THE GOG BLOG SPEAKS OUT, RANTS, RAVES AND MORE
BY RORY SPEARS
THE GOG BLOG GUY
(photo by Austin Roesch)
18th Tee Erin Hills GC
THE WESTERN GOLF ASSOCIATION (WGA)..has made another move
with one of it's tournaments. The 2013 Western Amateur will move away
from one of Chicago's flagship clubs Olympia Fields, and down to the
State of Arkansas in 2013.
On the surface as a Chicago based golf reporter, it plain stinks to see
this great event moved out of the windy city market. But in the bigger
name of golf, and for the benefit of the Evans Scholars to move down
to Arkansas may not be that bad after all.
Then again in 2013, the Chicago area is looking for golf. In 2012 there is
a SR. PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, a US Womens Open not
far away in Kohler, a USGA Mid-Am at Conway Farms and Knollwood
in Lake Forest. The BMW only drives off to Indy and not Denver. Then
of course the Ryder Cup at Medinah. The are also rumors of a big
time LPGA event at Rich Harvest in the air for next July.
In 2013 there will be the...BMW..somewhere..maybe even here in the
Chicago area. Then the..Ah..Ah..Umm..The John Deere Classic down
in the Quad Cities where Steve Stricker might be gunning for his fifth
straight JDC title. Oh and then the..Oh well maybe the Chicago golf
fan can get US Open tickets for Merion near Philadelphia...Good luck.
Yes in 2013 there is a golf shortage in the Chicago area, losing the
Western Amateur that year just makes the scene a little more quiet.
Which means the Chicago golf media will have to take that animal
house approach...."Road Trip" So will the fans.
The first or second week of August in Arkansas can get a little toasty,
but I'm sure WGA CEO John Kaczkowski & VP of Tournaments Vince
Pellegrino and all of our other friends at the WGA will bring their sun-tan
lotion and do just fine. Suggestion, green WGA T-shirts will be a bit
cooler at the trophy presentation than those current green jackets with
optional tie. (see below)
(L-R) WGA CEO JOHN KAZCKOWSKI, 2011 WESTERN AMATEUR CHAMPION ETHAN
TRACY, ALOTIAN CLUB OWNER WARREN STEPHENS WGA VP OF TOURNAMENTS
VINCE PELLEGRINO.) Photo courtesy of WGA.
All kidding aside. The opportunity to play a Western Amateur Championship
at a club like The Alotian Club, is a invite that the WGA can't pass up. Of
course just an idea here for the WGA. Let Pine Valley, Cypress Point,
Bandon Dunes, or maybe Pinehurst #2 or Shinnecock know they could
host the championship too. Nothing like moving a great championship to
a great venue.
A TIP OF THE CAP OR GOLF VISOR..does go to Warren Stephens for
offering his very private club designed by Tom Fazio to the WGA for the
week. Stephens who is also an Augusta National member, understands
what it takes to run a first class event. You can bet he will make sure his
club is ready for a great week.
ANOTHER TIP OFF THE CAP OR GOLF VISOR..goes to Olympia Fields
and the WGA for making the switch work, in a way that should benefit
everyone. In recent history the folks at Olympia Fields have made very
clear their intentions to really support amateur golf. They have done just
that, more so than any other club in the Chicago area.
Since the renovations by Steve Smyers on the OFCC South Course,
Olympia Fields has really opened it's doors and hosted amateur golf.
The R-L Polo Fighting Illini Golf Classic, hosted by Coach Mike Small's
Fighting Illini and OFCC is one of the great tournaments in college golf.
The USGA Girls Junior Championship this past summer, the 2012 Junior
Ryder Cup is another great amateur event on the tee for next summer.
Olympia Fields is also hosting the 2015 US Amateur, the flagship event
for amateur golf in America. The amateur is no easy event to host. It has
312 players and needs two courses for the first two days. The event is
also timely and costly to host, so have the other events OFCC has hosted.
OFCC has done everything first class, and doesn't go on the cheap. They
have done nothing in recent years, but earn the great reputation they have
as one of America's greatest country clubs. They have earned the right to
step back from the 2013 Western Amateur, and host it down the road.
They have earned the right to have the time and make sure all is perfect
for the US Amateur.
Nobody official will come out presently and say this, but don't be surprised
if another US Open bid for OFCC is on the line for the club at the 2015
amateur. Pull it off in first class form, and then wait for the other shoe
to fall or putt to drop.
So as much as I hate to see quality golf leave Chicago, the WGA gets
a vote of support here. Just as long as Chicago gets to keep the BMW
Championship that summer. Which as reported here on our 2013 Western
Amateur story, will NOT be held at OFCC or across the street from OFCC
at Flossmoor CC, which offered it's club as a 2013 BMW host site.
THE 16TH HOLE AT THE ALOTIAN CLUB IN ROLAND ARKANSAS..HOME OF THE 2013
WESTERN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. Photo courtesy of WGA.
ANOTHER TIP OF THE CAP OR GOLF VISOR TO..Ethan Tracy for
attending the press conference at the Alotian Club last week. Tracy
who won the 2011 Western Amateur in a hard fought win over world
amateur #1 Patrick Cantlay, is a member of the University of Arkansas
golf team.
By 2013 Tracy may not be an amateur anymore, but he might be able
to help generate some interest in the championship. The 2013 Western
Amateur will be the biggest event in Arkansas that summer, until football
practice starts for the Razorbacks.
In the meantime I am looking forward to the 2012 Western Amateur at
Exmoor CC next August, it should be another great event. Maybe in
2013 to help fill the Chicago golf calendar, the WWGA (Womens
Western Golf Association) now in partnership with the WGA, can host
it's 2013 national amateur championship here.
CONGRATS..TO FRANK JEMSEK and family on winning the USGA
Granger Award presented last Friday at the CDGA offices across from
Cog Hill. The award goes to a golf family for 25 years of service in the
golf industry. Very well deserved indeed.
ARCHITECT FINALISTS NAMED FOR 2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES
GOLF COURSE...The eight finalists are in, from the list of golf course
architects wanting to design the course that will host the golf competition
for the 2106 Rio Olympic games. The winner will be named in early
2012. The finalists are:
1. Tom Doak, 2. Gil Hanse, 3. Martin Hawtree, 4. Robert Trent Jones II,
5. Jack Nicklaus/Annika Sorenstam, 6. Greg Norman/Loren Ochoa,
7. Peter Thomson/Ross Perrett. 8. Gary Player. The Gog Blog thinks
that either Doak or Hanse would make a great choice.
OLD WHAT'S HIS NAME FINALLY WON...after a third round back
up job handed the lead to Zach Johnson. Tiger Woods won a golf
tournament, his first "win" in some 750+ days. While I'm not sure
what froze over that enabled him to win, this silly season event with
a short field is not that big of a deal.
IN FACT..check out this months issue of Golf Digest, that prints
some excerpts of John Feinsteins new book that talks about Woods.
I haven't seen it yet, but I'm told it paints a pretty clear picture of
what TW is all about.
GOLF WRITER ADAM SCHUPAK..is reporting that after the final
round of yesterdays Tiger Woods "golf exhibition" event. Title
sponsor Chevron has pulled out of the exhibition going forward.
In addition there are some internet stories popping up on how
yesterdays win* by TW should have one of these * after it.
Probably so.
RANT..RANT..RANT..It's been brought to my attention that The Golf
Channel (TGC) is already back onto that dangerous road of "All Tiger"
all the time based on it's coverage over the last 18 hours. In spite of
the fact that two players who really have some game these days and
a world ranking that matters, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood both
won tournaments over the weekend too. TGC totally dropped the ball
with dimples on those stories. The golf media will go back ruining the
sport if all becomes about one person again.
CONGRATS AND RAVES..to our friends at the French Lick Resort
in southern Indiana, who have entered into a partnership to manage
the nearby Jaspar Indiana course Sultans Run. New ownership plans
on restoring the course to being one of the best public courses in
Indiana. Sultans Run will be part of golf packages with the courses
at the French Lick Resort, including the Pete Dye Course and
the Donald Ross Course. www.frenchlick.com. For more info.
THE SOUTHTOWN STAR..and long time (as in 33 years long), golf
writer Tim Cronin have parted ways. Which is not good news for
golf fans in the southburbs. Good news fans, you haven't heard the
last of Cronin. The first Gog News Blog in early 2012, will have an
important update about golf coverage in Chicago. Stay tuned...
THE CHICAGO GOLF MEDIA..gets together tomorrow night at the
best golf dome in town, Mike Munro's White Pines Golf Dome in
Bensenville to share a little holiday cheer. If your out that way hitting
some balls or rolling a few putts, feel free to say hello.
In closing, GO PLAY where you still can. There is no snow yet..and
the Eskimo Open is coming up on Jan. 8th at Cog Hill.
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