THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB & ACADEMY is now a Year-Round Golf Facility. The club located at 401 N. Roselle Road and only minutes from Woodfield Mall, now has 27 holes open in the summer months (until the renovation starts this summer in June then the number becomes 18) and during the colder months has multiple simulators open for play, practice, lessons or fittings. While there you can get lessons from head professional Jon Parsons or enjoy the food and beverage from Chandlers Chophouse. For more information visit Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000.       ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG entering the Bear Trap at PGA National Resort and SPA, in Palm Beach Gardens Florida. By Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content, Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

The PGA National Resort and Spa in West Palm Beach Gardens, is one of the top golf destinations in Florida. It’s why the PGA Tour will be making a stop there in one week to conduct the Honda Classic.

PGA National Resort is the home of five golf courses, most notable is the Champions Course done by Jack Nicklaus.

The Honda Classic is played on Champion, and the Bear Trap even tests the nerves of the tour’s top players. Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els and players with Illinois ties, such as Luke Donald, Todd Hamilton and Mark Wilson have all won there. Winners will tell you it’s not easy, as the stretch of holes 15-16-17 called “The Bear Trap” requires tight shots over water to pins that are normally tucked near the edges of the greens. Even the par 5 18th hole is no-gimmie birdie.

Welcome to PGA National Resort and Spa, your tee time and spa visit await you.

The good news for visiting public golfers is that Champion, is a PGA Tour course you can play.

Do you want to play “The Bear Trap”, well you can try to hit it there just like the professionals do.

Champion is a fun golf course, and it’s not overloaded which large water hazzards through out the entire golf course, like some other championship courses in the sunshine state. Yes the three Bear Trap holes have a fair amount of H2o, but don’t look for that on all of the other 15 holes.

The Par 3, 17th hole on the Champion Course, already set up for the Honda Classic.

If your headed Florida way, and want to go far enough south in the state to ensure some warm weather, then PGA National and Spa is for you. If you are there before or just after Honda Classic week, you can play the course just like pro’s.

Even if the skyboxes are not full of patrons, enjoying the course in a tournament like setting is always fun to do. Honda Classic week tee’s starting next week February 20th, with tournaments rounds from the 23rd to the 26th. Television coverage will alternate between The Golf Channel and NBC. See local listings for times and channels.

If your visit is more than one day, then check out the other four courses on the property. They include, The Palmer, The Fazio, The Squire and The Estates. Regardless of your skill level, there is at least one and likely more golf courses on property that you can enjoy.

The rooms are comfortable, with large Kingsized beds (seen here) that will help you get a good nights sleep between rounds.

The resort has a great golf history, long before the Honda Classic arrived the PGA Championship, the Sr. PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup were all contested there.

If you wish to work on your game before you play, between rounds or after you have posted some scores that don’t sit well, then arrange lessons with the resort’s PGA instructors.

Located right on property is the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and the Dave Pelz short game school, so pick either one or both schools and get your game tuned up.

THE SPA is another place where you can relax and get treated just about anyway you want. The Spa offers all of the massages you have heard of and some you haven’t, but there are no shortage of options. Ladies if your expecting a child and are more than three months along in your pregnancy, there is even a massage for you. Massages, facials, body waxing, you name it, the PGA Resort and Spa has all the treatments you and your body are looking for.

No top resort destination is complete without great choices of restaurants, and PGA National is no exception. Whether it’s Ironwood, iBAR, or Bar 91, you have choices to make, if you looking for sportsbar type eats after your round, or a full course dinner in style, be sure to review all your drinking and dinning options on the website or when you arrive in your room. Either way you can’t go wrong.

From the time you enter the property until the time you leave, you can have all of your needs taken care of, but when it comes to golf you do have to hit your own shots. Caddies are available if you need a four-caddie or a walking caddie. Which is a great way to enjoy the resorts five courses, especially the Champion Course home of the Honda Classic.

For more information see PGAResort.com or please call (800)-863-2819.

Tune in next week to see who the 2017 Honda Classic Champion will be.  Adam Scott is the defending champion of the tournament.