McQ’s Dome Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook, your home for winter golf, great food, bet the horses in the OTB, take a lesson, practice, get fit for new clubs by the Mistwood Golf Club pro staff. Mcqsdome.com or call (630)-739-1592. McWethy’s Tavern at Mistwood is open.     ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS. Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. Happy New Year from GOG.

2016 is done, it’s over and it’s in the books, for good or bad it’s over.

Now with time to think for a few minutes, ask yourself this question. Did I get what I wanted out of golf last year, if so how do I make it happen again. If not, how do I make it happen this year.

Is it about getting new clubs, taking that golf trip to a top golf destination, or overseas. Did I lower my handicap, is it time to admit you need lessons. Did I win a tournament, how about 1st place in an outing, club championship or some other type of golf competition. Still looking for that first hole in one, that sub 90, 80, or 70 round. Breaking 100 on a really hard golf course. Do I need new golf clothes, shoes, a new bag or even a hat. Now is the time especially up north to decide what you want to do on the course this year, where you want to play, or which tournament you wish to attend.

The Schaumburg Golf Club, golf year round on new simulators. Schaumburggolf.com (847)-885-9000.

Looking ahead it starts this month with the 54th Eskimo Open at Cog Hill this coming Sunday. Maybe there won’t be much snow to contend with.

The following week is the new Northern Illinois Golf Show in Grayslake. The second week of February will be the return of the Tinley Park Golf Show. Two weeks later is the Chicago Golf Show in Rosemont, presented by the French Lick Resort.

Then there is hope that by March enough snow will have melted, that some courses will consider opening for the season. By April hopefully everyone will be off and running, or in this case off and playing.

There are plenty of tournaments to attend this year in the area, or within a few hours drive. The Men’s and Women’s NCAA Championships will start it rolling in late May at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. In June, the Web.com Rust-Oleum Tournament returns to Ivanhoe Country Club.

The new simulators at the Schaumburg Golf Club, play several Top 100 courses today. (847)-885-9000 to book your time.

Then the following week the U.S. Open makes a rare Midwest appearance at Erin Hills up in Wisconsin.

Two weeks later the KPMG/LPGA Championship at Olympia Fields tee’s off. Followed by an 11 day LPGA event at the French Lick Resort in French Lick Indiana.

Need more, of course you do. Right after the action wraps up in French Lick, it’s the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run, in the Quad Cities.

Then the action around Illinois then picks up with the Illinois State Amateur and the Men’s and Women’s Illinois Open’s. The Western Amateur is right on the heels of the women’s open when it returns to Skokie Country Club. The BMW Championship returns for a third time to Conway Farms in September.

IN JUNE the course formerly known as Oak Meadows in Addison will reopen from a renovation of almost two years. Golfers are expected to be flocking to this top new area public course, that will have a new name.

ROAD TRIP GOLF last August I went to see Mike Jones the former Illinois PGA professional at his new destination the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort just south of Pittsburgh in PA., the resort is adding a second Pete Dye designed course that will open around July 1st. Nemacoling is a great 5-Star resort destination and now with 36 holes of golf, it should be on your wanna golf away travel list. Nemacolin is about 8 hours by car (not including time change) from Chicago, less from the south side. For more information see nemacolin.com. I’m looking forward to playing the finished product after driving through the dirt piles during construction last summer.

THERE IS still time to plan those golf trips and there are plenty of great places to go, I recommend hitting the indoor golf shows and start looking for where you and or group wish to visit.

Do remember one other thing, the Masters is now less than 100 days away. The clock on 2017 is ticking, get going. FORE…RS