April storms created a nightmare for Chicago’s golf course operators, but they were especially troublesome at Fox Run, the Elk Grove Park District facility. Fox Run has undergone a $2 million renovation for two years under the supervision of Aurora architect Greg Martin. He started on the front nine in 2011 and completed the back…
Author: lenz
MEDINAH’S RYDER CUP MEMOIR: The biggest of our book projects
The 39th Ryder Cup matches, held in September of 2012 at Medinah Country Club, provided plenty of drama world-wide. An inside look at that big global sports event was developed in a Special Edition produced for Medinah’s membership. Len Ziehm authored this 144-page book, which was produced by Nick Novelli, Medinah’s Archival Director. A professional…
Celebrity pro-am will make new Champions Tour event special
Tampa’s loss is Chicago’s gain. The Champions Tour is preparing for its return to Chicago after an 11-year absence, and the new version will be much different than the 12 tournaments played here from 1991-2002. The Encompass Championship will be top-heavy in pro-ams when it takes over North Shore Country Club in Glenview from June…
Celebrity involvement will make Encompass a spectator-friendly tourney
The Champions Tour is returning to the Chicago area for the first time since 2002 and nobody – repeat nobody – is as happy about this most positive development as I am. Chicago’s been losing its pro tour stops, and the return of the Champions will help correct that. The Encompass Championship will be held…
CDGA’s date changes will streamline Chicago golf calendar
There are two major changes coming to amateur golf in the Chicago area for 2013. Both involve scheduling, and both represent improvements from the way things were. For starters, the Chicago District Golf Assn. made one major schedule change, as well as a few others. The big one has the men’s 83rd Illinois State Amateur…
Affrunti’s finally playing again after shoulder rehab
Finally there’s some good news involving Joe Affrunti, the Crystal Lake golfer who suffered a serious shoulder injury months after earning his PGA Tour card. Affrunti earned the right to play on golf’s premier circuit by finishing in the top 25 on the Web.com Tour money list in 2010. In June of 2011, however, he…
LPGA schedule is finally working in Jeray’s favor
Berwyn golfer Nicole Jeray spent most of the winter in Augusta, Ga., and she had a pass to get into last week’s spectacular Masters tournament there. The Chicago area’s lone member of the Ladies PGA Tour, however, had more important things to do. “I could have gotten in off my LPGA pass, ‘’ said Jeray….
Northwestern golfer breaks a Luke Donald record
Luke Donald was a three-time All-American and an NCAA champion for Northwestern before he went on to his brilliant career as a professional, which included his earning the status of the world’s No. 1 golfer. One of Donald’s most cherished collegiate records went by the wayside on Tuesday when NU junior Jack Perry posted a…
Points should be tired, Streelman well-rest for the Masters
Luke Donald is just one of three Illinois players in their year’s Masters field. The other two – Kevin Streelman and D.A. Points – are in the field for the first time since making their tournament debuts in 2011. Streelman (75-74) and Points (72-76) both failed to survive the 36-hole cut in their Masters debuts,…
Donald has “special short game shot” ready for the Masters
Last year Luke Donald was the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer entering all four of the sport’s major championships. He was No. 1 for 55 weeks, and it was at the 2012 Masters that his duel for the top spot with Rory McIlroy started. This year’s Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club and Donald…