"Firm and fast might mean big stats and low scores, but soft and slow fairways mean challenging and fair golf."
/I think you know how I feel about this, so I'm throwing this Mike Purkey Global Golf Post column out to you wolves readers:
Read MoreIn golf construction art and utility meet; both are absolutely vital; one is utterly ruined without the other. GEORGE THOMAS
It’s back!
Twenty years later Tatra Press has kindly allowed me to bring back Grounds For Golf now that golf architecture is of more interest to the masses. A new Introduction looks at what’s driven the interest growth and two new chapters I had a blast adding (plus a few edits to keep things up-to-date).
The Amazon purchase page for the book arriving June 15, 2026.
The Walkability Ratings
/If you haven't checked out The Walking Golfer website, have a look at their Walkability ratings for golf courses. Pretty impressive database even if Rustic Canyon gets downgraded for "Several Long G/Ts". That's what happens when use amateur architects.
Read MoreThe Tiger Effect...Golfdom Podcast
/Larry Aylward interviewed me about my February Golfdom column (not posted yet) for their monthly podcast:
Read More"The fact that I can play the Biltmore for $55 in December, it blows my mind"
/J. Craig Anderson files a largely depressing story about the state of golf in Arizona.
Read More"Tiger helped golfers, like me, who passionately love the game but am ashamed of the its 'history.'"
/John Strege first noted the passing of golf pioneer Bill Powell and while I don't want to look past his amazing life accomplishments as documented lovingly in this Richard Goldstein NY Times obituary, but reader Hugh noted my post last week asking what Tiger Woods had done to influence the everyday sport and offered this:
Read MoreHow Has Tiger Helped Everyday Golf?
/There seems to be great consternation that Tiger's problems will have a negative impact on the game and the business of golf.
Read More"It's all about value"
/My November Golfdom column is up and I'd love your thoughts on it as well as the Texterity feature Golfdom now uses for the online edition of the magazine.
Read More"Too many inexperienced operators are using price as a blunt instrument to generate activity."
/In Roger Vincent's front page, below the fold story on golf's struggles, the inevitable discussion about "heavy discounting" comes up and as usual, I just can't comprehend the mentality of holding firm on pricing. I know some of you B-school grads out there can explain to me why deflation of prices during lean times amortizes value equity depreciation dynamics, so please help us understand exactly why it is that we read stuff like this:
Read More"The recession has dealt a mean bogey to golf."
/If I didn't know golf when reading Roger Vincent's front page LA Times story on golf's economic struggles, I think I'd read these numbers and think, gee that's not as rough as other industries:
Read MoreAllenby On PGA Tour Players: "It's just everything is handed to them on a silver plate."
/Mike Walker at golf.com passes along some of Robert Allenby's comments from Dubai about why there aren't more American PGA Tour players like Jason Duffner playing abroad:
Read More"On a spring day in 1951, Austin mayor Taylor Glass got a call from City Hall that two 'colored boys' were playing golf."
/Kudos to USGA.org for commissioning Jim Apfelbaum's loving history of Austin’s Lions Municipal Golf Course and it's recent historic designation,
Read MoreCounting Down: Golf Inc.'s Most Powerful People In Golf
/Sorry Wally, Golf Inc. only puts you at #17, a slot behind someone named Joe Munsch from a company called Eagle Golf. But at least you're ahead of Mark King and George O'Grady. But Gary Player at #12? What assemblage of talent.
Read More"The country club has to evolve and become like piazzas in Italy, the town square where families—and not just the men who are golfing—meet on weekends"
/Dean Foust looks at the demise of the second-tier country club in a Businessweek/Golf Digest collaborative piece.
Read MoreIs There A New American Course Under Construction?
/I'm just perusing the archives and preparing my annual year-in-review story for Golfdom, and while I know The Cliffs folks claim that their Tiger Woods-designed course is under construction, I'm wondering if anyone can name a new American golf course that is under construction?
