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.
Super story from last week by Doug Ferguson on Players Championship rookie Joe Daley.
As winner of the Senior TPC, Daley earned a spot in this week's Players.
Daley only had two full years on the PGA Tour. He spent 10 full years in the minors, long enough to play under three umbrella sponsors - Nike Tour, Buy.com Tour and Nationwide Tour. When he turned 50, he had to Monday qualify for Champions Tour events. He finally got his big break with a 66-64 weekend in the Senior PGA Championship to tie for fourth, which make him eligible for the Senior Players.
And here he is.
"It's a lot of years of hard work, man," he said. "It's pretty cool."
To put some of that into perspective, the winner of The Players Championship gets $1.71 million. That's nearly as much as Daley's earnings ($1.96 million) in two decades playing the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour and what is now called the Web.com Tour.
I was listening in on Tim Finchem's press conference and was shocked when he didn't resist suggestions from questioners suggesting various elements of the World Golf Hall of Fame may be in need of review (age limit, international ballot, timing).
In fact, Finchem suggested that pretty much everything is under review.
(I'm saddened by the possibility that the Players Championship Monday ceremony may not be continuing, but the pathetic lack of turnout by current PGA Tour players and male Hall members suggests the effort, though well-intentioned, has not worked. And let's face it, their presence adds immensely to the cache of the Hall and would make it the celebration of the sport that the WGHOF should be.)
Garry Smits files an excellent summation of all the potential changes revealed in the Finchem press conference, including the potential demise of the dreaded International ballot.
Finchem said the idea of having two voting ballots, one for PGA Tour players and one for international players, might be out-dated.
“At the top of the competitive chart ... the vast majority of those players are now members of the PGA Tour,” he said. “That wasn’t the case 18 or 20 years ago when we had players coming up. Colin Montgomerie was a good example. He played an entire career and did not play much here [in the U.S.]. That really doesn’t happen much anymore. So it does raise a question about the ballot structure.”
The other bone of contention this year is that Couples and Montgomerie received 51 percent of the vote on their respective ballots, the lowest on either in the history of the current format of selecting players to the Hall of Fame. They fell under the loophole that if no one gets 65 percent of the vote, the player leading the ballot gets into the Hall of Fame as long as he gets 50 or more percent.”
Finchem said that almost everything about the Hall of Fame, its selection process and induction ceremony was on the table for change.
“We’re going to look at everything and have more to say about it probably later this year,” he said.
Fresh off signing a $108 million extension, Dallas Cowboy quarterback and excellent golfer Tony Romo is giving up some tournament appearances and attempts to qualify in the name of being like Peyton. Or at least, letting Jerry Jones think he's getting his money's worth.
Calvin Watkins reports that Romo won't be trying U.S. Open or Byron Nelson qualifiers:
Romo isn't interested in those things now, but it was nice following him around in Houston a few years ago when he tried to qualify for the U.S. Open.
The public perception was that Romo cared more about golf than football. I've always thought this theory from some fans and media members was silly. Romo always cared about football.
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.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
