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 128 Episodes.
-
SOG Ep 098: Distance, Money and Brandel Chamblee
September 3rd, 2019 | 1 hr 22 mins
Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and host Rod Morri delve into recent happenings in the world of golf and analyse what it means for the bigger picture. From the distance debate (of course) and changes in the PGA Tour schedule to whether a $15 million payday is off putting and is the LPGA playing courses that are too easy? All that comes under the microscope as well as Brandel Chamblee's surprise switch of position back to advocating for bifurcation of the professional and amateur game.
-
SOG Ep 097: The Open Washup And Is Something Happening With The Ball?
July 27th, 2019 | 1 hr 33 mins
The success of Royal Portrush, Xander Schauffele and the driver controversy, are the authorities planning to do something about the ball in the autumn and why you can't say anything bad about Memphis. All that and more in episode 97 of State of the Game.
-
SOG Ep 096: McGinley Takes Irish Open Back To The Future
June 28th, 2019 | 1 hr 10 mins
There is much excitement among architecture types about next week's Irish Open at the famed Lahinch in County Clare. Tournament host Paul McGinley joins Episode 96 of the show to explain how he plans to take the event back to the future making the on-site experience one that far exceeds watching on TV. The 2014 Ryder Cup captain says tournament goers can expect a festival atmosphere in the tiny town of Lahinch as the entire week will be a celebration of the game.
-
SOG Ep 095: Expect A Spiritual US Open At Pebble beach
June 10th, 2019 | 1 hr 12 mins
pebble beach, us open
As the Old Course is to Scotland so Pebble Beach is to America and a US Open on the Monterey Peninsula is something a bit special. Join Pebble beach devotee Geoff Shackelford alongside Mike Clayton and Rod Morri for a breakdown of what role the course might play at this week's 119th US Open as well as some discussion on the Hank Haney controversy from last weeks US Women's Open and what the fallout might meaning the bigger picture.
-
SOG Ep 093: Bob Denney on AW Tillinghast
May 9th, 2019 | 1 hr 34 mins
With the PGA Championship set to return to the Bethpage Black course in New York next week there will be plenty of discussion about course design AW Tillinghast. While known mostly as a course architect, Tillinghast had many more strings to his bow including a well known - though little understood - tour of the US during the depression years to advise courses on more financially sustainable management practises. What is less known is the extensive records he kept of that period and PGA Historian Bob Denney joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri on Episode 93 to delve into the life and times of one of the game's great contributors.
-
SOG Ep 091 The Masters Big Picture
April 22nd, 2019 | 1 hr 22 mins
Tiger Woods winning his fifth green jacket was something special but The Masters is about so much more than just the 72 holes each year. Join Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton join Rod Morri as they break down what the 2019 Masters means in the bigger picture, from changes to the course (in particular the fifth hole) to media, technology and the role of the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Oh, and there's mention of the possibility that distance might be an issue as well.
-
SOG Ep 090: Old Course Rough and Rules, Rules, Rules
March 2nd, 2019 | 1 hr 22 mins
Is golf going into meltdown or are we just having a rough patch because of the new rules? Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri delve into the seemingly weekly rules snafus in the professional game while also touching on the 'enhanced' rough we can expect at the 2021 Open at St Andrews and what might happen if the pro game made its own rules.
-
SOG Ep 089: Saudi Arabia, Hao Tong Li and Augusta National
February 1st, 2019 | 1 hr 35 mins
The storm over the European Tour's visit to Saudi Arabia is only intensifying but it's not the only controversy bubbling in golf. There is still lots of disquiet over the penalising of Hao Tong Li in Dubai as well as discussion about Lucas Herbert's explanation of his actions in removing loose impediments with his club in wasteland in the same event. It's not all bad news though, with Geoff Shackelford believing changes to the 5th hole at Augusta National made public this week suggesting the course may be moving back in the right direction.
-
SOG Ep 088: Lucy Li and the Rules of Amateur Status
January 11th, 2019 | 1 hr 15 mins
New rules in 2019 always suggested there would be a rules controversy in January but the one involving Lucy Li isn't what most were expecting. The 16-year-old is in danger of losing her amateur status after appearing in an ad for the Apple Watch with the USGA now investigating. It's a difficult situation for the ruling body who will no doubt be damned if they do and damned if they don't but Geoff Shackelford says the situation is really one of their own making.
-
SOG Ep 087: Ru Macdonald and the power of Instagram
December 23rd, 2018 | 1 hr 23 mins
What's the best social media platform for golf? Geoff Shackelford says its Instagram and with the help of Scottish Golf Podcast host and European Tour Social Media team member Ru Macdonald he explains why to co-hosts Rod Morri and Mike Clayton in episode 87 of State of the Game.
-
SOG Ep 086: Richard Gillis and Over The Top TV
December 16th, 2018 | 1 hr 25 mins
Golf on TV is big business and its in the midst of some dramatic change. Sports business writer and consultant Richard Gillis joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri to explain the concept of 'Over the top TV' and why the game's two biggest Tours - and Tiger Woods - are rushing to be a part of it. Also, for the golf course architecture nuts, places are now open for our Golf Course Study Tour to Barnbougle Dunes with Mike Clayton in May 2019. Three days of golf including playing with Mike Clayton and lots of talk about GCA and the game more broadly for less than $1500. All you have to do is get yourself to Launceston airport and the rest is taken care of. Check out the information page (https://stateofthegame.fireside.fm/gca-tours), send us an email using the link at the bottom and we'll be in touch to finalise details.
-
SOG Ep 085: Golf's New Rules
November 22nd, 2018 | 1 hr 16 mins
Golf's new rules come into effect in less than two months but how many people are really ready? USGA Manager of Rules Outreach & Programming Joe Foley joins Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri to discuss that plus lots more including backstopping and the potential for bifurcating the game's equipment rules. Also, we are excited to announce our inaugural Golf Course Architecture golf and live podcast Tour will take place May 3-5 next year at one of the game's greatest public venues, Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania. Check out the GCA Tours tab at the top of the page for details and click the link to register your interest via email today.
-
SOG Ep 084: The Euro Tour and Saudi Arabia
November 15th, 2018 | 1 hr 4 mins
Should the European Tour be playing a tournament in Saudi Arabia? Simple question, complicated set of answers. Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri are joined by Middle East expert Arthur MacMillan to discuss the as yet unnamed Saudi event and what its future might be in the wake of the murder of journalist Jamal Khassoggi.
-
SOG Ep 083: Jason Day Architecture Critic
October 14th, 2018 | 1 hr 40 mins
Jason Day says architects are to blame in the distance debate but SOG co-hosts Geoff Shackelford and Mike Clayton beg to differ. Hear their thoughts on that as well as how the handicap system is killing golf's adventurous spirit, why the PGA Championship likely won't be coming to Australia - or any other country - any time soon as well as the fascinating media experiment behind the Phil Mickelson/TIger Woods match.
-
Episode 81: SOG Ep 81 - The Tiger/Phil Match (and more)
August 30th, 2018 | 1 hr 33 mins
A delve into pro golf