again, see it this week.

KUDO’S to CBS Jim Nantz for calling out some TV Networks and various members of the golf media, who better realize that the future of golf is here, and quit trying to stay with the same old story. Anybody who read’s this column or hears our radio show on regular basis, I’m sure can figure out what Nantz was saying.

I’ve have more coming up this week from 2003 US Open Champion at Olympia Fields Jim Furyk and Conway Farms member Luke Donald from Sunday interviews at the PGA. Both have thoughts on the BMW returning to Conway Farms. Furyk with advice to the 312 players in the field at Olympia Fields on how to win a USGA championship there.

The weather is great, go watch or play golf. RS