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.
Kera Abraham reports on Pacific Grove muni, an affordable, fun and scenic alternative to the 17-Mile Drive courses, bleeding red ink last year.Steve Elling looks at the Nationwide success stories of Erik Compton, Billy Hurley and Ted Potter, including this new revelation from Compton about his heart:
For much of his life, the destination was hardly ordained. When Compton made it to PGA Tour Qualifying School finals last fall and struggled, guaranteeing him only limited status on the Nationwide in 2011, he not only wasn't sure where he would be playing, but how much he could play, period, because of his physical limitations.
He hit the wall after winning the Mexico Open last summer and his body began rejecting his heart. Doctors gave him doses of Prednisone, which sapped his strength for several weeks and left him so shaky he could not drive for parts of three weeks.
"My hands were too shaky," he said.
Peter Stone with the story of Perry Somers, acclaimed Australian hickory golfer, who wanted to use his decrepit old sticks in the Australian PGA this year, but was told they were non-conforming.
Pete Iacobelli reports on Erik Compton finishing 13th on the 2011 Nationwide Tour season money list, giving the two-time heart transplant recipient PGA Tour status in 2012.
Gary D'Amato talks to Steve Stricker about his health issues and while there hasn't been great progress as the Presidents Cup approaches, there was this bizarro bit involving the opposing team's captain:
Lettie Teague sits down with vinter Greg Norman who says he rarely gets a good glass of wine at a golf club and who equates golf to wine. Thankfully the metaphor was not delved into very deeply.
Sean Martin talks to coaches and others in the golf world about the new amateur status rules. The takeaway: college coaches are dreading the issues that will come along with the new rules, while international coaches like Golf Australia's Brad James are concerned about added pressure from agents on young players.Why so many rules for a game whose basic principle is to play the course as you find it and not touch the ball until you lift it from the hole?
“We could issue a more simple rule book, but I’m afraid it would fail the fairness test, and what good would that do?” Mr. Rickman said.
John Daly was in the group at 69 along with Lee Westwood, Retief Goosen, Y.E. Yang and Robert Karlsson.
"With a small field like we have here, and I think I may get in trouble for saying this, but I'm kind of glad it's not sanctioned by the European or PGA Tour," Daly said. "It shows that China is doing something on their own. They're saying, 'Hey, we may not need the PGA Tour or European Tour, no disrespect."
When did China become IMG? Or IMG become China?
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
