(GOLFEST 2009 CONT'D) ...   

     6/1 - Cog Hill Golf & Country Club -Dubsdread ...  The weather forecast for Cog Hill, the home of the annual BMW Championship, was absolutely correct ... for about one-hole.  Or long enough for our group to drop a bundle on waterproof gear in the Dubsdread Pro Shop.  However ..., about the time our three groups reached the second hole, everybody was quickly peeling the stuff off because the rain stopped and the humidity rose fast.  The course was in excellent shape, which was a given, since it recently reopened on May 15th after going through major renovations.

     The greens were the most unique of the entire trip and provided the feeling you were putting on a 1" thick piece of cork board.  Cog Hill, which is attempting to get a future US Open scheduled at their facility, installed a state-of-the-art aeration and moisture removal system called SubAir.  We will vouch that it actually happened because there were no "water-issues" on the greens after a night full of rainfall.  However, the rest of the course didn't play easy as only seven of our dozen ended up breaking 100 on this day.  Most found trouble in the bunkers and tree lines.  There was a strong possibility that 126 holes of golf fatigue might have played a role in that!  Something unique that we discovered at Cog Hill was that they don't utilize cart girls for cocktails and refreshments on the course - ever.  The clubhouse and the concession building at the turn served beer on tap -- that's it.  Reed Conley pointed out that it's hard to make a vodka-tonic with beer.

     After a quick lunch break, we were prepared to close out our 2009 adventure with a nine-hole best-ball tournament on Cog Hill's No. 3 course.  However, lighting and thunder rolled in and rocked the area in an threatening fashion as we lined up our groups on the tee box.  In just a few seconds, it went from overcast -- to raining cats and dogs, forcing some of us to race back to the restaurant bar.  (In fact, we just needed a cheap excuse to find a bar.)  Just as quickly as it started, it ended.  Ten-minutes later, the tourney was back in business, less four players who preferred the drier confines and comfortable chairs of the bar lounge.  The team of Mike Rittner, Todd Baltzley, Mark Pickering and Art Taylor ended up winning the affair with a smoking hot five-under score.

     The 30-minute drive back to downtown Chicago was uneventful as everyone looked forward to hot showers and clean clothes and a 7:30 dinner reservation at Ditkas Restaurant.  The fine staff at Ditka's fixed us up with a private room upstairs and we indulged on cocktails, hors d'oeuvre, 20 ounce pork chops, steak, and fish, and a dessert platter.  We also used the event as an opportunity to pass out a few awards.  Among them were acknowledgments and congratulations to Pat Calahan, Reed Conley, and Mike Barbone who survived their first-ever Golfest experience.  They were hooked and fully committed to Golfest 2010.

     Mark Suzda earned the low-gross honors for the week and $150 for his 77 at the Glen Club.  Barbone took home two awards.  The first was for his adjusted low net score of 59.4 during his post-chokefest round at TPC Deere Run.  The other was the uncoveted Triple-Bogey award for his Mike Werner impression of CHOKEFEST - THE SEQUEL.  Barbone received a $100 gift card from Mike Fitzgerald, which should come in handy to pay his emergency room deductible.  Before next years trip, all golfers will have to submit their handicaps, along with a note from their mom stating they know how to chew their food.

     The Blow-Up Round award was earned outright by Texan Reed Conley who lit up his scorecards with three rounds of 115.  Art "Five-Putt" Taylor won the Shot of the Week Award for the distinction of actually hitting a barn on a golf course.  The award was intended for an awesome shot.  However, charter members Jim Allen and Jim Dee felt it was more appropriate for someone who will never be accused of not being able to hit the "broadside of a barn."  Congrats Art!

     The rest of the evening was reserved for rehashing some of the great and not-so-great moments of the trip.  Ditka's souvenir shop did a brisk business emptying out the remains of our wallets for Tommy Bahama-style Ditka shirts and cigars.  Collectively, we all agreed that it was another successful Golfest trip.  We have officially marked our Illinois scorecards as CONQUERED, leaving Florida for the 2010 edition.

     Special thanks to all of you who log on to Golfest frequently.  On June 2nd, while most of us were traveling home, our website odometer turned its 60,000 hit.  Not bad for a two-year old website.  Thank you for your support!!!  ...

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