WINDY CITY GOLFERS BRAVE COLD AND SNOW TO ATTEND THE TINLEY PARK GOLF EXPO

I took time off from my day job to attend the opening of the Tinley Park Golf Expo, with the hope of avoiding the weekend crowds.  I arrived at 12:30, a half hour after the doors opened, and the packed parking lot was the first sign that my plan may not work.  Then the sight of the 100 person + line to score the 3 free golf balls given to the early arrivers indicated that weather weary Windy City golfers needed a break from the dismal winter of 2014.  Eric Hoffer, publicist for the Expo, confirmed that the cold and snowy weekend did not keep the 3 year old show from setting attendance records.

The Expo was sponsored by Global Golf Post, an online only, free magazine that will be delivered to your e-mail on Monday morning, and I've already enjoyed reading my first copy.  Many of the top south side public courses were in attendance, including Cog Hill, Mistwood, Silver Lake, Lincoln Oaks, Balmoral Woods, Broken Arrow, Odyssey, Glenwoodie and Gleneagles, and my ears perked up when I heard the rep from Gleneagles mention that bunker renovations are on the short list of course improvements, as I play in a golf league there every Tuesday and the traps are begging for attention.  Two south side private clubs, Lincolnshire and Joliet, were also looking to expand their membership, and I may have to make a road trip to Crete to take advantage of the "Member For A Day Monday" special at Lincolnshire, with a probable walk across the parking lot for an afternoon round at Lincoln Oaks (a long time personal favorite), followed by an after round drink with my old Marist classmate (and Oaks co-owner) Mark Haines.  I also noticed that Cog Hill is offering a twilight rate this year on Dubsdread starting at 4 pm, and I'll have my Ben Franklin at the ready for that mid-summer tee time.

I had a nice conversation with Travis Kane, Manager of the Chicago Park District courses for Billy Casper Golf, and the story he shared of golfers playing cards while waiting their turn on the tee boxes back in the day at Sydney Marovitz will not dissuade me from leaving this notoriously slow playing 9 hole course along the shores of Lake Michigan on my 2014 courses to play list.  Foss Park was the only other Windy City course north of Madison Avenue to have a presence, and they were much more interested in selling clubs then promoting the North Chicago course.

Several other retail outlets were represented with equipment in tow, including Palos, Budget and Cam Golf (I have my eye on the classic Zebra putter I saw at Cam), and local manufacturer Tour Edge also had a booth to hawk the latest technological advancements in their product line.  Many of the other top brands were at the demo area at the north end of the hall, but I abstained as I didn't wish to tempt another pulled muscle on this aging and out of golf shape body! (and why services like ChiroOne also have representatives on site).  A new indoor, year-round Golf Center, Golf4Groups, recently opened in far southwest suburban Crest Hill, and features the most advanced golf training technology and equipment for all levels of golfer.  I don't know if there is anything that can help this 20 handicapper, but my curiosity and the close proximity to my home in Lemont may encourage me to pick up the phone and make a reservation.

I visited with the local communication outlets such as GolfNow! Chicago, GolfTime and Chicagoland Golf, and congrats to Kim of GolfTime on the birth of her first child (as proudly relayed by her mom, who was manning the booth).  I also had an enlightening discussion with Cheryl Justak, President and Publisher of GolfNow! Chicago, and I now fully understand that her fine golf destination guide is NOT affiliated with the other GolfNow; some collaborative opportunities between herself and yours truly may be on the horizon.  Roger Scott and Brian Alberts from NIMAGA (the Northern Illinois Men's Amateur Golf Association) shared the Chicagoland Golf booth, and after thorough review and thoughtful consideration (and a green light from my wife, of course), I've decided to join and give it a whirl in 2014.  Since NIMAGA tournaments are played under the official rules of golf, I best find a copy and give it a thorough reading to avoid unwanted penalty strokes and total embarrassment!

The First Tee of Greater Chicago occupied the far southeast corner, and I met with Terri Wetterberg, Director of Communications and Operations for this charitable organization that teaches children life skills through the game of golf, and the cool portable miniature golf layout was a hit with the kids in attendance.  Look for an in depth article about First Tee in 2014 on the Windy City Public Golfers Guide.  I also found out that Dan Dillon, one of the First Tee instructors, attended Mt. Carmel back in the '60's with my cousins Dave and Ron, just another example of what a small world it can sometimes be.

No golf show would be complete without the presence of out of state resorts and courses, and although my golf travels have been limited to nearby favorites like Eagle Ridge, Grand Geneva and Geneva National (with the rare trip to Arizona, South Carolina and Florida), the friendly folks from Gull Lake and Harbor Shores in Michigan, and the free round and night's stay offered at the Fox Hills resort in Wisconsin, piqued my interest.  And I'm always surprised by the several home improvement vendors who promote their services, but when I really think about it, most of the people who come out on a frigid Friday afternoon to a golf expo are much more likely to be out golfing then working on their homes!  Thanks to everyone who spent a few minutes talking with me at the show, and here's hoping for an early spring...