SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB is open all year round for golf. In the simulators during the winter season, and on the golf course all summer long. The outdoor season is coming up quickly, be ready by getting a round in on the simulators. Then while you’re there, grad some food and drinks from Chandlers Chophouse located right upstairs. The Baer Nine should open from renovation around July 1st. Schaumburggolfclub.com.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and or Facebook. On the National Golf Course at Reynolds at Lake Oconee in Greensboro GA.

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY, are you ready for a little green in your day ?

In Greensboro Georgia at Reynolds of Lake Oconee, the Linger-Longer Invitational men’s college golf tournament is rolling into it’s final round with Louisville and Alabama at the top, with Big Ten schools Ohio State, and Penn State just 6 and seven shots back off the lead.

Are you ready for a destination golf trip to get your outdoor golf season going. New Reynolds at Lake Oconee GM, Mike Scully formerly of the Medinah Country Club is welcoming resort guests, potential members and homeowners down for a great time. Get Georgia on your mind. Reynoldsatlakeoconee.com. Six Golf Courses.

BLOW THE HORN, opening day is coming this week for more area golf courses, as the temperatures will start locking in at the mid-40’s level and 50’s by the weekend. Several of the Golfvisions golf courses, such as Tanna Farms and Settlers Hill have announced they are opening on Wednesday this week. Courses such as Tamarack and Cantigny were open last Thursday as temps jumped up in the low 60’s. Check in with your favorite course and see if opening day is coming soon.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO is getting ready to return. Saturday March 30th with a tee time of 10 AM on the Big Am 750 WNDZ-Chicago. French Lick Resort’s Brendan Sweeney (the former Medinah caddie) is confirmed as out first live guest of the year. Won’t you join us for the first of 22 weeks of great golf talk.

 MYRTLE BEACH-IS READY TO HOST THE 36TH annual World Amateur Handicap Championship from August 26-30 on 60 of Myrtle Beach’s best golf courses. Like the Grande Dunes (above right) and you can book rooms at hotels near many of the golf courses like the Double Tree Hilton located right on the ocean. More than 3,000 golfers sign up to play every year. ENTRIES are NOW being accepted. The 72 hole stroke play tournament that includes a gift bag and nightly access to the World’s Largest 19th hole has a registration fee of just $35 through May 16th after which the fee increases. Players that register by April 12th, are eligible to win one of 55 randomly drawn prizes, that are collectively valued at $10,000, including clubs, travel bag and Peak Vision LX2 sunglasses. For more details and flight information see MyrtleBeachWorldAmateur.com

Topgolf is spreading across America find out where.

Topgolf that calls itself a Global entertainment leader has just announced a new venue design that will increase it’s ability serve more guests across the country.

Topgolf is now looking at markets across America with a population of 100,000 to 500,000 residents.

“We’re incredibly excited to launch the next evolution of our venue business. Our mission is to share the Topgolf experience while creating moments that matter for everyone, no matter where in the country they are located. Introducing a new venue design will bring us a step closer to accomplishing that goal by expanding our addressable market more than ever before,” said Topgolf COO Craig Kessler. For more details on Topgolf and Toptracer technology please see Topgolf.com Topgolf will open a new venue in late summer in Schaumburg on the land of the former Motorola Campus.

Dan Pady shows off some of the Zero-Friction product line in the home offices in Oakbrook Terrace IL.

ZERO FRICTION=CDGA

Oakbrook Terrace based Zero Friction LLC, has signed with the Chicago District Golf Association to be a major sponsor of the CGDA Scramble Tour, and the “Official Tee Sponsor” of the CDGA for 2019.

The CDGA Scramble Tour will be contested at nine area Chicago Golf Courses, with the championship being played on September 13th at Bowes Creek Country Club in Elgin. As the official tee sponsor, Zero Friction Maxx 3-Prong Tees with CDGA logo’s will be available to all CDGA contestants on the range and first tee of every CDGA event this year.

“The Chicago District Golf Association provides great benefits and access to tournament play for amateur golfers in the Chicago area,” said Dan Pady, Business Development Manager at Zero Friction. ” Since Zero Friction is a Chicago area-based company, we are very excited to be at CDGA events this year to connect with Chicago area golfers that have long supported our golf products.

Zero-Friction offered the new Zero Friction Super-Tube to new or renewing members at the Chicago Golf Show, that created an increase of the overall memberships sign up when compared to recent years. The Super-Tube is 4-ball pack with a glove and tees included. Zero Friction won a ING Industry Honors Product Ingenuity award for the packaging of it’s Super-Tube. Zero-Friction’s licensed gloves and Super-Tubes with logo’s from NFL, MLB, NHL and the Top 20 collegiate teams are among the Zero Friction hottest selling items. For details see zerofriction.com or call (630)-317-7700.

  THE ISLAND RESORT AND CASINO in Michigan’s UP has announced that it’s newest golf course, the Paul Albanese designed Sage Run, will open Memorial Day weekend in 2019. The course opened for limited play in 2018, but closed early and will open later this spring, giving the course a bit of time to mature. The resorts 1st course Sweetgrass could open sooner. See Islandresort.com and set up your great golf getaway to the UP.

The Gog Blog will return tomorrow with the Gog Blog Speaks Out. RS

INDOORS AND OUTDOORS the Schaumburg Golf Club is now a year-round golf facility and those outdoors rounds are coming soon. Are you ready to take your game back outdoors, some courses in the area opened last week. Be ready for April when most our area clubs open 2019, by getting your game ready in the simulator bays at the Schaumburg Golf Cub, 401 Roselle Road. Call today for your tee time (847)-885-9000.   _____________________________________________________________________

TOPTRACER-TOPGOLF Demo Day at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando Florida, (R) ground breaks for the new Top Golf going up in Schaumburg on the grounds of the former Motorola Campus.

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation, Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. Golfers on Golf Radio returns Saturday March 30th, Am 750 WNDZ-Chicago our Tee-time is 10 AM.

Topgolf is expanding in the Chicago area with a new location in Schaumburg, this will bring the amount of Topgolf’s in the area to three. There are questions on whether of not the Topgolf in Woodale will kept or not, when Schaumburg does open expected to be in late summer. The Naperville Topgolf is continuing to be successful since it’s launch a few years back.

One thing that has become very apparent, is the success of Topgolf is spreading and more locations around the country are springing up. Competition for the Topgolf business model is growing. A competitor has sprung up with the former Topgolf CEO now at the helm.

Recently at the PGA Merchandise Show, Golfersongolf.com caught up with Andrew Macaulay Topgolf’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), who says the Schaumburg is going to be another fantastic location for Topgolf, that opened 10 locations in 2018, and is looking for 8-10 new locations in 2019, with Schaumburg being one of them.

NAPERVILLE is still one of Topgolf’s newer facilities and is attracting plenty of golfers looking for a fulfilling experience and a lot of fun.

Click here to hear our interview with Topgolf CTO Andrew Macaulay, who talks about new locations around the country, and improving the Topgolf product, and technology.

Toptracer technology that has made it’s way into the Mistwood Golf Dome has brought our golfers to the Mistwood Golf Dome in record numbers. When you need to work on your game, or enjoy some top golf courses in simulator fashion during the winter season, Toptracer found in one dome only, the Mistwood Golf Dome is a great way to play or practice.

Find out more about Topgolf at Topgolf.com. Golfersongolf.com will have more on Topgolf over the next two days.

GET READY IN HERE, SO YOUR READY OUT HERE. The Schaumburg Golf Club will have nine newly renovated holes open in mid-summer, so be ready to play them and the Players nine that opened last summer, by hitting the simulators now. You can play this weeks PGA Tour stop TPC Sawgrass today. Would you hit the green or would you put two shots in the drink like Tiger Woods. Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000 ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. At the French Lick Resort on the Pete Dye Golf Course.

TOUR EDGE GOLF, for Chicago golfers they are right down the street, as in Batavia in the western suburbs.

So they know what Chicago golfers like, they know how the weather plays in the windy city, and they are doing it right because the company is taking off in the right direction.

Behind company founder and President David Glod, Tour Edge is producing some solid golf clubs, and their impact is being felt all the way to the PGA Champions Tour.

Six Champions Tour players has signed deals to be Tour Edge staff players, and the players are not fringe players on the tour.

One of the hottest players on the champions tour in the last few years is Scott McCarron, and what’s now in his golf bag on tour, if you answered Tour Edge you guessed right.

Scott McCarron grips a new Tour Edge Driver with president David Glod looking on at the PGA merchandise show in January.

McCarron is not alone, he is joined by Tom Lehman, Rocco Mediate, Duffy Waldorf and a few others. Along the Champions Tour there are a few other players that have a few Tour Edge Clubs in the bag, other players from the PGA Tour are finding room in the bag for a club or more from Tour Edge as well.

The Tour Exotics line was launched 12 years ago, and they have come a long way. The workmanship that goes into an Exotic Club is among the highest quality of any clubs in the sport. In the past 12 years, as the design process and materials available improve, so do Exotics.

Click here to hear our interview with Tour Edge Company Founder and President David Glod, and find out more about Tour Edge golf clubs, and what’s making them such an impact player on the PGA Champions Tour.

Tour Edge Golf Clubs.

The EXS Tour Edge Driver,comes with carbon fiber toe, that allows weight to be re-positioned lower and towards the rear of the head which allows for extremely high MOI.

The Slipstream Sole, with wider speed channels to create a faster club head speed.

The club has options with a FTS (Flight Tuning System), that allows for adjustable sole weights .

Dual Carbon Technology that allows for the carbon fiber crown and toe to provide extreme weight savings, that gets pushed back in the head to maximize MOI.

Tour Edge does not stop with just EXS Drivers, there are EXS fairway woods and hybrids. Need more, how about the long hitting EXS Tungsten Irons, that Glod calls “silly long” and EXS wedges in a variety of lofts.

To learn more about Tour Edge clubs and other Tour Edge lines and products, please visit Touredge.com or call (800)-515-3343.

THE FRENCH LICK RESORT of French Lick and West Baden Indiana, welcome you next getaway for fun and golf. Two professional golf events in 2019, the Symetra Tour comes in July, and the Sr. Women’s LPGA Championship in October. Frenchlick.com. Mistwood Golf Club is ready to welcome everyone back to the outdoor golf season starting in early April, owner Jim McWethy’s commitment to golf is outstanding. While at Mistwood Golf Club, enjoy McWethy’s Tavern, Mistwoodgolfclub.com (815)-254-3333.    _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS. Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy. The boys are back.

THE BOY’S ARE BACK, the boys of summer are back. Outdoor golf season is coming.

With the changes to the PGA Tour Schedule, Golfers on Golf Radio returns earlier than ever, making it’s first time at 10 AM on Saturday March 30th, on AM 750 WNDZ.

Our 22 week show season will end in late August after the BMW Championship that will take place at Medinah Country Club.

Along the way, the show will be stopping off at other tournaments such as The John Deere Classic, the U.S. Sr. Open, the Women’s Western Golf Association’s National Amateur Championship, the Western Amateur, and the brand new Evan Scholars Invitational on the Web.com Tour, and Men’s and Women’s Illinois Open’s, the Western Junior Championship and a few other tournaments.

The book on Erin Hills

Special thanks to our sponsors led by presenting sponsor the French Lick Resort in French Lick Indiana, Erin Hills Golf Club in Erin Wisconsin, Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville, the Mt. Prospect Golf Club of Mt. Prospect, Arlington Lakes Golf Club and the golf facilities of the Arlington Heights Park District, Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton, DuPage Golf and the courses of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, and to the other facilities and golf organizations, that are finalizing their plans to be a part of Golfers on Golf Radio this summer.

Your hosts are Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears, with a variety of guest hosts joining us through out the season. So join us every Saturday morning on the tee at 10 AM, on March 30th, through the end of August, for 22 great weeks of golf talk.

Golfers on Golf radio has a focus on Chicago, but hits it long into the big national picture of golf, that Chicago’s golfers want to know more about. In the meantime keep it here and stay clicked in to Golfersongolf.com, Chicago’s only daily all year round golf news source.

THE PRO’S ARE GETTING READY FOR THE ISLAND GREEN-ARE YOU ? This week you too can play TPC Sawgrass just the PGA Tour professionals, when you challenge Pete Dye’s Sawgrass design, at the Schaumburg Golf Club on Roselle Road. 70 degrees tomorrow, need to get some swings in. Schaumburggolf.com (847)-885-9000.  _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and or Facebook. On the National Course, Reynolds at Lake Oconee Greensboro GA.

If your game needs a little color in it, and your golf ball does as well, why not check out Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x now in High Optic Yellow.

These new colored golf balls will be in pro shops and golf retail stores this Friday March 15th.

You can even get these new golf balls personalized by visiting Titleist.com and checking out My Titleist.

These golf balls were first seen on the PGA Tour when Bubba Watson put them in play during the Waste Management Open in Phoenix. Watson upon testing them could not wait to put them in play. Watson leads the tour in driving average with a distance of 316.6 yards.

The new Titleist Pro V1’s in Optic yellow, along with the longtime favorites in white.

This past weekend, on the PGA Champions Tour, Kirk Triplett made an eagle on the second hole of a sudden death playoff, to win the Hoag Classic. Triplett used a Pro V1x Optic Yellow ball, giving the new ball it’s first win a professional tour.

The new Yellow Optic Pro V1 golf ball is still providing optimal flight and spin for most golfers. While Pro V1x still delivers higher ball flight, and spins more on Irons.

For more information visit Titleist.com MAP is suggested at $47.99 per dozen.

  THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME located on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is now open until 10 PM daily. Come see what all the excitement is about when you try out Toptracer, hit balls play Pebble Beach, get fitted for clubs, trade in the old clubs and get credit towards new ones, have some great food and beverages in the remodeled McWethy’s Sportsbar, and get ready for the derby in the OTB. Mistwoodgolfdome.com #allyeargolf   _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or Linkedin and Facebook. With Kicker-Golfer Robbie Gould.

HE’s BACK ! Well no, not in a Bears uniform anyway, but Chicago area resident and NFL Kicker Robbie Gould is back in town when the NFL is not in season, and his company EVENTLify is helping get your golf outing off the ground and making the impact you want to have.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to put on a golf outing, whether your raising money for charity or other causes. Are you just having an outing for fun, or having a corporate outing for employees and clients.

If your looking for a way to maximize your outing, in terms of fun, and the money it raises, it’s time for you to speak with EVENTLify (Event-lif-fie).

Eventlify with kicker and golfer Robbie Gould.

So why is Gould who still kicks in the NFL involved with a company like EVENTLify.

Gould’s official title is CMO-Chief Marketing Officer and yes he is involved hands on with the company. He is not just a celebrity figure-head using his name for a paycheck.

Gould is an avid golfer and carries a low single-digit handicap at his home club the Medinah Country Club.

If you have run a golf outing, it’s an event that needs a team of workers to pull it together, whether it’s people in the office, or volunteers, there is more than enough to do. If it all seems a bit overwhelming, that’s where EVENTLify comes in.

If your running a charity outing, and looking to raise funds, the question arises, how do we raise the most money possible, how can we reach more people. What about the people who support what we’re doing and they don’t play golf, how about golfers who suddenly can’t attend the attend the outing because of another conflict, how do you get those people involved. Should your outing have it’s own website, how do you get golfers registered, are you putting together tee gifts, how do you get them to come back and play again next year, Eventlify can help answer all those questions and drive your outing right through the uprights.

Click here to hear our interview with Robbie Gould, and learn how EVENTLify can make your golf outing one for everyone to remember.

If your trying to get the most out of your golf outing, and raise the level of the amount of dollars you bring in, and take the strain off your team of people putting the outing together, visit Chicago based Eventlify.com or call (800)-961-6554.

THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB has it’s simulators open for year round golf. You can play TPC Sawgrass home of this weeks Players Championship, island green 17, some pro’s splash, do you have that shot-find out. Schaumburggolfclub.com (847)-885-0000.  _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. At Bandon Dunes.

THE WARM UP IS COMING…I’m so ready and so are many other people, especially golfers. Upper 40’s on Tuesday, 50’s on Wednesday, and 60’s on Thursday, then a drop off. But maybe most of the remaining snow piles can melt off, wouldn’t that be wonderful.

It will still be a few weeks before our courses thaw-out, and they can open for the season. But with a a few more warm days, maybe by around the first of April, most of them can open for the season. No joke…

New wedges, Callaway Mack Daddy 4’s, with a good stamping.

I have talked all winter long about putting some new clubs in your bag. I started the process of flipping the bag, when my new Callaway Mack-Daddy 4’s arrived.

It’s a great feeling to come and find the big box next to your door, instead of just bills in the mailbox. I’ll go hit them this week in the Mistwood Golf Dome, and see if I get some spin. It’s been awful the last few years to repeatedly waste scoring opportunities by having bad wedges, THAT is about to change in 2019. Time to lower the handicap back into single digits.

If you haven’t already done so, get fitted. Even if you don’t buy clubs right away get your numbers dialed in, so when the time comes, you’ll know what buy. If your waiting for the right sale, be ready when it comes along. I know it’s tough these day to buy a full set of clubs all at once, it gets pricey. But analyze what part of your game is hurting the most, and replace those clubs. No distance off the tee, get some new top grade golf balls and a new driver, and see what happens. Can’t get out of bunkers or the rough around the green, new wedges. Not making putts, try a new putter. Lessons are ALWAYS a great idea, but it never hurts to put the best club you can in your hands. Or at least take the wrong clubs out of your hands, by taking them out of your bag. Do start the year with a few dozen new balls that didn’t sit in the garage all winter long.

Outside of clubs, new comfortable golf shoes, a new golf bag, a new towel, a new shirt, slacks, shorts or a hat, add to you looking sharp on the course and at the 19th hole, or the short game area. Where to get fitted, there are plenty of places now in the area, the Mistwood Golf Dome is a great place and Top 100 location in America per Golf Digest. Custom fitting locations such as Club Champion, True Spec, and the PGA Tour Stores are among the other good locations. Watch for demo days in the area, they are great options as well.

I hope you have enjoyed our run of stories from our trip to the PGA Merchandise Show, and down to and back from Orlando. I do expect to finish up the content over the course of this week.

IN THE WEEK AHEAD…my interview with former Chicago Bears Kicker Robbie Gould, on his company EventLIFY, if your running an outing and want to maximize it’s potential check in with EventLIFY.

I WILL ANNOUNCE THE DETAILS of the return of Golfers on Golf Radio that starts this month, yes a new start date, stay clicked or dialed in.

A CONGRATULATIONS to our IPGA Section award winners for 2018, they will be awarded tonight in a special awards ceremony. Special Kudo’s to IPGA Section professional of the year, Chris Gumbach of River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst.

FINALLY…I was disappointed to hear that longtime friend and golf architect Keith Foster got sentenced to 30 days in a federal prison, for illegally importing certain protected animal items into the country. His golf business was never under suspicion from the government, but the charges and guilty plea have cost him work at several of the nations top clubs which is sad to hear. Some of the clubs that cut ties with him, would not be on the map if Foster’s renovation work had not brought them back into the eye of the golf world, and helped them get Top 100 ratings, top level professional and amateur championships and increases in memberships. I’ll have more on this topic in the days ahead.

The Gog Blog returns with Robbie Gould and a story on his golf company tomorrow, stay tuned. RS

THE SIMULATOR BAYS AT THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB do include this coming weeks TPC Sawgrass home of the Players Championship. How would you fare on the famed par 3, Island Green 17th hole. You can find out while teeing it up this week at the Schaumburg Golf 401 Roselle Road. Schaumburggolf.com or (847)-885-9000. #TPC     ___________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory @GogBlogGuy on Twitter, Linkedin or Facebook. In the Mistwood Golf Dome #Flash

SOME FINAL NOTES on clubs and merchandise coming from the PGA Merchandise Show and since then by a few name companies.

NEW XXIO Woods and Irons

Now available as of this past March 1st, XXIO Prime Woods, Hyrbrids and Irons, for distance and accuracy for golfers with a slower swing speed.

“XXIO Prime is , quite frankly, the most unique and beneficial product ever available to moderate swing speed players,” Chuck Thiry, Vice President of XXIO USA. “People might think it’s marketing hype, but they simply haven’t hit Prime yet.”

The new XXIO Prime Woods has a newly designed hosel structure that makes it easier for moderate swing speed players to shut the drivers face at impact, that will result in longer and straighter drives. The new XXIO’s are lighter, that makes them faster and easier to swing. It’s lightweight power for players who need it says Thiry. The new XXIO Irons have an expanded Titanium face, with a CNC milled Speed grove, that provides increased ball speed and a straighter ball flight.

Now available prices range from (MAP) $259 for a single graphite iron, $379 for Prime Hybrids, $579 for Prime fairway woods, and $849 for the new Prime Driver, details can be found at XXIO and Cleveland Golf website’s.

The New Srixon Z-Star series golf balls, built for distance.

The new Srixon Z-Star XV and Z-Star and now available since February.

The Z-Star XV distance golf ball is used by PGA Tour driving distance leader Cameron Champ, who says” the ball gives me a chance to compete week-in and week-out, with it’s exceptional ball speed.”

The Z-Star XV is the sixth generation model of the Z-Star series, and now comes equipped with a FastLayer Core, a core that starts soft in the center and gets firmer around the edge. This design adds speed for distance, and feels softer at impact. The addition of Spin Skin with SeRM is a coating that helps sit deeper in wedge and iron grooves for better spins and stopping ability. The new 338 dimple pattern allows for less resistance and more lift to increase distance. the MAP is $39.99 a dozen. More information at Srixon.com

MIZUNO for the first time has introduced two new tour-caliber golf balls, the RB Tour Ball and the RB Tour X. Mizuno has taken it’s Shaft Optimizer to a new level to help put golfers into irons that are right for them. The key is a new Gyro that adds to existing strain gauges, that can recommend lie angles from a digital standpoint instead of old methods like using tape and strike boards.

The new golf balls both have high greenside spin, and are a 4-piece ball with 360 dimples and Urethane covers, with a soft compression. More information see Mizunousa.com.

The latest in the Titleist Players 4 Stand Bag line

The new Titleist Players Stand Bag and Hybrid Collection golf bags are now available starting at $200, with customization available on all bags.

The Players 4 StaDry is 14% lighter than it’s predecessor, and includes 25% increase in strap padding for extra comfort while carrying, and has increased storage options.

Options include the Players 4 Plus, the Players 4, the Hyrbid 14 stand bag meets cart bag- starting at $240, The Hybrid 5 called a smooth ride and is designed for a cart-friendly ride. More details at Titleist.com/golf-gear/golf-bags

Titleist adds the 718 AP3 and AP2 irons in Black Finish

Now available as of March 1st, are the Titleist new 718 AP 3 and AP 2 Irons.

The iron sets are finished in a, High Polish Black PVD coating to create a standout appearance.

The True-Temper AMY Onyx shafts with a coal coat matte black finish helps reduce glare, and the clubs have all-black Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip.

The addition of these models came from Titleist staff players on the PGA Tour, and they will wear similar to the Jet Black coating on SM7 wedges. Details at Titleist.com/golf-clubs/irons/718-ap-black.

The new Scotty Cameron Phantom-X putters, a line of nine.

The new Scotty Cameron Phantom X line of nine new putters will arrive in golf shops and retail stores on April 12th.

The Phantom X family is a group of nine new mallet putters that Scotty feels will take putting performance to a new level.

The Phantom X series will replace the Futura Family, but Scotty will continue to combine the 303 stainless steel, and the 6061 aircraft-grade aluminium for an increased MOI, optimal weight distribution and a better sound.

Scotty says that,” Phantom X is by far the most high tech putter line we’ve designed to date. This product is so much faster looking, and taken to the next level, that it needed a new name. It’s a major leap in performance. We’ve designed a variety of flange set up’s, alignment options and shaft bends to offer mallet players more models to choose from. I was inspired by tour players who wanted slightly smaller profiles with more alignment options and solid face construction.

The nine new models are: Phantom X5, Phantom X 5.5, Phantom X6, Phantom X 6STR, Phantom X7, Phantom X 7.5, Phantom X8, Phantom X8.5, Phantom X12, more information at Titleist.com or Scottycameron.com.

NOW AVAILABLE from Scotty Cameron is the new Select Fastback, that adds to the line of mid-mallet models of the Select Line. Which came from suggestions of top tour players. The two new models are the Select Fastback 2, and the Select fastback 1.5.

The feedback Scotty received from tour players had them asking for more prototype necks. With more moving towards smaller compact style heads, that are not blades and not mallets. So Scotty is calling them mid-mallets. The fastback 2 has a plumbing neck with the 1.5 coming with a mini-slant neck. The putters coming with mid-sized Black and Silver Matador grips. The double milled three-Cherry dots are smaller in size. MAP is suggested at $399. More at Scottycameron.com.

The Gog Blog Speaks Out-Returns on Monday. RS

THE MISTWOOD GOLF DOME is open today to help you get ready for the golf season ahead. Located at Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook and open until 10 PM daily the Mistwood Golf Dome home of Toptracer and McWethy’s Sportsbar is where golfers need to be. Visit Mistwoodgolfdome.com THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB on Roselle Road is now a year round golf facility, the simulators have numerous Top 100 courses and Ryder Cup venues waiting for you. Get ready for the outdoor season. Schaumburggolf.com #golf     _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. On Pinehurst #2, home of the 2019 U.S. Amatuer Championship and 2024 U.S. Open, (R) Pine Needles home of the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open coming in May. Pictured the par 3, 13th hole. #USOPENS

Registration is now open for the open’s run by the United States Golf Association (USGA), this includes the U.S. Open, the U.S Sr. Open, the U.S. Women’s Open, and the second playing of the U.S Sr. Women’s Open.

THE U.S. OPEN trophy sits perched along the bay at Pebble Beach, in advance of the 2019 U.S. Open in June.

“It total, the USGA received more than 13,000 entries for our Open Championships in 2018,” says John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director,championships. “We are committed to continuing to create an Open Championship experience that is exemplary for our players, volunteers, spectators and viewers, and are excited for the venues we’ll be bringing our four championships to this season. The openness of our championships is something we’re extremely proud of, and we look forward to seeing more dreams come true as our qualifying season begins.”

The U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach will be June 13-16, and is open to both professionals and amateurs with a handicap of 1.4 or less, and will be the sixth U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. In 2018 there was 9,049 entries. Deadline this year is 5 PM EST on April 24th.

The U.S. Women’s Open which will be played at the Country Club of Charleston from May 30th-June 2, is open to female golfers amateur or professional with a handicap not exceeding 2.4. This is the second USGA Championship held at CCC. Entries close at 5 PM EST on April 17th.

The U.S. Sr. Open will be played at the Warren Course in South Bend Ind from June 27-30, the championship is open to golfers amateur or professional with a handicap that does not exceed 3.4, and players who will be 50 years of age by the start of tournament play. Entries close at 5 PM EST on May 8th. Locally there will be a sectional qualifier on May 29th at Inverness Country Club.

The second annual U.S.Sr. Women’s Open will be held at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines N.C. from May 16-19. It is open to female golfers who will be 50 years of age by the start of tournament play, and amateurs or professionals with a handicap not exceeding 7.4. Entries close at 5 PM EST on April 10th.

For more information, visit USGA.org.

KEITH FOSTER works on the renovation of the Baltimore Country Club-Five Farms.

BY: RORY SPEARS Golfers on Golf Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

One of golf’s top architects Keith Foster of Upperburg Virginia was sentenced earlier today in Federal Court in Virginia.

Foster will serve 30 days at a still unknown federal facility, his report date is still TBD, but is expected to begin shortly. Foster will also have 1-year of a supervised released.

Foster was charged with violations of the Lacey Act, which is transporting items made from animals on protected lists, and bringing them into the United States illegally.

Government law enforcement officials openly admitted in court they substantially overstated the offenses in public releases and statements, and that Foster’s store the Outpost donated much of it’s profits to various area charities, the judge told Foster he needed to be made an example of before handing down the sentence. Government officials did make clear that no part of Foster’s golf design business was ever under investigation or suspicion.

Foster is one of the leading golf architects in the world for restoring classic golf course designs. As recent as one year ago, Foster had 11 courses on a Top 100 Classic Course list by a national publication.

His work in the Chicago area includes, new construction at both Shepherd’s Crook in Zion, and for 9 of the 18 holes at the Highland’s of Elgin. His stellar restoration of Knollwood in Lake Forest helped the course return to it’s roots of almost 100 years ago Foster brought in the white-tour edge sand at Knollwood, and the look it brought to the golf course was so outstanding, many other golf courses in the area are now using it.

Foster had been hired by Olympia Fields in 2018 to begin master planning improvements for both the North and South golf courses, but was let go by the club’s board after his guilty plea with the U.S. Government was made public.

The Gog Blog Speaks Out will have more to say on this story in the regular Monday Column next week.