From today's Chicago Tribune:
CHICAGO NO. 1 IN GOLF
By Ed Sherman
Tribune golf reporter
Chicago is No. 1 when it comes to golf.
The area has more golfers and more public courses than any metropolitan location in the U.S., according to a survey conducted by Database of Golf in America.
The findings, detailed in the January issue of Golf World Business, show Chicago has 167,413 "avid" golfers.
The total far outdistanced Detroit (114,822), Los Angeles (108,875) and Philadelphia (107,470). The survey also confirmed that the Chicago area is rich with public courses, ranking first with 143; Detroit is second with 125.
The results come as no surprise to golf officials in Chicago. The trend, they say, dates back to the founding of the Western Golf Association and Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton in the 1890s.
"The history of the game here has been overlooked by the rest of the country," said Robert Markionni, executive director of the Chicago District Golf Association. "Chicago has played a major role in the game growing into what it is today. People love to play here."
The area sports top-line facilities such as Cog Hill, Harborside, Kemper Lakes and the newly opened Glen Club.
"We've all traveled to other cities, and there's not the same level of public golf that there is in Chicago," said Josh Lesnik, general manager of the Glen Club. "It's almost getting to the point where supply is catching up with demand. But the quality of the courses is so high, you have to play them all."
Tap-ins: Former Northwestern stars Luke Donald and Jess Daley were in the money last week in their first tournament as official members of the PGA Tour. Donald made $75,000 for finishing in a tie for 13th at the Sony Open, and Daley earned $8,520 for a tie for 60th. ... Indications are that the new Chicago-area Buy.com event (Chicago Open, which was held at Beverly CC for the past three years) will be held at Kemper Lakes in August.