"I'm going to play X." "Then you must read Y's essay!" (Best writeups <1000wds)

[Mark Bourgeois]

1.
"I'm going to play Augusta National."
"Then you must read Tom Boswell's essay in 'Strokes of Genius.' "
"Why?"
"Because nobody did a better job explaining the impact of the architecture on the pros -- exposing their strengths and weaknesses, sure, but the really fun part is to read how the green jackets engineer the choking."

2.
"I'm going to play Pinehurst #2."
"Then you must read Tom Doak's writeup in 'The Confidential Guide.' "
"Why?"
"Because nobody does a better job explaining the true architecture of the course.  So many people misunderstand this course -- and Doak takes on the most-common misunderstandings and demolishes them.  For me, the essay shows why we Americans should think of #2 as our Old Course -- even though he'd probably disagree with that!"

3.
"I'm going to play Rye."
"Then you must read Donald Steel's essay in 'Classic Golf Links of England et al.' "
"Why?"
"Well, a lot of people probably would steer you to Darwin, who wrote a lot about the place.  But for one essay I like Steel.  He's a member there and shares Darwin's deep appreciation and love for the place.  Steel will lay out the challenges (and fun) of today's course, while dropping in a few references to things that make the club special, like the President's Putter.  And if you master the second shots to the par 3s..."

4.
"I'm going to play Hoylake."
"Then you must read Patric Dickinson's essay in 'A Round of Golf Courses.' "
"Why?"
"Because he will help you get past your initial reaction to the course -- or laugh along with him at that reaction.  He will put you in the right frame of mind to understand the architecture."

5.
"I'm going to play the Links at Hope Island."
"Then you must read Ran's review on GCA.com."
"Why?"
"Ran Morrissett liking a modern cart-ball course -- complete with flyover above a four-lane highway! -- is probably news itself. Actually, you probably should read it whether you're going or not.  I learned a lot about the strategy of links golf, especially as involves bunker placement, maybe more than had I read about an actual links!"

6.
"I'm going to play Walnut Lane."
"Then you must read John Morrissett's review on GCA.com."
"Why?"
"Um, because I haven't seen anything else on the architecture of this course?"

[Jeff Doerr]

Very good thread idea Mark. I hope it gets some love!

For Bandon, I'd suggest "Dream Golf" by Goodwin. It is a fun read into the history of the dream that became the amazing place we know today. It really does add a depth to your experience.

The Castle Course is on my list after reading "The Seventh at St. Andrews" by Gummer.

The course reviews on GCA are what first brought me here - must reading if you are playing X!

[Lyne Morrison]

Nice thread Mark.

To remind oneself of the spirit of the game  - a quick read of 'Golf' by David A Forgan.


Cheers - Lyne

[Andrew Mitchell]

Good topic Mark, I hope it draws more responses.

My primary reference guides for UK courses are (in no particular order):
This website (I first found it whilst looking for information on Royal Aberdeen & Cruden Bay)
Donald Steel's Classic Golf Links
Patric Dickinson's A Round of Golf Courses
Jim Finegan's "Blasted Heaths & Blessed Greens" and "All Courses Great and Small"
Sir Peter Alllen's Play The Best Courses

[Lyne Morrison]

Also for Augusta, have a read of Chapters 19 and 20 in Golf is my Game by Bobby Jones.
Augusta - An Idea is Born and The Course.

Why? because this is Bobby's story - in his words, before the onset of excessive commercialisation.

Cheers - Lyne

[Kyle Harris]

If you're going to play Walnut Lane, just call Bausch, Cirba, and me.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Good topic Mark, I hope it draws more responses.

My primary reference guides for UK courses are (in no particular order):
This website (I first found it whilst looking for information on Royal Aberdeen & Cruden Bay)
Donald Steel's Classic Golf Links
Patric Dickinson's A Round of Golf Courses
Jim Finegan's "Blasted Heaths & Blessed Greens" and "All Courses Great and Small"
Sir Peter Alllen's Play The Best Courses

Capt Andrew, which course writeups in these books do you think should be considered the definitive portrait -- and why?

Mark

PS Kyle, I am going to play Walnut Lane this year and I will call you!  Per Sweeney, this will be everyone's first time around, yes?

[Peter Pallotta]

Mark - (sorry, you specifically asked for <1000 words; just the first qualifies of course).

If I was going to play Carnoustie (like Hogan) or Muirfield (in winter) or St Andrews (in summer), I'd read B Darwin, because I'd want to try to capture/embody some of that grand old sensibility before I hit my first shot. 

If I was going to play Dornoch, I'd read L Rubenstein's "A Season in Dornoch" because it would calm me down and slow me down and make gentle my condition.

If I was going to play X (whether it was a great course or not), I'd read T Doak's "Anatomy of a Golf Course", because I'd get an expert's explanation (simple yet detailed) of what the layman should be looking for, and looking out for.

If I was going to play X (and it was a ranked course by an old legend) I'd read G Shakelford's "Grounds for Golf", because I'd be preparing both my heart and my mind for what I'd find there.

Peter

P.S. - I was at the driving range today, and came to a sad realization, i.e. my golf will never be a poem, not ever.  If it is to be recognized as golf at all, it will need be a prosaic and plodding thing.   

[Tony_Muldoon]

 Nice Thread.  Interesting to see if more responses come forward, if not it tends to reinforce my belief that from where I stand, I see even less excellent writing about golf architecture than competent putts - hardly any in fact.

You asked for pieces that are to be read in conjunction with playing the course, that enhance the experience.  That’s hard but I can think of a few that make/made me want to play the course.

A special mention for Tom Doak's Confidential Guide page on The Addington, as Paul Turner pointed out on here, it brought attention back to a course that had been forgotten since pre WW2.

The first book that really turned me onto this stuff was Rough Meditations by the good Dr Klein.   I have surprised a few Americans by pointing out that living in England we have no Pete Dye course to play.  Read that book and you’ll know why my top 5 wish list in non European golf includes playing one of Dye’s early tracks.

I’ve yet to play Royal Worlington, but once I have I will re read the reviews by Ran, Tom D. and others, and then I’ll seek out Finegan’s take on it.  This is an odd piece because not only does he take a position opposite to the "received view", it is the strongest negative opinion I’ve read by him.  He is a great celebrator of golf and yet something caused him to write the exceptional piece where he came not to praise Worlington…not at all.  Re-reading both points of view will hopefully help me understand better.

[George Pazin]

Lots of good recommendations already.

There are a ton of terrific pieces on golfclubatlas in the My Home Course and In My Opinion sections. Here are a few:

Ohio State U by Tom MacWood

Dornoch by Rich Goodale

The Architectural Evolution of Royal Dornoch by Rich Goodale

Wild Horse by Dick Daley

Barnbougle by Matthew Mollica

Southern Hills by Chris Clouser

Deal by Noel Freeman

Banff Springs by Jeremy Glenn

Penn State University Courses by Kyle Harris

There are tons more, I just highlighted a few. You could do a lot worse than to just search the archives of this site.

[Don Hyslop]

If you are going to play Highland Links you must read  Ian Andrew's
http://thecaddyshack.blogspot.com/2006/08/routing-study-highland-links.html

 amd as a follow up the interview with Pro Joe Robinson located on this site:

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

[Mark Bourgeois]

George

In your opinion is there one article the rises above the rest for Oakmont?  I would put your series at the very top, discussion and all, but figured that wins the book-length category!

Mark

[Tom_Doak]

With thanks for the few mentions my book received, I would like to instead praise Patric Dickinson's book, A ROUND OF GOLF COURSES, which I first saw when I was about 12.  He included up 18 courses in the UK, from Aberdovey to Hunstanton to North Berwick ... and his essays are pretty muich the best thing written about any of those 18.  Plus, his little diagrams of holes are absolutely hilarious.

[George Pazin]

George

In your opinion is there one article the rises above the rest for Oakmont?  I would put your series at the very top, discussion and all, but figured that wins the book-length category!

Mark

Thanks for the kind words. It wasn't really my series, it was everyone else's input that made it fun and worth reading, especially Ryan's photos.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Tom

You earned the accolades - I never would have sought out, much less gotten to the point where I joined, The Addington had I not read the CD review.

Re Dickinson, I thought about an entry just for the pics!

"Pick up or throw" and "sand pit of vast dimensions" are two favorites.

Mark

[Norbert P]

Great idea Mark.

"I'm going to watch Augusta."  "Then you must read Daniel Wexler's essay!"

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/opinionwexler2.html

Anything in the Isles, Darwin and Finegan

Anything anywhere,  Paul Daley's Worldwide Perspective series.
    . . .  and the Conf Guide

Carne Links -  Links of Heaven - the Eddie Hackett short story (Can't remember title)

[Mark Bourgeois]

George, I'm going to play Oakmont. What article should I read?

Slag, good list - can you give us the "why" on one or two? That's what I'm really after, the rationale behind the choice.

Mark

[Dale Jackson]

While it is more than 1,000 words for Royal Dornoch, I would read Herbert Warren Wind's famous 1964 article.

Why? - because no one ever wrote more beautifully about golf - and Dornoch - than Wind.  If you must, just read the specific part of that article that deals with his 1 round at Dornoch, but only a fool would not read and reread the whole article.  There has never been a better golf writer, although Darwin is surely his equal, and this article is perhaps his best.

And since the 1,000 word limit has been brought up, I love Wind's statement that he could not clear his throat in 1,000 words!

[Rich Goodale]

While it is more than 1,000 words for Royal Dornoch, I would read Herbert Warren Wind's famous 1964 article.

Why? - because no one ever wrote more beautifully about golf - and Dornoch - than Wind.  If you must, just read the specific part of that article that deals with his 1 round at Dornoch, but only a fool would not read and reread the whole article.  There has never been a better golf writer, although Darwin is surely his equal, and this article is perhaps his best.

And since the 1,000 word limit has been brought up, I love Wind's statement that he could not clear his throat in 1,000 words!

I fully agree, Dale, that Wind's essay is superb, and gives a fascinating perspective on the place Dornoch held in the world of golf 40-50 years ago.  However, as a descriptor of the course and its local environment, Wind's writing ability smoothly obscures the fact that he had very little to say about the course or even the environment, for that matter.  In reporting his one round he only mentioned one hole (Foxy) and didn't even deign to describe its green, which is the most important of its many important features.

One going there must read Wind's essay, to be sure, but don't expect to learn much about what your experience there might be like, unless you are in a time warp and arriving there in 1964 and planning a hit-and-run piece of journalism rather than enjoying the experience of the course and the place.

[Sean_A]

While it is more than 1,000 words for Royal Dornoch, I would read Herbert Warren Wind's famous 1964 article.

Why? - because no one ever wrote more beautifully about golf - and Dornoch - than Wind.  If you must, just read the specific part of that article that deals with his 1 round at Dornoch, but only a fool would not read and reread the whole article.  There has never been a better golf writer, although Darwin is surely his equal, and this article is perhaps his best.

And since the 1,000 word limit has been brought up, I love Wind's statement that he could not clear his throat in 1,000 words!

I fully agree, Dale, that Wind's essay is superb, and gives a fascinating perspective on the place Dornoch held in the world of golf 40-50 years ago.  However, as a descriptor of the course and its local environment, Wind's writing ability smoothly obscures the fact that he had very little to say about the course or even the environment, for that matter.  In reporting his one round he only mentioned one hole (Foxy) and didn't even deign to describe its green, which is the most important of its many important features.

One going there must read Wind's essay, to be sure, but don't expect to learn much about what your experience there might be like, unless you are in a time warp and arriving there in 1964 and planning a hit-and-run piece of journalism rather than enjoying the experience of the course and the place.

Folks could do a lot worse than to read Rihc's Experience Dornoch.  Its a solid mix of text and images which gives the golfer plenty of info.  Its probably more than 1000 words and not in an essay form, but so what.

Ciao

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