WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY GOG NEWS COLUMN, IT'S 2010 GOLFERS. DECEMBER
AND JANUARY ARE GONE, THE CORNER HAS BEEN TURNED AND GOLF SEASON IS
STARTING TO COME UP ON US AGAIN.....YEAH

THE CHICAGO AREA, had it's first golf show last weekend in Schaumburg and by the looks
of things, people are ready for golf season to start. Both on Friday and on Saturday hundreds
of golfers were lined up at the doors waiting to get in when the show started. Even though I did
not attend on Sunday, I expect that more of the same happened.

ROUND 2, of the Chicago golf show scene is on tap for this month in Rosemont on February
26, 27, 28 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center. Friday tickets are $5.00, with weekend
tickets at $10.00. But golfers who have attended before are receiving cards in the mail, for two
dollars off of weekends tickets. Ticket information can be found at www.chicagogolfshow.com
and you can also follow show news on Facebook and Twitter. The show is supported by the
Illinois PGA Section.

If you are ready to start hitting balls for 2010, GOG invites you to start practicing at the White Pines
Golf Dome. Which is owned by our fellow show GOG host Mike Munro. Hours are 7 AM to 11 PM
daily. Located at the White Pines Golf Club 500 West Jefferson St. Bensenville, for more information
call (630) 766-0304 or on line at www.whitepinesgolfdome.com.

Another one of our fellow GOG radio hosts Ed Stevenson, the head professional at the Dupage
County Forest Preserve course Oak Meadows in Addison has been busy as well. The country
has been making progress on getting it's insurance settlements completed, so the rebuilding
can start after last years fire destroyed the clubhouse and banquet facility. In the short future
I will have Ed get busy on this website and write a full recap of the progress being made.

WITH THE DEMISE OF CHICAGOLAND GOLF, if you are looking for information on area courses
such as phone numbers, websites, and directions. I suggest checking out GolfTime published
by the Arlington Hts. based editor Kim Oestmann. Found in print form at many pro shops and
golf stores, and on line at www.thegolftime.com. GolfTime also has features on midwest golf
travel destinations.

THE BEST NEW YOUTH GOLF PROGRAM OF 2010...is coming out of Woodridge and the Village
Greens Golf Club. A tip of the cap to General Manager and Head Professional Brandon Evans
for his idea to get 1000 kids "Introduced to Golf" this summer. Some free instruction and range
balls are provided, kids ages from 4-17 are welcome. Evans who is also known as the Director
of Fun and Entertainment can be found at Village Greens, located in Woodridge on 75th street.
For more information and how to bring Evans 1,000 young future golfers, call (630)-985-3610.

SHEPHERD'S CROOK GOLF CLUB IN ZION, is already taking reservations for outings and other
golf events to be held this summer at the Keith Foster designed layout. Shepherd's Crook was
ranked 18th best Municipal Course in the nation by Golfweek Magazine in 2009. This past week
Foster confirmed to this column, that he will pay a return visit to "The Crook" this spring in order
to prepare the course for a 10 year tune up. For information on Shepherd's Crook located at 351
Green Bay Rd. in Zion, visit the web at www.shepherdscrook.org or call (847) 872-2080. One can
also sign up for the Shepherd's Crook Birthday Club, where one gets free golf on their birthday. If
you birthday falls during the winter months, S/C still has a plan to get you on the course for free.

SPEAKING OF KEITH FOSTER, the king of classic course restoration and renovations tells GOG,
that he and his crew finished the renovation work that they were doing at Knollwood C.C. in Lake
Forest, got completed late last fall only about one hour, before old man winter struck for good and
would have put a halt to things for 2009. For more on Knollwood and Keith Fosters work check out
this website and our story, Foster puts the shine back on Knollwood. Foster will join yours truly for
an audio chat, that will be added to the site the week of Feb. 15th.

ARE YOU READY FOR NIGHT GOLF THIS SUMMER...If so the the Arlington Hts. Park District has
a tee-time for you. Nickol Knoll Golf Club located in the north end of Arlington Hts., on top of the old
Walter Payton running hill is offering Friday night golf from 8-11 PM. For only $22 Nickol Knoll provides
special golf balls that light up in the dark and are easy to find. The 9 hole par 3 course is quick to
play even in the dark. Call the pro-shop at (847)-590-6050 for more information, Bring your clubs
and your flashlights.

NEWS FROM WISCONSIN LAND...GOG hears that the highly acclaimed Erin Hills golf links that
is under new ownership, will again be closed most of the summer in 2010. The target date to open
this summer is August 1st. The new owner has already decided to double the courses maintence
budget and double the size of the maintence facility on the property. Look for the current fescue
to be replaced and replanted, most of the summer will be used to put the course in better playing
condition than in previous summers. Erin Hills didn't open until July 1st last summer, due to
renovations on the property.

FROM KOHLER COUNTRY..as reported here last fall. Herb Kohler did make some inquires into
buying the historic and famous Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Pinehurst the host of the 2014
Mens and Womans US Opens has not been and is not for sale by the current owners. Kohler's
inquiries were turned away and he has scrapped his idea of try to acquire the resort.

COME AUGUST IN KOHLER COUNTRY...will be this years PGA Championship on the famed Whistling
Straits Pete Dye designed, walking only golf course. Tickets which are going fast can be purchased at
www.pga2010.com or (800) pga-golf. Vijay Singh won the PGA there in 2004.

TICKETS ARE ALSO ON SALE FOR THE 2010 BMW CHAMPIONSHIP...September 6-12 at Cog Hill
G.C. in Lemont. www.bmwchampionshipUSA.com. Or call the Western Golf Association (WGA) at
(847)-724-4600. There are different ticket plans available this year. The WGA will also host the
Western Amateur this summer at Skokie C.C. and the Western Junior at Blue Mound C.C. in Milwaukee.

COG HILL in Lemont also presents it's "No Embarrassment" golf schools starting April 20th, with
Cog Hill Head Professional Jeff Rimsnider as the lead instructor. To sign up call call Cog Hill at
866.COG-HILL or for more information www.coghillgolf.com. If your putting game needs improvement,
call Cog Hill and visit the putting studio run by Kevin Weeks up in the silo at the back of the Cog Hill
driving range. Kevin works with several PGA Touring pro's and his appointment book fills quickly. Kevin
a multiple time winner of the Illinois PGA's teacher of the year award, runs the best putting lab in the
area. I can personally add I lowered my handicap by 5 shots from start to finish last season, the session
with kevin had a lot to do with it.

THE HAWAII SWING OF THE PGA TOUR WAS AS BEAUTIFUL AS ALWAYS...Both the SBS Championship
at Kapalua Maui, and the Sony Open in Honolulu were a sight for sore eyes. Congrats to all involved
including Illinois natives Gary Planos and Mike Jones at kapalua. Planos the Tournament Director is
an Evanston native and Illinois Alum and Evans Scholar. While Jones was the former head pro at courses
like Cantigny, Thunderhawk and Golf Club of Illinois. He now serves as Director of Golf at Kapalua, the
home of the Plantation Course that the tournament is played on. For more information on a warm escape
from winter, www.kapalua.com.

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT IN GRAND TRAVERSE MICHIGAN... will celebrate the 25th anniversary of
the it's famed course "The Bear" a Jack Nicklaus design this coming June. The resort hopes to get the
"Golden Bear" himself on hand for the celebration. www.grandtraverseresort.com or 1-(800)-748-0303.

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH..I'LL SEE EVERYONE AT THE ROSEMONT GOLF SHOW ON THE 26TH....RS