BY: RORY SPEARS, ASSISTANT EDITOR AND LEAD WRITER.

VOTING DAY IS HERE and you should get out and vote, regardless of what party you support. It’s your right and you should take advantage of it. If you don’t, then don’t complain about what your government does or doesn’t do.

Here in Illinois there is plenty to vote for or against. Some of the things on the ballot I’m told by local golf course owners, could hurt the golf industry. It seems like everyone agrees the state’s minimum wage needs go up, but a quick bump to $10.10 an hour is something that could hurt golf courses.

I have written already about the lack of major tournaments getting held in Illinois, some say the business climate of Illinois is a turnoff to people like the USGA, PGA of America and the PGA Tour. It’s also keeping our purses lower for our state-run section events, as sponsors just don’t have that extra money to boost up purses. Hopefully when the smoke and dust of todays settles, Illinois is in a position to start being more attractive to the golf industry, and to those in this state who want more discretionary income to spend on golf or other things. I’m headed off to vote, you should too. I’m voting for more good golf weather as well, I’m hoping we can play into December before Mother Nature directs into the golf domes for about 4+ months.

                              THE FINAL DAYS OF 2014-LAWSONIA GOLF IN GREEN LAKE WISCONSIN. See Lawsoniagolf.com. 36 holes of golf, Stay & Plays, the new Langford Pub and more.

I was surprised to learn upon my return from the out east, Long Island golf trip that my partner here at Golfers on Golf Mike Munro, had sold off his White Pines Golf Dome to Kempersports Management in Northbrook. The sale through Chris Charnas at the Evanston based Links Capital Advisors, an industry leader in the buying or selling of golf properties.

As Munro told me over the weekend, the whole idea started when he read this website and learned about Charnas. Munro felt Charnas was a good place to start in terms of having someone in place when he was ready to sell. That time was sooner than he expected.

If there was ever anyone who made Chicago a year round destination it was Munro. Go back 25 years and everyone put the clubs away in early November, then waited until early April to start up again. Once the White Pines Golf Dome went up, it all changed. It didn’t take long until other golf domes went up, as some golf properties learned they could use their facilities all year round. If you do it right, golf domes can be big business.

As Munro changed the WPGD other changed too. Munro added a putting green, others did too. Munro brought in free coffee and food, others soon followed. Add some TV’s so golfers could see the big game, or golf from warm weather locations in January and February and others followed. Bring in a simulator or two, yep others followed.

Now under the management of Kempersports, I’m not sure yet what all will change at the dome. Hopefully whatever does change, will be for the better. As for Munro, he is not sure what his next drive will be, but plans to stay in the golf industry around town. That’s a good thing for all of us golfers. I for one, is looking forward to seeing him in the studio more often on Sunday mornings for Golfers on Golf Radio.

                The Ziehm Machine is on the move. BIG 3 Partner Len Ziehm spends the week traveling between two of the great golf resorts in America, The French Lick Resort in Southern Indiana, and the pride of Virginia, The Historic Homestead Resort in Hot Springs home of the highly rated Cascades Course. See Ziehmongolf.com for more details as he paves the way for all of you golfers headed towards Florida for the winter months ahead.

Luke Donald at Conway Farms

Luke Donald has decided to return to former swing guru Northwestern Coach Pat Goss, and part ways with Chuck Cook. The former NU start and former No.1 player in the world did not have his best season in 2013.

Donald never parted ways with short game and or putting, but was using Cook to make his long game a better one. Now Donald will have goss over-seeing the entire game once again. While working with Goss in the past, Donald became the No.1 player in the world. Let’s hope he makes it back to the top.

There aren’t many great golf days left, so go vote and go play. RS.