Geoff Shackelford
Co-Host of State Of The Game
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning Drive and Golf Central, is co-host of The Ringer's ShackHouse and is the author of eleven books.
His writing has also appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine, Links, Golf Digest, Golf World, The Golfer, Golfweb, Golf Journal (R.I.P.), The Masters Journal, Golf Course Architecture, Golf Architecture, Golf Digest Index, Golf Digest, Golf World and golf.com.
GeoffShackelford.com was created in March 2003 to elaborate on various subjects covered in the author's books including The Future of Golf. GeoffShackelford.com was named one of the Internet's 10 best golf web sites in 2004 by SportsIllustrated.com's Gary Van Sickle and in January, 2011 became a partner website to GolfDigest.com.
Geoff attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, California where he was member of the golf team, graduating in 1994 with a B.A. in Communication. In 2004 and 2005, The Golfer named him one of "modern golf's ten most influential writers."
Having studied golf courses all over the world with a noted interest in the "classic courses" of the 1920's, Geoff is engaged in design consulting at several classic courses and has taught golf course restoration at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design with noted architect Brian Silva.He has also addressed many groups on the subject of golf course design, including the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Alister MacKenzie Society and the Golf Digest Panelist Summit.
Beginning in 2000, Geoff co-designed Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Moorpark, California.
A collaboration with architect Gil Hanse of Malvern, Pennsylvania, construction of the course began in 2001, with the layout opening in April, 2002. Rustic Canyon was named by Golf Digest as the Best New Affordable Public Course in America for 2002. It was ranked 76th in Golfweek's Top 100 Modern Courses for 2006. Rustic Canyon is also ranked 83rd in Golf Magazine's Top 100 You Can Play (2006). Another collaboration with Hanse and Jim Wagner produced the Horse Course at the Prairie Club (2009). In 2010, a restoration of George Thomas's Los Angeles Country Club's North Course design was unveiled, followed by a renovation of the club's South Course in 2016.
In 2011 he published his first non-golf book about his visits with racing legend Zenyatta.
In 2017 GeoffShackelford.com became part of the USA Today Sports Media Group's network.
Geoff Shackelford has hosted 129 Episodes.
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SOG Ep 116: So Yeon Ryu
October 18th, 2021 | 1 hr 19 mins
In a world of all too often non-descript players, Korea's So Yeon Ryu stands out. Intelligent, thoughtful, eloquent and funny - all in a second language - what a treat it was to welcome the former World Number One to episode 116 alongside Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri.
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SOG 115:Ryder Cup Preview With Andrew Coltart
September 16th, 2021 | 1 hr 16 mins
It's that time in the golf cycle again....the interminable wait for the Ryder Cup to get underway. With a week and a bit to go before the first ball is struck former European Tour player now Sky Sorts commentator Andrew Coltart joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri to talk all things Whistling Straits and more.
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SOG 114: Lawrence Donegan On McKellar, Matchplay and More
August 31st, 2021 | 1 hr 16 mins
McKellar Magazine co-founder Lawrence Donegan joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri to talk about his recent trip to Scotland, the performance of his son Niall at the British Boys Championship, the success and future of McKellar magazine and more. And there's a special reward for those who stick around till the end, after you hear it click the link below and enjoy.
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SOG 113: Richard Gillis and Golf's New World Order
August 13th, 2021 | 1 hr 16 mins
For just the second time in its 12-year history, State of the Game bears an 'Explicit' badge this week. Why, you ask? You'll need to listen to find out but among the topics covered are: Is 'Strategic Alliance' really just code for a PGA Tour takeover of the European Tour? And if so, is that a bad thing? One of sports business' best analysts Richard Gillis joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri on Episode 113 to dissect what's happening at the top end of professional golf.
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SOG 112: PGL v PGA Tour
June 12th, 2021 | 1 hr 24 mins
Washington journalist and golf nut Arthur MacMillan joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri to chat Premier Golf League, Jon Rahm and Covid, the US Open and plenty more.
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SOG 111: Hideki and the PIP
April 25th, 2021 | 1 hr 6 mins
The impact of Hideki's win in his homeland and the PGA Tour's Player Impact Program. Plenty to talk about when eight time major winning caddy and Japan resident Tom Watson joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri for Episode 111 of State of the Game.
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SOG 110: Distance Insights
February 10th, 2021 | 1 hr 5 mins
Geoff Shackelford and Mike Clayton have been two of the most consistent and credible voices in the distance debate for the past 20 years and with the governing bodies looking likely to finally act, they have their say on Episode 110.
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SOG 109: Super Sized Golf With Phil Blackmar
January 17th, 2021 | 1 hr 27 mins
He writes too infrequently but when Phil Blackmar puts pen to paper it is always worth reading. The former PGA Tour player turned Golf Channel analyst joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri on Episode 109 to talk about his most recent blog post, Golf's Biggest Self.
You can read the post here -
SG 108: The Masters With Lukas Michel
November 19th, 2020 | 1 hr 13 mins
A look at the 2020 Masters from both inside and outside the ropes when Lukas Michel joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri.
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SOG 107: Brandel And The Claytonites
October 30th, 2020 | 1 hr 14 mins
On Episode 107 we welcome author Daniel Wexler to discuss his latest book A Timeless Game but quickly run off topic into the future of golf in urban centres, equipment technology and the distance debate and there is some pontificating early on about Brandel Chamblee's personal attack on co-host Mike Clayton and those who agree with his views on the game.
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Ep 106: Will Winged Foot Be The Turning Point In The Distance Debate?
September 23rd, 2020 | 1 hr 22 mins
It's the topic everyone is talking about but not everyone is Mike Clayton and Geoff Shackelford. Two of the most respected voices in the game weigh in on Bryson, Winged Foot and the future of golf.
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Ep 105: Geoff Ogilvy, The Bryson Debate and More
July 4th, 2020 | 1 hr 22 mins
Will Bryson DeChambeau change the game? What is the role of mentors in golf? How much time should a US Open champion spend on YouTube and Instagram looking at golf swings? All that and more on Episode 105 of State of the Game with Geoff Shackelford, Geoff Ogilvy and Mike Clayton.
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Ep 104: What Will Become Of The European Tour?
April 15th, 2020 | 1 hr 34 mins
With professional golf on hold for the foreseeable future only one thing is certain: the pay for play game will look very different on the other side of the Corona Virus pandemic. Can the European Tour survive the current crisis and if not will it be the PGA Tour or the Premier Golf League that becomes its saviour? Just one of the myriad questions pondered when Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri are joined by sports business expert Richard Gillis on Episode 104 of State of the Game.
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Ep 103: The Corona Virus Episode
March 20th, 2020 | 54 mins 38 secs
It's all anybody's talking about. Including us. The Corona Virus has touched every facet of life, golf included, and is going to do so for the foreseeable future. What does it mean for professional and recreational golf? Who knows? Certainly not Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri but we chat about it anyway.
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Ep 102: The Show We Never Thought We'd Have
February 7th, 2020 | 1 hr 8 mins
Finally. That's been the predominant response to the Distance Insights Report released earlier this week, a document that may well change the shape of the game for decades to come. Among the most vocal agitators for action on this issue for the past two decades have been Mike Clayton and Geoff Shackelford and on Ep 102 they have their say on the report and what it means.
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Ep 101: The Premier Golf League Bombshell
January 28th, 2020 | 1 hr 23 mins
Not for the first time a World Golf Tour has been proposed with the noble intention of having 'the best play against the best more often'. Premier League Golf has been in the planning for several years and many of the world's top players have admitted to being interested. But can the PGA Tour put a stop to it and if not what would that mean for the Tour and the rest of world golf? Join Geoff Shackelford - the journalist who broke the story - Mike Clayton and Rod Morri as they ponder the potential fallout.