ANDY MICKELSON swings at Vibe Speed with the new Epic Flash Driver by Callaway Golf, in the Mistwood Golf Dome on Rt.53 in Bolingbrook, come check out the new Toptracer technology, Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call (630)-739-7600. Long time LPGA veteran and NIU alum Nicole Jeray is now part of the professional staff at Mistwood. Nicole is available for lessons (and is working with the junior program) #ladiesyourturn    ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. A tip of the golf visor to the King, as Bay Hill week starts off in Orlando.

IT’S BAY HILL WEEK ON THE PGA TOUR which means it’s time to take a moment to remember the King, Arnold Palmer, who left us now 2 1/2 years ago.

Let’s hope for some good golf this week, and a great champion. Even though with Tigers Woods in the field, and NBC being the network this week, it’s likely we won’t hear much about many of the players we should be hearing about, or seeing all week long. (Update-Woods has just withdrawn due to a stiff neck).

This past week, was the Honda Classic that in recent years has finally been getting stronger fields. But with the new PGA Tour schedule this year, that has it’s pro’s and con’s, the Honda seems to have ended up on the short-end of the draw. Even with Brooks Koepka, defending champion Justin Thomas, and Rickie Fowler in the field, opinion was that the field was down and lacking. Top to bottom the Bay Hill field that had been missing for a few years, might be on the way back up. We will see.

Rules…Rules…Rules the debate is on and Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler seem to be in the middle of it, whether it’s in the press tent, on the golf course or on social media. In my early morning round table today with BIG 3 partner Len Ziehm who covered the Honda Classic this past week, Ziehm wondered where are all the veterans chiming in on the rules changes of this year. Nothing against Thomas or Fowler for speaking up, but where are guys like Tiger, Phil, or the Davis Love III’s, Jim Furyk, Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker, or even some of the senior-strokers like Fred Couples, Tom Lehman’s and Bernhart Langer’s of the PGA Champions Tour.

THE USGA has called out Justin Thomas in return of him calling them out, that seemed to put out Thomas who acted like his feeling were hurt, hopefully both sides get together this week and have some positive give and take on the issues.

Hole-More-Putts the latest technology by Odyssey putters to help you get fit for the proper putter. The I-pad style device that you putt off of, sends data to a technician with an I-pad to determine what kind of putter will work for you.

PUTTER FITTING yes it’s the next wave in getting fitted for proper clubs. While many golfers have been fitted for drivers, woods and irons, for a long time putters were all about a feel thing. Did the putter have a god feel, did have a good look, did it have an alignment line, was it the right face for me, solid or with an insert. Where was the shaft, middle or on the heel, straight down or with a some sort of a mid-slant.

Odyssey/Callaway has created something for golfers to think about, and it’s called Hole-More-Putts, and it’s putter technology at it’s finest. While Hole-More-Putts is still an infant, and will likely be improved at some point, it brings putter fitting to a new level.

Callaway Sales Representative Paul Schlimm, has been voted salesperson of the year for 2018, by members of the Illinois PGA Section, he will be honored on March 11th.

I tried it, and put my fitter through his pace. Being his first day on the new level of the high-tech product, he finally called in Callaway Sales Rep Paul Schlimm for a second look at my numbers. Schlimm decided that even though I was sinking more than my fair share of 18-20 footers on the floors at the PGA Tour Superstore on Butterfield Road in Downers Grove, that something had to change with my putting stroke before placing my order for a new putter in 2019. It’s always best to get things right the first time. Hole-More-Putts won’t tell you what’s wrong with your stroke, but it can tell you that something needs to change before you spend $200-$400 on a new putter.

TEAM WILSON GOLF Alessandra Ladd and Ryan First were at the Downers Grove PGA Tour Store on Saturday, handing out 2-packs of the Wilson DUO golf ball.

During my trip to the PGA Show in January, I was playing several rounds of golf in 35-48 degree weather while in Pinehurst.

With several keep warm layers on me, I wasn’t hitting my best approach shots and didn’t have many short putts for birdie or par.

While I didn’t have almost any three putts, I certainly didn’t have many 1-putts, or almost any 1-putts unless I missed the green and chipped it close. Maybe part of the problem was the layers of clothing that knocked my putting alignment off-track. Once I get it back on line, then I will visit Hole-More-Putts again and then continue the process of flipping the bag into new equipment.

The simulators are open at the Schaumburg Golf Club, 401 N. Roselle Roadin Schaumburg, Book your simulator time at (847)-885-9000 Schaumburggolf.com

IT WAS GOOD TO SEE WILSON GOLF, TaylorMade, Mizuno, Cleveland Golf all out at PGA Tour Superstore working with golfers and helping them be fit for the new clubs of their choice.

BREAKING NEWS: Northbrook IL. based KemperSports management has just announced they are the new management firm for Thornberry Creek at Oneida in Green Bay Wisconsin, the home course of the Green Bay Packers.

ON THE RUMOR MILL…will TEAM USA 2020 Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker name his former U of I teammate and current U of I men’s golf coach Mike Small a Vice-Captain for Team USA, it could happen, do stay clicked in. The Gog Blog Returns on Tuesday. RS