Roll Call: Bloomington/Normal

I’ve exchanged some messages with @DrJ on this front, but figured I’d throw it out to the wider group just in case.

Anybody looking for some screengolf after the holidays? I know we’ve got a handful of options in Peoria (Country Club BBQ, Quail, Weaver Ridge, The Bunker in Pekin) and I saw that an XGolf opened in BloNo and interested in checking that out eventually.

Personally looks like the first weekend in January would work really well for me, wife works all weekend so I could do anything before or after 3-6pm when she’ll be awake before heading in.

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In case any of you are interested, we just opened up signup for our annual Tee It Up! For The GFPD scramble at Weibring on Friday, May 19th. We do both an 8:00 and 1:30 shotgun start, with lunch and beverages on the course included for everyone. I know scrambles aren’t everyone’s favorite format, but wanted to share in case anyone was interested. Also, we have a Happy Hour the night before at Destihl Brewery. Tickets are just $25 for Thursday night.

Our spots in the scramble go quickly - we’re already nearly half sold since opening up yesterday, so if you want to play go ahead and grab a spot.

If not, we’ll be doing our online auction again the week of May 14-21, so I’ll be sure to post that here too. If anyone has anything they’d like to donate for the auction (it’s 501c3 so we can give you a tax receipt), just let me know!!

Thanks!!

Todd

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Really impressive how fast those spots go! Has to be a testament to the organization and the event. I won’t be playing again this year, but signed up for a volunteer spot and I look forward to the auction again. See ya out there hopefully.

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Awesome!! Thanks so much @Janders34! Glad to have you join in. And not that you need convincing, but the free beverages on course apply to volunteers too if you’re thirsty that day…:slight_smile:

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Met my family at BloNo Pizza Co last night for dinner and to take a few swings. I thought it was heated, but only a select few were actually well heated, but overall could definitely be a fun spot to meet-up late night or before the weather actually breaks. Really good food and solid beer selection.

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Went there once when it was snowing with the same idea, would’ve been better off bringing my own space heater from the garage. Surprisingly the toptracer worked though. Definitely a solid spot for some offseason swings

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BloNo Pizza is a good time. Though it’s not quite built for a true winter session - the heated garages are the spot if it’s actually cold. The patio is still a little too exposed if it’s below 40 or so. I always joke that it’s the poor man’s TopGolf - pretty good experience as long as you don’t care that where the ball lands isn’t anything to write home about. Quite a bit cheaper though which is good.

We’ve been going quite a bit over the last couple of years - during the height of Covid it was one of the few places to gather with a group and feel comfortable. Also we hosted my wife’s birthday there in March last year - the NBA Jam room for $40/hour is a hell of a deal. Comes with like 4 hitting spots too I think.

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I worked there through my four years at ISU and I always told customers that it’s ~kinda~ heated. Couldn’t say that it was actually heated in good conscience

It’s a shame that the full pro shop upstairs closed down. I was there in their last years before it was sold to the Pizza Co. I used to hit 100 different demo club combinations each day

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Also speaking of local ranges, rumor has it the range at The Links at Ireland Grove may be closing up and they might build condos on the land instead. Which is a real bummer as it’s the easiest range for me to get to and you can just swipe your credit card so no one even needs to be working. Seemed like it always had steady traffic with very little expense, plus that’s where they held lessons and golf camps etc., so it’s a surprise they’d need to close it.

I think the course will stay open (at least from the rumor I heard), but if it closes too it would be quite a blow.

I stopped by there a few times when I was coaching/reffing soccer and we had our tournament at the airport fields. It was so nice to just walk across the street to hit balls or take a quick loop.

Like you said, always seemed to be a few cars there when I was out that way so seems strange.

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Yep the location is great. Even before covid/WFH, I could head there on my lunch break and squeeze in a quick 9, grab a sandwich from the crappy Subway and be back at my desk within about an hour and 15-20 minutes.

Ah man! I hope that it doesn’t close. Thats my favorite range in town probably. I used to cycle which one I went to depending on the wind direction but now with 4 kids I just go for convenience. Plus they had lights at night in the summer. Beats the mid day heat. Yelled at some dumb high schoolers last time intentionally aiming for the cars and houses on the west side of the range. Wonder if those owners have complained.

Totally agree about BloNo pizza. It was pretty fun but if the wind is blowing those bays don’t heat up. Went there last year kids and my 6 year old still talks about it.

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Good point I forgot about. Think it’s the only lighted range in town (aside from BloNo which is more than just a range obviously).

Hey guys - we’ve had a flurry of signups for our GFPD scramble in May, so if anyone was thinking about it, go ahead and grab a spot. I’m guessing we’ll be full by this weekend at the latest. It’s a good problem to have admittedly!

Thanks!

Welp:

I followed up with Jeff to ask who bought it - while he didn’t say that, he did say he expected the course to be open for a couple of years. So long term prospects don’t sound great, but it should still be operating for the immediate future.

Really hope another local course takes advantage to expand their junior-focused program (*cough Highland *cough), but I’m not holding my breath.

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Out at Madison this morning. Looking good out there.

If anyone wants to meet up for a round this year, hit me up.

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Me and @RunItOut are looking for a Saturday to come down and play Lick Creek. Can’t this week but next week the 13th could work. @DrJ you interested?

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Commencement is that day so I have to dress up in my Hogwarts robes and sit on a stage. Don’t think that one will work for me.

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You think the 20th would be any better?

Not for me. Heading down to STL for the @ConfluenceGC major.

What time would you be looking to play on the 13th? Graduation is in the morning, let me do some digging about how long it lasts.