The only course that will remain difficult under all conditions will be one that is designed and kept for golf of a stereotyped, monotonous character, and this makes a most uninteresting proposition. BOBBY JONES
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
2011 Open Championship Clippings, Round 3
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The R&A must have taken media dining up a notch Saturday, because the coverage was stellar. Or, maybe the wicked weather and the field separating itself a bit helped. Either way, enjoy...Before It Gets Swept Under The Rug: The Much Needed 10-Shot Rule
/The leaderboard has taken shape, the weather vagaries separating the field and inevitably, the unfortunate loss of the within 10-shot cut rule will be forgotten. But in an era when we are told over and over again how anyone can win any week, and in one where technology has brought the players closer together, the Open Championship desperately needs to reevaluate the 10-shot rule eliminated over 15 years ago.
Read More2011 Open Leaderboard Taking Shape; Final Round Thoughts?
/It's hard not to like Darren Clarke no matter how poor the putting is if he keeps striking the ball the way he did Saturday. Throw in the difficulty of making putts and there just doesn't feel like a 64 is out there.
Read More2011 Open Championship Third Round Open Comment Thread
/Sunday I'll be hosting a live chat here at 10:30 a.m. ET, 7:30 PT, so join us please as we watch what figures to be a thrilling conclusion.
Read More2011 Open Championship Clippings, Round 2
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Another strange day at Royal St. George's as the hole locations appeared to prevent anyone from going super low and the weather wasn't bad enough to make anyone go super high, so we have just a seven shot differential from the leaders to the bubble boys. And according to Steve Elling, who tries to make sense of the "biblical" weather forecast, four players are within three shots of the lead.The Maiden Is Back!
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In pre-tournament stories some mentioned the lack of a driveable short four at Royal St. George's and who could blame them?2011 Open Championship Second Round Open Comment Thread
/Day one's late afternoon excitement means many of the leaders will be teeing off an hour that I can best describe as several before I awake, but I know you'll already have many shrewd observations by the time I log on.
I'd post the weather forecast, but we know how well that turned out Thursday.
Update on 2011-07-15 14:07 by Geoff
**Tom Watson's 6th hole ace Friday morning:
Update on 2011-07-15 16:21 by Geoff
2011 Open Championship Clippings, Round 1
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The predictions of a vicious Royal St. George's didn't pan out due to light winds and surprisingly mellow greens, signaling that the R&A might have learned from last year's St. Andrews play-stoppage fiasco?The Tom Lewis Story
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Before we get to read today's first round Open Championship stories on co-leaders Tom Lewis and Thomas Bjorn, you can read up on Lewias in an excellent story by James Corrigan that ran yesterday. I found it interesting that he's already signed with IMG, yet still an amateur. What a world!2011 Open Championship First Round Open Comment Thread
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They'll be starting at 1 a.m. PT, so I'll be joining this one in progress but recording it all. So if anything happens at 1:05...that's 4:05 ET, feel free to make a note of it here.Sandwich Ready To Cause Indigestion
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The weather is shaping up to be the dominant story before a shot is struck, but as Jim McCabe notes, the UK weather forecasts are not only wrong sometimes, but downright fun to analyze.
Doug Ferguson says the current forecast calls for the early/late tee times to get the worst end of the draw.
The Hole To Watch: Royal St. George's 14th
/With the bizarre practice round winds, Jim McCabe notes that No. 14 played unusually short.
The only par 5 back on the homeward holes, No. 14, seems a pushover based on the yardage – 547. But there’s out-of-bounds down the right side and some 300 yards out is the “Suez Canal,” a burn that cuts through the middle of the fairway. With the hole playing dead downwind Tuesday, the sensible tee shot was a 4- or 5-iron to get it out there 250, 260 yards and not bring the water into play.
Dustin Johnson did just that, but then he re-loaded and gave it a go. His first attempt with the driver found the burn, but his second cleared it on the fly, much to the delight of a marshal who stood there in amazement.
Regardless of the wind, expect 14 to once again play a pivotal role in the championship: OB, water, a bumpy landing area and sound strategy make it fascinating. Though I'm not a fan of OB as a hazard, it is a course boundary and ample width is allowed to avoid it on No. 14.
A few photos taken a year ago when I visited Royal St. Georges. Click on the images to enlarge:
The Royal St. George's tee markers and yardage boxes.
Extending the tees means players are driving over the back of No. 13 green.
The player's view with the excessively marked out of bounds down the right.
Mounds in the fairway will deflect drives, unless you can bomb it over them, a huge advantage.
The OB is certainly not a secret!
A burn dissects the fairway.
The view after the burn shows fairway bunkers that add interest for those laying up.
The closer one flirts wit the out of bounds, the better the angle of approach to all hole locations.
Portrush Remains (Sort Of) On R&A Radar Screen
/Bob Harig on the question of Portrush's prospects raised during Wednesday's R&A press conference. Peter Dawson:
Three Cheers For The R&A! A Proper Slow Play Answer!
/Other tours and governing bodies now just throw up their hands, shrug their shoulders and give the "it's always been that way" answer to slow play questions.
Not for the R&A's Championship Committee head Jim McArthur, with a nice assist from Peter Dawson!
