State Of The Game

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 Rory's doinating peroformance at Kiawah Island.

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 the state of the game as he looks back on more than three decades of experience.

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 Royal Portrush. All that an moreon the latest episode of State of the Game.

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 fabulous book about events leading up to, and during, that remarkable Open and joins Rod Morri and Mike Clayton to talk about the five year publishing journey that led to Golf's Longest Shot: Jack Fleck, Ben Hogan and Pro Golf's Greatest Upset at the 1955 US Open. Chock full of interesting tid-bits and details, and a hole by hole account of the play-off itself, The Longest Shot is a must read for anybody with an interest in the history of golf.

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 very best golf courses. 

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, the course and the lingering controversy over Augusta's lack of female members which has reared its head again this year.

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.

Does your club have a problem with slow play? Well today's episode of State of the Game is a must listen. Host Rod Morri is joined by blogger Geoff Shackelford and Scotland on Sunday columnist John Huggan as they meet John Small, a tournament organiser and inventor fom Australia whose Solution 240 product is achieving remarkable results in eliminating slow play at two Sydney golf clubs.

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 impact of the professional game on golf more broadly and why the 1970s and 1980s will be viewed historically as a bleak time in golf course development.

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.

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 they dissect what looks to be a brave new era for the game's govrning body in the US. Also this week a John Huggan interview with player manager Andrew "Chubby" Chandler discussing the new US Tour Q School proposal and it's potential effects on world golf.

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, why a roll back of the ball might not be as far off as we think and why professional golf really i important to the health of the game...