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

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

“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

February 04, 2020

NY Times On Seth Waugh Not Wanting To Give Donald Trump Deutsche Bank Loans

February 04, 2020/ Geoff Shackelford

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David Enrich files a lengthy New York Times look at President Donald Trump’s relationship with Deutsche Bank and two of his key efforts at funding golf projects: Turnberry and Doral.

Former CEO and current PGA of America president Seth Waugh comes up as a key player who consistently opposed lending the Trump organization for projects after having been burned during his time at Merrill Lynch.

In 2000, Waugh joined Deutsche Bank. Perma-tanned and with long, floppy hair, Waugh developed a reputation among some Deutsche Bank colleagues for being a bit of a lightweight. They derided him for spending more time on the golf course than he did in the office. (Today Waugh is the chief executive of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.) But he enjoyed the confidence of one of Deutsche Bank’s highest-ranking executives, Josef Ackermann, who helped recruit him from Merrill Lynch. In 2001, Waugh learned that Deutsche Bank was planning to lend Trump about $500 million to use as he wished — basically an unrestricted cash infusion to stabilize his flagging finances. Having witnessed up close the carnage that Trump could inflict on imprudent financial institutions, Waugh was in no hurry to repeat the experience.

The bank ultimately provided a loan for Trump’s purchase of Doral at a bargain price, and how Waugh was no longer in charge of the American operation when the future president returned for a 2016 loan request to pay for work at Turnberry.

While the story is a fairly devastating look at the losses left behind by Trump in several instances, the Enrich account of Waugh, the current PGA President, seems tough early on but ultimately paints the picture of a shrewd banker knowing the tendencies of the customer in question.

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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