Jeff Sluman showed up at Chicago’s East Bank Club on Monday for the announcement of the return of golf’s Champions Tour to Chicago. The 50-and-over circuit will compete in the $1.8 million Encompass Championship at North Shore Country Club in Glenview next June 17-23.

But, first things first. Long before the circuit’s return to Chicago for the first time since 2002, Sluman will play a prominent role in next month’s Ryder Cup matches at Medinah Country Club. A long-time Hinsdale resident, he was chosen as a vice captain of the U.S. squad by head man Davis Love III.

Because of his proximity to Medinah, Love put Sluman to work early. He sent Sluman to Medinah last week to have a look at the No. 3 course that has suffered in this summer’s weather. The famed layout had plenty of rough spots during a media viewing on Aug. 6 and several fairways were stripped after that.

Not to worry, Sluman said. He rode the course in a cart when Love’s European counterpart, Jose Maria Olazabal, played a practice round with record world No. 1 Luke Donald.

“Then I called Davis,’’ said Sluman. “Mother Nature has not been kind to golf courses in the Chicago area the last two years. They had too much rain and too much heat last year, and too much heat this year. I was away, but when I called home I was told the weather was brutal. But the (Medinah No. 3) golf course will be fine. It’ll be very, very good. The Ryder Cup isn’t for awhile (Sept. 25-30), and I expect it’ll be perfect.’’

Sluman expects the new short par-5 15th hole to be set up at 305 to 310 yards, making it driveable for the players on both teams. Sluman expects it to be “a great place for momentum swings.’’ Otherwise, Sluman defers course matters to his captain.

“Davis will know exactly what to do,’’ said Sluman. “When he gets here in a couple weeks he’s will go around with Curtis (Medinah superintendent Curtis Tyrrell) and determine what (areas) should be grown out, where they should pinch in. It’ll be the same for both teams, but Davis doesn’t want to have much rough. That’s great. Birdies and recovery shots are very exciting for crowds to watch. Hacking out of rough probably isn’t so exciting.’’

The new event, though still 10 months away, should be plenty exciting. It’ll have a different format than Chicago’s previous stops for Champions Tour players. They had tour stops at Stonebridge, in Aurora; Kemper Lakes, in Long Grove; and Harborside International, in Chicago, through 2002 and U.S. Senior Opens were played at Medinah in 1988 and Olympia Fields in 1997.

Hale Irwin won three of those Champions Tour stops as well as the 1974 Western Open at Butler National and the 1990 U.S. Open at Medinah. He joined fellow tour players Sluman, Fuzzy Zoeller and Chip Beck at Monday’s announcement and Irwin, Sluman and Beck were also part of Encompass’ presentation to North Shore members during the negotiating process.

Northbrook-based Encompass took over the Champions Tour event in Tampa, Fla., last year and plans an event heavily-loaded with pro-ams at North Shore. Traditional pro-ams will be held on Wednesday and Thursday of tournament week and celebrity pro-ams will be included in the first day of the championship proper. Only tour players will compete on the final day.

The first in a long line of upcoming Ryder Cup announcements is coming up on Aug. 7. That’s when Roger Warren will announce the six boys and six girls on the U.S. team for the Junior Ryder Cup.

This is just one of many events surrounding the big show coming to Medinah Sept. 25-30. The PGA of America bills the Junior Ryder Cup as “an international showcase of golf’s next generation.’’

Warren is captain of the U.S. team, a duty that generally goes to an outgoing president of the PGA of America. For him it’s also a homecoming. Warren was a high school teacher and coach before entering the golf business at Village Links of Glen Ellyn in 1986. He’s come a long, long way since then but the Junior Ryder Cup will bring him back to Chicago, since the competition will be on Olympia Fields’ South course.

After leaving The Links in 1991 Warren directed the operation at Seven Bridges in Woodridge from 1991-2003 and then headed for the famed Kiawah Resort near Charleston, S.C. He became the president there in 2005 and was concurrently the president of the PGA of America through 2006 and the PGA’s honorary president in 2008.

As PGA president twice removed, Warren is the Junior Ryder Cup captain while also preparing for Kiawah to host the year’s last major, the PGA Championship, from Aug. 9-12.

“I’ve got my hands full,’’ admitted Warren, “but I couldn’t be more excited about the Junior Ryder Cup. I’m looking forward to it because of my background in high school coaching and because of the quality of the junior golfers who will be on the team. They’ll all be great players and good people.’’

Before going into the golf business Warren was the basketball and golf coach, as well as a teacher, at Dundee Crown High School and the U.S. Math and Science Academy. His duties with the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team will cover just one intense week after the selection process is completed. Warren will be helped out on that end of other PGA staffers.

The actual event at Olympia starts with practice rounds Sept. 21-23. Opening ceremonies will also be on the 23rd with matches following on Sept. 24-25. The Junior Ryder Cup experience ends on Sept. 26 at Medinah, when the two teams participate in the Friendship Bowl, a nine-hole competition on Nos. 1-3 and 12-18 on Medinah’s No. 3 course while the pro teams from the U.S. and Europe are finishing preparations for the main event.

M.G. Orender was a past PGA president who captained the last U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team, which defeated its European counterparts 13 ½-10 ½ in Scotland two years ago. He knows what Warren can expect.

“In my time as a PGA professional I don’t know of a better experience I’ve had,’’ Orender said. “I was so thrilled for those kids. They played their hearts out.’’

That was the third U.S. win in the seven previous competitions, the others coming in 1997 in Spain and 2008 in Bowling Green, Ky. Europe won in 1999, 2002 and 2004 and the 2006 competition in Wales was halved, so the Junior Ryder Cup series is all even at 3-3-1 going into the Olympia Fields shootout.

Each team has had one blowout win in the competition. Europe dominated in 1999 in Boston, winning 10 ½ – ½, and the U.S. romped 22-2 in Bowling Green, Ky. Most of the matches, though, have been hard-fought affairs.

“It’s an exciting event, and very competitive,’’ said Warren, “and it gives these kids a taste of what could happen if they take up a career in golf.’’

Competition involves foursome, mixed four-ball and singles matches. The U.S. players must be members of high school graduating classes of 2013 to be eligible for selection. Europe requires its players be no older than 16 on the final day of the competition.

The U.S. Junior Amateur champion and U.S. Junior Girls champion are given automatic invitations to play on the U.S. team. Those competitions concluded July 21.

Exemptions will also go to the champion and runner-up at the 37th PGA Junior Championship, which concludes Aug. 3 at Sycamore Hills in Fort Wayne, Ind. The top boy and girl from the US. Junior Ryder Cup point standings, which is based on competitions going back to 2011, will also earn spots on the team.

Warren will then make his captain’s picks to fill out the roster. It’ll be an honor to play for the U.S.. Jordan Spieth, now at the University of Texas, went 3-0 in his matches for the U.S. at both the 2008 and 2010 Junior Ryder Cups.

“Really unbelievable,’’ Spieth said of the experience. “The 2010 team was even stronger than our 2008 team, but the European team was better, too.’’

The team he’ll lead is very much a part of the wide-ranging activities surrounding the 39th Ryder Cup matches coming to Medinah on Sept. 25-30.

The Ryder Cup is much more than the intensely patriotic three-day competition played biennially between the top touring pros from the U.S. and Europe. There are plenty of events around the big one, and the Junior Ryder Cup is one of the most important.

Olympia Fields will host the Junior event on its South course. This will be the eighth time high school-aged teams from the U.S. and Europe collide as part of a Ryder Cup.

The “Big Three’’ was born on Jan. 2, 2012, when three Chicago-based golf websites joined forces to provide different perspectives on the game we love.

While we have worked together on an informal basis the past six months, the impact of that joint affiliation will become more clearly evident in the next two weeks as Rory Spears (www.golfersongolf.com), Tim Cronin (www.illinoisgolfer.net) and myself (www.lenziehmongolf.com) all hit the road to provide extensive coverage of the two biggest tournaments of the Chicago season.

All three of us will be at the U.S. Women’s Open, which begins on Thursday, July 5, at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis., and the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic, which takes over TPC Deere run in Silvis, IL., on the outskirts of the Quad Cities on July 9. The tournament rounds of the JDC are July 12-15.

Blackwolf Run, just two hours from Chicago, will host the biggest tournament in women’s golf. TPC Deere Run, also a two-hour drive, will be the site of Steve Stricker’s historic run at a fourth straight championship, a factor that makes the event much more than a final tuneup for the British Open, which begins the following week.

Together we have over 100 years of experience as golf journalists. Our websites are different, each providing unique spins on issues affecting golf today. By checking out all three you will a more complete flavor on these two big events than you’ll get anywhere else – and it’ll all come with a Chicago spin.

After the Women’s Open and JDC are over we’ll turn out attention to annual local favorites – the Illinois Open, Illinois Women’s Open, Western Amateur, Illinois State Amateur and Illinois PGA Championship. The fun is just beginning.

TINLEY PARK, IL. – At first it seemed a walk down memory lane.

I hadn’t been back to the Odyssey Country Club in Chicago’s south suburbs since 1997 – the third and final year the course was used as the site of the Illinois Women’s Open championship. Odyssey got that tournament, the state’s most prestigious for women, off to a great start.

This recent visit was to participate in the Concierge & Hospitality Professionals Golf Outing, a delightful affair organized for the eighth straight year by Cheryl Justak to create awareness about the great golf available in the Chicago area and introduce it to concierges who can, in turn, pass it on to their clients and customers.

This year’s outing enabled me to re-connect with Ed Staffan, Odyssey’s manager/golf professional, and get acquainted with Nick Halikias, vice president of operations for the family-owned course and facility. The family also owns the adjoining Odyssey Fun World.

I didn’t know my playing partners before arrival, but James Cook, Tyrone Lyons and Stan Lee were all great guys. Stan could really deliver the long ball, Tyrone (my cart partner) hit some almost as long as Stan and had the sometimes difficult task of keeping my head in the game. Jimmy was the steadying influence for the rest of us.

There may have been better teams than ours (we finished 2-under-par), but I doubt any had as much fun.

Odyssey is a long drive from my home (over an hour), and that’s the main reason I didn’t have it on my calendar for such a long time. But I’ll be back.

I was very impressed with the development of both the course (designed by Harry Bowers and two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange, used as the consultant) and – particularly – the clubhouse. I’ve seen most every clubhouse at the Chicago area’s public courses, and Odyssey has one of the very best. It’s outing-friendly, and a perfect setup for weddings and other social gatherings.

I just wish I could have tasted the cuisine prepared by chef Alex Ottman, but another golf-related event – the flag-raising ceremony for the 2013 BMW Championship at Conway Farms in Lake Forest, world No. 1 Luke Donald’s home course – was also a not-to-be missed socializing opportunity.

I had remembered the Odyssey course as player-friendly, yet plenty challenging. That hadn’t changed over the years. The par-72 layout is filled with lakes, wildflowers and gardens all meshing with holes that measure 7,095 from the back tees. Plus, the wildlife on the course is extraordinary. The course has a rating of 73.1 with a slope of 131.

Located between First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, one of the nation’s largest outdoor music venues, and Odyssey Fun World, which attract kids of all ages, Odyssey Country Club, 19110 S. Ridgeland, has a great location for entertainment options before and after a round of golf.

Len Ziehm on Golf is today announcing a fourth partnership agreement, this one with the website Hacker’s Central. Based in Minneapolis, this site provides information and rates courses in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Nevada and Illinois.

For starters, LZOG will contribute Travel Destination blog-type pieces as well as occasional news items relating to golf in Illinois to Hacker’s Central. We share the common purposes of passing on our love for the game to golfers of all abilities in all regions of the country.

In addition to the online golf community provided via Hacker’s Central, this group also produces Hacker’s Guides, which provide information on courses across the Midwest as well as in Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Southern California.

Founded by publisher Bruce Stasch in 2007, the Hacker’s Guide uses 60 different factors to rate a course in six different categories and is the most complete state-by-state golf course rating system since the U.S. Golf Assn. established par and course ratings. The Hacker’s Guide has rated over 530 golf courses across 13 states, including Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and North and South Dakota.

LZOG now has four partners, two of which operate beyond the boundaries of the Chicago area. Prior to hooking up with Hacker’s Central, LZOG established a partnership with Golf Now! Chicago, which — in addition to its website — has produced a premier designation guide for golfers for 10 years. It is guided by Indiana-based Cheryl Justak, who is running LZOG Travel Destination pieces on her website as well as two of our pieces in the 2012 printed version of Golf Now! Chicago.

In addition, LZOG is working with two long-time Chicago golf media buddies, Rory Spears and Tim Cronin. We have formed the “Big Three,’’ with the purpose of giving Chicago golfers a complete picture of pertinent news developments in and around our area. Rory operates out of the popular Golfers on Golf radio show and website while Tim, long-time golf writer for the Daily Southtown newspaper, has just introduced the first edition of his Illinois Golfer publication.

ORLANDO, FL. — The biggest show in golf started on a sobering note Thursday, and it was offered by the game’s greatest player.

Jack Nicklaus gave the keynote address as the 59th PGA Merchandise Show opened its three-day run at the Orange County Convention Center. In it he voiced concerns about the game’s future, then expanded on his thoughts in a press conference with other industry leaders.

“Our game is at a crossroads,’’ Nicklaus told a standing-room-only, early-morning gathering of show-goers, who are expected to number over 42,000 before the show ends on Saturday. “We need to think outside the box if we’re to help the game we love grow.’’

No doubt the economic downturns of the past few years have adversely impacted the golf industry, just has they have impacted virtually every other business. But in golf it goes deeper than economics.

“We’ve lost 23 percent of the women and 36 percent of the kids in the game since 2006,’’ said Nicklaus. “Those are not good stats.’’

Even growing up a Nicklaus didn’t help boost golf’s numbers. The Golden Bear, winner of a record 18 major championships, plays once a month now. His wife Barbara plays less than that. So do 21 of their 22 grandchildren. Only one grandchild, a 9-year old boy, is considered a regular player.

Nicklaus cites the time demands that golf requires for the dropoff in popularity.

“Other sports are grabbing attention time from our kids,’’ he said. “Their parents don’t have time to play golf, and the kids aren’t being introduced to it.’’

But, at least, the PGA of America has come up with a possible solution, called the PGA Certified Professional Program 2.0, as the centerpiece for advanced training and education curriculum for those in the industry — not just club professionals. Nicklaus calls it “the most comprehensive and complete, well-thought out program’’ to get golf growing again.

While PGA executive director Joe Steranka calls the initiative “an alliance of the industry,’’ it represents a multi-million dollar investment by the PGA to educate its members on how to grow the game.

Chicago is one of nine targeted markets where the all-digital 2.0 initiative will be put in place first. Four of the markets have regional managers selected, and Chicago’s is Frank Chieppa. He’s a former officer in the Illinois PGA Section and the head professional at Randall Oaks in Dundee Twp. for 15 seasons. He left Randall Oaks last year for a head job at The Legends in Franklin, Ind., but is returning to Chicago to spearhead the golf growth effort here.

While specifics on how the program will work affect present and perhpas future players was limited, the announcement of the 2.0 initiative was well-received by the turnout that included over 1,000 vendors, 30 more than last year. The closed-to-the-public event takes up about one million square feet of showroom floorspace.

ORLANDO, FL. — Getting to the Demo Day kickoff of the 59th PGA Merchandise Show wasn’t easy. There were traffic jams and long lines at the check-in points — even when the gates opened at the Orange County National Golf Center.

The Demo Day was closed to the public and required a 45-minute shuttle bus ride from the Orange County Convention Center, the site of the last three days of the massive show — the biggest in golf. The PGA expected about 7,000 visitors to Demo Day, and attendees figured to hit about 100,000 shots on the 100-station range. Wednesday’s turnout, though, certainly exceeded that.

One veteran PGA staffer, sitting with me on the early-morning bus ride, called the scene “amazing….bigger than I ever dreamed of.’’ And things got more hectic as the sunny day worn on, but there was plenty to see.

Some bordered on the ridiculous. One company was offering a variety of multi-colored mouthwear. I didn’t realize your teeth needed protection in golf, did you?

The bright colors, though, were eye-catching, and they weren’t limited to the mouthwear. ClubCrown by Vive showed off some dazzling covers that can be installed on the heads of drivers in 7-15 minutes. If your clubhead shows signs of wear or — if you just want it to look distinctive — try one of these covers. Anther company had club shafts in bright orange and lime green, and orange grips were available through another manufacturer. I also found a table-full of all-red golf shoes.

The colors added to the festive atmosphere of the Demo Day, the ideal place for new companies to make a bang with their products. That’s really what that event is all about, though all the major manufacturers were out in full force to encourage the testing of their equipment on the big, circular range.

Two products stuck out, as far as I was concerned. Ernst Sports displayed its ES12 portable launch monitor that provides video swing analysis, weather data, scoring details and even input for club selection. That handy little gadget will sell for about $225 when it hits the stores.

I was most interested, however, in the Heavy Putter put out by Boccieri Golf. Anything goes with putters, it seems, but the mindset in the production of this one is intriguing. I tested one of the many versions, and it was notably heavier than any putter I’d ever tried.

“Most putters are 290 to 310 grams,’’ said Steve Boccieri, inventor of this line of blades. “Our putters are up to 550 grams. That’s the heaviest we can make a putter head. If it goes beyond that, it’s too cumbersome.’’

The extra weight isn’t all in the head, either. It’s added to the handle of the club, as well, and Boccieri putters come in both standard and belly versions. The latter can range in length from 40 to 46 inches.

“What’s unique about us is that every putter we make can be made into a belly putter, because belly putters always have heavier heads,’’ Boccieri said. “Other manufacturers here — Odyssey, Ping — have two styles of belly putters, two head designs. I have 30 head designs because any of my head designs can be converted to a belly putter. Every head I make is heavier.’’

Boccieri has been making putters for eight years, and belly models were among his original ones.
“There was a trend where belly putters got hot, then they went very cold,” said Boccieri. “Some stores called their inventory of them poison, because they wouldn’t sell.’’

Well, belly putters are selling now, though — in my book — their long-range future remains uncertain. And, there are plenty of other new golf products coming out that will challenge for attention.

ORLANDO, FL. — Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods may have the richest heritage in golf. More major championships have been won by players using the company’s irons than any other, the majors number won now at 62 and counting.

Still, Wilson won’t be stuck in its past at this week’s 59th annual PGA Merchandise Show. Among its new line of products to be introduced will be the Vizor belly putter.

Wilson, with a belly putter? Seriously?

Seriously!

The company’s Seriously advertising campaign, which features Padraig Harrington, Ricky Barnes and Kevi n Streelman, was well-received last year and that same theme seems appropriate to launch the belly.

“One thing for sure in golf is that trends come fast, and they’re usually product-linked,’’ said Tim Clarke, general manager of Wilson’s golf division. “Some trends are fads, but I’ve tried ours (belly putter). It does feel somewhat like cheating — and I’m not a great putter.’’

Who knows the future for the belly putter, and not just Wilson’s version? They — along with all sorts of other new equipment from a wide variety of manufacturers — will be on display at the Orange County Convention Center.

“The show is the ultimate kickoff to the season. There’s a mystique about it. People get excited,’’ said Clarke. “It’s an optimistic time.’’

Nearly 1,000 manufacturers and brands will be on hand at the show, and I’ll be joining the more than 40,000 PGA professionals and industry executives checking them out. There’ll be an outdoor Demo Day, at which new products can be tested at the Orange Country National Golf Center, on Wednesday and then show visitors will have nearly 10 miles of aisles to cover when the scene shifts for three days to the Orange County Convention Center proper. Jack Nicklaus and baseball great Ken Griffey will headline Thursday’s opening ceremonies.

As for Wilson, the company will be showing much more than the belly putter. The company will be introducing two sets of irons, a metal wood and a ball that the company calls “revolutionary’’ and Clarke says is “amazingly long.’’

Those products will soon be promoted again by Guy Johnson (not his real name), the same guy who downplayed Wilson’s equipment in such a funny way as part of last year’s ad campaign. This year “Johnson” is all on board, and even boasting that he’s playing Wilson clubs.

“Our marketing department developed it to re-introduce ourselves to the serious player,’’ said Clarke. “It focused on country club elitist players who didn’t give us that much consideration.’’

Now “Johnson’’ and the three Wilson touring pros will present a different approach. The new ad campaign has just started and the final segment, featuring Harrington, will be filmed on Feb. 13 and hit the airwaves around the Masters.

I’ll be checking out more than the Wilson equipment this week, of course. I’ll be focusing on the New Product Zones, always the most popular areas of the show, as well as the Inventors’ Spotlight. My reports will be made via both websites and podcasts throughout the show.

This “Big Three” may not be anything like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, but we feel we can make a positive impact on golf — especially in the Chicago area.

We are three golf reporters with a combined 102 years of experience covering the sport we love. We’re kicking off 2012 by announcing an affiliation agreement in which we’ll spotlight the lead stories on each other’s websites. We see this as a means of staying ahead of the rapidly changing media changes within the golf industry.

While there will inevitably some overlap in the subjects we cover, our websites are each a bit different. Rory Spears (www.golfersongolf.com), the best golfer in our trio, is a rater for GolfWeek magazine. He’s worked in a variety of positions during his 27 years in the golf industry. In addition to writing The Gog Blog, he is co-host of Golfers on Golf which is in its 10 season as Chicago’s longest-running golf radio show.

Tim Cronin, for 33 years the golf writer and columnist for the Daily Southtown/Star, has established himself as the premier Chicago golf historian. He’s written four books on the histories of Chicago clubs. He’ll be offering his unique perspectives on the golf news of the day on his website, www.illinoisgolfer.net.

My lenziehmongolf.com will continue to focus on golf travel destinations and tournament reports. If one of us doesn’t provide what you’re looking for, chances are good that one of the other two will.

The affiliations with Rory and Tim means that Len Ziehm on Golf is now connected with three other websites. We earlier reached agreement with Cheryl Justak’s “Golf Now! Chicago,’’ the premier travel destination guide. My travel stories will run on her www.golfnowchicago.com.

On Sunday Luke Donald finished third in the Dubai World Championship and became the first golfer to win money titles on both the U.S. and European PIA Tours while holding membership in both.

This is something for the history books, and the feat hasn’t gotten the attention it should have from the sports media both in and away from Chicago. When you factor in what went on both on and off the course I believe Donald’s 2011 topped the accomplishments of all athletes, in all sports.

First he rises to No. 1 in the world, then pads his lead. When Webb Simpson threatened to claim the money title on the PGA Tour Donald added a late-season tournament and won it. When Rory McIlroy had a chance (however slim) to get the European money title Donald responded with a solid third-place showing with all that historical significance on the line.

He may still be without a major championship, but Luke was consistently good and at his best when the going was toughest.

All that success on the course came with two life-changing developments off the course — the birth of a daughter and the death of his father. It wasn’t so long ago, either, that Donald made a difficult decision — parting company with his brother as his caddie — that also factored into his extraordinary 2011 season.

Personally I feel an attachment to the Donald saga because I’ve seen a lot of it develop from up close. He was the leader of a Northwestern golf team that brought the Wildcats national prominence. I’ll also recall his victory in the Chicago Open at Beverly Country Club in the midst of the 9/11 tragedy. Luke was just an amateur playing against regional pros then, and I’m not sure the event should even have been held, given the circumstances facing the entire country at the time, but Donald emerged the champion and gave an early hint about where his golf career was headed.

Not long after that I had a lengthy sitdown with Luke and his brother in their Evanston apartment for a golf magazine profile on golfers with promise. Luke certainly fulfilled his, and remained an extraordinarily strong supporter of the NU program while doing it.

In the near future Donald will like learn if he gets his wish from the Western Golf Assn. He has made it known that he’d like the BMW Championship be moved to Conway Farms, his home course in Chicago, in 2013. I’m not so sure he’ll get his wish on that one. The WGA has been mum on that subject, though Conway would make a viable venue for that tournament.