SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – Usually the PGA of America, PGA Tour, U.S. Golf Assn. and Ladies PGA announce their tournament sites at least five years in advance and, until Wednesday, Chicago seemed largely out of the mix. The USGA has no Chicago tournament scheduled after next week’s U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields and the LPGA had…
Author: lenz
Sand Valley is taking shape — and it’ll be good. You can count on that!
ROME, Wis. – Given the popularity of Bandon Dunes, Mike Keiser’s venture into Oregon, it was inevitable that golfers would be closely watching the progress at Sand Valley in this somewhat remote corner of Wisconsin. I know. I was one of them. Now I’ve visited the place, a much-anticipated stop before the PGA Championship at…
This Western Amateur was filled with the unexpected
Dawson Armstrong and Aaron Wise were unlikely finalists – maybe even Sweet 16 qualifiers – when the Western Amateur teed off at Rich Harvest Farms last week. Then again, nothing much was usual in the 113th playing of the championship put on by the Western Golf Assn. Armstrong earned the title with a miracle bunker…
Knapp finds two ways to win matches in Western Am
There won’t be any player with local ties in Saturday’s conclusion to the Western Amateur. Charlie Danielson, the University of Illinois stalwart, was eliminated in Friday’s Round of 16 matches at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. With Danielson out, the coveted title in the 113th playing of the championship will go to one of…
Western Am could have best field yet at Rich Harvest
They keep getting bigger. Within the last month the men’s and women’s Illinois State Amateurs have been played. Then came the men’s Illinois Open, and the Illinois Women’s Open concludes its 54-hole run on Wednesday at Mistwood, in Romeoville. Next week’s tournament offering is even more prestigious. The 113th Western Amateur takes over Rich Harvest…
Western Am players — especially a Wise guy — go low at Rich Harvest
The sense of urgency arrived for the first time at the 113th playing of the Western Amateur on Wednesday, and that was evident with some of the scores posted at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. Most of the 156 starters were eliminated after Wednesday’s second round, as only the low 44 and ties advanced…
Re-opened Glenview Park, Mount Prospect courses are better than ever
Here’s a good indication that golf in Chicago has withstood some tough economic times. Two well-established park district courses that had undergone costly renovations re-opened on consecutive days last week. Glenview Park’s course renovation was a $5.3 million project and another $1.2 million was spent to upgrade the clubhouse. Construction on Mount Prospect’s course renovation…
Who says golfers need to carry their clubs in a bag?
What would be your reaction be if a playing partner arrived at the first tee with a full set of golf clubs, but no golf bag? That’s what happened to me when long-time friend Brett Detterbeck arrived with a backpack – much like the type that high school students use to carry their books. A…
Illinois amateur golf is at its best since the 1980s
The Illinois State Amateur was played for the 85th time in July, and this time it was more than a golf tournament. It was a showcase. If nothing else, we should take away one thing from this State Am: the state of amateur golf in Illinois is at its highest level in many, many years….
Illinois Open benefitted from new format
Strange? Memorable? Different? Those are all apt descriptions for the 66th playing of the Illinois Open. My first year covering the Illinois Open was in 1975 – the last year in which the Illinois PGA and Chicago District Golf Assn. were joint managers of the event — and I’ve been to virtually every championship since…