When one comes to the quality of the bunkers and other hazards we pass into realm of much dispute and argument. Primarily bunkers should be sand bunkers purely, not composed of gravel, stones or dirt. Whether this or that bunker is well placed, has caused more intensely heated arguments outside of the realms of religion, than has ever been my lot to listen to. C.B. MACDONALD
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
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, June 2, 2022
/The U.S. Women's Open is here and the Quadrilateral has your final preview.
Plus, Justin Thomas will play his way into majors, Stenson visits Rome, Open rail concerns, vital ticket news, ANGC's Par 3 gets a facelift, Valhalla sells, and many Reads.
You can learn more about The Quad and subscribe to the newsletter here.
Looming Questions Halfway Through 2022's Major Season
/Deprived of another day wondering who might be turning up at the LIV’s first London event in a week, I sat typed out some looming questions for the second half of 2022. Holy cow there’s a lot to be resolved in the coming weeks and months.
Major(s) News & Notes April 28, 2022
/Plenty of notes in the weekly free edition of The Quadrilateral for all the world to see.
As always, here is more on The Quadrilateral.
And The Quad’s Substack home page.
Plus, the free Substack Reader app for a reading experience minus cookie acceptance requests, pop-up ads if your finger nears the screen, random crashes and autoplay videos.
R&A's Celebration Of Light Kicks Off Countdown To The 150th Open
/The state-of-the-art production was narrated by actor and lifelong golf fan Gerard Butler. It charted the remarkable journey of golf since The Open began in 1860, celebrating renowned Champion Golfers and unforgettable performances from many of the sport’s greatest names.
Some Tweets and the full show on YouTube…
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News And Notes, March 10th, 2022
/Plus, is Augusta getting widened? The 150th ticket exchange goes live, Peacock will make money despite a high churn rate that will likely be mimicked by golf fans this summer and a neat bit of Brookline history. Oh and some links to good reading as well.
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, March 3rd, 2022
/This week I open with a few words on golf’s effort to retain the money-talk spotlight Wednesday.
You know the drill, Thursday’s are always free and you can subscribe here.
More on The Quadrilateral here, too. Also free!
The Substack homepage where you can see the most recent and read posts.
Quadrilateral: Major News & Notes, January 27, 2022
/How much is there to talk about in the major world? Too much to get it all in this week’s News & Notes before Substack’s algorithms told me I’d hit capacity. But hopefully you’ll enjoy the news, notes and opinion offered this week.
As always, a reminder that this can also be received in your inbox free of charge despite the high cost of stamps!
Better Than Most Putting Contest Weeks
/I thought it was time for the first of several pre-Masters, pre-Chevron player rankings but decided the silly season vibe meant we’re not ready just yet.
But silly did not necessarily equate to boring, as I round up here in The Quadrilateral, with notable work by players at the American Express, Abu Dhabi, Hilton Grand Vacations TOC, Singapore Open and Latin America Amateur.
A preview for all and full roundup for the loyal subscribers.
2022's Major Venues: Ranking The Intrigue Factor
/The Quadrilateral has lumped the nine men’s and women’s major venues of 2022 into one package and done what any self-respecting publication would do: rank them. I should probably also rank where this year ranks on the list of great venue years but one ranking is enough for now. Too many exciting venues sporting shiny new paint jobs to celebrate!
Let The Model Local Rules Begin! Major(s) News & Notes For January 6th, 2022
/Bifurcation begins Thursday at Kapalua. While reducing driver shaft length will likely only annoy Phil or Bryson, the player-driven ban on various green reading materials could impact a lot of top players. The bifurcation so many have desired has arrived! It’s a party! With killer views and Kona winds.
As always you can read more about The Quadrilateral here or subscribe here.
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, December 16, 2021
/I got the dreaded red light telling me this one was too long. So out went a photo of Omar Uresti.
As always, I invite you to sign up if you haven’t to receive the weekly edition. Paid subscriptions and gift options are available too.
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, December 2nd, 2021
/Or give a gift subscription. Because it’s that time of year.