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.
I've been saving this one for a travel day, but I hear rumors that this week's stories are quite fine, with Rod Morri hosting, Mike Clayton present and six time European Tour winner and television commentator Tony Johnstone the featured guest.
As always, you can listen on iTunes or in the player below.
Bill Pennington does a nice job in this New York Times piece explaining the nine-hole initiative launched by Golf Digest with today's release of the June issue and supported by the USGA and PGA of America.
There is no doubt that the push to promote nine-hole rounds reflects a reality that most of us now work longer hours and have more demands on our weekend recreational time. As Tarde said: “Every other recreation, it seems, takes more or less two hours: movies, dinner, cocktail parties, tennis, bowling, going to the gym. If golf were invented today, it would be a nine-hole game.”
The SRI International prepared 52-page California Golf Economy: Economic & Environmental Impact Report, commissioned by Golf 20/20 for the California Alliance for Golf has issued its findings.
The report says golf in the Golden State provides "$13.1 billion of overall economic activity that supports more than 128,000 jobs, $4.1 billion of wage income, and more than $346.6 million in charitable giving on an annual basis."
With 921 separate golf facilities, golf in California is an industry that generates more direct economic activity than movie theaters, fitness/recreational sports, greenhouse/nursery crops, and amusement/theme parks. It brings visitors to the state, spurs new residential construction, generates retail sales, and creates demand for a myriad of goods and services ancillary to the industry. Almost unique among participatory sports, golf gives back through direct charitable activities and support of non-profit organizations dedicated to youth and education. Contrary to the perceptions of some, golf consumes less than 1.2% of the total water used to irrigate crops, accounts for less than 1% of the total fresh water consumed in the state, and generates significantly higher economic returns per acre-foot of water than most other water-intensive industries.
An unbylined AP report details Senator Saxby Chambliss' 11th hole ace while playing with President Barack Obama Monday.
Chambliss told reporters upon his triumphant return to Capitol Hill that "everyone went crazy" when he made the shot and there were high-fives all around. The president retrieved the Chambliss' ball from the hole, while Corker took a picture.
"I told him since I made the hole-in-one, he ought to give us everything we want on entitlement reform," Chambliss said with a smile. That's Washington speak for legislation to change benefits like Social Security and Medicare.
A Reuters report by Robert Rampton noted the President's "respectable 17 handicap"--apparently without a trace of irony--but did not mention the ace. She did clarify this for readers, which might explain why she thinks a 17 is respectable!
Golf handicaps are a measure of ability and a lower handicap signifies a better player.
There's a newsflash from the city!
Normally the NCAA regionals aren't a must note, but with Cal going for its 11th win in its 13th start, the May 16-18 regionals could be historic. 
Ryan Herrington has the breakdown of teams in each region and the individuals who got invites.
...is mention of a golf course architect for his newly announced project in Dubai.
Of course, what took so long to get The Donald to the Middle East is the only true mystery in this.
In previewing today's World Golf Hall of Fame ceremony (10 pm ET Golf Channel), Garry Smits talks to some Hall of Famers who aren't afraid to question the inductions of Colin Montgomerie and Fred Couples over others.
Ray Floyd already opened the floodgates, and Tony Jacklin concurred:
“It’s hard to disagree with Raymond,” said Tony Jacklin, a native of England who won two majors and 23 worldwide tournaments. “I vote on the basis of who’s worthy and there’s always majors in it for me.”
“I thought a major should be behind your name to be even considered,” said Sandy Lyle of England, who won two majors and 24 total tournaments. “Quite a lot of players have won majors and not even been considered [for the Hall of Fame].”
The story goes on to quote Bernhard Langer making a case for Mark O'Meara. And Monty, declined the interview requests of Smits.
Through the World Golf Hall of Fame communications department, Montgomerie declined interview requests with the Times-Union.
Meanwhile John Huggan makes a case for the three Scots going into the Hall tonight: Monty, Ken Schofield and Willie Park Jr.
Thanks to reader Ian for Brad Ziemer's story on James Lepp of Big Break fame (I wouldn't know, under doctor's order not to watch) learning from Golf Canada's Dale Jackson that the saucer shot he featured on the show (still don't know, still under doctor's order) has been ruled illegal by the USGA/R&A joint rules committee.
“The rule that would be breached is Rule 14-1 that says in part the club can’t be pushed, spooned and scraped,” Jackson said. “Pushed and spooned don’t apply here, but scraped here basically means you are intentionally dragging or pulling the club along the ground before it hits the ball, which is what he does.”
Lepp’s saucer shot is a hybrid of sorts, part hockey snap shot and part golf chip shot. Lepp, a former NCAA champion and multiple B.C. Amateur and Canadian Tour winner, came up with the shot to combat the occasional yips he was suffering when chipping off tight lies near the green.
He used it with considerable success on last fall’s Big Break series on Golf Channel and Lepp has videos of the shot posted on his website for Kikkor Golf, the shoe and apparel company he owns and operates.
Can't wait for the first cries that this, too, will be stifling massive growth of the game after Commissioner Finchem reveals that nearly 20% of golfers use the saucer to combat yips.
Steve DiMeglio reports on 22-year-old fourth alternate Derek Ernst winning a Wells Fargo Championship playoff over Englishman David Lynn in just the UNLV rookie's eighth PGA Tour start.
The round started as early as any final round Sunday in recent memory to help get the round in before storms rendered the already dreadful greens even less playable. This put CBS in the unenviable position of showing tape-delayed golf that was widely reported on if you follow Twitter or log onto PGATour.com.
And in an era with a channel devoted to golf (showing early round coverage) and live digital streaming, John Strege took issue with CBS's choice to stick with a tape delayed telecast.
The tournament, as a result, ended more than an hour before the delayed telecast began on CBS.
We reached out to a CBS representative for an explanation. "We have the rights to the final round," she wrote in an email. "Our broadcast window is from 3:00-6:00 pm ET. Due to affiliate and/or other programming commitments, we can not move the broadcast window when tee times are moved up."
What then would compel anyone to watch had they already known that an obscure tour rookie, Derek Ernst, had won in his ninth career start? They might logically conclude that they hadn't missed anything.
Garry Smits calls them a "strange few days" and the videos would seem to confirm freakish weather in advance of The Players where a cool spring had already been causing trouble.
Video of the 18th fairway:
Meanwhile, if the grass growing thing doesn't work out for TPC Sawgrass Agronomy team member Lucas Andrews, he's got the accent and desire to let his hair get messy in high winds to be a CNN hurricane correspondent, as evidenced by the latest post on the TPC Sawgrass Agronomy blog.
**They're up to 9 inches through Saturday afternoon. Garry Smits with an update from superintendent Tom Vlach, including help from the Jacksonville Electric Authority who offered pumps.
Vlach said more than 9 inches had fallen on the course as of 2 p.m. Saturday. However, there had been enough breaks in the rain squalls for his staff to begin verti-cutting the greens. The greens were cut and rolled four times Saturday morning with plans to do it again four times in the afternoon.
The Precision Air pumps under the greens also were working non-stop to drain even more moisture from the putting surfaces.
Thanks to DTF for this one-club event held many years ago (anyone know when) at the Old Course, featuring the Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Isao Aoki playing one club with Peter Alliss announcing.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
