Does Shackelford Know Riviera? He Wrote the Book

He probably knows every blade of Kikuyu and every branch of eucalyptus at Riviera Country Club, which is going to make Geoff Shackelford more popular than the barranca when the U.S. Senior Open comes around in July.

As it turns out, Shackelford is sort of the voice of history at Riviera, the unofficial club historian and keeper of the faith of one of the most famous golf courses in the world.

The author of a definitive history of Riviera, Shackelford also wrote “The Captain,” a story of Riviera architect George Thomas.

The 26-year-old son of former UCLA star Lynn Shackelford might not be able to rainbow a high-archer from the corner into the basket, but he may be unsurpassed in his knowledge and appreciation of the Riviera layout.

It’s been a while since Riviera was treated with its customary respect, dating back to the course’s problems with its new greens, a fiasco that became a major headache at the 1995 PGA Championship when the greens looked more like burned patches of grass and plain dirt.

But Shackelford said Riviera has a chance to acquit itself well in July at the Senior Open.

“The greens will hold up fine, the course will hold up fine,” Shackelford said. “It’ll be outstanding compared to what people have seen the last four years.”

In his book, Shackelford said Thomas moved to Los Angeles from Philadelphia in 1920 after a stint as captain in World War I when he crashed three times as a pilot. He may have been a better architect than pilot. He accepted no fee for his work at Riviera.

Thomas, who also designed the Los Angeles Country Club’s North course and Bel-Air, may once again be appreciated for his work when the U.S. Senior Open is played at the revered Riviera layout, Shackelford said.

“The course will hold up,” he said. “I think it’s going to make a nice comeback. I just hope people are going to come out and support it.”

MORE RIVIERA

Paul Latshaw, who came from Congressional Country Club as course superintendent to breathe new life into Riviera’s greens, believes the course is rounding into shape.

Latshaw’s staff aerated the greens from January through March and are now trying to develop a root system.

“We’re working on getting them in championship quality for the U.S. Senior Open,” he said. “We’re not as far along as we’d like to be, but I think we’re going to be ready for the U.S. Senior Open.”

CASEY MARTIN UPDATE

He’s playing the second week of four consecutive weeks, but all is not well for Martin. Yes, he made the cut last week in the Nike Tour event in Alabama, but his ailing right leg is giving him tremendous pain, according to this parents.

“It’s been so bad for him, he’s in such pain, especially at night,” said King Martin, the father of the disabled golfer. “He just can’t get any sleep.”

After playing in Huntsville, Ala., where he finished eight strokes behind the winner, Martin drove to Nashville, Tenn., to play in a Fellowship of Christian Athletes tournament, then flew to South Carolina for this week’s Nike Tour event.

King Martin said his son’s circulatory condition and how it affects playing golf “has to be a one-day-at-a-time thing.”

According to Martin’s mom, Melinda, what’s happening is not unexpected. “The leg is deteriorating, plain and simple,” she said.

IT’S BACK

Arnold Palmer has a bad back and he is not very happy about it. In fact, Palmer, who is 68, is wondering what the next step might be . . . like cutting back on his schedule.

“I still do have hope,” Palmer said. “I’m not ready to nail the coffin down shut yet.”

The fact remains that Palmer hasn’t broken par in his last 40 rounds on the Senior PGA Tour, all the way back to Aug. 9-10 of last year at the Northville Classic.

Palmer says his back muscles are sore.

“Too many years of playing golf, that’s all it is,” he said. “I’ve been working on my swing when I have the chance and maybe those changes are part of what’s wrong with my swing. I’ve put some strain on my muscles.”

SHARK UPDATE

While we’re on the subject of injured body parts, let’s check in on Greg Norman. He had shoulder surgery nine days ago and now he’s rehabilitating.

Norman remains upbeat and confident about a comeback and so does his surgeon, Dr. Richard Hawkins of the Steadman Hawkins Clinic.

However, some aren’t so sure. Jerry Pate told Golf World it might be better to be a little more realistic.

“I’ve got a Phi Beta Kappa in rehabbing the shoulder of a pro golfer,” said Pate, the 1976 U.S. Open champ. “I remember telling people I’ll be back. Guess what? I never got back. [Norman’s doctor] knows nothing about playing golf on Greg Norman’s level, just like my doctors didn’t understand me. Greg Norman is a driven individual. But if he doesn’t change [his swing], he’ll never recover.”

THE BUDDY SYSTEM

Buddy Allin needs a little cheering up. After he played the last two rounds at Las Vegas in 79-82 and finished tied for 51st, Allin really unloaded . . . on himself.

“I’m playing terrible and I’ve played terrible golf for five years on this tour.”

Of course, Allin won a Senior PGA Tour event in Florida last year, but he was not to be deterred from clobbering himself.

“Yeah, I played one good week in five years. That’s just not going to get it done. I can’t putt, I can’t chip. I can’t drive it anywhere near far enough and my iron play stinks.

“That’s not a real positive summation, but it’s the truth.”

THE TRIALS OF TREVINO

Lee Trevino is ditching the Senior PGA Tour for up to two months so he can be with his five-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter while his wife attends her mother, who has brain cancer.

Understandably distracted, Trevino tied for 56th at Las Vegas, where he had 19 bogeys, three double bogeys and only three birdies.

“I made more bogeys than I did in all of 1990,” said Trevino, who won seven times in 1990.

IT’S NOT MEOW MIX

According to a study by National Demographics and Lifestyles and the New York Times Co. Magazine Group, here are seven things golfers do less often than the average U.S. citizen:

1. Read the bible.

2. Sew.

3. Work on cars.

4. Do knitting or needlework.

5. Eat health foods.

6. Read science fiction.

7. Own a cat.

ASK ABOUT CHIPPING IN

For what it’s worth, Annika Sorenstam said the only golfer whose playing tips in magazines she pays any attention to are those written by Tom Watson.

SHE WANTS NO STRIPES

As far as publicity and notoriety go, you now may include Karrie Webb as the anti-Tiger Woods of the LPGA. “I wouldn’t want to be in Tiger’s shoes, not even close,” Webb said. “I’m happy with my situation.”

GET THE MOVING VANS?

The PGA of America, which has one year left on its contract to stage the PGA Senior Championship in Florida, may move the event because of poor attendance.

Possible alternate sites include Austin, Dallas, Portland and Seattle. While the PGA may be seeking two- or three-year deals, sentiment among the players seems to be toward moving the event to a different site every year.

GET YOUR STATISTICS!

It probably should be noted that the winners of the last 14 majors have been, yes, 14 different players. The last repeat winner was Nick Price, who won the British Open and the PGA in 1994.