New Golf Books?

[Carlyle Rood]

In the past, it seemed common for a number of new golf books to be released shortly before the Masters Tournament.  I just returned from Barnes and Noble, and I didn't see anything I would consider buying in the golf book section.  Is this just another symptom of a struggling economy?

[PThomas]

a smaller version of David Cannons golf courses book is due out this month, and a collection of Dan Jenkins' writings is set for a May release

that new Colt book looks wonderful

[Brian Phillips]

that new Colt book looks wonderful

But it aint...

[Neil_Crafter]

and the author plans to give the same treatment to Mackenzie.
He has just made a flying visit to Australia.

[J_ Crisham]

A Course Called Ireland is an entertaining read . It is by a young man, Tom Coyne who travels 1000 miles around Ireland over a time span of 4 months playing golf and seeing every mile while walking with his clubs on his back! A good book for anyone who has ever made the journey to Ireland.
                                                Jack

[BCrosby]

that new Colt book looks wonderful

But it aint...

Why ain't it?

[Brian Phillips]

Bob,

I think Paul Turner sums it up perfectly on Amazon:

"I got the impression that the authors are unfamiliar with the majority of courses reviewed and didn't do the necessary leg work. There are some curious choices of courses to review: Hankley Common included with only 3 Colt holes? Ditto for Royal Worlington, Formby, Ganton, Alwoodley.. all not really Colt courses. On the flip side, many excellent purely Colt courses have been inexplicably left out. There's also only one course in the USA: Pine Valley. None from Canada? Virtually nothing on Alison in Japan.

There are quite a lot of mistakes too in the stated facts, labeling of photos etc

On the plus side, many of the modern photos are great and the big find are the original Colt sketches of Edgbaston GC which are very nice."

I just get the impression from the book that they just want to make money from the publication and did not have any real interest in Colt or any passion for the subject.

I cannot find a reference list in the back of the book either.

[Rick Shefchik]

In the past, it seemed common for a number of new golf books to be released shortly before the Masters Tournament.  I just returned from Barnes and Noble, and I didn't see anything I would consider buying in the golf book section.  Is this just another symptom of a struggling economy?

Could be, Carlyle. I'm having trouble finding a bigger publisher for my third novel, involving the Green Bay Packers. My agent keeps hearing that publishers have a difficult time selling football books, but A.) I don't think of my sports-based thriller as a football book, and B.) he is perceiving a much tougher market for all authors these days.

Literary agencies and publishers are laying off employees, just like other sectors of the workplace. It has to have a ripple effect on new titles -- and maybe sports titles more than other genres. 

[Tommy Williamsen]

that new Colt book looks wonderful

But it aint...

I bought the Colt book and was looking forward to it very much.  I too was disappointed.  The author could have picked a better list of courses than he did.  On some of the courses Like Alwoodley, Colt did little or no work. 

[Phil_the_Author]

I just finished writing a review for a soon-to-be-released exquisite gem. It is titled "Making the Turn" and was written by Marjorie Feinstein. The review will be seen in the next issue of Tillinghast Illustrated.

Mrs. Feinstein WAS head of the dpeartment of Communications for St. Elizabeth College in New Jerey; WAS, that is, until she discovered golf and her passion for it got far more than the better of her.

This is the chronicle of a beginning golfers determined goal to get a hol-in-one. As in all good stories of begginings, the ending one finds is far from where one thought they'd be when they began... and without any disappointments.

I recommend this book, and at 66 pages it is a whimsical delight, to all. Playing golf takes everyone who gets hooked on a long journey, furthest from which is our beginnings. Read this and remember yours... and then you'll notice you're smiling...

[John Burzynski]

I will second Coyne's book, as well as Garrity's new book Ancestral Links.

[KBanks]

A new collection of Lorne Rubinstein's golf writing, titled This Round's On Me, is just out.

Ken

[Robert Kimball]

NBC's Jimmy Roberts has an book out titled: "Breaking the Slump" which is a compilation of famous golfers and how they have overcome adversity on and off the course. 

I was going along nicely until I saw page 5 of the introduction. He describes the NBC crew during the 2000 US Open as playing the great courses in the area -- including "Cyprus Point." 

I am not sure who proofs the book copy over there at HarperCollins, but I will be happy to send in my resume. I am still waiting to hear back from Roberts -- maybe he's a lurker. . . . .

Rob 

[Brad Klein]

For those of you who don't have a ghost of a chance to break par while playing, let me suggest the newly published . . .

Haunted Golf
Spirited Tales from the Rough
by Anthony Pioppi and Chris Gonsalves
Guilford, Ct.: The Lyons Press
205 pages
$14.95 paperback

[Brian_Sleeman]

I'm not sure when it'll be published, but Darius Oliver's been working on a book of U.S. courses to complement his "Planet Golf" from a few years ago.  I'm looking forward to that one.

[George Pazin]

Has anyone read A Course Called Ireland: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee?

Paul Turner should write a Colt book...

EDIT:

A Course Called Ireland is an entertaining read . It is by a young man, Tom Coyne who travels 1000 miles around Ireland over a time span of 4 months playing golf and seeing every mile while walking with his clubs on his back! A good book for anyone who has ever made the journey to Ireland.
                                                Jack

Sorry I missed this earlier, Jack, I was scanning the posts about the Colt book.

[Mark Bourgeois]

No, George, I haven't, but I did read Round Ireland with a Fridge, which helps immensely with the pint problem implied in the title of your book, don't you think?

Mark

[Shane Wright]

Has anyone read A Course Called Ireland: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee?

Paul Turner should write a Colt book...

George - just finishing the book.  A great read....nothing much to do with architecture but absolutely entertaining, especially if you have been to Ireland. 

[Shane Wright]

I will second Coyne's book, as well as Garrity's new book Ancestral Links.

John - would you mind giving a briefing of Ancestral LInks?  I have heard a few good things, but otherwise, not much knowledge about it.

[John Burzynski]

I will second Coyne's book, as well as Garrity's new book Ancestral Links.

John - would you mind giving a briefing of Ancestral LInks?  I have heard a few good things, but otherwise, not much knowledge about it.

The book is a combination golf and personal geneaology  quest by Garrity.  He is an SI writer (I think retired now) who goes to Carne links in Ireland and continually has a personal challenge to play the 17th hole, a very challenging and now well known par 4, 18 times in a row and break 90.  At the same time, the book details Garrity's quest to find extended family in Ireland, and also provides some reminiscences of Garrity's childhhod and growing up playing golf with his father and brother (who was a lesser known PGA player). 

the book is a bit drawn out at times, but is essentially an easy read.  It is a great book if you are a golf nut about Ireland and its courses.  I would rank it as lesser of the two between Coyne's book and Garrity's; I really really enjoyed Coyne's book and it was one of the best I have read in a while, so maybe that is more a reflection on my high esteem of Coyne's book than on Garrity's book.

[Joel Zuckerman]

[quote author=John Burzynski link=topic=39300.msg823215#msg823215   I would rank it as lesser of the two between Coyne's book and Garrity's; I really really enjoyed Coyne's book and it was one of the best I have read in a while, so maybe that is more a reflection on my high esteem of Coyne's book than on Garrity's book.
[/quote]

I agree completely.  Thoroughly enjoyed the Coyne Book, but put down Garrity's book about 100 pages in.  He's a very nice fellow (Garrity) and an excellent writer, but I just coudn't find the interest in learning the specific details of his family tree.

[Shane Wright]

Thank you for the synopsis.  I was definitely curious about Garrity's book.  I, like you two, think Coyne's book is fabulous and can't wait to get home tonight to finish.   

[John Blain]

- I heard Feinstein is working on a book about Rocco Mediate.

- I'm waiting for Brad Klein to come out with a third edition of Rough Meditations. The first two were classics.

- You can have Garrity, I just don't care for his writing style.

-Anything Michael Bamberger writes is worth a read. His last book "This Golfing Life" was simply outstanding.

-John

[Brad Klein]

Next collection of my essays won't be "Rough Meditation" but an entirely new volume. Working on it right now.

[Brian Phillips]

Brad,

I didn't realise that your 2nd edition of Rough Meditations was a collection of new essays.  I just thought it was just a rewrite of the same essays with one or two more added.

Are all the essays new in the 2nd edition?  If so I am sorry for not buying and will do so immediately!! 

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