THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB has the latest in golf simulators so enjoy can enjoy golf all year round. Why wait until the snow melts and temps hit 45 or higher to get that first round of the year in. Go play TPC Sawgrass before the pro’s do in a few weeks for the Players Championship. Visit Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000 #teetimes ______________________________________________________________________
THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. With the Ryder Cup.
SHOWTIME is in the books. The PGA merchandise show is behind us, and now so is the only golf show left in Chicago.
This past weekend there was many golfers who had just had cabin fever up to you know where. Global Freezing is has been taking it’s toll, and now it seems like another week of not so great warming temperatures are not coming.
This past Friday saw a crowded house in the Donald Stephens Convention Center, in fact so I’m told the busiest Friday in show history. Based on the amount of people I saw walking around, that would be hard to argue. I did return on Saturday and the large gathering of patrons had returned. Yes patrons, I have to start getting my Masters week lingo going, as the Masters is only some 40 days away.
The Mistwood Golf Dome on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is your place for winter golf dome practice. Mistwoodgolfdome.com (630)-739-7600 while there try McWethy’s Sportsbar.
What was good to see was the large amount of courses from not just the Midwest, but in from the warm weather southeast part part of the country.
But the presence from the southwest seemed to be lacking, other than Las Vegas. But with the all pictures online of late showing Phoenix and Scottsdale golf courses with 3 inches of snow on them, there was a brief patch of Arizona not being the place to be.
I spoke with BIG 3 partner Len Ziehm this morning, as he was rolling into the Honda Classic. The big story there is who is not playing, that includes many of the top names that live right near the golf course. Apparently the fallout of the new PGA Tour schedule has some players taking different weeks off. Len will have a story in the next day or so in the Morning Read.
BACK TO THE CHICAGO GOLF SHOW…and again I tested out the Wilson D7 Irons and found them to my liking, they are one of the top new irons on the market. Callaway Golf’s Epic Flash Driver is taking the world by storm, as tours from around the world are all seeing more players use the Flash.
LAST WEDNESDAY I made the trip up to the new Milwaukee Bucks Fiserv Arena, which is a nice venue, a little more cozy than the United Center since it does not have as many sky-boxes. Which is where the PGA of America made the announcement on Steve Stricker being named 2020 Ryder Cup Captain for Team USA. I had a feeling all along he would be the choice, and he will do a good job win or lose at Whistling Straits in September of next year. But let’s hope he wins. U-S-A !
THE FIRST ISSUE of Chicagoland Golf is out, my story on the new Topgolf coming to Schaumburg is in the paper, pick it up at your favorite club, or golf retail store. It’s a great place to promote your golf course, or golf product. I’ll be writing about Stricker being named captain in April.
THIS SATURDAY Callaway/Odyssey will have a putter demo day from 10-2 at the Downers Grove PGA Tour Store. If you have ever wondered about putter fitting, this is a chance to see the new technology that Callaway is using for a proper putter fit. Speaking of Callaway, it was nice to come home from the show on Friday night and find the big black box from Callaway with my new Mack Daddy Wedges in it. Always a great feeling to see new clubs show up.
I am slowly flipping my golf bag with newer products, as even clubs that are 4-5 years old are behind the times. #getfitted #getnewclubs #enjoythegamemore.
THE ILLINI Men’s golf team rallied for a second place finish in Louisiana yesterday, losing out to McNeese State. Illinois had multiple players in the Top 10 including Bryan Baumgarten, Tommy Kuhl and Michael Feagles. As a result of his play, Baumgarten has been named Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Week.
MONDAY AFTER THE MASTERS…in Myrtle Beach the annual Hootie and the Blowfish Pro-am, always a fun event, for tickets see HootieGolf.com.
ON THE HEAL QUICKLY LIST- The Golf Scene’s Steve Kashul is on the mend after shoulder surgery, that will keep him off the golf course until the end May, get well Steve.
CONGRATS TO PGA PROFESSIONAL Mike Weiler who has landed on his feet in Wisconsin at the Elkhorn Country Club after a stint at Wynstone in Barrington.
CONGRATS TO NEW Preserve at Oak Meadows head golf professional Jamie Nieto on both the new job, and his recent engagement to Lauren Bernacki.
EQUIPMENT NOTE, It’s been a nice recent run for Srixon with several tournament wins, including a sweep on the men’s tours a week back. J.B. Holmes on the PGA Tour at Riveria, Ryan Fox on the European Tour in Australia, Miguel Angel-Jimenez in Naples on the Champions Tour, and Martin Trainer this past weekend in Puerto Rico opposite the WBC Mexico event.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE former Bears Kicker Robbie Gould having a booth at the golf show, show-goers lined up wishing him well and begging him to comeback to the Bears. Gould has his own golf company these days, and I’ll have story with him soon on his company Eventlify. See more now at eventlify.com.
FINALLY how about the shout-out to IPGA professional of the year, Chris Gumbach of the River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst, by Blackhawks TV-Play-by-Play guy Pat Foley during the Blackhawks-Colorado Avalanche game. “Gumby” got quite the recognition from Foley who also wished Gumbach good luck on turning his student Patrick Kane into a 3-handicap someday. Foley said if that happens, Gumbach should win teacher of the year in the IPGA Section.
The Gog Blog will return tomorrow. RS