The only course that will remain difficult under all conditions will be one that is designed and kept for golf of a stereotyped, monotonous character, and this makes a most uninteresting proposition. BOBBY JONES

Available via Amazon (US): Golf Architecture For Normal People

Barnes And Noble (online and in stores)

Amazon Australia

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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

“Shackelford will guide the reader to an enriching understanding of design. Consider it a primer on the fascinating subject of course architecture. If you don’t know what a template hole is, or a Biarritz, or a Redan, or a Punchbowl, you will be gently educated, and perhaps enjoy playing a course with any of these holes that much more. There’s a lot here, packed into 160 pages.” LORNE RUBENSTEIN, ScoreGolf

April 30, 2014

Behind The Numbers: Golf Channel's Most Watched April Yet

April 30, 2014/ Geoff Shackelford

Ed Sherman reports on Golf Channel having its most-watched April ever even with Tiger Woods not playing the Masters. For 24-hour day the channel averaged 130,000 viewers per minute, a 2% year-over-year increase compared to April 2013 according to Nielsen, with 16.9 million unique viewers, whatever that means.

The big jumps came from prime time, Golf Central, Morning Drive and the LPGA Tour.

    •   Arnie and Big Break Florida drove Monday night’s primetime viewership +29% YOY

   •   Golf Channel’s news programming is up with Golf Central +20% YOY and Morning Drive +24% YOY

   •   Golf Channel’s instructional programming is +10% YOY
Golf Channel Tournament Coverage:

   •   Golf Channel’s weekend lead-in coverage of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage and Zurich Classic of New Orleans all posted most-watched records (RBC Heritage third round: 529,000, +1% YOY; final round: 598,000, +40% YOY; Zurich Classic of New Orleans third round: 462,000, +84% YOY; final round: 615,000, +49% YOY).

   •   LPGA Tourposted a +38% YOY increase in April with two significant milestones:
   ◦   LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship’s weekend coverage posting most-watched records for this major event (484,000, +16% YOY).

   ◦   LPGA Lotte Championship’s primetime Saturday final round posting the most-watched regular season round (485,000, +108% YOY) since the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic in April 2012 (566,000).

   ◦   Coming off of his Top-5 finish in the 2014 Masters, Miguel Angel Jimenez made his Champions Tour debut by winning the Greater Gwinnet Championship, which was the most-watched Champions Tour event this season (322,000, +77% YOY).

Maybe in all this grow the game talk we have to consider the role Golf Channel is having in keeping people from playing? Why not, we've blamed just about everything else!

Geoff Shackelford

Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning Drive, is co-host of The Ringer's ShackHouse is the author of eleven books.

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Labor Day Sunday sunset shots, in reverse order. Today saw the highest recorded temperature in LA County. 🥵

Better than most sunset

Thanks to @collin_morikawa for capping off a great week in style with the lowest final 36 holes in major history, and to the @pga and @pgatour for putting on a safe, well orchestrated week in tough circumstances. Nice of @stephencurry30 to stop by fo

@rorymcilroy, 15th fairway, 2020 @pgachampionship @tpchardingpark. Hoganesque!

@tigerwoods practicing at Harding Park, 2020 @pgachampionship Monday. He looks focused and flexible. Watch the first shot, his tee ball on the 4th with such a full throttle swing he had a bit of a Greg Norman follow-through. With an unfriendly breeze

Unorthodox at the (almost) top, Classic at the finish. @matthew_wolff5 @thegenesisinv

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