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.
Here's a strange story about a man charged with DUI after flipping a cart that included his three youngsters. Thankfully, everyone is okay.
The PGA Tour Driving Distance average dipped from 288.3 after the Masters to 287.6 following the Heritage.
I knew those overhanging trees were good for something! By the way, how do they grow grass there!?
There was 1 350-or-longer drive, with the season total at 845.
I received a complaint from someone who said my recent Golfobserver.com column on Hootie was unfair. Why? Because this well-meaning soul said that Hootie shares the same feeling about the distance issue as folks like myself.
But actually there is a big difference. Well, several. First, most of us who like classic golf courses wouldn't hire Tom Fazio to mow them, much less alter them based on his track record.
But the primary point relates to something Olin Browne touched on in Rex Hoggard's Golfweek.com column:
"The powers that be have become offended by the big hitters."
This view came through loud and clear in Hootie's press conference ("If Hogan were hitting a damn pitching wedge.."). His anger over the situation is directed at the players, almost as if this were baseball and he was having to deal with juiced players.
But as comedian Robert Wuhl pointed out a few weeks ago, in golf the equipment is juiced, not the players.
Hootie and those trying to offset eye-opening driving distances need to direct their frustration toward the governing bodies, not the players or even course designers.
The "big hitters" and manufacturers are simply doing what they are allowed under the rules.
The rulemakers--many of them members at Augusta National--are the ones who have let the game down.
And some of the results may surprise you. Others may be crying media bias!
Golfweek's Rex Hoggard ties up a few loose Masters ends. First, there is this quote from Joe Ogilvie, reminiscent of Tom Weiskopf's cadaver line from a April, 2000.
"It's like if you have a really good looking woman, but after her 20th or 30th 'plastic surgery,' she really doesn't look as good," Joe Ogilvie said.
On the Masters ball concept, Hoggard seems to think the idea is still floating around:
A winning score south of double digits and an eclectic leaderboard may keep Hootie and the bulldozers at bay for at least a year or two. But it seems Augusta National officials remain interested in the idea of a "Masters" golf ball to combat the distance gains of modern orbs.
"What are they going to call it?" asked Nick Price at the Players Championship. "The dogwood ball? What do you do, turn around and tell the manufacturers we're going to play the dogwood ball this week."
The green jackets may be closer to creating a "dogwood" ball than some would think. Sources said last week officials were measuring not only the length of players' drivers, but which particular brand and model of ball went where.
And on the David Toms rant from earlier this week, Hoggard made this point:
During Toms' tenure on the PGA Tour's four-player Policy Board, it didn't seem as if he spent a lot of time rocking the boat. But since being freed of his elected duties, Toms has been pulling fewer punches than CNN lightning rod Lou Dobbs.
Earlier this week, Toms rifled a few well-aimed – and well thought out – 5-iron shots directly at Augusta National Golf Club.
"It's still a place where the players walk around on eggshells," Toms said. "It's like, the only place all year where the players don't feel like they are the most important thing there."
Although there are no shortage of prima donnas on the PGA Tour, Toms is not one of them, and his observations likely resonate among his Tour card carrying brethren.
Commissioner Tim Finchem drops a juicy nautical metaphor in this Bruce Berlet story on how Hartford landed back on the 2007 PGA Tour FedEx Cup schedule.
First, you might some want some Dramamine after this song-and-dance routine on the summer vs. fall...
"It was a tough call but we thought, for a lot of reasons, that it could work quite well in Hartford in the fall," Finchem said. "But that was a miscalculation of the attitude of the community, which felt strongly that it could not be as strong in the fall. That led to the shift in interest in the Champions Tour, which obviously isn't as big a deal but what [the Jaycees] thought might work better in the summer than the fall date.
"Hartford had always been a priority for us, but [its date] had moved around a lot and inhibited the tournament from being able to grow from a marketing standpoint. We never felt Hartford was a tournament that didn't deserve to be in the summer, but we just had to make some choices. We made the determination that we were going to lock people into dates as best we could, and we felt Hartford would be good in the fall because of agronomics, weather, being one of the top two or three courses in that time frame and being able to be marketed well."
Amazing what work it is to say "the 84 Lumber people were more willing to meet our price, then they changed their mind."
Now, for those permutations of the port of call...
"But the community felt they would much prefer to be in the summer, so we worked with them on all the permutations. We already knew it could work in the time frame and told St. Paul we weren't in position to do exactly what they wanted to do to trigger their commitment. But when 84 Lumber stepped aside, they were the first port of call and everybody got excited."
You know I've been thinking, the Commissioner could better tap into the youth market if he would talk more like HBO's Ali G. Using the Ali G translator tranzlata, see how that last statement could better connect with the coveted 18-34 year olds:
"but da community felt dey would much dig to be in da summa, so we worked wiv them on all da permutations. we already knew it could wurk in da time frame and told st. paul we weren't in position to do pacifically wot dey wanted to do to trigga their commitment. but whun 84 lumba stepped aside, dey were da first port of call and me crew got excited."
"Me crew" is just so much more youthful. Anyway, just a suggestion on skewing younger Commissioner. Yours in branding, Geoff.
Oh, and he also talked to Berlet about the FedEx Cup...
Finchem said the FedEx Cup points system is likely to be finalized at a tour board meeting in June, with major championships having more points but not "throwing the system out of whack." Players will accumulate points from January to mid-August, and those higher in the standings will have an advantage going into a three-event series in suburban New York, Boston and Chicago before playing the Tour Championship.
"Top players have to pay attention to the aggregation of points and that translates into the likelihood of playing a more concentrated schedule," Finchem said.
Ah, maybe he's been looking at MacDuff's FedEx point standings?
Steve Campbell looks at the new Houston Open design by Rees Jones and David Toms that is debuting this week.
If the Tournament Course lives up to the reputation of its designer, then the SHO should be a breakout hit. Rees Jones has established himself as major-championship course doctor of sorts, the man the United States Golf Association and PGA of America turn to when they want to upgrade a classic layout. The son of renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones, Rees Jones has performed major undertakings at the likes of Congressional, the Country Club, Bethpage Black, Pinehurst, Torrey Pines, Medinah, Hazeltine, Baltusrol, East Lake, Sahalee and Atlanta Athletic Club.
"I've been very fortunate in my life to have done a lot of these championship venues," said Jones, whose body of work includes Redstone collaborations at Shadow Hawk and The Houstonian. "The more I do, the more I understand what you must do to challenge the best."
Nothing like learning on the job!
To that end, Jones designed a course that plays longer from the back tees than any on tour so far this season. The Tournament Course is also 51 yards shorter than the adjacent Peter Jacobsen/Jim Hardy Redstone Member Course, which served as SHO's halfway home the previous three years. Jones describes the Tournament Course as a "neo-classic" design that favors strategy and shot-making over raw power.
Longest on the Tour so far, but it favors strategy and shotmaking over raw power. Makes sense.
One of the distinctly Toms touches was No. 12. The 338-yard par-4 is, depending on the wind, drivable. With the reward of a possible eagle comes the risk of hitting the tee shot in the lateral water hazard right of the green.
"I'm hoping they set up the golf course to let guys use that risk-reward strategy," Toms said. "We don't get that very often. There's always thousands of people around those holes, trying to see what the pros can do, seeing if they can make an eagle or a double (bogey). They're well-received with the spectators, and the pros like them as well."
Wishful thinking based on this year's course setups.
"The golfer has a choice," Jones said. "I think that's great for a championship. We're making them strategize. The winner will be under par. But we're making him manage his game by the green contours and the angles of the greens. He knows the easy route may lead to a three-putt or the harder route could lead to disaster but has a greater reward."
It all sounds so good.
And therein lies the crux of the debate: is the links in its present configuration and condition worth preserving? Or has the damage already been done? One of the few areas on which both sides are agreed is that the course is a long way from the one on which those five far-off Open champions learned the game.
So is it too late to save what is left of the Musselburgh links? And is it worth saving? While any number of mistakes have been made over the years - the short fifth, for example, had two nonsensical and wholly inappropriate bunkers added behind the green as recently as the past decade - and the course itself is best described as shabby, it is difficult for any golfer not to hope instinctively for its salvation.
As to what may or may not still happen, both sides are already preparing for the on-going battle.
"I'm still confident the golf course will regain its pride and that the interests of the club will be looked after," says MacGregor, at the same time acknowledging that the public inquiry came as "a bit of a surprise".
On the other hand, Colville is delighted at the latest development. "I'm still not sure of ultimate victory; far from it," he adds. "But I think we have a far better chance of winning in a public forum than we did when it was up to the Executive. We have support across the town from all sorts of people, and that has to count for something."
This AP notes column reports on David Toms' critical comments this week, and this caught my eye:
Toms had no problem with the golf course, even though he missed the cut after shooting two rounds of 76. Augusta National was longer than ever, and though Toms said he played poorly, he said he could compete when conditions were firm and fast.That's quite a contrast to how he actually sounded early in the week.
"I think they're on the right track," he said.
The New Zealand Herald's Peter Williams writes about the Ohio Golf Association's competition ball:
The Ohio Golf Association (OGA) is boldly going where no golf body has gone before. It's ordering competitors in one of its tournaments to use a certain ball - although they haven't actually decided which one.And...
The OGA, which runs the game in the state where Jack Nicklaus was born and raised, says they are taking a stand against the eroding playability of our old courses due to the length of the modern golf ball.
So, when the OGA hosts the Champions Tournament in August, every player will be required to use a lower-compression ball chosen by the tournament committee.
The impact of the long-distance, modern golf ball is one of the hottest discussion points in American golf.
The R&A and USGA are the only bodies which can legislate against the manufacturers to stop the ball going further. There are already many restrictions on equipment. A ball must be a certain size and weight, driver heads must be no larger than 460cc, while there has to be a certain angle between the club face on an iron and the grooves. So the game's rulers haven't been afraid to put restrictions on equipment, even if they've been sued by manufacturers as a consequence.Well...
But the major reason elite players hit the ball further is the advance in ball technology. The revolution started in 1996 with Spalding's first high-performance two-piece ball, the Top Flite Strata. Manufacturers followed suit with two-piece technology and since equipment companies like Titleist and Callaway put their R&D efforts into ball technology, there's been no stopping increased performance.
But while the elite can hit the ball up to 100m more - 320m par fours on the PGA Tour are now considered driveable - average club players don't get the same advantage.
Since there was no week in review while the Masters was unfolding, we're playing catch-up here. And instead of going through all of the key stories posted, I'd direct you to the Journal Topics (2006 Masters) or the Monthly Archive for April.
Instead, I wanted to highlight just some of the many great reader comments over the last few weeks. It is interesting to think that just a few years ago, the tangled connection between technology, design and setup was murky at best for most. And now...
When Ron Kroichik looked at the distance issue and the Masters ball concept, reader Kirk Gill wrote, "Tiger says that putting the brakes on the distance a golf ball will travel would hurt the golf ball making industry. Uh, excuse me. All it would do would be to put pressure on the manufacturers to find other ways besides distance to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Like they did for decades. People play golf. People use golf balls. People either lose or beat up their golf balls to the point that they need to get new ones."
M. Kavanaugh said, "My wife and I have been buying new razor blades for years as well as golf balls, do we really care what the latest Schick will do for a clean close shave? Not really, same with golf balls."
On the story of Phil Mickelson and his two drivers, JPB wrote, "If a player chooses to use one of his 14 clubs on an extra driver - fine. Nobody had major problems with 4 wedges...I think a player should be able to use what he wants within the limit...I don't know how much is new technology and how much is fat laziness and not practicing, but it doesn't surprise me he is trying this. I actually think it is a good idea given the importance of the drive. Better to dump a long iron and carry 2 drivers. I sort of admire Phil for trying it actually."
And Smolmania said: "I would hate for someone to tell me that I can't put 5 wedges in my bag as indicative of a lack of skill. In my view, the configuration of a bag is a question of choices. When you miss as many greens as I do, you need options. . . and I choose wedges."
Mike Clayton previewed the Masters, prompting this from RM, "It's the tree plantings that are the most troubling, and really just plain crazy. Changes to Augusta- tees, bunkers, etc.- always blend in perfectly, but these new trees just do not belong. They don't look right and feel out of place, not to mention they just make the holes claustrophobic, contrary to the strategy and charm of the course. They could always just cut them down, but I have a feeling Hootie would never let his pride take such a hit."
Tiger's pre-Masters press conference talked about design and his love of Royal Melbourne, prompting skannberg to write, "it's amazing tiger loves the sandbelt courses so much, even wants to design like em. why then does he constantly refuse to play 'em every year."
After reading Leonard Shapiro's story on the odd USGA-Augusta National relationship, JM noted, "The smugness is what kills me. It's half Oz and all 'we are above the game,' which is exactly the kind of thinking that goes hand-in-hand with developing "brands" and protecting the unhuman concept that has become the Masters, and what ultimately ends up repelling people from golf. Where is the honest, strategy-based golf competition between the best players in the game, against themselves and a masterpiece of a course, where the fans are treated to unpredictable and thrilling golf? I will be hard-pressed to explain to my son or my colleagues -- who have no interest in golf for these very reasons, despite my protestations -- that the challenges and rewards of the game are physically and psychically worth my obsession -- and, 'no really,' perhaps theirs, as well."
Regarding the wonderful Amen Corner Live and the announce team of Phil Blackmar and Mike Hulbert, Dan G. noted that, "I was feeling pretty guilty about procrastinating with my school work. Then Bobby Clampett came on and I got right back to work."
And hearing David Feherty's course change-cheerleading, Rick Adams said, "Perhaps David's trying to make up to the lords of CBS for his soapbox comment,"Why is Marv Albert working and Ben Wright isn't?"
During the Masters rain delay, we looked back at the surprising article submitted by reader Michael that revealed Perry Maxwell's planned 1937 changes, prompting reader Hux to observe: "It appears our dearest Maxwell betrayed Dr. Mackenzie before his blood was cold in the ground. As did Jones. Say it ain't so."
Regarding the final round, there were plenty of opinions. Ned Ludd: "Wouldn't it be something if they could spend their billions on cloning Alister MacKenzie so HE could make the changes, if any, to the course...or in the alternative, lay down the law regarding equipment. To here Nantz et al. talk about MacKenzie in such prayerful tones when all the bunkers scream Alabama Golf Trail is sad."
Dan G. wrote, "I found Kostis holding up Clark as proof that short-knockers have a chance pretty annoying. But in the interview it seemed to me like Clark felt he was at quite a disadvantage once it rained."
DAW had a different take: "The players hit some good shots that could have led to heroics but they couldn't follow them up with putts. If Couples and Tiger made their eagles, would people be talking about how there was no buzz on the back nine? I think that the field just didn't get it done on Sunday and it's convenient but not accurate to blame it on the course."
And reader Brett: "It was as boring as a U.S. Open. Guys puking all over themselves. Tons of greens missed. Shoes that needed some real spikes, Rocco Mediate. A 66 on Sunday by Olazabal, the low score of the week. Bangers having a 5 club advantage. Steve is right, on the weekend I went and played golf instead of watching the Masters, no excitement. None."
RM attends the Masters annually and wrote: "I must admit that there was a different feel to it this year. The players definitely had a look of serious concern on their faces at all times. At one point after lunch on Thursday there were only 2 players under par, and only -1. If it weren't for Rocco and Vijay getting hot, it would have been a rough start and the changes would have been the story rather than the golf. Although I think the changes played out better than we thought, they probably got a little lucky, and it might not be long until we get a real US Open type Masters where some undeserving player hangs on for dear life and snags a green jacket with an over par score. And at that point we will really begin to realize just what we're missing.
In the course verdict watch department, Etienne wrote: "Had the club lengthened the course step by step over the last few years to find the correct balance in combating technology and the design integrity of Jones and Mackenzie, this second cut stuff would not have been necessary. Jones' philosophy of golf (and Augusta) being a second shot game would have held true."
On Kevin Mitchell's blistering column about the role of manufacturers in the game today, J.P. wrote: "Mitchell is saying that golf's history is like the baby being thrown out with the bath water, because the USGA has been over ruled by the manufacturers. For the manufacturers, its been like taking candy from a baby."
The USGA's Distance Myth's talking points were released at Augusta and Oldschool says that the "USGA for whatever reason is now implementing a cover up. Keep trying Walter, but the stats do not support your (myths) opinions."
Reader Michael noted, "Hogan called the tee shot the most important shot in golf...To see what has happened with driving accuracy succumbing to driving distance as being the majority deciding factor in the game today is shameful. All of this for what? To hear the USGA saying that their main mission is the preservation of the game, and in maintaining its history and integrity is heresy."
RGM said: "The USGA is in full cover up mode. Their test was set up for 109 miles per hour, Walter Driver claims the average swing speed is 112, why did they up it to 120? Was it because at 109 the real technological evidence was revealing itself. Ut...Oh! Yes, that's why they did it. It was too evident at 109 with whats happened in the past 4 years. The USGA also changed its testing for COR, another red flag. These changes haven't produced clearer results, but to the contrary have created a clouded, cloaked situation from which the USGA is testing."
And Tour Rep offered this: "Everything described on this post is 95% accurate. The other 5% I can not verify with certainty but it lends itself to practicality. Knowing what I do, from the week in, week out drill, the ball and driver has certainly ruined golf on the professional level. It's easy for me to say this after 25 plus years in the industry and dealing with the latest equipment yearly. The sport is now dependent on bombing, we build 4 times as many drivers each week in the trailer as compared to sets of irons. Each driver we build consists of every conceivable shaft weight, flex profile, frequency, torque, butt and tip stiffness profile, and believe it or not color. These guys know that distance today means everything, and that's all they think about. Ten years ago the emphasis was on irons, wedges, and putters. I see the difference, which is sad for golf."
On the rumor that Merion is looking good for the 2013 U.S. Open, Smolmania wrote, "Why are we going to have an Open at a course where Tiger, Phil, and the big hitters won't even be able to think about pulling driver out of the bag? Sorry to say, but until something is done about the ball, there's no reason to try to hold our national championship at Merion."
And finally, on the news that Rees Jones had restored Medinah with MacKenzie/Tilly bunkers, DK said, "So Medinah has MacKenzie and Tillinghast bunkers. Does it also have Maxwell greens, Jones Sr. tee boxes, Colt and Alison hollows, Emmet cross bunkers, and Travis chocolate drops? You know just like Bendelow designed it."
From Bernie McGuire in the Telegraph:
Darren Clarke's goal of playing all four rounds of the Verizon Heritage Classic was not going to plan long before he was introduced on to the last green as "From Portrush, England. Darren Clarke."
Hey if Portrush was in England, we'd actually get to see a British Open played there.
My apologies for posting this late, but here's MacDuff's latest take on the FedEx Cup points standings through the Masters. Shockingly, Phil has moved to the top. And it occurs to me that the Tour will want to create some sort of mid-season incentive (like the LPGA) to make fans actually pay attention to this uh, chase.
MacDuff...you didn't mention if you added extra points for the Masters? Please enlighten us.
1 Mickelson 15346.87 9
2 Singh 13234.37 9
3 C.Campbell 12000 10
4 Toms 11871.87 7
5 Sabbatini 11741.66 8
6 Petersson 11283.33 10
7 Olazabal 10875 7
8 Furyk 10762.5 8
9 Gf. Ogilvy 10737.5 7
10 T.Woods 10659.37 6
11 Donald 10289.37 7
12 Glover 9854.16 7
13 Weir 9809.37 7
14 Oberholser 9550 8
15 Verplank 9537.5 7
16 Pernice 9437.5 7
17 Goosen 9162.5 6
18 Van Pelt 9127.5 9
19 Mayfair 8604.16 8
20 Z.Johnson 8475 8
21 Lehman 8350 7
22 Villegas 8025 7
23 Ames 7975 6
24 Appleby 7925 7
25 T.Clark 7872.5 8
26 Bohn 7770.83 8
27 Rollins 7675 7
28 Cink 7633.83 7
29 Parnevik 7567.5 8
30 D.Wilson 7425 8
31 Chopra 7424.5 8
32 Love III 7212.5 7
33 Garcia 7175 6
34 Pampling 7142.5 6
35 Warren 7112.5 7
36 Gay 6925 8
37 Couples 6825 7
38 Franco 6800 7
39 JB Holmes 6695.83 6
40 Imada 6692.5 7
41 G. Owen 6662.5 6
42 Barlow 6657.5 7
43 Bertsch 6550 7
44 Choi 6400 6
45 Funk 6337.5 7
46 Jobe 6330 6
47 D. Howell 6262.5 5
48 Pat Perez 6262.5 7
49 Els 6250 6
50 Allenby 6187.5 6
51 Palmer 6166.66 6
52 Fischer 6150 8
53 F.Jacobson 6050 5
54 Purdy 5975 6
55 Rose 5966.66 5
56 JJ Henry 5875 5
57 M.Wilson 5852.5 5
58 A.Scott 5850 5
59 J.Ogilvie 5845 6
60 Baird 5680 6
61 Leonard 5670.83 6
62 Bjornstad 5655 6
63 Harrington 5537.5 5
64 J.Byrd 5500 4
65 Vn Taylor 5362.5 5
66 Langer 5354.16 6
67 Hoffman 5332.5 5
68 Jerry Kelly 5325 4
69 Beem 5318.75 7
70 N.Green 5262.5 6
71 Westwood 5187.5 5
72 Calc 5150 7
73 Olin Browne 5137.5 7
74 Cabrera 5100 5
75 Bub Watson 5075 5
76 Hart 4987.5 5
77 DiMarco 4984.37 4
78 Branshaw 4937.5 5
79 D.Clarke 4900 4
80 RS Johnson 4875 4
81 Bryant 4862.5 5
82 Triplett 4750 4
83 Watney 4737.5 6
84 Senden 4625 4
85 Curtis 4650 6
86 Matteson 4600 6
87 J.Smith 4512.5 5
88 Herron 4507.5 5
89 Gore 4387.5 4
90 Crane 4345 4
91 Atwal 4312.5 4
92 Howell III 4300 8
93 Sluman 4287.5 8
94 Flesch 4255 6
95 Frazar 4187.5 6
96 Br.Davis 4162.5 6
97 Waldorf 4037.5 5
98 Cook 4000 4
99 Dickerson 3975 7
T100 Veazey 3962.5 4
T100 Kenny Perry 3962.5 4
102 Barron 3943.75 4
103 S.Jones 3912.5 5
104 Faxon 3787.5 5
105 Estes 3775 3
106 Gove 3750 4
107 Slocum 3725 6
108 Lonard 3662.5 5
109 Immelman 3650 4
110 Maggert 3625 6
111 Kaye 3550 4
112 Kent Jones 3537.5 4
113 Micheel 3500 4
114 Lowery 3462.5 5
115 Jimenez 3387.5 3
116 Geiberger 3287.5 4
117 Sean O'Hair 3287.5 6
118 Stankowski 3265.5 5
119 Katayama 3171.87 4
T120 Azinger 3112.5 4
T120 Petrovic 3112.5 4
122 Gronberg 3062.5 3
123 H.Stenson 3012.5 3
124 S. Maruyama 3000 5
125 Lickliter II 2912.5 3
126 Ridings 2912.5 4
127 Gamez 2887.5 4
128 Garrigus 2880 4
129 Kevin Na 2875 3
130 Poulter 2875 4
131 WMacKenzie 2837.5 3
132 JL Lewis 2800 5
133 Huston 2762.5 3
134 B. Quigley 2750 3
135 Points 2737.5 3
136 Brehaut 2712.5 6
137 Mahan 2662.5 5
138 Levet 2662.5 6
139 Celka 2645 6
140 Dawson 2500 4
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
