THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB has year round golf available, and the updated simulator bays are now stocked with new Top 100 Courses and the 2018 and 2020 Ryder Cup venues. Play Ryder Cup style matches with your foursome and have your game ready for the summer season at the Schaumburg Golf Club. By July 1st the Baer Nine is expected to be open, and 18 of 27 holes will be complete from the renovation. The Schaumburg Golf Club is located at 401 N Roselle Road, near Woodfield Mall. For more information see Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000. SGC year round golf ______________________________________________________________________

 THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, or at Linkedin and Facebook. In the pro shop at Grande Dunes Golf Club in Mrytle Beach, and in Orlando at the for the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show.

SHOWTIME and the real launch of the 2019 golf season takes place this week with the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. More than 40,000 PGA professionals and golf industry professionals will attend. All the big prime-time players will be here. There has been some talk about Taylor Made not being here, oh well, so what, their loss. Maybe they aren’t a PTP’er after all. Club companies like Mizuno are returning after some years away, and they aren’t alone. I expect a great week at both demo day and for three days on the convention floor.

Before I get any further, condolences to the family and friends of Ken Lapp, the long time superintendent at Cog Hill who passed away last Friday at the young age of 82. Lapp spent 58 years in the golf business, working at St. Andrews in West Chicago, then at Fresh Meadow, and finally back with the Jemseks at Cog Hill and Pine Meadow. “He will be missed,” said Frank Jemsek. “Ken’s dedication, passion and love for agronomy will always be intertwined with Cog Hill.”

Ken was always there for us media types over the years and when he was needed to talk about Dubsdread around tournament week, and during the renovation of the golf course. He will be missed.

THE WEATHER is not great here in Orlando, sunny and 50, but it should get better as the week goes on. I know it’s much worse at home, but that shouldn’t stop the golfers from heading out to the Schaumburg Golf Club for some rounds in the simulators, or out to the Mistwood Golf Dome, where it’s nice inside for golf, or to see all the sports action on the big screens in McWethys Sports Bar.

Arlington Heights and Arlington Lakes Director of Golf Tim Govern.

I had a chance to speak with Tim Govern over at Arlington Lakes in Arlington Heights before I left town. Tim sends out a reminder that you can now sign up for permanent tee times or other tee times, and special events at Arlington Lakes for the summer ahead. See the website Ahpd.org or call the golf course at (847)-577-3030 for more information.

Arlington Lakes is a fun golf course to play, especially since the completion of the Mike Benkusky renovation a few years back. You can play 3-6-9 or 18 hole rounds, a great place to play for those who don’t have time for a full round of golf.

As for demo day tomorrow. I’m looking forward to finally testing out the new Wilson Cortex Driver, the winner of Driver vs Driver 2 on the Golf Channel. Another driver that is supposed to be incredible is the new Callaway Epic Flash, with speed unmatched in the industry, that should be a fun one to hit.

Go enjoy golf on a cold and snowy day in Chicago, check out the Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook on Rt 53, afterwards have some food and beverage in McWethys’ Sports Bar. Open daily until 10 pm. Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call (630)-739-7600 A Top 100 in America club fitting location.

Since I’m in need of wedges that actually work, I’ll be testing the new Callaway Mack Daddy wedges, co-designed by Callaway designer Roger Cleveland, and “Lefty” Phil Mickelson that should be a treat. Titleist has just announced that the “Wizzard of Wedges” Bob Vokey just in time for the show has launched his new SM-7 wedges.

Callaway has made an announcement about it’s apparel line with the new Swing Tech line. As far as professionals in attendance go, Greg Norman will do a broadcast on XM from the show. LPGA star Karrie Webb will be at demo day tomorrow promoting the line of shafts she is now using in her clubs.

The opening hole at Tobacco Road golf club in Sanford NC.

Last week before leaving Pinehurst I had the chance to go finally play a course a had heard some interesting things about, Tobacco Road. The course is about 30 minutes from downtown Pinehurst in the town of Sanford, and it’s well worth the drive.

The architect the late Mike Strantz was ahead of his time. I hear that Strantz was taking hits and arrows about the course when he passed away, and I’m surprised by that. You could say Strantz was ahead of his time, or a visionary. His design of Tabacco Road is really good. I know the normal line is that it’s a “love it or hate it” golf course. Put me down for a vote on the “love it” side. If you have played places like Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley, Erin Hills, or Streamsong, and like those courses, you will like Tobacco Road. There are some blind shots, but ways to overcome that are marked with old steam pipes. I enjoyed the theme with tee markers that are parts from equipment used to harvest Tobacco.

It’s the type of course that if Mike Keiser built it with any of his regular group of architects, everyone would be raving. There is a great quote from Strantz in the yardage book where he says,” I don’t care if people think my courses are too hard.” Strantz did leave golfers some challenging golf, but made them fun. If your near Sanford NC, or in Pinehurst, take the side-trip to Tobacco Road, it’s a neat golf experience.

When you get back to Pinehurst, then go to the new Pinehurst Brewery and enjoy all the locally brewed beers that just got put on tap.

BIG 3 partner Len Ziehm joins me for a few podcasts this week from the show, stay clicked in for that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JACK NICKLAUS, the greatest Golfer of all time is 79 today, and spent time last week with Mike Scully at Reynolds at Lake Oconee in Georgia, working on his deigned golf course there.

With the that, I’m off to see for the first time Orlando’s top golf school, the Brad Brewer Academy. It’s showtime this week, stay clicked in, plenty more to come. To all of you back at home, keep warm, I know it’s a cold one. RS