'12 Northern Trust Ratings Up 83%!
/Most impressive here is that last year's final round had Fred Couples in contention, but clearly Phil Mickelson brings in a much bigger audience.
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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)
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
Crisis Averted: Keegan Vows To "Conquer" His Reflexive Propensity To Hawk Saliva
/This helped quiet the viral chorus calling for the young, hard-working lad to enter spitting rehab. From Keegan Bradley's Tweet today:
Where Scoreboard Watching Was Not An Option
/Longtime readers know of my complaints about the elimination of the 18th-at-Riviera manually-operated scoreboard and annual quibbles with the PGA Tour's decision to exclusively use with their advertising-cluttered (but pretty!) Mitsubishi video boards.
Read More"Honestly 'Phil' sounds really similar to 'Bill,' so you just kind of pretend that maybe they're for you."
/Helen Ross with the best line from Bill Haas' post-round presser and other insights into the winner's Sunday at Riviera.
Read More2012 Northern Trust Open, Round 4 This And That
/Doug Ferguson's game story covers a wild final forty minutes in succinct fashion:
Read More2012 Northern Trust Open Final Round Comment Thread
/We've got a super leaderboard, the sun is out despite a forecast for dense fog and...did you know How I Met Your Mother returns this week with an all-new episode?
Read More2012 Northern Trust Open, Round 3 This And That
/Moving day lived up to its billing with 66's from Keegan Bradley, Aaron Baddelay and Bryce Molder. Perhaps more impressive were Phil Mickelson (70) and Pat Perez (70) who both could have easily posted 75s.
Read More2012 Northern Trust Open 3rd Round Comment Thread
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I'm on the course but believe the telecast times are 10 am on Golf Channel and whenever the college basketball ends on the network of relentless promos.
2012 Northern Trust Open, Round 2 This And That
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DJ tees off on No. 9 (click to enlarge)Another gorgeous day brought out the best weekday crowd in years, including a noticeably younger set than in recent years.
Still a ways to go to catch up to the tournament's heyday in the 90s, but the spike is a tribute to the organizer's increased local golf course outreach, several ticket offers including one for UCLA folks, improved social media efforts and I have to think, the tour's new cell phone policy.
If you heard the roar after Phil's hole-out on No. 8, it was a vivid reminder of just how energetic golf viewing can be, especially at an intimate tournament course like Riviera.
As for Friday's second round...
Luke Donald approaches the 12th Friday (click to enlarge)--With all due respect to my colleagues who think fans only come out to watch players hit the ball 300+ yards, I eavesdropped on two different conversations where the fans were seeking out the chance to see the "No. 1 golfer in the world." So yes, Luke Donald is as much or more of a draw for some fans than the bombers. And I'm still not convinced that more than 5% of the crowd could tell the difference between a 285-yard tee shot and a 320-yard drive.
--Phil is the story and it's hard to see that changing the way he's playing, especially considering his recent record at Riviera. But as Mark Lamport-Stokes notes, it'd be terrific to see Jarrod Lyle (-4) continue his good play and contend in a tour event. Here's a little on his background if you don't know his story.
--The absurdly fun-to-watch short par-4 10th featured a back-left hole location and too many wild moments to list, but Doug Ferguson captured the best:
Even with the hole location toward the back right of the green, players tried to drive the green. Rocco Mediate thought his shot was perfect, but it hopped into the front bunker and left him little hope. His next shot flew out of the sand, over the green and banged off a television tower, back into another bunker. He saved par.
"This is the coolest hole," Mediate said. "My favorite place."
10th hole ShotLink scatter chart thru 2 rounds (click to enlarge)--Watching the Rhodes Scholars of the PGA Tour struggle with the 10th over the first two days (4.078 scoring average...only 315 yards!!!) has me convinced that 80% of the field might not break 80 on a course with 18 genuinely strategic holes offering tempting options! Now, at least more guys layed-up short-left today and most of them made par or birdie. Though it was stunning to see the World No. 1 lay-up way too far right. It was not stunning to seem him to make par.
Second round highlights:
"AK...It's Chris Paul...Chhhhrriss Paul...AK? Chris Paul?!"
/Reader Diane tipped me to the presence of Chris Paul at the far end of Riviera Friday afternoon and the former Hornet, former Laker and current Clipper was indeed out watching some PGA Tour golf.
Read More"There were 10 guys up there that looked like they could drink 1,000 beers."
/From Doug Ferguson's early Northern Trust Open game story, on Joe Ogilvie's 16th hole ace on another tough day at Riviera where morning winds kept the field in check.
2012 Northern Trust Open, Round 1 This And That
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First round leader Phil Mickelson (click image to enlarge)A fantastic day for watching golf, not so fun if you had to play Riviera in the steady 15 m.p.h winds that gusted to 30 at times until 2:45 p.m. Though Phil Mickelson's opening 66 was impressive on many levels, Jonathan Byrd's morning 68 during the worst winds stands out as the day's most impressive round.
Random observations from the day:
- Mickelson is on cruise control. He appears to be visualizing shots before pulling the trigger and looks fully engaged in the task at hand. He's putting beautifully and managing the course to perfection, with the only blemish a missed up-and-down opportunity from above the 16th hole. With the wind expected to be better Friday morning he's poised to take advantage of a favorable draw. His chip-in on 18 at dusk was nice but it was the driver off the deck at 11 that was most impressive. He talked about it after the round.
- It was a masterful course setup job by the PGA Tour rules staff and agronomist, who only ordered the greens to be single cut. Normally there is a double cut and roll. Had they pushed forward with normal preparation the greens would have become unputtable during the dry morning winds. Tees and holes were well located to take advantage of the non-prevailing wind, with only the 5th hole location standing out as questionable. But that may more a product of the abominable green complex renovation than it is a statement about setup.
The 10th green flag around 7:45 am (click image to enlarge)- Amateurs Patrick Cantlay (78) and Jordan Spieth (76) understandably struggled in the morning winds. But both exude supreme confidence that never comes across as cockiness. Spieth looked more confident in his game than playing partners Ryo Ishikawa and Danny Lee, who each appeared to be obsessing way too much over mechanics.
-Media Lunch Report: Spinach Salmon or Tandori Chicken, Spinach and Strawberry salad with a raspberry vinaigrette, white Jasmine Rice ("sounds like a Tiger mistress" as Strege so infamously branded it two years ago) and a home run mystery cake/almond topped bar that managed to top the already stellar cookies. We have it rough here.
- You never appreciate the value of standards bearers until they aren't there. Because of the high wind warning, tournament officials did not send the scoreboard holding volunteers during afternoon play. I will remember to hug one tomorrow.
Mickelson tees off at the 11th (click to enlarge)- The PGA Tour's finest will not, under any circumstance, lay up on the par-4 10th. No matter how windy, no matter how wise a play it was today playing downwind with the green on edge with the hole cut center-back-left, even though the percentages reward those laying up. For the record, here is the honor roll of those who layed-up short left to open up the best angle of attack, with their scores: Brandt Jobe (3), Justin Leonard (3), Tim Clark (4), John Merrick (4), Paul Goydos (4). Funny thing, no one had made 5 laying up left yet.
- The first groups out took five hours which not only guaranteed the round would not finish, but 30 have yet to finish the first round and will resume at 7 a.m. Friday. Sadly, a 144 player field is just no longer possible with today's pace of play.
From ShotLink (the grays have not finished the hole due to darkness):
And Phil driving the 10th today:
Northern Trust Open This And That Preview
/The Glen Campbell Nissan Presented by Nissan Los Angeles Northern Trust Open kicks off Thursday with 27 of the world top 50 and more goose-bump worthy, the top five in the current FedExCup Standings (big props if you can name them!) and a noticeably less attractive continental breakfast in the media center.
Read MoreRiviera's Amphitheater Then And Now
/Few know it, but the amphitheater was not part of the original design. Instead, it was created at a later date. Originally, the clubhouse was placed atop the hill, with the coastal scrub left intact on the hill behind the famous 18th green.
