Golf Books for Christmas

[RDecker]

I am once again faced with the daunting task of coming up with ideas for my wife for gifts for me.  I always try to add a golf architecture/history selection to my library and am looking for suggestions.  I already have George's book, Brad's, Geoff's, Doak's book on the Doc and several others.  Any Ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Paul Daley's Golf Architectecture a worldwide perspective volumes I, II & III.

There is a new tillinghast book out this month also.

Cheers

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

There is a new tillinghast book out this month also.

Cheers

"Tillinghast : Creator of Golf Courses" by Philip Young.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Mike beat me to it.

Any, and all of Daley's books are a guaranteed hit. And Phil Young's Tillinghast book looks excellent. I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my copy, recently ordered.

[Phil_the_Author]

Jeff,

Thank you for the very nice compliment!

[LOberman]

I would suggest trying a couple of the older books.  You can buy reprints for a reasonable amount of money.  I think The Links by Robert Hunter and Golf Architecture by Alister Mackenzie are worth reading.

It is amazing to read these two books and think they were written in the 1920's.

I also enjoyed Stan Byrdy's book The Augusta National Golf Club.  It is very informative to see what has happened to Augusta over the years.

[Jeff_Brauer]

No one here has mentioned the new book "100 Toughest Golf Holes" or "50 Places to PLay before you Die"  While not the first ones I would add to a collection, they are out there.

BTW, do you have Golf Magazines "500 Best Golf Holes" either hard or soft cover. That might be a good overview of holes, rather than bios and philosophies?

[Tony_Chapman]

If you want golf but non-architecture, I recommend these "older" books: Final Rounds by James Dodson (isn't that book why we all love golf?) and Flatbellies by A.B. Hollingsworth.

[RJ_Daley]

Regarding Paul Daley's books, I tried to order two for Christmas for a couple of my golf buddies.  When I filled out the form on his site, it would not accept the address and phone # conventions that are different for the US than Aus.  I wrote Paul an IM on this but did not hear back from him.  So Paul, if you see this, please IM me.  Or can anyone else help me out on what to do about the required fields that are not the same in US as Aus?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

If you ever see one in a second-hand shop get a copy of My Life and Soft Times, the autobiography of Henry Longhurst.  There's not much about golf in it, but it is one of the funniest books you'll ever read.  

I agree about the excellence of the three Paul Daley volumes - and there will be no more, sadly.

[Robert Kimball]

Not to beat a dead horse, but Sam Bydy's Augusta National book is extremely well written and diagrammed.

Add the old original pictures of the course and club, and you got one heck of a good golf book.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

If you want to drool, get the 'Definitive Guide to The Hotchkin Course - Woodhall Spa' by Richard Latham - contact him via the club's website or English Golf Union. The photos and artwork are breathtaking.

Supporting GCAers, Rich Goodale's 'Experience Royal Dornoch' is a must have for the shelves.  Refreshingly original text.  Interesting graphics.  

I also think that Daniel Wexler's re-publication of British Golf Links (Horace Hutchinson) is essential for any GCAers library.

[RDecker]

Thanks for the tips... where would be the best place to locate Mr. Young's book?  Also if anyone is looking for a nice book to add to their collection I found a 2 book collection a few years back by a guy named Anthony Edgeworth.  The first volume was titled "Legendary Clubs of the American East" and the 2nd was "Legendary Clubs of Scotland, Ireland and England".  I have the American book and it is very well done with nice behind the scenes type stories from the clubs focusing more on club and member life and including some excellent photos.  I haven't acquired the 2nd volume yet but intend to.

[David_Tepper]

"Scottish Golf Links" by Ian Macfarlane Lowe is highly recommended. GREAT golf course pix and some interesting articles on links GCA by Kyle Phillips.

[Phil_the_Author]

RDecker, since you asked, "Thanks for the tips... where would be the best place to locate Mr. Young's book?"

First, this Mr. Young crap stops now ! It's always Phil unless you're my mother... then it's Philip when she's REALLY pissed at me.

The best place to get it is on the Classics of Golf website:

www.classicsofgolf.com

Also, Classics is publishing a wonderful history of the U.S. Amateur that will be available in December also, by Colin Sheehan. For those that don't know Colin, he's the Editor of The Golfer magazine.

I've seen the galleys & I can't wait to get it for myself, same publisher or not!

[RDecker]

Phil, Thanks again.  Have you any other projects on the horizon you can talk about yet?

[mike_malone]

 My wife has been "stealing" somebody's wireless access recently. So, she can sit in the chair next to me ; watch TV ; surf to her heart's content.

  The other night I said " Oh by the way I want my usual Lambrecht Irish calendar from one of the girls and some obscure golf book that you may have a hard time finding. The Links by Hunter."

  About ten seconds later she  leans over with her computer. "Is that it?"

  The internet is amazing.!

[Philip Gawith]

Maybe you should buy Daniel Wexler's excellent book - can't remember the exact title - about a Golfing Library, because that will then tell you exactly what the next 500 good golf books are that you should buy. Seriously, it is an excellent book.

[Garland Bayley]

Regarding Paul Daley's books, I tried to order two for Christmas for a couple of my golf buddies.  When I filled out the form on his site, it would not accept the address and phone # conventions that are different for the US than Aus.  I wrote Paul an IM on this but did not hear back from him.  So Paul, if you see this, please IM me.  Or can anyone else help me out on what to do about the required fields that are not the same in US as Aus?

I had this problem with his website too. Apparently OR is not a state/province in Australia. I simply skipped filling in the state, depending on the zip code to do the job. I am hoping the books come to OR instead of ME.

[Mickey Boland]

In a similar vein, I've arranged a trip to Scotland next year for myself and 3 buddies.  I want to buy each of them a book for Christmas that gives us a taste of what we might experience.  "To the Linksland" and "A Season in Dornoch" are the two that I have in mind.  Any others I should consider?

[George Pazin]

Regarding Paul Daley's books, I tried to order two for Christmas for a couple of my golf buddies.  When I filled out the form on his site, it would not accept the address and phone # conventions that are different for the US than Aus.  I wrote Paul an IM on this but did not hear back from him.  So Paul, if you see this, please IM me.  Or can anyone else help me out on what to do about the required fields that are not the same in US as Aus?

Dick, I didn't have any problems when filling out Paul's info, and the books arrived very quickly. (And what terrific books they are - Favorite Holes... might be my new favorite golf book.) Are you sure you did everything correctly?

Also, my experience with Paul has been that if he doesn't respond quickly, it means he's on a trip somewhere. Otherwise, he responds very quickly. His email is fswing@bigpond.net.au if you want to give that a try.

-----

So many books, so little time.

I haven't seen anyone mention it, but Mark Rowlinson has a book out entitled Golfing On the World's Most Exceptional Courses. Saw it at Borders last night, only a temporary shortage of cash stopped me from picking it up; that will be rectified tonight!

Final Rounds was a very good read. Jeff Silverman recommended Bud Shrake's novel Billy Boy, and he wasn't wrong. The book I most want right now is the reprint of British Golf Links - a giant among books, literally and figuratively.

You can't go wrong with any books by Geoff Shackelford, Paul Daley, Tom Doak, Brad Klein, George Bahto, Phil Young, Rick Wolffe, Jeff Silverman, and I'm sure someone I'm overlooking!

[mike_malone]

 George,

    You sure are overlooking someone  



     Paul / Morrison


    I was planning on buying a copy  of their Flynn book for ALL of my friends.  

[George Pazin]

Mike, I didn't think their book was out yet, since Tom hasn't dropped one off at my place yet.

I am also looking forward to Rich G's book, someday. I just need to figure out how to get it.

[peter_p]

"Bunkers, Pits and Other Hazards" by GCAers Fine and Richardson should be out at Christmastime -Wiley Publications

[Michael Whitaker]

Here are some books available at www.bookcloseouts.com that might make a nice gift for a golfer on your list... all at outstanding prices:

Jim Flick On Golf $4.99
A Season In Dornoch $5.49
Who's Your Caddy (Rick Reilly) $5.99
Yoga For Golfers (Katherine Roberts) $6.99
Caddy For Life (John Feinstein) $5.99
Nicklaus By Design $9.99
The Story of the American Golfer (Herbert Warren Wind) $23.99