Tony
As with any book it depends upon the author(s) and the intended direction they take. Having provided some minor information and photos, I am generally very impressed with the overall package. As to how Old Tom is viewed and the reasons behind some of the details leaves me wondering. I don’t recall some of the information and feel others details are missing. However, as I said it depends on the intention of the author(s).
My greatest disappointment is the lack of his design information, the courses he had a hand in designing or modifying, just not included, which was as much about the man as his Championships. There are a couple of Chapters that I feel had no place in the book, one on Strath and one on my great grandfather James Hunter, although I suppose he has more relevance than Strath.
Having undertaken my own research on the design connections, I have been surprised, no shocked at the lack of accurate information I have received from the R&A, in fact I have provided more details information.
Classic example is The New Course and Old Tom’s involvement, the information I received from them was wrong, Oh yes, so was the details re the Jubilee course and its extension. More of that at a later date.
A definitive book on Old Tom as I was told, alas not IMHO but certainly interesting and certainly worth £35 of anyone money. As for the original limited books, well worth the money for a collector as I am certain the value will increase over the years beating W.W. Tullocks’s 1907 book The Life of Tom Morris.
Having said that my book has pride of place in my collection enhanced by the illustration some 300 in the limited editions.
Dónal.
I was aware of talk to publish a paperback copy a year or two after the original but with limited illustrations. Perhaps this £35 copy is this new paperback version. I do not see anyone selling any of the 395 copies originally costing £395 or the 86 (age of OTM when he died) super limited copies costing £950 for £35.
Melvyn