“The Prairie Raynor,” a history of the transformation of Chicago Golf Club directed by renowned golf course architect Seth Raynor, recently received the United States Golf Association’s (USGA) Herbert Warren Wind Award for an outstanding work of golf literature. Written by club historian and CDGA member John Moran and writer/historian Rand Jerris, the book (pictured) serves as the authoritative story of Raynor’s historic transformation of the course from the Charles Blair Macdonald original – which was threatened with obsolescence because of improvements in ball technology – to the masterpiece it is today. Moran and Jerris were formally recognized at the USGA’s annual meeting March 1 in Pinehurst, N.C.
“Chicago Golf Club has been an important home for my family and me, and the opportunity to tell the story of its golf course with Rand Jerris has been a pleasure and a privilege,” said Moran, who caddied at the course before becoming a member in 1986.
Wind was a celebrated sportswriter, who received the USGA’s Bob Jones Award, the organization’s highest honor.
The John Deere Classic announced that Zac Brown Band will perform at the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday, July 6, at TPC Deere Run in Silvis. It will be the third year of the tournament’s Concerts on Course series, which previously has featured the likes of Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Counting Crows and Darius Rucker. Negotiations were under way to secure a Saturday evening performer for this year, tournament o icials said. Performances take place adjacent to the 18th fairway. Zac Brown Band is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning, Southern rock group led by front man, Zac Brown. Ticket sales begin April 1 at johndeereclassic.com.
Troon, under the leadership of Matt McIntee, re-upped its contracts to manage the golf operations of both the Chicago Park District and the Cook County Forest Preserve District. Troon will manage the Park District’s six golf courses and two driving ranges and the county’s 10 courses and one driving range. The courses had been managed by Indigo Golf Partners (previously known as Billy Casper Golf) before Troon acquired Indigo in 2021. —Barry Cronin