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.
That's what Bill Fields says in today's Golf World Monday. He also writes:
TV could better utilize the mics already on course, and the tour mandate its players to do interviews during a round. The latter would give viewers more without taking away something from the stars of the show.
Paul Dunn pens a Pilot guest essay decrying the Pine Forest project in Pinehurst going before the Moore County Board of Commissioners this week.
Developer MHK Ventures Inc. estimates the planned gated community could ultimately contain 600 to 700 homes, two 18-hole and one nine-hole golf courses, a 300-room resort hotel and a commercial district. With 43 excellent golf courses already situated within the so-called Golf Capital of the World, one might question the project’s financial prospects with the economy in deep recession.
After 9/11, ClubCorp abandoned bold plans for Pinehurst Courses No. 9 and 10. The Dormie Club, Legacy Lakes and Little River haven’t seen strong demand for golf venue homes. Stonehill Pines, ambitiously touted to be a major Foxfire project, lies dormant on the drawing board. So the first question the public and commissioners should ask is, “Are 45 more holes of golf and another resort hotel realistic at this time and place?”
If you watched the Sony Open finale you know Mark Wilson won by two thanks to a birdie on the last hole. It turns out the birdie wasn't necessary after Steve Marino missed his lengthy eagle putt, but as Doug Ferguson notes, Wilson did not know where he stood. I never know how guys do this, but it worked!
Wilson hit into a bunker and blasted out some 12 feet past the hole. But his par putt caught enough of the lip to fall, and he clutched his fist. Only later did Wilson reveal that he didn't look at a leaderboard, not wanting to think about anything but making birdies.
He asked his caddie as they walked toward the 18th green where they stood, and the caddied told him, "Just get it up-and-down." Wilson obeyed, pitching to 4 feet. The putt became easier when Marino missed his eagle.
While most like John Huggan are looking ahead to Tuesday's announcement of Jose Maria Olazabal as the next Ryder Cup Captain, Lawrence Donegan reports that it's the day of Elliot Saltman's cheating hearing. Sounds like a he said-he-he said situation.
All have been instructed not to discuss the details of the case but the Observer has established that Saltman faces charges of incorrectly replacing his ball at least five times during the first round of the event in Russia – marking the ball in one position (at "eight o'clock" on its circumference) on the green and replacing in another (at "six o'clock"), marginally closer to the hole.
These alleged infringements were drawn to his attention by his playing partners at the end of the round, after which all three met with Gary Butler, the European Tour rules official in charge that week. After that meeting, Saltman was disqualified. The Scot this week denied any wrongdoing, but in an interview with journalists in Spain last month he indicated that, in the immediate aftermath of the events in Russia, he agreed he had broken the rules. "I accepted what was said at the time because I was in shock at the time and I didn't want to be labelled a cheat. I am sorry now that I didn't stand up for myself,'' he said.
Dustin Johnson spoke to Doug Ferguson to clarify the rumors about his Sony Open WD and his fling with LPGA star Natalie Gulbis.
I know I should care about the Lexi Thompson controversy but I just can't get excited about her plight. Which consists of only getting a limited number of sponsor exemptions because she's under 18. I do like Commissioner Mike Whan's stance, which isn't very consistent with commissioners in other sports who welcome athletes, no matter how young. Steve Elling on Whan's split decision of sorts.
Randall Mell talks to Tom Weiskopf about "mystique" and the likelihood that Tiger has lost his after the last year's worth of news. But he also makes an interesting point about technology that in some ways speaks to just how dominant Tiger has been and, as some of us believe, how modern equipment has made his competition better.
(click to enlarge)An improvement over last year's recipient, Tim Finchem who is Commissioner of the PRG Tour according to the ASGCA website. And George Pepper is a former winner. Wonder if he's related to Dottie?Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
