The other night I received my copy of Tony Pioppi's new book published by the Sports Media Group entitled "To the Nines".. Tony is a lost treasure on this site, not only for his writings and knowledge but because he is quite an interesting bloke who never seems to post
. A few years ago I was going to Hartford on business and I mentioned this in kind to Tony. He told me on my way home to drive down to Old Saybrook and play a little nine holer that Katherine Hepburn grew up (and lived on) called Fenwick. All I can say is what great fun it was and I met some very interesting characters to boot. What is amazing about Fenwick is how much history is there, Howard Hughes tried to romance Hepburn on the course, on the day Hepburn got her only hole in one the Hurricane of 1938 blew in later and completely destroyed her house (how's that for karma or golf gods).
Tony has also included some classic 9 holers in Maine, Marion GC in Mass. (which I just played last week), Highland Links on the Cape, The Dunes Club (Mike Keiser's), Wawona (Yosemite), Prairie Dunes, Northwood and a few others. But the real gem for me was Tony's chapters on T. Suffern Tailer's 9 holer called Ocean Links (Raynor) which abutted Newport CC is worth buying the book by itself. It is literally Tony's "white whale". Tony is essentially the archeologist for finding the remnants of this course. He details how he's crawled through thickets and wild vegetation on his knees to unearth beacons of that forlorn course. It is a great story and one of devotion just for those chapters alone. I had no idea that this course might have housed the best rendition of Raynor's Prized Dogleg.
The book is the perfect size to take on a short plane ride or read while commuting. I hope Ran interviews him because the 9 holer might come back in vogue in my opinion in this country. With the cost of golf prohibitive and the time it takes to play, I wonder if many 18 holers might become 9 holers. Then again, no body builds 9 holers anymore.. Tis a pity.
Anyhow, its a great read.