THE SCHUAMBURG GOLF CLUB at 401 N. Roselle Road has the pro shop fully stocked with warm weather golf gear. If your ready to start the holiday shopping, stop in the pro shop and pick up something your favorite golfer could use. (847)-885-9000. THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME ON RT. 53 in Bolingbrook is now open the indoor winter golf season. So is McWethy’s Sportsbar the best golf dome food in the Chicago area. So visit the dome complete with Toptracer and visit Mistwoodgolfdome.com. _____________________________________________________________________
THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy Linkedin or Facebook. In the snow with Putter Boy at Pinehurst.
NOT THIS AGAIN. Nothing like some snow to ruin a round of golf.
I played in light flurries at the Glen Club once, with Len Ziehm and the Late PGA Tour player Jarrod Lyle, it was a media day. We all quit after nine holes.
It was the smart thing to do that day. I have had to pull off the road in route to the PGA Show in January in Kentucky when the snow hit. It kept me from making it to Pinehurst that year. The following year I made it to Pinehurst, after it snowed all day. Four days later I wasn’t golfing yet, but got in a quick 9 on the Cradle (The Gil Hanse par 3 course) before leaving town. Which was mostly clear of snow. Five miles past Pinehurst there was no snow, that was the cut off line. Never fails. This year I hope the good folks in Pinehurst don’t suggest that, I brought the snow with me again.
What’s even worse is that this is not our first snow of the fall. I say that because it’s not officially winter yet. That, is still over a month a way. I know most of our courses will close, but if today and tomorrows now melts off, maybe there is still one more day of upper 50’s or 60 degrees, where we can hit it, outdoors one more time in 2019.
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN JACKET-Chad Johansen getting it done all winter long. #kidsrule
YOU HAVE TO appreciate “The Man with the Golden Jacket”.
He’s Chad Johansen the general manager and head golf professional, at Blackberry Oaks Golf Club in Bristol (near Aurora). Johansen created the slogan #kidsrule.
And they do at Blackberry Oaks, and in the Go For It sports dome in Yorkville (close to Blackberry Oaks). So why does golf season never end with Johansen and the Kidsrule programs.
It has a lot to do with giving kids something to do, and of course growing the game. But it’s an introduction to a great game that lasts a lifetime. Johansen has enlarged his space at the golf dome, and has started a winter golf program, and high school golf program for the winter season. Everyone is not on the football or basketball team, and kids are looking for sports to play. And because the kids who love playing golf summer, don’t need a 5 month break in the winter away from what they love to do.
That doesn’t mean you have to play all winter long. I have always believed in putting down the clubs and taking a winter break. It gets you fired up to play when the weather starts to break in the spring. In fact taking a break is good for the golfer. Steve Stricker once told me a story about how he puts down the clubs for a few months during the winter season. Stricker talked about going down south to play in a tournament and finding out kids that were better than him the previous year, had quit the game. He would learn that they “burned out” playing every day. “Just trying to get better” you know, the most over used cliche in sports these days.
Johansen has three simulators and putting greens, he is running contests. Like his own version of Drive, Chip and Putt. The kids love it, and parents are having fun watching, and maybe looking forward to joining their kids on the course next spring. I’d like to recommend for someone trying to get better at putting. Johansen’s Perfect Putting Aid is still one of the best swing aids for putting I’ve ever seen. In the meantime, check out Chadjohansen.com or Blackberryoaks.com for more details. Because #kidsrule even in the cold and snowy months. (630)-553-7170 to reach Blackberry Oaks.
TOPGOLF which opens it’s new Schaumburg facility (by Algonquin and Meachem Roads) this Friday, has hired Stuart Foster as it’s Chief Marketing Officer. Just in time for Topgolf’s expansion into the Far East. China, Hong kong, Taiwan and the Phillipines, all have Top golf headed their way. Topgolf.com.
IN THE PAST DUE COLUMN-I have been meaning to congratulate the Western Golf Association (WGA) for finally reaching it’s goal of 1,000 caddies attending school at a time. Because it’s been a goal of the WGA to make that mark for a few years, and this fall they finally did.
THERE are a few new releases on the equipment side, I’ll have for you this coming week from Callaway, Titleist, and Cleveland Golf. So stay clicked in.
FINALLY-Tiger Woods picks himself for the Presidents Cup Team. Why ? Picking himself. Hey everybody, I pick me. Seriously why. I think Woods should have kept himself on the bench, and just jumped in if Brooks Koepka’s knee flared up forcing the World’s #1 player to have to sit out a match or two.
Are you now more likely to watch the Presidents Cup at some early hour from Australia with the captain playing. I thought not.
THIS WEEKS Global Golf Post+ a great read by the way if you have not signed up yet for a subscription. Ed “the grip” Fiori recaps beating Tiger Woods at the Quad City Classic in 1996 (now the John Deere Classic).
THE SHARK should not be surprised. Greg Norman mentioned he was upset that Woods snubbed him, after Norman wrote out a congratulations note to his neighbor and drove it to the front gate of Woods estate. After Woods won at Augusta last April. So apparently Woods never acknowledged Norman’s letter, which rubbed the “Shark” the wrong way.
ON VETERANS DAY today, kudo’s to new World Golf Hall of Famer Jan Stephenson for holding an outing today, that benefits the vets at her Tarpon Woods Golf Course, in Palm Harbor Florida. With that, I’m off to see the new release of the movie Midway.
THE GOG BLOG RETURNS THIS WEEK. RS