Woods Eyes Two-Way Tie For Third To Clinch Cup
/It's the stuff kids will be mimicking on putting greens across the land this week: two putts and I get out of the logjam for third to win the FedEx Cup!
Read MoreWhen one comes to the quality of the bunkers and other hazards we pass into realm of much dispute and argument. Primarily bunkers should be sand bunkers purely, not composed of gravel, stones or dirt. Whether this or that bunker is well placed, has caused more intensely heated arguments outside of the realms of religion, than has ever been my lot to listen to. C.B. MACDONALD
Available via Amazon (US): Golf Architecture For Normal People
Barnes And Noble (online and in stores)
Bookshop.org option to support local independent bookstores.
Reviews:
"Golf Architecture for Normal People . . . should be required reading for those who are not ashamed to admit they know little about the subject, and for those who think they do . . . . Golf course architecture geeks have trouble slimming their thoughts down to bite-sized chunks, but Shackelford has achieved a remarkable success here." —Independent (Ireland)
"From the relative newcomer who’s slowly getting hooked to those that have played the game for most of their lives and think they know a thing or two, Golf Architecture for Normal People provides a solid and sober perspective that will help everyone recognize why some golf courses are worth playing more than once while a single trip around others is all you’re ever likely to want or need." —Links Magazine.
“It’s a wonderful book. An easy read that arrives just in time for your summer reading list. If you’ve never thought about how an appreciation for course design could heighten your enjoyment of the game, you must check this out.”—The Peterborough Examiner
"As in his prior publications, in his newest book Shackelford shows a deep appreciation for what can be done to create a golf course that appeals to the broadest possible golfing audience…Shackelford’s prose is succinct, often witty, and accessible."—Cape Gazette
"Author, blogger and golf architecture expert Geoff Shackelford, who helped Gil Hanse design Rustic Canyon and restore 2023 U.S. Open host Los Angeles Country Club, taps into his passion by creating a guide that helps every golfer understand the nuances of course design. Published by Tatra Press, the 164-page hardcover book is a must-read for every golfer to better understand the game they love." —Golf Pass
"Shackelford provides an informative picture [and]...sprinkles in history lessons about those who planted the game's architectural roots, defines common terms and helps you hone your eyes when it comes to identifying some of the tricks of the trade."—FORE Magazine
"This new book does a great job demystifying golf course design ideas for average players, but can also be a beneficial read fro PGA Professionals and other golf course employees to get a better understanding of their home courses." —PGA Magazine
If The FedEx Cup Used The Old ADT Format...
/...here would be the 2009 Tour Championship's Saturday 16 using the 2006 version where the field of 32 was cut to 16 on Saturday and 54-hole scores decided the final 8 for Sunday's $1 million shootout (no playoff would have been necessary):
Tiger Woods
Padraig Harrington
Sean O'Hair
Ernie Els
Kenny Perry
Jerry Kelly
Angel Cabrera
Jason Dufner
Nick Watney
Lucas Glover
Stewart Cink
David Toms
Phil Mickelson
Jim Furyk
John Senden
Steve Marino
And the non-qualifiers:
Heath Slocum
Scott Verplank
Luke Donald
Retief Goosen
Steve Stricker
Zach Johnson
Kevin Na
Dustin Johnson
Brian Gay
Mike Weir
Hunter Mahan
Marc Leishman
Y.E. Yang
Geoff Ogilvy
"Without the win-or-go-home scenario that defines playoff competition in team sports, the FedEx Cup will never generate widespread public interest or earn critical acclaim."
/Some prominent writers have very different takes on the FedEx Cup.
Read MoreHave You Set Your DVR's Yet?
/After the second points reset brought Tiger back to the field for the FedEx finale, I completely lost interest in this contrived mess of a "cup chase."
Read MoreGod Really Must Not Care For FedEx Cup 3.0
/Atlantans have been Tweeting and emailing about the torrential rains all weekend and Anne Szeker
Read More"Until gambling on golf becomes part of the mainstream betting action, like college and pro football, the PGA Tour will never have a real chance to make a mark in the fall."
/The SI golf group contemplates the positive ramifications of the LPGA playing a well known tournament course in Torrey Pines (I have to agree, they should do it more often if at all possible). However, this was a more interesting debate related to the FedEx Cup finale:
Read MoreTiger Takes Day Off; Falls In FedEx Cup Standings *
/Now, I know the team at PGATOUR.com is doing their job and doing it amazingly well to keep on top of FedEx Cup scenarios, but look at this disaster of points breakdowns, scenarios, permutations and other nonsense.
Look, I get it that you want to reward the season and playoff play. But the most recent points reset really undermines that argument. If you have to gerrymand the FedEx Cup finish, then it'll never be taken seriously. Never!
Why are all these tough-guy, free-wheeling, free-market loving gamblers associated with the PGA Tour so afraid of old-fashioned, head-to-head, no points stuff, true playoff play at East Lake? Would it be too stressful?
Update on 2009-09-15 15:56 by Geoff
* John Strege agrees that the above information reminds us that the only way to fix the FedEx Cup is to use the old ADT Championship format for the four days at East Lake. You all know I've been campaigning for that since the start.
"Right there it wouldn't pass Architecture 101"
/Len Ziehm talks to a few players about Cog Hill and while the criticisms are noteworthy, I think it's more interesting to see these guys getting more nuanced in their analysis of what makes something poor.
Read MoreTiger Wins; Playoffs Take Week Off To Let Fans Ponder Points Permutation Possibilities
/I tell ya, the drama of wondering how these beancounters keep up with the shifts in points had me watching tennis. Maybe we can get a camera inside the ShotLink trailer, because that's where the numbers crunching probably goes on and where the real FedEx Cup drama lies. Anyway...
Read MoreWoods Fires 62 At Cog Hill; Open Doctor May Need To Make A House Call
/After Saturday's round, I think a pro-bono touch up is in order. No?
Update on 2009-09-13 04:36 by Geoff
Thomas Bonk doesn't think the scoring Saturday has helped Cog Hill's chances of getting a U.S. Open.
"Similar to most"
/Steve Elling asks Geoff Ogilvy whether his opening 68 was inspired by playing the pro-am with Rees Jones, fresh off another Reestorization at Cog Hill. Ogilvy asked Twitterers for questions to pass on to Rees but sadly, did not use my contribution (How does he get all of his bunkers to look the same?).
Read MoreShocker: Players Exhausted As Playoff Stretch Nears Next Confusing Point Reset
/The idea of playing the playoffs so soon after the PGA Championship has never made sense both because of the sheer volume of starts required, but also because it competes with so many sports at their peak (football, tennis, baseball). And as Thomas Bonk writes, the players are already speaking up that this year's run is not going to be repeated if they have any say.
Read More3 Hours And 19 minutes...As A Single
/I saw a few Tweets that uber-slow Ben Crane was playing as a first-out single at TPC Boston and now Michael Whitmer makes it official:
Read More"Stricker wins and ESPN leads with Tiger's 63 and mops up the recap with oh by the way Stricker gets it up and down for the win. Wow."
/John Strege at GolfDigest.com sounds a bit perplexed that new master Tweeter Peter Kostis is calling out a rival network for excessive Tiger Woods coverage at the expense of others.
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