WELCOME BACK TO THE MONTHLY GOLFERS ON GOLF NEWS BLOG, THIS TIME THE APRIL
OF 2010 EDITION.

THE GOLF SEASON..is no longer coming soon. It's here and the courses for the most part are
open and ready to play. SO GO PLAY THEM.

THAT BEING SAID...I feel with this column I really Tee Off the golf season here in the Chicago
area. This site along with our Golfers on Golf radio program on WJJG-AM1530, will continue
to be Chicago's new #1 golf news source, in the absence of Chicagoland Golf. Yes it does
feel strange heading into a Chicago Golf season without the late publisher of CG Phil Kosin,
who passed on last summer after a bout with cancer. Phil might be gone but he is not forgotten,
then again if you ever met Phil, you would never forget him.

ONE OF THE FIRST SIGNS THAT GOLF IS UPON US...is the soft music CBS plays while televising
the Masters Tournament. This years Masters should be real interesting, it marks the return of Tiger
Woods to tournament golf. NOT THE PGA TOUR AS SOME HAVE SAID, the Masters is not a PGA
Tour event.

WOODS life and his career have been in shambles, since an early morning car accident by his
home in the Orlando Fl. area. Not only was the accident a problem, but what evolved from it was one
of the largest sex scandals ever attached to a professional athlete. At least 14 women came forward
claiming to be involved with Woods. This list did not include some porn stars and various now and
then prostitutes.

Where does this leave the guy who is only four majors behind the record of 18 set by Jack Nicklaus.
Well it should leave him crawling back to a game that DOESN'T need him. When old stars leave any
sport new ones emerge, golf is no different and it will not be different now either. Woods has had a
practice session at Augusta National, reportedly it did not go well.

WHAT ELSE IS NOT GOING WELL..his attempts to clean up his image and return. This has been one
of the most screwed up campaigns ever done. Recently the Woods camp tried to manipulate the networks
into taking short five minute interviews with Woods, ESPN and the Golf Channel accepted. CBS did not
and was applauded by many for not doing so. One of Woods biggest problems is being a control freak, 
Tiger and his people are still trying to control his comeback. Give it up, you are in no position to demand
anything.

THE NETWORKS..like The Golf Channel have to quit trying to ram Woods back down the throats of the golfing
public. Woods will need time to return to competitive golf, and the public will need time to see if it wants to
accept him back. More than just the sex scandal, is Woods childish behavior in public and on the course.
Tiger needs to grow up, quit slamming clubs and cut back on the swearing. Especially in front of the kids.

NEXT WEEK ON MONDAY APRIL 5TH...Woods will do his pre-Masters press conference with the bulk of
the media getting to finally ask some questions. Normally the major golf media do not arrive until Tuesday
of tournament week, so Woods will speak on Monday where he is the only press conference scheduled
that day. I bet Tiger is hoping for a late arriving crowd, here's hoping it's a media zoo.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR WHO TO PICK TO WIN THIS YEARS GREEN JACKET...try Ernie Els. Els has
two wins in recent weeks and might just be due to break through in Augusta. Maybe Phil Mickelson is
ready for his third green jacket, he seems to have been targeting Augusta for this years breakout win.
Butch Harmon will have him ready, now if Phil doesn't do something stupid.

SPEAKING OF STUPID...The Chicago Sun-Times had a recent column on Woods written by Carol Slezak,
in which Slezak actually wrote. That golf is not fun without Woods, YES she actually wrote that. Carol have
you actually ever played golf, no we didn't think so. MEMO TO ROOKIE SPORTS EDITOR CHRIS DELUCA,
please leave the golf writing to 40 year veteran golf writer Len Ziehm while you still have him and leave
Slezak, Rick Telander, and Rick Morrissey on the bench or in the clubhouse.

WHICH ISN'T FOR MUCH LONGER WHEN IT COMES TO ZIEHM...If you have enjoyed the golf coverage
in the Sun-Times over the last four decades thank Ziehm, who's run at the bright one will end soon after
the final putt drops at the BMW this September 12th at Cog Hill. Ziehm promises he will still be active in
golf beyond this fall, look for his stories in the CDGA Magazine and coming shortly on the Illinois Junior
Golf website www.ijga.org. Maybe down the road on this website too, if his agent doesn't ask for too
much money.

A FORMER ILLINOIS JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION GOLFER NAMED BRAD BENJAMIN....who won the
USGA Public links Championship in 2009 and the Illinois Open last year for that matter, will play in this
years Masters.

Benjamin who grew up in Rockford playing his golf at Aldeen G.C., is a perfect example of what hard work
can do for your game if you put in the time and effort. "I've played Augusta National seven times. It's just
really long.That's what make's it so difficult," Benjamin said. "The greens are the hardest in the world, and
you have long irons into them so it leaves you with some really tough putts."

MEMO TO AMATEUR GOLFERS..Benjamin also told Len Ziehm in an upcoming story to run on www.ijga.org 
in the next day or two, that he is in no hurry to turn pro. He would like to make the next Walker Cup team in
2011.

WHAT ABOUT THAT U.S. OPEN THAT COG HILL WANTS IN THE YEAR 2017. Sources tell the GOG Blog
that the announcement will be made at the U.S. Open this June at Pebble Beach. When the USGA does
it's state of the union address. Frank Jemsek will be there with his fingers crossed, if you like Cog Hill
and course #4 Dubsdread, keep your fingers crossed too.
 
THE COMPETITION FOR COG HILL AND THE 2017 OPEN WILL COME FROM THE HILLS, As in Erin Hills
west of Milwaukee WI., and from Oakland Hills C.C. just north of Detroit MI.
 
ERIN HILLS will open this year one day earlier than previously reported by many media outlets. According to
Head Professional Kent Instefjord, Erin Hills will open on July 31st not August 1st. Erin Hills is undergoing
many changes under the new ownership of Andy Ziegler. Instefjord also wants to remind golfers that Erin
Hills is now a walking only golf course. The GOG Blog will do a full feature on Erin Hills within the next couple
of weeks.Tee times are already being taken at www.erinhills.com or at (262)-670-8600. Erin Hills will host
the 2011 U.S. Amateur, Mike Davis of the USGA Sr. Director of Rules and Competitions is spending several
days on the grounds this week at EH, making sure everything will be ready to go in time for the Amateur.

AT THE SAME TIME...that Cog Hill learns it's fate about the 2017 Open, another Chicago Club might learn
it's fate from the USGA on whether it gets the 2015 U.S. Amateur. Olympia Fields Country Club is hoping
to host the AM on it's 100th birthday in 2015.

SPEAKING OF OFCC...I would like to congratulate two friends on their recent appointments to the board at
OFCC. Jeff Goldman to Club President (congrats on that recent marriage too, hope your new wife still lets
you play golf) and Andy Revell to the board over seeing the grounds. GET WELL WISHES..go out to Larry
Spalla who is recovering from yet another eye surgery from a torn retina. Spalla served as OFCC's media
chairman for the 1997 U.S. Senior Open and the 2003 U.S. Open.

FROM THE USGA AND ON TO THE PGA OF AMERICA...and north to Kohler actually Haven Wisconsin home
of this years PGA Championship. The PGA Championship will be held August 9-15 on the Pete Dye designed
Whistling Straits golf course, one of the four courses that make up the Kohler resort.

FOR TICKETS TO THIS YEARS PGA CHAMPIONSHIP VISIT WWW.PGA2010.COM OR CALL 800-PGA-GOLF.

THE PGA OF AMERICA AND FOLKS AT KOHLER..are making it easy to bring the whole family to this years
championship, especially the kids. With every paid adult admission, four FREE junior admissions are
pemitted. YES you read that right FREE. In addition, "starting at only $60, a family of six can come to a practice
round," says Championship Director Barry Deach. Practice rounds are Monday through Wednesday, it's the
only days spectators can bring camera's and great days to get autographs from the players.

IF YOU WANT TO DO MORE THAN JUST WATCH...you can actually play Whistling Straits. It's a resort course
so it is open to the public. The Straits Course will open for the 2010 golf season on April 23rd, it will close
at some point in mid-July. Straits will re-open for public play a few days after the tournament concludes and
remain open until about the end of October or very early November. The course is not sold out yet for 2010,
but tee-times are going very quickly.

THE VOLUNTEER FORCE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS IN PLACE..3315 volunteers have signed up from
42 states and Canada, Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Volunteers pay $204.75 to be a
volunteer for the week. In return for at least 3-4 shifts or 16 hours of work time, they receive access and
parking for all days. In addition to food vouchers during work shifts, a uniform that includes shirt, pants
and a hat. A PGA Championship 2010 program, two comp. tickets.

MORE KOHLER GOLF NEWS FROM BLACKWOLF RUN..the original Kohler courses are undergoing
maintenance upgrades as well. Starting in 2009 the River Course and Meadow Valley Courses which make
up the Blackwolf Run layout, saw the holes that made up the original BWR course that hosted the 1998 U.S
Womens Open and will host the 2012 U.S. Womens Open get re-worked under the watchful eye of Pete Dye.
New grasses were put in place, along with contouring of bunkers, greens and new tee boxes.

This year the other holes are closed and will re-open in 2011 at the start of the golf season. So for 2010
golfers can play only the original BWR design (River Course holes 1-4 and 14-18 and Meadow Valley holes
10-18). BWR and the Irish Course at Whistling Straits will open tomorrow April 2nd. All restaurants and golf
shops at both properties will open on Friday as well. Golf shop hours are 8 AM to 7 PM seven days a week.
For tee-times call (866)-847-4856. The Gog Blog will have full feature on Destination Kohler later this spring.
Visit www.DestinationKohler.com.

IF YOU ARE HEADED UP TO KOHLER/HAVEN PGA WEEK and still want to play golf. Call The Bull at Pinehurst
Farms a nearby Jack Nicklaus design at (920)-467-1500 or visit the website at www.golfthebull.com. The Bull
has great golf deals most of the year.

THE GOLDEN BEAR JACK NICKLAUS..is hard at work on a new course on the East River of the Bronx in New
York. The course is on a former landfill site and will be called Ferry Point. The course wll be built over 185 acres
and is being done in conjunction with Sanford Golf Design. The links style course will have spectacular views
of the Manhattan skyline. No opening date as been announced.

NEW OCEANSIDE GOLF ON THE WAY FOR 2010...The folks at Bandon Dunes Golf resort and the Northbrook
based Kemper Sports Management have announced that, Old Macdonald the fourth course at Bandon Dunes
will open for play on June 1st,  Old Macdonald joins Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, and Bandon Trails to make
up 72 great holes of links style golf. For reservations call, (888)-345-6008 or visit BandonDunesGolf.com.

MINOR COURSE IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE AT THE BUFFALO GROVE GOLF CLUB. Director of Golf
Carmen Molinaro says the plan to continue improvements are under way this year. "Were doing about 3-4
tee boxes a year and some refinements along the creek that runs through the course." Local architect Daryl
Koelper is redoing the first ever design by Dick Nugent-Ken Killian. Both BGGC and the other BG Park District
Course the Arboretum are open for the 2010 golf season. For info visit www.buffalogrovegolf.com. 

THE ILLINOIS PGA has announced that..Casey Bozek the Head Professional at Crystal Lake C.C. has
become the Section Vice President, and Mike Scully Head Professional at Medinah is now the section 
Secretary. Both are replacing other pro's who have left Illinois for other clubs.

THE PGA OF AMERICA..which runs the Ryder Cup next up in the USA in 2012 at Medinah, will announce a new
logo for the event. A limited amount of 2012 Ryder Cup merchandise has already been sold, after this falls cup
is played in Wales look for the new stuff to be released.

MIKE MUNRO'S WHITE PINES GOLF DOME IS STILL OPEN ALL MONTH WWW.WHITEPINESGOLFDOME.COM 

FINALLY THIS IN FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA..A father taking his young sons golfing, had them stop for an
on course water break. Except the water cooler was full of liquid and solid waste that someone or something
used to relieve themselves in. The course claims animals are to blame. Both sides now have their lawyers
hard at work. I think I will use this as incentive to make more visits to the halfway house and the beverage carts...

THANKS FOR READING...NOW GO TEE IT UP...THE GOG NEWS BLOG RETURNS ON MAY 1ST...OTHER
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