First the Big Ten Tourney, now this

[LuvSox]

The Western Open hits the road. (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060626/SPORTS/606260430)

[MUsoxfan]

It's hard to think of there not being a Western Open at Cog every 4th of July weekend

[cbotnyse]

yeah this is kinda crap news.....I'd rather see them not move it but I'll get over it. Ive been out there to see it a few times and had a good time. There arent many sporting events were you can get that close to the players.

[MUsoxfan]

yeah this is kinda crap news.....I'd rather see them not move it but I'll get over it. Ive been out there to see it a few times and had a good time. There arent many sporting events were you can get that close to the players.

I've caddied for a few of the pros over the years too. The Western Open has been a series of great experiences

[SouthSide_HitMen]

It's hard to think of there not being a Western Open at Cog every 4th of July weekend

It has been the awhile. It was held at Butler National before moving to Dubsdread. It has been held in Illinois for a long time though before it would rotate among Midwest Golf Courses.

The main concern is to keep the tournament strong and to retain the caddy scholarships which this new plan accomplishes and hopefully strengthens. It will hurt local fans however.

[MUsoxfan]

The main concern is to keep the tournament strong and to retain the caddy scholarships which this new plan accomplishes and hopefully strengthens. It will hurt local fans however.

I think moving it to September hurts the WGA's cause. I was an Evans Scholar and a big part of that tournament is having the two pro-ams where local caddies come out to caddy and the scholars come to caddy for the pros on the Wednesday pro-am. Chicago has a strong base for amateurs that want to play in the pro-am at $5,000/round. The WGA donor base isn't as strong in other parts of the midwest as it is in the Chicagoland area. I really think the WGA is losing sense of the values and tradition of the Western Open in more than one sense.

[SouthSide_HitMen]

I think moving it to September hurts the WGA's cause. I was an Evans Scholar and a big part of that tournament is having the two pro-ams where local caddies come out to caddy and the scholars come to caddy for the pros on the Wednesday pro-am. Chicago has a strong base for amateurs that want to play in the pro-am at $5,000/round. The WGA donor base isn't as strong in other parts of the midwest as it is in the Chicagoland area. I really think the WGA is losing sense of the values and tradition of the Western Open in more than one sense.

I didn't know they were changing the date - I thought the change was limited to rotating the venue.

It is dumb to change the weekend. Many players played here then skipped Milwaukee to prepare for the British Open. They were able to get big name players at Cog Hill and you are right this may change it (as well as the pro am which I did not think about).

I reverse my previous statement until I hear more about this change. They said it in passing on the news but either they did not mention the change to September or they did and I wasn't listening close enough.

Glad you made it through the program - I went to high school with a few Chick Evens Caddies who made it through the program as well (they did have to clean Judge Smails boat to earn it :D: ).

If you hear more about this please let me know. I'll ask my family about it next weekend (they watch golf every week / day :o: - I'm a four major and Western Open type of guy). We used to always sit by 13 - 16. 16 is my favorite hole and you could watch the par 3 and 5 at the same time (13 & 14).

[MUsoxfan]

We used to always sit by 13 - 16. 16 is my favorite hole and you could watch the par 3 and 5 at the same time (13 & 14).

I also love "Pork Chop Hill".

I guess what the PGA is doing is similar to what NASCAR did last year. They're taking the top 10-15 players and doing a series of events that becomes a points race at the end of the year. The Western Open, ahem, the BMW Championship:rolleyes: will be a part of that series of tournaments. They'll get the players, but I still don't like it

[Viva Medias B's]

There is one silver lining in the Western Open appearing at Cog Hill every other September. Frank Jemsek wants to upgrade Dubsdread so that it would be suitable to host a U.S. Open. With the Western not taking place every other year at Cog Hill, it would give Jemsek the time to have the upgrades to Dubsdread done.

[MUsoxfan]

There is one silver lining in the Western Open appearing at Cog Hill every other September. Frank Jemsek wants to upgrade Dubsdread so that it would be suitable to host a U.S. Open. With the Western not taking place every other year at Cog Hill, it would give Jemsek the time to have the upgrades to Dubsdread done.

He has alot of upgrading to do. Dubsdread is a fairly easy course as far as the PGA is concerned. It's not uncommon for the winner to finish -13 or better. That's something narrowing the fairways and growing out the rough won't do on it's own to raise the scores.

[Viva Medias B's]

He has alot of upgrading to do. Dubsdread is a fairly easy course as far as the PGA is concerned. It's not uncommon for the winner to finish -13 or better. That's something narrowing the fairways and growing out the rough won't do on it's own to raise the scores.

Jemsek brought in a noted golf architect, whose name escapes me, to design the upgrades.

[NDSox12]

Wow... looks like there are going to be a bunch of changes to the mid-summer PGA schedule. This past weekend was the last edition of the Booz Allen Classic in the Greater Washington, DC area as well. (Technically, it isn't over yet due to all the rain we've been getting here).

[SouthSide_HitMen]

This conversation started here but the title wasn't clear - golf fans / Chicago fans / Western Open fans may have missed it:

http://www.whitesoxinteractive.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=74007

I read an article today about it that clarified things and I wasn't pleased.

First on the news Monday I heard the location of the tournament was changing. I didn't know the actual tournament was being cancelled. :angry: :angry: :angry:

This is the second oldest championship event in America (only the US Open has a longer history) dating back to 1899.

They say the "new" BMW Tournament will continue to fund the caddy scholarship but between the date and venue and name change I am not so sure. You will not get the same level of participation from players who love the

A. Location - Chicago area - players and fans love coming here.
B. Time of year - Last big tournament before the British Open.
C. Longtime Tradition - The second oldest American tournament which also helps the Chick Evans Caddy's is a stop on the Tour fans and players loved to make. By cancelling the tournament, I do not think they will get the same level of response from players or fans.This is a disaster and part of a continuing trend of selling your heart and soul to the highest bidder - whoring yourself for the allusion of a few dollars more. I went from watching 5 tournaments a year (4 majors and the Western Open) to now probably 3 (Masters, US Open and British Open - **** the PGA Championship and the BMW Open).

http://www.suntimes.com/output/golf/cst-spt-west27.html