THE GOG BLOG SPEAKS OUT-SPRAYING TO ALL FAIRWAYS

dsc07597-oak-meadows-is-going-dswp-logo-stacked-bk-hr-ds THE COURSE WITH NO NAME is getting closer to completion from renovation, see DuPagegolf.com. White Pines Golf Club located on Jefferson Street in Bensenville has 36 holes of golf and a great 37th for pre and post round food and beverage. A great fall day on tap today so play White Pines, plan your holiday party at whitepinesgolf.com.     ______________________________________________________________________

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THE GOG BLOG, by Rory Spears, editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy, or to the renovated Mt. Prospect Golf Club.

The fall golf season is starting to wind down. What started in September just after Labor Day has been a good time of year to play golf.

But once November rolls around it becomes clear that the season is starting to wrap up. Let’s hope there will be more days like today, when the mercury gets over 70 degrees.

I have played a few rounds in recent weeks in between the Ryder Cup, the BMW Championship, the Cubs playoffs and the start of Blackhawks and the Bulls seasons. With Thanksgiving now just a few weeks away the window is closing. Have you gotten out and played. I suggested a few weeks back that everyone go out and play at least one round in honor of Arnold Palmer who passed away in September. I played three rounds in honor of Arnie, and hope to play a few more.

THE RYDER CUP was quite an experience at Hazeltine and it’s been fun still writing about that experience, I still have one more Ryder Cup story to bring you before I wrap up all the news from Minnesota. I have saved it because it might be a product someone might enjoy over the holidays, that story coming soon.

DRIVER vs DRIVER are you watching that, I know it has got lost in the shuffle a little because as someone pointed out to me, every episode seems to run against a Cubs playoff game. I am hopeful us media types will get some access to the winners when they are announced, then we can bring the next chapter of their story to you right here. Tim Clarke the Wilson Golf GM will be trying to help us local media types with the next part of the story, and that is the launch of the winning driver. Which does happen on Black Friday.

THE NEW TITLEIST 917 Driver is out, I’ll have more coming on out this new club that I hear nothing but good things about, in the short future.

FORMER BULLS GREAT MICHAEL JORDAN is reportedly going to build his own golf course in Florida. According to reports Jordan has hired Florida based architect bobby Weed to build the course. Jordan will use his own money and will have 25 of his high roller friends put up a cool 1 million to help with the start up costs. Based on the name of the book Jordan Rules, the same will apply at the club. As if you were still wondering who make the clubs rules. You can bet on plenty of cigars being puffed while the golf is being played.

NO TURKEY THIS NOVEMBER several top players are pulling out of the Turkish Open over security concerns, sad to see but conditions don’t seem to be getting any better there in recent months.

CONGRAT’S TO MISTWOOD’S Director of Golf Andy Mickelson, while he did not come up short with his title defense at the PGA National Assistant’s Championship. Mickelson did finish a T-2 just one shot back from the champion.

THE GOLF CHANNEL is showing the East Lake College Golf Challenge, that includes Coach Mike Small’s #1 or #2 ranked Fighting Illini depending on which poll you read. More coverage later today on TGC.

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The par 5, 5th hole at the “new course” in Addison.

I am really excited about the renovation done at the course formerly known as Oak Meadows in Addison. This course renovated by architect Greg Martin and his team, has done a marvelous job in planning the new course. When it opens next summer, it will be one of the better public courses in the Chicago area.

Golfers you should look to put this course on your schedule for 2017.

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The Par 3, 14th hole at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington PA.

It’s been fun following the progress of the new Pete Dye course that’s being built in Farmington Pennsylvania.

This course, one of the last courses that is ever going to be designed by Pete Dye is turning out really well for the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and the new Director of Golf there former Illinois PGA professional Mike Jones.

Jones says the course will open about July 1st in 2017. Illinois golfers that love to travel to great golf destinations should put Nemacolin on their hit list. See nemacolin.com for more details.

IT WAS NICE TO HEAR that courses that have done recent renovations continue to do improved business. Mt. Prospect one-year after opening is doing quite well. Arlington Lakes 100+ days after reopening is off to a good start too. As a Arlington Hts. resident I can’t wait for for the park district to give either Mike Benkusky or another architect a chance to redo the best Par 3 course in the area, the Nickol Knoll Golf Club located on top of the old Walter Payton running hill. A new bunker plan would be a great idea.

The Gog Blog returns with more this week, so stay clicked in. RS

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.