ALL DONE AND IN PROGRESS. The Baer 9 (L) on the Schaumburg Golf Club at 401 N. Roselle Road is fully open from renovation. The Players 9 is growing in from the renovation work still on-going. Still time to go play 18 renovated hole before winter arrives. The simulators have new courses to play this winter check them out. For tee times call (847)-885-9000 or online to Schaumburggolf.com TurkeyShoot Oct. 26th. _____________________________________________________________________
THE GOG BLOG-by Rory Spears. Director of Content and Creation, Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, or on Linkedin and Facebook. With tonight’s new Hall of Famer Len Ziehm, at the Donald Ross Course in French Lick Ind.
IT’S HALL OF FAME NIGHT tonight in Glen View, and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame induction dinner.
The 2019 class is six people including the two surviving members, Len Ziehm and Emil Esposito. Along with Carol Mann, William Langford, Harry Radix, Francis Peabody. So it will be a very special evening.
Our congratulations to every one that is involved in the process, and the people inducted.
More details on the ceremony to follow.
The home of the Senior LPGA Championship-see Frenchlick.com
Lee Ann Walker has apparently set the record for amount of penalty strokes by a golfer, in one tournament in golf history-58. Walker will earn her moment of fame, not the way she wanted to, but yet will be in the record books for a long time.
Playing in her first LPGA event at French Lick this past week, in some 7-8 years, she had not kept track of the rule changes. She admits it’s her fault. At two shots per-infraction and some times twice on one hole, the number grew quickly. Walker’s first round score is officially 120, but she is a much better player than that. I hope next year she makes it back to French Lick and makes the cut and a better check.
HOLLIS STACY was added to the Legends Hall of Fame-located in the West Baden Hotel at French Lick. The ceremony was held last weekend after the pro-am was completed. Congratulations to Hollis.
CONGRATULATIONS is deserved for Palmer Moody of the Illinois PGA. Moody has been promoted to Assisant Executive Director/Foundation and Communications. Moody has been with the IPGA since 2017.
FRENCH LICK RESORT Director of Golf Dave Harner confirmed to Golfers on Golf and Len Ziehm on Golf, that the new dates for the Sr. Women’s LPGA Championship will be July 27-August 1st in 2020. The championship will run from Thursday to Saturday, with pro-am’s for two days before tournament play starts. The resort paid the Golf Channel $860,000 for three days of TV this year, and won’t next year. So the championship can move back to summer dates. Look for a live streaming production in the final round. The money saved, will be split between the streaming cost, the purse, and a bigger donation for Riley’s Childrens Foundation the championships charity.
The new French Lick Resort connecting suite rooms by the casino. Opening November 15th. Frenchlick.com
The French Lick Resort is not just getting bigger, it’s getting better and it’s expanding.
The Sports Book is open, you want to bet the Bears game this weekend, or the NFL in general, you can do that at the French Lick Resort. You can’t do that here in Illinois, or at legally here.
I took a tour of the new rooms and the Valley Sports Bar, that looks out on the Valley Links Golf Course. However there is no update on the plan to renovate the Valley Links, and add the second nine holes that will be called the Ridge 9. A full feature is coming soon. Stay clicked in.
The second hole at the Indiana University Pfau Course just renovated by architect Steve Smyers. Opening spring of 2020.
I stopped on the way home from French Lick to see the new Indiana University Pfau golf course.
Once known for the having the worst course in the Big Ten (the coaches didn’t take recruits there for good reason). Indiana now stands tall with Ohio State, Purdue, and Wisconsin for having the best on campus courses in the Big Ten.
Architect Steve Smyers who did Chicago area work at Butterfield CC and the Olympia Fields South Course, did the renovation work in Bloomington. I’ll have more here in a few days. Memo to other Big Ten coaches, Indiana now has a course that will attract some good recruits.
THE SHELL GAME-the White Pines Golf Dome in Bensenville will not go up this winter, it’s old shell and has seen it’s day. Stay tuned. While the Mistwood Golf Dome is planning to order a new shell for installation in 2020. It should be a good one.
FINALLY-Tiger Woods is going to write a book. I wonder how much he will really tell about his life on and off the golf course.
The Gog Blog returns this weekend. RS