February 02, 2012

IGF Head: “All the presentations have been first class."

February 02, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

AroundTheRings.com talks to International Golf Federation executive director Antony Scanlon who says he is “extremely pleased with the quality of the submissions” from the last two days of Rio 2016’s course design contest.

February 01, 2012

Instant Poll: Who Gets The Olympic Design Gig?

February 01, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

So based on the schedule revealed by the Rio folks, the eight finalists have made their presentations over the last two days and now the jury deliberates before making a final decision sometime Thursday, followed by Friday's announcement in press release form.

January 31, 2012

"We expect to see clouds of white smoke by Friday."

January 31, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Ron Whitten previews the largely secretive Rio architect selection process, which takes play Tuesday and Wednesday, with a decision expected by week's end.

January 27, 2012

Olympic Design Derby Preview

January 27, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Thanks to reader Chris for John Paul Newport's reminder that next Tuesday and Wednesday the Olympic golf architecture finalists will be making their pitches to the jury panel, with a decision to come on the winning bid later in the week. Just a month ago, I handicapped the finalists here.

January 16, 2012

Olympic Course Jury Revealed, Sort Of

January 16, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

In his annual chat with John Huggan, Peter Dawson reveals the makeup of the Rio Olympic course design jury.

December 23, 2011

Handicapping The Olympic Design Finalists

December 23, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

The field has been set for golf architecture’s grandest Grade 1 race. Eight will line up in a fiercely contested battle to become the lucky designer charged with building a course expected to inspire future creations with its environmentally sensitivity and playable charm. Here’s a look at the field set to be chosen by a jury panel in late January or early February.

December 08, 2011

Shark: The Team Loved My Fashion Choices And Want Me Back

December 08, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

I would not have read Greg Norman's Shark Shootout presser if it weren't for Mike O'Malley's tweet, and boy am I glad I suffered through it to learn that the International squad wants their leader back.

December 08, 2011

Thomson Adds Karrie Webb To Design Bid

December 08, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Darius Oliver writes that "despite no evidence at all that a design company teaming with an LPGA superstar can/will produce a quality golf course, it has clearly become fashionable to champion gender equality by tacking a famous female onto your design bid."

December 02, 2011

The Elite 8: 2016 Olympic Course Design "Finalists"

December 02, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

The jury panel charged with narrowing the 25 initial bids for the Rio 2016 Olympic golf course design commission has whittled the "contest" to eight finalists, and all architects are believed to have been notified of their status.

December 01, 2011

Olympic Architect Finalists Announcement Imminent?

December 01, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Tom Doak, one of the architects applying for the commission to design the Olympic course in Rio, has revealed on GolfClubAtlas.com that eight finalists are to be announced at any moment and is holding an informal contest to select the lucky winners.

November 26, 2011

Olympic Format Claims Another Victim

November 26, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Bernie McGuire gets confirmation from Mission Hills' Ken Chu that the two-man World Cup will go to 72-holes of stroke play and world ranking points starting in 2013.

"The World Cup will change format, and it will begin enjoying world rankings points, and it will still be held biennially and at around this time of year," he told Reuters.

"But with golf to be in the 2016 Olympics the equation in golf changes, and these changes to the World Cup will be having the Olympics in mind."

Chu, along with his younger brother Tenniel, Mission Hills vice chairman, held meetings earlier this week at Haikou with the Federation of Golf Tours heads, including PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and his European Tour counterpart, George O'Grady.

Chu indicated the Federation would release a joint statement shortly confirming the changes.

Ah no need now!

November 25, 2011

Monty Hoping To Inspire Afghan "Team" For 2016 Olympics

November 25, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

I guess no one told him there are no teams in the Olympic golf, just individuals? Well, in his defense, common sense would tell you there'd be a team competition since team golf is often quite better than individual play.

November 09, 2011

Still Time To Get Your Rio Olympic Course Design Bids In!

November 09, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Doug Ferguson reports on a delay in the Olympic design competition. Sounds like a lost in translation issue with the RFP?

November 08, 2011

A Presidents Cup For South America?

November 08, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

There's certainly no danger in the PGA Tour's aggressive efforts to make the 2016 Olympic golf quest work, but I do wonder if putting a Presidents Cup there could ultimately make the individual stroke play format of the Olympic golf look ordinary.