Grounds for Golf

« **on:** April 15, 2003, 01:01:54 PM »

Wow.
Wow.
Wow.

Tommy N. announced the finalization and publication of Geoff Shackelford's new book "Grounds for Golf" about a month or so ago, and I finally got my copy... I guess it took awhile to actually get into distribution. In any case, saying it was worth the wait is the understatement of the year. I'm not usually speechless (as you guys painfully know) but it's difficult to put into words how I feel about this GREAT book. It truly blew me away.

Now those who know me know I am VERY prone to exaggeration - my wife loves to give me a hard time about how my life keeps surpassing itself, as each experience is the "greatest ever" - so I'm gonna try and keep the gushing down... But I feel certain this book is one of, if not THE, best books ever written on golf course architecture and how it fits in with golf, life and the love of the game. Just as Doak's "Anatomy of a Golf Course" has to be the definititive primer on how golf courses are and should be designed and built, Geoff's "Grounds" is a damn fine introduction to golf course architecture as a concept, as well as being very literate (with fantastic quotes throughout), filled with great humor, and with more than enough "there" to keep even the most die-hard aficionados interested. I found myself nodding and even verbally saying YES YES YES throughout the book, others here might vehemently say NO NO NO... Geoff pulls no punches on how he thinks the game is and will be...

In any case it is one hell of a great read for anyone who loves the game. PLEASE run, do not walk to however best you can get this and read it now.

I really think a "chapter of the day" (Geoff calls them "holes" which is a cute touch) would make for 18 great threads here... there is SO much in this book that we talk about routinely here that Geoff's take in each would make for damn good discussion... once enough people read the book maybe I'll take this on, if people are interested.

The chapter on the building of Rustic Canyon alone is enough to buy the book for... insight like what is given into the realities of designing and building a course is just invaluable to those of us not in the business. I tell ya what - Rustic deserves every good word it can get, for what it represents as well as for how damn fun it is to play. Not to get into any battles about this wonderful golf course AGAIN but reading this book gave me some pretty valuable insight and now I really regret how my one tiny criticism of the course in the face of a multitide of otherwise very positive comments was so battled on here...

But that's not the point of this post and my apologies for the tangent. The point is this is one hell of a great book and I'm hoping to be able to discuss it for a long time in here...

TH

« **Reply #1 on:** April 15, 2003, 01:21:09 PM »

How did you obtain your copy? Amazon? The publisher?

« **Reply #2 on:** April 15, 2003, 01:31:55 PM »

I can't agree more with Tom, but I would expect nothing less from someone raised in So Cal.

This is another outstanding effort from Geoff. Worth every penny. I was so enthralled with the book that I read it in one sitting--I couldn't put it down. If anyone has liked any of Geoff's other work, this is a must. Kudos also for the mention of Armand Hammer G.C. in the personal favorites section. Not many will know of this course, but those of us who have played it know where Geoff is coming from.

« **Reply #3 on:** April 15, 2003, 02:20:30 PM »

Nigel - I got mine from amazon.

And Allan, I guess one can take the boy out of SoCal but not the SoCal out of the boy! I still root for all SoCal pro teams... but I also vehemently defend NorCal as the better place to live!

Man, the parts on great courses and great holes alone would make for 200+ post threads on here... also there are at least two thinly-veiled references to certain regular participants of this DG... it is just great fun on top of being so damn informative.

TH

« **Reply #4 on:** April 15, 2003, 02:46:05 PM »

Tom,

After reading your post I just ordered... Can't wait for my copy to arrive...

Via Amazon BTW.

« **Reply #5 on:** April 15, 2003, 03:02:39 PM »

Steve - I really think you'll enjoy it. Of course I ought to have put in a caveat that one should take my recommendations with an ocean full of salt... I also very much enjoyed a recent book on the Ouimet/Vardon battle at Brookline and upon posting about such here got torn a new one by many complaining (rightfully so, at least in a certain sense) about the many factual liberties taken by the author there. Geoff's "Grounds" are his thoughts and opinions in any case, so fact can't be argued, so I ought to be safer this time!

Please do be clear also I shill for neither Geoff nor Amazon... I just do like Geoff's work and this may well be the best, and as for Amazon, it just works!

TH

« **Reply #6 on:** April 15, 2003, 03:25:37 PM »

I am a proud owner now. Thanks Huckster

« **Reply #7 on:** April 15, 2003, 03:30:31 PM »

THIS BETTER BE GOOD!!!!!

Just kidding. I have no doubt that it will be just as incredible as you say it will be Tom.

If you can't tell, I have also ordered the book!!!

This is great free advertising for Geoff!!!

Thanks for the heads up.

« **Reply #8 on:** April 15, 2003, 03:42:11 PM »

I'll offer you a money back guarantee, Justin.

« **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2003, 03:46:43 PM »

Tom--

You're right about the book, it's outstanding and no one on that participates on this site regularly should be disappointed.

Congratulations Geoff on another outstanding effort...keep it up.

« **Reply #10 on:** April 15, 2003, 03:52:01 PM »

Thanks for the support, guys. I do feel very confident that anyone who participates here will definitely like this book, but the key is also that at least on the surface it is geared to ALL GOLFERS... a great focus of the book is how to use knowledge of architecture to better one's play. I know I for one learned a lot reading this book... there were facets I had never really thought of... and I think about this stuff nearly constantly!

TH

« **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2003, 04:35:42 PM »

Isn't Tom Huckaby a Golf Digest Rater, think about that before you order

I already have my copy, Gil Hanse's pictures are worth the price alone. Geoff Shackelford has a section in the back much like Ben Crenshaws lists and some of the stuff in the back of Tom Doak's Confidential Guide, comments in this section might be worth talking about. Only wish the quality of paper used was better.

« **Reply #12 on:** April 15, 2003, 04:52:26 PM »

Tom, et. al,

Thanks for the support and kind reviews. This book has been in the works for several years and it seemed to take forever to finally get out, so it's really nice to finally hear feedback! I also feel a lot better about promoting Grounds because the price is very fair at $26.95. The Art of Golf Design (which has since been lowered) was a big investment at $65.

So thanks again and a huge thanks to Gil Hanse for his drawings, they really are special. He did those in the evenings after a day of shaping at Rustic Canyon!

The book is available through just about any outlet, though if you can support your local stores or Borders or Amazon, you'd be doing the book business a favor (Barnes and Noble is no longer carrying all golf titles, instead selecting what they feel is best for their customers...).

Thanks again,
Geoff

« **Reply #13 on:** April 15, 2003, 04:57:15 PM »

Ya know Tom, I've always liked the saying "never let truth get in the way of a good story..."

On that note, I'm going to run right out and get the Ouimet/Vardon book too!

Seriously, it's nice to see people (Geoff Shackleford, George Bahto, and others) do well conceived, thoughtful work. I'll chime in further once my copy arrives...

« **Reply #14 on:** April 15, 2003, 05:39:21 PM »

For those who still haven't ordered one but are very interested....

Being a college student...haha...I ordered mine used. I'm addicted to used books!!!

It apparently has never been opened (so I don't know how they deem it a "USED" book), but it only cost me about $17.50 including shipping.

For all those who are still in college, or can fondly look back on those days, think of how much your college books were! A few of 'em were probably over $100!!! It was probably about something that was of little or no interest to you at all!

I'm going to slow it down before I get too excited!

« **Reply #15 on:** April 15, 2003, 07:13:21 PM »

Quote

The book is available through just about any outlet, though if you can support your local stores or Borders or Amazon, you'd be doing the book business a favor (Barnes and Noble is no longer carrying all golf titles, instead selecting what they feel is best for their customers...).

I'm confused. Are you saying "Buy the book anywhere but Barnes & Noble"? That's what it sounds like.

Your book is available at Barnes & Noble. I just looked it up.

I don't see how I'd be doing "the book business" a favor if I shunned Barnes & Noble. Could you explain that?

« **Reply #16 on:** April 15, 2003, 09:50:34 PM »

Mine was ordered a few days ago, it is in the mail. I purchased it for $12.00 plus $3.49 for shipping from Amazon.com. I can't wait to read it.

Cheers,
John

« **Reply #17 on:** April 16, 2003, 06:07:06 AM »

Steve L. - I really did enjoy the book about Ouimet's victory - I believe it's called The Greatest Game Ever Played. It was a very good "yarn" - in fact one of the TV announcers on the Masters coverage (or maybe it was Golf Channel) mentioned it over the weekend. Dan King and others here pointed out many factual errors, which I guess does weaken the book as a "work", but nevertheless I found it a very fun read.

And yes, I am a course rating panelist for Golf Digest, so take my opinions accordingly... as one of app. 800 of those!

JG - you got a hell of a price! Amazon charged me $17.95 + shipping. Interesting how their prices differ from time to time and place to place....

Finally to Geoff - great stuff and I remain a devoted fan. Thanks again for the wonderful effort!

TH

« **Reply #18 on:** April 16, 2003, 08:35:17 AM »

Has Mr. Huckaby embarked on a new career as a publicist? How about in direct sales? With some 5 - 10 still unread golf tomes in my library, I will reluctantly add another based solely on his rcommendation.

Should Mr. Shackelford wish to respond, why wasn't a routing plan included in his book on CPC? It is probably difficult to do, but it would be interesting to have aerial photographs of the course over different periods of time.

« **Reply #19 on:** April 16, 2003, 10:34:18 AM »

This is a terrific book. Geoff, you've made some excellent choices with your books, covering many angles of the topics of golf and its architecture. Put another one in the WIN column.
   It works on many levels. It's critical but also suggestive. It has entry level information with timeless philosophical intent. It's got pictures and drawrrings!
  I think the market needed a book like this and will be one of my top suggestions for introducing and explaining the deeper importance of interaction between golfer and golf architecture.

« **Reply #20 on:** April 16, 2003, 10:42:09 AM »

Right on bruthah Slag. This is a damn fine book for what you call "introducing and explaining the deeper importance of interaction between golfer and golf architecture" (which is a GREAT way to put it), or what I call how golf course architecture fits in with golf, life and the love of the game.

I also forgot to trumpet the fantastic hole drawings by Gil Hanse, and some damn fine photos, with credits given to some VERY familiar names from here....

I'm no publicist, but I feel I could be good at it..

The only thing I'd have a hard time with is lying. This book is damn good, in my opinion, and although the central purpose seems to be to clue non-afficionados into the worth of the study of golf course architecture, there's so much in it that we talk about all the time here that anyone who participates here would have to get a lot out of it. You may disagree... I can see some of that from some people without a doubt... but one way or another it is a very fun read, well worth the time and expense.

TH

« **Reply #21 on:** April 16, 2003, 11:17:17 AM »

Tom,

For the price of the book it is well worth it and my copy hasn't even arrived yet! I would pay that amount for a couple of essays from Geoff let alone 18 chapters!!

Brian

« **Reply #22 on:** April 16, 2003, 11:48:51 AM »

Very cool, Brian.

And damn cool so many people are interested in this wonderful book. I look forward to some great discussion when more of you have read it... it is a gold mine of topics for this dg.

TH

« **Reply #23 on:** April 16, 2003, 06:52:22 PM »

Dan,
Yes bn.com sells the book and their stores will special order it, but they do not carry it on the shelf except here in Santa Monica where they know me as a regular customer. My apologies, just a little frustrated that they aren't carrying the book nationwide (even 1 copy per store?) because I'm proud of the way it looks and believe it's fairly priced and nicely packaged to appeal to those who are sort of curious about architecture, but afraid to ask.

And yes, I am one of these people who believes in supporting local independent stores or places like Borders where the staff/ownership love books first, and push "product" second.

Lou,
Cut the Mr. stuff! I'm very proud of the Cypress Point book and Sleeping Bear's production. HOWEVER, as has been discussed on some thread here, they chose to get a little too artsy with the blueprint routing (which was going to be the first time it was ever seen in print), so it did not run showing the entire routing on the book's end sheets. And there was no "historical" map of the final layout, only the first MacKenzie map (p. 37). As for aerials from other eras, the book only contains pre-1935 photos and drawings on purpose. That was to give the book a certain feel of hopefully seeming like an old tome that we simply resurrected and reprinted in 2000.

Brian, Slag, Tom, thanks a bunch! I look forward to your comments, there are definitely some things in the book that are not part of the standard architecture discussion and I'll be curious what you think worked and what didn't.
Geoff

« **Reply #24 on:** April 16, 2003, 07:44:12 PM »

Geoff
Huckaby gives this one three Wows - unquestionably very good - however if I'm not mistaken he gave 'The Art of Golf' four Wows. On the other hand based on his continuous orgasm of praise I think he might have underWowed this book.

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