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
The New York Times obtains documents prepared by the maligned consulting firm projecting revenue scenarios for Saudi's golf league.
I review the highlights and ties to the LIV v. Golf Establishment battles.
Plus, links to a Year In Review podcast from McKellar.
Plus, WSJ's look at the "secretive" OWGR and another McKellar pod.
I get to point out things they cannot. Fun times.
All in the latest Quadrilateral.
Major season is over but we still have news! And I withheld more analysis because doctors say you’ll live longer restricting your PGA Tour/LIV/First World schedule issue news.
I’d say more here but it’s a long one! There was plenty to chew on from a great week in Tulsa.
There are no sound reasons I could come up with for the Masters, USGA, R&A and PGA of America to uphold possible player suspensions and risk legal exposure should Jay Monahan suspend players over U.S. appearances for LIV Golf’s series.
Whew, busy week. Part catch-up after the Masters and plenty of other fresh stuff too.
The PGA Club Pro has sent 20 to Tulsa and I have their names!
Phil Mickelson’s presumed 2025 Ryder Cup captaincy appears to be in jeopardy, after Task Force founding member and driving force Davis Love admitted there may be a gap to fill. Since there are only so many Cup events and so many approved captaincy candidates, the math is easy on this one.
Introducing Fred Couples and Zach Johnson as chief cart drivers for this September’s Presidents Cup, Love was asked why Freddie has never been a captain.
Ryan Lavner reports for GolfChannel.com:
“Fred’s good in the locker room, in a practice round, as a captain – I thought he would have been a great Ryder Cup captain,” Love said. “He could still be Ryder Cup captain.
“We may have to fill a gap somewhere now. Our order is kind of messed up right now. So maybe Fred would be a great home game [captain] in New York.”
Maybe? Yes sir!
That’s as close as we’ll get to a sign from the internal rumblings of the force—a.k.a. their text chain—that Mickelson is out and Freddie may just be in.
A two-time Vice Buggy Driver and quiet member of the Task Force has patiently waited his turn. And now Doug Ferguson reports that Zach Johnson will lead Team USA in the 2023 edition set for Marco Simone Golf Club outside Rome.
Kyle Porter pointed out this neat fact should Johnson lead the team to victory.
Johnson would join Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Seve Ballesteros as the only golfers to win a Masters at Augusta National, an Open at St. Andrews and captain a winning Ryder Cup team if the U.S. goes on to win in 2023.
This reminds me of two things: how great it would be to have a Ryder Cup at the Old Course, and the Captain’s race for 2025 is wide open now.
Full disclosure, I voted the Male Player of the Year was the the toughest category given the similarity in years between Morikawa and Rahm. But over the calendar year he had a slight edge if you ignored the Memorial mess. Previously, PGA Tour players voted Patrick Cantlay their Player of the Year and the PGA of America’s point system gave Jon Rahm the 2020-21 player of the year.
For Immediate Release:
MORIKAWA, KORDA, MICKELSON VOTED GWAA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
HOUSTON (January 27, 2022) -- Collin Morikawa, Nelly Korda and Phil Mickelson have been named respective winners of the 2021 player of the year awards by the Golf Writers Association of America.
Morikawa, who turns 25 on Feb. 6, was voted Male Player of the Year for the first time. Korda, 23, earned Female Player of the Year honors for the first time. Mickelson, 51, who has never won the GWAA’s Male Player of the Year award, was voted Senior Player of the Year for the first time.
Morikawa, ranked second in the Official World Golf Ranking to Spain’s Jon Rahm, received 48 percent of the vote to 37 percent for runner-up Rahm.
Morikawa won twice in a sensational 2021 season, highlighted by his victory in the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, where he shot 67-64-68-66 and edged runner-up Jordan Spieth by two shots. He also won the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession.
Morikawa tied for fourth at the U.S. Open, tied for eighth as defending champion at the PGA Championship and tied for fourth at the Olympic Men’s Golf Competition in Japan. He led the PGA Tour in greens in regulation (79.17%) and capped the season by going 3-0-1 in the Ryder Cup, helping the U.S. to a resounding 19-9 victory over Team Europe at Whistling Straits.
“It is an incredible honor to be named by the Golf Writers Association of America as their Male Player of the Year for 2021,” Morikawa said. “I have a deep appreciation for the journalists dedicated to promoting our great game, and to be recognized amongst the names of past winners is humbling.”
Korda won four times on the LPGA Tour and added six more top-10 finishes. Her victories came in the Pelican Women’s Championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the Meijer LPGA Classic and the Gainbridge LPGA.
In August, she struck gold in Japan, winning the Olympic Women’s Golf Competition. She also was a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup team. Korda received 72% of the GWAA vote.
"It is a huge honor and privilege to be voted Female Player of the Year,’’ Korda said. “I am extremely grateful to be the recipient of this year's award alongside all the other incredible past honorees. Thank you to the entire team at the Golf Writers Associate of America. It truly means a lot to me to receive this recognition and it will be something I will forever cherish."
Mickelson made the most of just six starts on the PGA Tour Champions in the 2020-’21 wraparound season, winning four times. He won the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic and the Constellation Furyk & Friends and capped his season by winning the Schwab Cup Championship.
And, of course, he won the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island to become the oldest-ever major champion. He received 59 percent of the vote.
“I’m very appreciative of that honor,” Mickelson said of his Senior Player of the Year Award. “I had a really fun time playing some Champions tour events and last year was a really special year, obviously winning the PGA Championship and playing and competing in the Champions tour events, and having success was really special. Being able to spend time with so many guys that I grew up playing with, I’m just honored.”
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!
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
