When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
One of my favorite short threes on the planet gets a chance to shine. It could play as short as 85 yards and long as 140 in the 2017 Walker Cup.
As I explain in this Eye On Design, the hole was a 1927-28 creation when LACC was remodeled and may have have briefly featured sand in the middle, but if it was there, the bunker was short-lived and replaced by a large pimple.
There is some fun follow-up content from the Golf Magazine Top 100 U.S. and World lists here. They tackle most underrated great course (North Berwick edges LACC North!), greatest Golden Age architect (Good Doc), best modern day architect (Coore), most overrated design element (Conditioning), and course they’d chose to play every day (Cypress Point).
Alistair Tait of Golfweek talks to a GB&I squad that is bullish on their chances even though the bookmakers disagree.
“The best thing about our team is that we’ve grown up together,” said Florida State’s Harry Ellis, the reigning British Amateur champion. “I’ve been with Alfie (Plant) for five or six years. Jack (Singh Brar), Scott (Gregory) and I live 10 miles apart so we’ve grown up together. Actually, this whole group has all come through junior golf together.
“They’ve got a strong team but there’s something about this group of guys that feels special. Everything feels right. There’s a natural camaraderie. Even with me being away at school for the last few years, I come back and it’s just like family.”
Teammates face off! Wake Forest's current men's golf team features a member of both squads and two graduated Stanford players also could face off representing their countries. David Shefter with all of the fun details.
Jeff Hall tells Mike Trostel what it means to have Los Angeles Country Club as a host, with some fun drone footage by Fred Vuich accompanying.
USA Captain Spider Miller wants to see the competition expanded to three days, with a four-ball component added, writes Jim Nugent of Global Golf Post.
Michael Bamberger loves the Walker Cup venue list and explains why LACC fits with the prestigious venues that have previously hosted.
Brentley Romine of Golfweek talks to players about their time with President George Bush, who lunched with the team and tended the flag for them in a four hole-exhibition Thursday.
A post shared by United States Golf Association (@usga) on Sep 7, 2017 at 5:55pm PDT
Here are the USGA's video highlights from the day with 43.
Images from the practice round by Harry How and Chris Keane capture plenty of great moments and the special setting.
In just a glance through the biennial U.S. and World lists, it sure looks like the panel is going full anti-Golf Digest and rewarding shorter, cooler, classier golf architecture in similar fashion to the Golfweek's annual list. Pure restorations as opposed to redos defacing the old architecture, also appear to be stylish. 
The real standout for me: Prestwick cracking the world Top 100, a fantastic exclamation point to the aforementioned trends.
And nice to see this week's Walker Cup host at its highest ranking ever, arriving at 13th in the U.S. and 22nd in the world, even edging out that South Korean masterwork, Nine Bridges.
Architect George Thomas's effort to propel the Golden Age forward with more intricate course strategy will be on display this week at the Walker Cup. With one day to go before the opening ceremony, both teams are getting a sense of the possible hole location and tee scenarios making LACC North such a fascinating study. (In my view, the second best match play course on the planet.)
On no hole will that be more evident than the par-3 7th, which also can morph into a fascinating risk-reward par-4 using a more strategically demanding hole location. I explain here...
You can read the full USGA/R&A press release online at some point, but it sounds like many golfers shared strong opinions on the boldest proposed Rules of Golf changes.
What those opinions were, we are still not sure but this is our hint until the two governing bodies play a lot of golf take many meetings mulling the possibilities.
• Golfers provided the most feedback on the proposed Rules changes focused on the putting green (such as putting with the flagstick left in the hole, repairing spike marks and eliminating the penalty for accidentally moving a ball); the creation of “penalty areas” (extending water hazard type relief and eliminating penalties for moving loose impediments and grounding a club); and the new dropping procedures (including the size of “relief areas”).
In light of the recent brouhaha over player comments at TPC Boston's forced layup that caused driver-hugging players to go down another fairway, Jaime Diaz concludes for Golf World that recent distance gains are going to keep leading to more setup and design dramas. He says the big picture of recent course setup issues suggests "a day of reckoning is coming."
Much of that conclusion is based on this disheartening news out of Southampton.
Next year the U.S. Open is going to a Golden Age classic, Shinnecock Hills, artful in the extreme, but also shortish. It’s the kind of venue that is most at risk of being overrun by the modern game.
In the last few years, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored the course. The fairways were widened (up to 60 yards), the greens expanded, and trees were removed. Visually, the result was spectacular, and the club’s members have loved the changes.
The USGA, too, initially sang the restoration’s praises, but recently officials have reconsidered their original setup plans at Shinnecock. The fairway width—done to create more strategic angles and options—was deemed too wide (perhaps in the wake of Erin Hills). Native fescue rough is now being planted on the edges of the fairway to narrow them back down. The course won’t be as narrow as it was when it held the championship in 1986, 1995 and 2004, but it will be narrower than what was originally planned on for 2018.
Why? Diaz concludes...
So that the art of Shinnecock can be brought out rather than overrun, the decision was made that long and crooked has to be punished.
In an odd way I wonder if such a high profile change to such a high profile course this late in the game is being implemented with the full knowledge that this reinforces the need for a variable distance ball?
It won't be used in the Walker Cup matches but you'll see if sitting next to the big 17th hole.
We restored this little beauty of a greensite that caused George Thomas headaches after a course setup gone awry in the 1925 California State Open.
In this Eye On Design, I explain what the history of this hole is all about...
For Golfweek I considered the idea of LACC opening its doors after all these years and what to expect from the North Course. And
And yes, I dared to claim for this week's Golfweek digital edition that the North may be the second best match play venue on the planet after the Old Course.
John Strege of Golf World on LACC letting its guard down to host a major golf event.
John Mummert of the USGA's image gallery of the course is really nice viewing.
Justin Thomas on his fond memories of playing the Walker Cup.
USA Captain Spider Miller with thoughts on each of his players.
The Team USA official page and bios.
Team GB&I bios are here.
Rory McIlroy makes a pretty powerful statement about the importance of making Walker Cup.
Robert MacIntyre of Scotland is profiled by Martin Dempster for The Scotsman.
Dempster also profiles the first "Fifer" to make the GB&I squad since 1985, Connor Syme.
AmateurGolf.com's Walker Cup page of TV Times and other pertinent information.
Here is the course yardage breakdown, though it'll almost be guaranteed not to play this long. The USGA's Jeff Hall has some exciting plans for taking advantage of what I believe to be the best match play golf course outside of St. Andrews.
The first social post from of the teams, this one by Maverick McNealy of Will Zalatoris:
"But, what else can I say? I love LA." -Dr. Dre (📷: @13maverickm)
A post shared by Will Zalatoris (@willzalatoris) on Sep 4, 2017 at 12:10pm PDT
While golf stats are certainly different than baseball numbers in predicting performance, they are getting more interesting and visually attractive.
With the PGA Tour and Microsoft chipping away at some of the hurdles, we are not far from having more presentable stats that have meaning and add to our enjoyment of a telecast. (Golf course scatter charts and numbers are already there and have begun to be incorporated at times.)
With this and a recent MLB "SABRcast" in mind, Martin Kaufmann of Golfweek makes some strong points on the need for golf to give such a broadcast a go.
The announcers didn’t dwell on balls and strikes, or even talk much about balls in play. The running discussion was more topical. They delved into the reasons behind Giants catcher Buster Posey’s declining pitch-framing skills and his offensive performance when catching vs. playing first base; factors in the Cubs’ lackluster play compared to last season; the difference of pinch-hitting against starters vs. relievers; and the Giants lack of power and the types of free-agent sluggers who might excel in their spacious park
There are four big changes this year for the Volvik World Long Drive Championship: the women's final will be played Wednesday on the same night as the men, Tuesday features a mixed team event, drivers can only be 48 inches and the event is now in early September (better weather!).
The men's round of 16 is now set after qualifying, with one big surprise in top-ranked Maurice Allen's failure to advance, writes Will Gray for GolfChannel.com.
OPEN DIVISION (MEN’S) ROUND OF 16 MATCHES:
(1) Ryan Reisbeck (Layton, Utah) vs. (16) Wes Patterson (St. Louis, Mo.)
(8) Kevin Shook (Bradenton, Fla.) vs. (9) Mitch Grassing (Ottawa, Ont., Canada)
(4) Tim Burke (Orlando, Fla.) vs. (13) Stephen Kois (Wheaton, Ill.)
(5) Trent Scruggs (Hickory, N.C.) vs. (12) Kyle Berkshire (Orlando, Fla.)
(2) Justin James (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) vs. (15) Bobby Bradley (Wellington, Fla.)
(7) Paul Howell (Wilson, N.C.) vs. (10) Steve Monroe (Clearwater, Fla.)
(3) Will Hogue (Memphis, Tenn.) vs. (14) Josh Cassaday (Denver, Colo.)
(6) Joe Miller (London, England) vs. (11) Nick Kiefer (Chicago, Ill.)
Mark Wahlberg is excited...
A post shared by World Long Drive (@worldlongdrive) on Sep 4, 2017 at 4:50pm PDT
Last week I had the privilege of chat at Wilshire Country Club with budding star Troy Mullins, winner recently in Denver, a favorite for the women's title and Los Angeles native who attended high school near Wilshire before attending Cornell. Troy is already one of the more fascinating young studies in golf, using off-the-(Roger Dunn)-shelf drivers, athleticism developed as a heptathlete and aspiring to play LPGA Tour golf.
Here is the chat and a short feature produced by Ben Elisha:
Here was Mullins recently in her final preparation as posted by instructor George Gankas, which involves getting uber-flexible for the shot at the belt.
A post shared by George Gankas (@ggswingtips) on Aug 29, 2017 at 4:05pm PDT
Long Drive airs on Golf Channel Tuesday from 9-11 p.m. ET and 9-11:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
The 2017 Walker Cup is here and Los Angeles is sensing the buzz! The motorcades have stifled traffic and the paparazzi have staked out the team hotel and...ok that's a stretch. But as we discussed on Morning Drive today, this is one we Angelenos have been anticipating for some time.
But while the teams enjoy some sightseeing golf, as Ryan Lavner noted for GolfChannel.com, this site is going to be all in on this event. So my apologies in advance for those still hurting from the lack of Solheim Cup coverage during U.S. Amateur week, but this is just the third Walker Cup to visit the west coast, the first in Southern California and Los Angeles Country Club's first national television appearance. (Clubhouse and pub sign on right depicted by Lee Wybranski.)
Full and only disclosure here for the week: I worked on the restoration of LACC's North Course since 2007 with Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and many fine shapers, contractors, club officials and fine committees. The Walker Cup will be a celebration of all that went into restoring George Thomas and Billy Bell's 1927-28 redesign. More details on that later in the week, but if you must jump ahead, Ran Morrissett's 2014 review should tell you plenty about the architecture.
This latest Eye On Design is for those who aren't aware of what the Walker Cup is all about or if they should fork over the $75 to come out and watch. (Tickets here, and parking on the adjoining South Course is free! There is also an Uber dropoff at Comstock Avenue near the club driving range.)
In the video I explain the format and general superiority of this event over just about all others in golf based on the experiences had by all at the 2013 Walker Cup. You'll see many of my images from that event in the Eye On Design embedded below.
ESPN's Kyle Bonagura also included this piece and some great post game interview embeds.
And if that's not enough inspiration, this piece from not long ago by Shelley Smith catching up with the young cancer patient she covered before learning she had cancer, is a definite must.
But Olson is also a golfer and this Travis Matthew ambassador piece tells you about that side of his courageous life...
What a story seeing Stacy Lewis pledge her winnings to the relief effort in her hometown following hurricane Harvey.
From Beth Ann Baldry's Golfweek story on the win and match by her sponsor:
The now 12-time winner played for a cause bigger than herself, pledging early in the week to donate all her winnings to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Lewis’ first-place check at the Cambia Portland Classic meant $195,000 would go toward helping people in her hometown rebuild their lives. Her sponsor, KPMG, surprised Lewis on Sunday by announcing that the company would match that number, bringing the total to $390,000. Lewis also collected shoes from fellow players to ship back to Houston.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
