Visit Lawsonia.com learn more about the 36 holes at Lawsonia. Now being managed by Oliphant Golf. Don’t forget the Langford Shield tournament July 19th, sign up today. 18 holes and a prime rib dinner.

Written by Gog Blog Assistant Editor Rory Spears

Always fun to return to the home of the 2013 U.S. Open, Merion Golf Club

It’s tournament month here in Illinois, so the Gog Blog has hit the road and got out of town just in time. Just kidding. I would not miss tournament month here for anything, however we do have to many tournaments in just a short window.

First up I got the week off from the radio show yesterday, my first in two years but it was for good reason. A visit to Merion Golf Club just outside of Philadelphia. But there is more, other visits include Saucon Valley CC home of this falls USGA Mid-Amateur Championship. Lancaster CC is on the tee tomorrow. LCC just hosted the WWGA National Amateur Championship, but in 2015 it gets the U.S. Women’s Open with the defending Champion Michelle Wie. In between I return to the Philadelphia Cricket Club where architect Keith Foster has done a stellar renovation of the A.W. Tillinghast Wissahickon Course. I’ll have more on this after I return.

When I do return it’s only for a short window because the John Deere Classic is calling from down in the Quad Cities. Jordan Spieth defends his first PGA Tour title, and old favorites and past champions Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker return as well, it will be an exciting week as always. The Gog Blog will be there for all four tournament rounds, and following the contingent of Illinois players in the field.

The next week is the Illinois State Amateur Championship at Cantigny in Wheaton, July 15-17.The Illinois Open is at the Glen Club July 21-22-23,I’ll start the week there and have Big 3 partner Len Ziehm help me on this end, while I head out to Baltimore along with Jerry Rich for the inaugural International Crown. The International Crown will be here at Rich Harvest Farms in 2016, I’ll be helping Len from the Baltimore side.

No sooner than I return, and the Illinois PGA Senior Masters event at Onwentsia is July 28th. The Illinois Women’s Open has round 1 on the 28th as well. The 29th of July has the WGA Western Amateur tee it up at Beverly Country Club. Defending Champion Jordan Niebrugge will be in the field. Along with 2014 WGA Junior Championship runner up Nick Hardy from Northbrook, who will play for Mike Small’s Illini squad this fall.

At some point in early August, I will look forward to hitting the golf course again. In the meantime, hit the course and hit the tournaments. As the song goes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Go Play…RS