THE HALFWAY HOUSE at 555 S. York Road in Elmhurst is the place for indoor simulator golf, come enjoy golf while dining with friends or competing on over 90 courses from around the world. Daily specials, leagues, lessons and more. Visit Haflwayhousegolf.com or call (331)-642-8050. LINKS & TEE’S GOLF is located on Lake Street in Addison. This award winning golf facility is one of the year round places to play golf or work on your game. Right now the golf dome is open and ready for you to stop in and start getting your swing ready for the outdoor season. For more information see Addisonparks.org or call (630)-233-7275, ready for your golf game all year long.       ______________________________________________________________________

The GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

I’m not sure why we couldn’t even make it to opening day around town for most of the golf courses, before the Daily Herald turned loose their so-called tax-watch dog Jake Griffin for another broadside on the golf industry.

You see, for some reason ever since Griffin got assigned to look in on the renovation project at the Mt. Prospect golf course, Griffin has been taking shots at the golf industry.

He might have some numbers from various park district’s that are supported by tax-payer dollars, but for some reason he continues to miss the big picture on the golf scene.

McWethy’s Tavern at Mistwood Golf Club, is open all year round even when the course is closed. Try McWethy’s tonight, much more than just a golf course bar and grill. McWethystavern.com or call (815)-254-7001

Griffin is just the writer of the story, he does not create the headlines, so the title “Taxpayers Are Losing at Golf” which is misleading should not be blamed on him.

Writers quite often get blamed for headlines they had nothing to do with.

But he does have a reputation for running with the negative quote, instead of the 8 to 10 positive ones that people give him during interviews.

Griffin’s story claims that more tax payer funded golf courses are losing money, instead of making it. That might or might not be true. I know several more tax payer funded courses that are making money that weren’t listed in the story, and Griffin did pick courses from several counties and not just his home base of DuPage County.

Figures are presented in different ways, and they are not laid out for the readers of his story. There are courses that made money, but might have had a one-time charge for a special expense or in several cases renovations.

More often than not, the tax payer funded golf courses are paying for other services and facilities that park districts provide that are always money losers.

You want to see money losers, look at the following services. Swimming pools, all the parks lose money on pools and that’s a given, they are money losers from the day they open until when they close. Baseball and Softball fields, yes some money comes in, and more goes out, you can add football and soccer to the list as well. Dog parks, like pools are among the biggest money losers park districts have to deal with.

General parks, just used for picnics, cookouts, running or for people to lay out in and get a sun-tan. How do those places get paid for, simple parks are quite often taking the profits from the golf course to pay for all the money losers they have. In many cases, golf is the only thing that helps park districts make a profit on any of the services they provide.

McQ’s Dome in Bolingbrook, hit the golf ball and then watch the Blackhawks game there tonight. Mcqsdome.com.

What’s also misleading is the fact that Griffin suggests that if golf courses don’t have a large banquet facility they have no chance of making money.

Again not true. More often than not, that’s how courses end up losing money, even though food and beverage is an important part of any golf course, public or private.

Most people that look for golf courses to be the site of a wedding or some other big celebrations, use private country clubs or big time public golf courses, but are privately owned facilities like Cog Hill, Mistwood or Cantigny.

Griffin’s story shows that most of the clubs losing money are not losing all that much, and amounts are very small compared to other park district facilities or provided services.

Golfers upgrade their equipment almost every year. New shirts, hats, golf balls, clubs and bags. They like seeing their courses upgraded too, and the ones that made improvements or have done renovations, are seeing a big bump in business.

There is an old saying in business, you have to spend money to make money. Courses that are not doing that, are finding out the hard way when they look at their bottom line.

But I’ll agree with Griffin on the fact that courses to do need to have more people playing golf, and if his story gets a few more people out to the golf course and off the first tee, then I’ll tip the cap or golf visor in his direction. RS.