Geoff Shackelford: Sand Blasting

shackelford sand

In his column for the Fall 2024 issue of LINKS Magazine, Geoff Shackelford writes that bunkers are supposed to be hazards, not hell holes.

Best Public Golf in Utah

Utah is one of those states where good golf is thought to exist, but few can really say for sure. Here are 10 of my favorite courses.

Top Mountain Courses in 10 American West States

Mountain golf is different. It’s three-dimensional chess, with elevation changes that factor into the way you approach just about every shot. America’s western states are blessed with dozens of superb mountain tracks, from hillside bucking-bronco rides to others that are gentler canters through quiet valleys surrounded by towering peaks. Many of the west’s more impressive […]

9 Best Par Threes on the Open Championship Rota

Ever since eight competitors first encountered Prestwick’s 167-yard 3rd hole—called Tunnel (Red)—at the inaugural Open Championship in 1860, par threes have played a significant role in the outcome of golf’s oldest major tournament. Only 12 holes then, Prestwick expanded to 18 holes in 1882, then fell off the Open Rota after 1925, but its challenging […]

Is Royal Troon the Weakest of the Open Rota Courses?

Let’s make one thing clear from the start: the Old Course at Royal Troon Golf Club is one of western Scotland’s premier links. It wasn’t chosen to host the Open Championship 10 times for nothing. Its seaside location in Ayrshire, its long and proud history, the warmth of the club’s welcome, and the number of […]

Top 10 Fun Facts About Royal Troon

Since its earliest days in the 1870s, Royal Troon has epitomized a traditional club environment and proper championship golf. Yet, as this storied venue on the west coast of Scotland prepares to host its 10th Open Championship, the one constant has been change, in a desire for improvement. With an eye on the soon approaching […]