The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. Out in front of the Greg Martin renovation project at Oak Meadows in Addison.

 CHARLES SIMS Director of Golf for Links & Tee’s Golf in Addison holds the latest award the facility has earned at the recent PGA show. Links & Tee’s is one of the few Chicago area year round-golf facilities. So come out and enjoy the comfort of the golf dome as you prepare your game for the summer ahead. For more information visit Addisonparks.org or call (630)-233-7275. The Halfway House is your home for indoor simulator golf, take your pick of playing over 90 courses from around the world. Daily specials, lessons, leagues and more. Come by yourself, or bring a foursome but call today and book your tee time at (331)-642-8050 or online at Halfwayhousegolf.com.      _____________________________________________________________________

The University of Illinois Golf Team at their practice facility in Champaign.

The Illinois Men’s golf team is off and running for the spring golf season, and try to capture their first NCAA championship come May.

Illinois heads into the spring ranked #1 in the country and coach Mike Small is getting prepared for the campaign ahead of them.

Illinois is no longer just that up north school, but a program that goes places now with a target on their back as other schools try to measure up to the Fighting Illini.

Step 1 in the spring was to take part in the Louisiana Classic at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette. Illinois jumped out to a nice lead after the first round, but had to hang on at the end to defeat the 45th ranked Kansas Jayhawks by 1 shot. 4 shots back was 33rd ranked Texas A & M.

“We were very fortunate to win today,” head coach Mike Small said. “It was back and forth on the entire back nine and our three seniors and sophomore Nick Hardy made solid pars on the last hole, which is a very difficult hole. They all played the last three holes even par and played the last five holes in 1 under par which is a big statement for them. Kansas put the pressure on us from the very start and we didn’t respond as well as we needed to. It was their tournament to win, and at the end the course was very difficult, but solid play on the last three holes helped us pull it out.”

Sr. Thomas Detry finished in second place with a six under par score and Sr. Cahrlie Danielson was third at five under par. Sophomore Dylan Meyer finished at 1 under par for a 9th place finish. Sophomore Nick Hardy was T-13 and Sr. Alex Burge was 28th.

This next week Illinois travels to the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas.