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Brian Brown

A place to start
« on: November 04, 2007, 01:19:48 AM »
  I am a novice at studying gca and looking for a few more books to help me understand history and concepts. Today I purchased "Grounds for Golf" by Geoff Shackelford and I am on vacation for the next 11 days so any other suggestions would be great.  Thank you in advance for the help.

Jason Topp

Re:A place to start
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2007, 01:32:12 AM »
Brian:

Grounds for Golf is a terrific introduction to the subject as is Tom Doak's book - Anatomy of a golf course.

Many bookstores carry Volume 1 of "Golf Architecture - A Worldwide Perspective" by Paul Daley.  It is probably my favorite book on the subject.

Those 3 books would probably take care of your vacation.  If not, Daniel Wexler's third interview on this site contains a number of wonderful suggestions:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/interviewwexler3519.html

Ray Richard

Re:A place to start
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2007, 06:29:21 AM »
I would add Cornish and Whitten -The Golf Course-as a great start.

John Foley

Re:A place to start
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2007, 07:45:33 AM »
Brian,

Get Geoff's Golden Age of Golf Design. It's a great place to start to realize while all the ODG'd (Old Dead Guys) are so revered around here.

The other I would add is the Evangalist of Golf by George Bahto. A fantastic book.
Integrity in the moment of choice

Pete Garvey

Re:A place to start
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2007, 08:54:59 AM »
Every library on golf course architecture should have Bradley Klein's "Discovering Donald Ross, The Architect and His Golf Courses" within arms reach.

Also, I agree that you should read George Bahto's "The Evangelist of Golf, The story of Charles Blair MacDonald".

Happy reading!



David Stamm

Re:A place to start
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2007, 09:52:19 AM »
Brian,


   Anything by Geoff, Brad or Tom is a must. I will suggest over time that you acquire Thomas' Golf Architecture in America, probably the best book ever written on the subject. Hunter's Links is a close second along with MacKenzie's Spirit of St Andrews. Simpson's and Wethered's Architectural Side of Golf is also a cornerstone for a serious library. CHeck the Classics of Golf website for some of these titles. They alos carry our own Philip Young's work on Tillinghast which I enjoyed alot. Hre are a few other titles I would suggest.


British Golf Links- Horace Hutchinson

Scotland's Gift- CB Macdonald. I would also get Bahto's book on the man. Very well done.

Golf Courses of the British Isles- Darwin. More of a journey through the great courses in the UK. James Finegan's are also wonderful in their right and his Where courses are great is a fantastic addition.

Missing Links and Lost Links- Daniel Wexler. A must.

"The object of golf architecture is to give an intelligent purpose to the striking of a golf ball."- Max Behr

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