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.
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Episode 16: SOG Ep 16 "They're only selling hope..."
February 1st, 2013 | 50 mins 59 secs
Bifurcation, slow play an the Vijay Singh banned substance debacle...all that and more on 2013's first episode of State of the Game with Geoff Shackelford and Mike Clayton....
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Episode 15: SOG Ep-15: "What they're doing is unforgiveable..."
November 30th, 2012 | 55 mins 30 secs
Two monumental announcements were made this week: The Old Course at St Andrews is under the surgeon's knife and anchored putting will be outlawed in 2016. Host Rod Morri is joined by Geoff Shackelford, John Huggan and Mike Clayton to dicsuss two of...
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Episode 14: SOG Ep 14: "My mum could captain the Ryder Cup..."
October 5th, 2012 | 46 mins 34 secs
Golf's most compelling event somehow seems to just keep getting better. Geoff Shackelford, John Huggan and Mike Clayton join host Rod Morri to break down events at Medinah, with Clayton even claiming his mum could captain the Ryder Cup....
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Episode 13: SOG-Ep-13: "It's all too friendly at the moment.."""
September 26th, 2012 | 39 mins 48 secs
Join Rod Morri, Geoff Shackelford and John Huggan as they break down the most exciting week in golf, the Ryder Cup. The team also give their final verdict on the just concluded FedEx Cup and why the format still isn't quite right.
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Episode 12: SOG-Ep-12-"The first clear Number one since Tiger..."
August 15th, 2012 | 58 mins 54 secs
The year's final major is run and won so now it's time to rank them. Hear from the State of the Game team Mike Clayton, John Huggan and Geoff Shackelford as they break down the Grand Slam events of season 2012, from Bubba's hooked wedge at Augusta to...
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Episode 11: SOG EP 11 - "Pro golf just doesn't engage me any more..."
July 24th, 2012 | 47 mins 42 secs
Lorne Rubenstein has been one of the game's great chroniclers for more than 30 years but after this week's Canadian Open will file his final weekly column for Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper. Rod Morri caught up with Lorne to get his thoughts on...
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Episode 10: SOG-EP-10 "The Open won't be going to Portrush..."
July 7th, 2012 | 47 mins 59 secs
Geoff Shackelford and John Huggan join host Rod Morri to look back at the US Open, analyse the US Tour's new secondary tour sponsor, the new event in Turkey giving Tim Finchem and George O'Grady a headache and the chances of The Open returning to...
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Episode 9: SOG Ep 9 "One of sport's great upsets..."
June 13th, 2012 | 1 hr
While the US Open unfolds at Olympic this week there will be plenty of talk about the 1955 event at this venue and the incredible upset victory of Iowa club profesional Jack Fleck over Ben Hogan. Neil Sagabiel of the Armchair Golf Blog has written a...
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Episode 8: SOG Ep 8 - "What have they done to Merion?"
April 18th, 2012 | 1 hr 54 secs
In this special combined episode of TalkinGolf and State of the Game Geoff Shackelford, Mike Clayton and John Huggan join host Rod Morri to talk US Masters, Augusta National politics and Mike Clayton's amazing golf odyssey taking in some of America's...
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Episode 7: SOG Ep 7 - "We'll forgive Augusta National anything if the golf's good"
April 2nd, 2012 | 36 mins 55 secs
The most anticipated US Masters in years gets underway this week and, like everyone else with an interest in the game, we at State of the Game are keen to talk about it. Join Rod Morri, Geoff Shackelford and John Huggan as they break down the field,...
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Episode 6: SOG Ep 6 - "There's a reason we were selected..."
March 28th, 2012 | 48 mins 56 secs
It's the biggest golf course design announcement in history and this week on State of the Game co-hosts Geoff Shackelford and Rod Morri catch up with Gil Hanse to discuss his winning design for the 2016 Olympic Games golf course.
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Episode 5: State of the Game Episode 5 - "Slow play is an epidemic and it'a just bad manners.."
March 8th, 2012 | 46 mins 14 secs
Slow Play
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Episode 4: SOG Ep 4 - "The professional game is just not very interesting the way it's played" - Greg Turner
February 28th, 2012 | 46 mins 38 secs
Former touring professional turned golf course designer, New Zealand's Greg Turner is one of the more articulate members of the golfing fraternity. This week he joins host Rod Morri and co-host Mike Clayton to discuss the joy of the short par-4, the...
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Episode 3: SOG Ep 3 - "The game has been hijacked by money"
February 13th, 2012 | 47 mins 51 secs
The USGA - and Tiger Woods - are talking banning the belly and long putter. Join host Rod Morri, co-hosts John Huggan and Mike Clayton and long time broomstick putter user Craig Spence as they dissect just how dificult - or even desirable - that might be.
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Episode 2: State of the Game Episode 2
February 8th, 2012 | 52 mins 55 secs
Could the USGA be preparing to take on golf's major manufacturers over distance? New USGA President Glen Nager was talking tough on the issue at last week's USGA annual meeting and Geoff Shackelford was there. Join Shackelford and host Rod Morri as...
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Episode 1: State of the Game Episode 1
January 22nd, 2012 | 36 mins 18 secs
Geoff Shackelford, John Huggan, Mike Clayton and Rod Morri today launch State of the Game, their new podcast exploring issues effecting the game of golf. Among topics discussed on this first episode are: why the distance obsession has hurt the game,...