THE NEW VALLEY TOWER at the French Lick Resort, complete with the Valley Bar and Sports Book. How about New Years Eve in French Lick, See more Frenchlick.com   _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG-by Rory Spears, Director of Content, and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on LinkedIn and or Facebook.

SO HERE WE ARE at years end, and now ready to move into the 20’s. This will be the last Speaks Out column of the year, with tomorrow being my want list for the 20 courses I want to play in 2020. With a day off on New Years day. I’ll be back on Jan. 2nd, of 2020.

REMINDER, today is the last day for the 40% off all-apparel sale at the Schaumburg Golf Club, and don’t forget their simulators are open. Call ahead, at (847)-885-9000, they do get busy.

SOME OTHER NEWS to round out the year, on the “For Sale” front. A couple months back Klein Creek in Winfield was sold to a new owner. Two golf courses where I got my roots in the working world of golf for 11 years, the Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Heights, and what’s now called “The Tradition’s at Chevy Chase” in Wheeling, are both under the same management. The Wheeling Park District has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the River Trails Park District to run Rob Roy’s golf and food and beverage operation. I’m hoping that this is a win-win for everyone involved.

NOW COME’S WORD that the Flossmoor Country Club has been sold. The new owner or new owner’s might be planning 7 figures worth of improvements on the golf course. If they do make improvements, there is no word yet if architect Ray Hearn will be involved. The Holland Michigan based architect did the renovation work at the club about 11 years ago. Word is that the clubhouse could be partially or totally demolished, and the swimming pool will be gone as well.

WHITE PINES in Bensenville does not have a golf dome for the first time in almost 30 years. But word is that the word has not really got around to golfers. Apparently plenty of golfers have pulled into the White Pines parking lot this winter looking for the dome, only to learn the sad news after arriving. Rumors persist that there will be a dome next there next year. Time will tell. In the meantime, when looking for a dome enjoy the best one in town, The Mistwood golf Dome in Bolingbrook.

IN JUST THREE WEEKS the PGA Merchandise Show will tee off in Orlando, I can’t week for the fun to start.

It’s hard to say how many outdoor days of golf are left this year and into the New Year, after many courses were open in the last week. St. Andrews in West Chicago had about 700 golfers, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and on the 26th. Word is Cog Hill with Courses 1, 2, and 3 open had plenty of business as well. Pine Meadow was crowded this week, somewhere the late Joe Jemsek is looking down and smiling at what Jemsek Golf did this past week with six courses pulling in the holiday golfers. So much for that theory some wish for you to believe that people don’t play golf anymore. That theory gets proven wrong, day after day.

2019 gave me plenty to write about, and I’m sure 2020 will give me even more. The BMW is back in town at Olympia Fields, along with the Big Ten Men’s Championships at Rich Harvest Farms. The Ryder Cup is not far away in Haven/Kohler Wisconsin at Whistling Straits. The French Lick Resort has the Sr. LPGA Championship back, but the new dates are in July. The same week in Indiana, will be the Western Amateur at Crooked Stick near Indianapolis. The date change for the Sr. LPGA Championship will be great for French Lick and senior women players.

I MADE A MAJOR equipment change this past year, and I’m still getting used to everything, but after getting fitted, and getting the numbers in check, I have dropped the handicap back into single-digits for the first time in years. That leaves me excited about playing more golf in 2020. I have now played almost 530 different courses over the years, and I’m hoping to to get that number up to over 550 by the end of next year.

27 holes of outdoor golf in December, in Chicago was a great way to close out the year. I’ll share some thoughts about 2020 tomorrow to close out the year. If you missed them I wrote about my 19 favorite rounds of 2019, and the top courses I played over the decade. It’s been fun.

TO EVERYONE who reads along,  and enjoys the golf news all year round here at Golfers on Golf, I say thank you. Keep reading and spread the word about Golfersongolf.com. Back with a final wrap up tomorrow. RS.