From the Editor: Gone but Not Forgotten

We have a motto around here at Chicagoland Golf: “Local, local, local.” Put another way, we want to be the last word on the golf scene in the Chicago area.

Rarely do we stray from our mission, but you’ll note from our cover that we have this issue. Maybe not as much as it seems, though. Arnold Palmer’s influence was so great—so sweeping—that it extended into every nook and cranny of America’s golf community. We all felt as if we knew Arnie. He could have fit seamlessly into your weekly foursome, except that he was about 50 times better at golf than you and your buddies.

That was the magic of Palmer: He was both the guy next door and a worldwide sports icon of the highest standing. Ali. Ruth. Jordan. And yes, Palmer. He was the ultra-rare athlete who transcended his sport. Even people who knew nothing about golf knew about Arnold Palmer. He was instantly recognizable.

So long, Arnie. Our golf community here in Chicago—as well as those everywhere—will feel the loss.

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I know I say this every October, but I can’t believe we’re wrapping up another season of golf. As usual, the summer flew by. 

It was a good year for Chicagoland Golf, if I do say so myself. Throughout the season, we brought you interesting and informative stories that homed in on the local golf scene. Among my favorites:

• “A Changing of the Guard,” Spring, by Steve Greenberg. This Q&A shined the spotlight on Jordan Abdel-Haq, the incoming executive director of the Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA). The IJGA is one of the most important organizations in our area, and we’re always happy to keep you up to date on its latest developments.

• “Final Exams,” May, by Mike Stokes. No one does a better job than Stokes of pinpointing the up-and-comers in the area, and this article was no different. With a sweeping touch, Stokes gave us the lowdown on the best collegiate golfers from Chicagoland.

• “Teeing Up the Women’s Golf Season,” June, by Len Ziehm. Women’s golf doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves. But this article offered a comprehensive look at the goings-on over the summer on the women’s scene.

• “We’ve Entered the Links Era,” July, by Herb Gould. This insightful article told us why links-style golf is growing in popularity across the United States, including in the Chicago area.

• “Paradise Pups,” September, by Mike Munro. This is the type of quirky little article that I love. Proving that we leave no stone unturned at Chicagoland Golf, we did some legwork and brought you the golf courses in the area that serve up the best hotdogs. What a fun topic. After all, who doesn’t love a good hotdog?

• “Nike’s Partial Pullout from Golf Should Come as No Surprise,” September, by Rory Spears. In the very same issue, we also demonstrated out ability to cover heavier topics. Here, Spears provided an inside look at Nike’s exit from golf, and he did a particularly nice job of showing the local impact of the move.

“Staving Off the Rust,” October, by Jason Langendorf. This quick and fun read, brought to you by a true wordsmith, outlines how to keep your golf game sharp over the winter.

And so it goes. Another year is in the books. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.