Grounds for Golf: The History and Fundamentals of Golf Course Design [Anglais] [Relié]

Shackelford is a golf journalist and traditionalist worried that equipment and television are degrading golf into a sport played by thrashers rather than thinkers. In this enjoyable effort to spread appreciation for golf-course architecture, Shackelford preaches a simple dogma: a course should be naturalistic, replete with tempting, playable shot options. Knowing that golf aficionados can sense the difference between playing an assembly-line course built during the 1970s and a mature one from the 1920s, Shackelford puts flesh on the bones of their intuition with a review of design schools. He extols the "strategic" school, exemplified by St. Andrews or Augusta National, which he justifies with detailed assessments of the famous Road Hole and Amen Corner, respectively. Caustic about designs he disdains, Shackelford is more than an armchair critic because he helped create a new public course in Southern California, illustrated, as are his other topics, with a profusion of sketches and photographs. An insightful instilling of knowledge, Shackelford's history and analysis will score low with the cerebral segment of golfdom--and, remember, low is good. Gilbert Taylor
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To a majority of the millions of golfers around the world, the subject of golf course design often seems foreign and intimidating. Yet, the overwhelming reason cited for playing golf is an attraction to the beautiful and often ingeniously designed courses where the game is played. Grounds for Golf is distinct from other golf design-related books in that it covers a wide variety of topics in an informative, flowing nar-rative that will interest all golfers. Noted golf writer Geoff Shackel-ford's text is supplemented with photography, classic anec-dotes, famous quotations, and informative hole depic-tions by architect Gil Hanse. Readers finally have a course design primer that adds to their enjoyment of golf's lore while also introducing the fundamentals of golf architecture in an interactive format that will help their games.

Advance Praise for Grounds for Golf

“Geoff's book is great. In fact, Grounds for Golf explains the basics of course architecture better than any other book—ever. But this is no snooze—Shackelford remembers to entertain while he informs.”—Curt Sampson, author of Chasing Tiger and Hogan

“Geoff Shackelford’s primer on the fascinating world of course design will help golfers understand and appreciate why some courses succeed in holding their interest while others fail to do so. His work is both insightful and approachable. Readers will never look at a course the same way again.”—Lorne Rubenstein, author of A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands.

“I don’t know anyone more knowledgeableæor passionateæabout golf course architecture than Geoff Shackelford. His Grounds for Golf is a terrific primer for those who want to know why architecture is an important, but misunderstood, part of the game. And if it helps them play better, well, that’s just a nice bonus.”—James A. Frank, editor of Golf Magazine

“Geoff Shackelford’s dedicated enthusiasm for the study of golf course architecture comes across beautifully in this lovely book. I highly recommend the book to all golf enthusiasts.”—Peter Oosterhuis, CBS commentator, six-time Ryder Cup player, and former director of golf at the Riviera Country Club

Geoff Shackelford is the author of several golf books, and his writing has appeared in Golf Magazine, Links, Golf World, the Los Angeles Times, and Golfdom magazine. While writing Grounds for Golf, Shackelford codesigned Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Moorpark, California, with Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. Golf Digest recently named Rustic Canyon the Best New Affordable Public Course in America. Geoff lives in Santa Monica, California.

Gil Hanse has a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Cornell and is the architect of several acclaimed courses, including Craighead Golf Links in Scotland, Applebrooke Golf Club near Philadelphia, and Rustic Canyon. Hanse has overseen restoration work at classic courses originally designed by Donald Ross, A. W. Tillinghast, and William Flynn. Gil and his wife, Tracey, live in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with their three children Chelsea, Tyler, and Caley.