I have more books on St Andrews than I have on Irish Golf. Why isn't there more written about Irish Golf?
Firstly let’s commend Jim Finegan, Emerald Fairways and Foam flecked Seas is about as good a general guide as I’ve found. His taste is good and he puts the right weight on each course he visits. Where Golf is Great is like a photo enhanced pick of the crop.
I have at least 3 other guides to courses that aim to help you plan your trip. They mostly devote a page to each course, simultaneously putting too much info into the book and not giving you enough info on why some courses are special.
Richard Phinney's, Links of Heaven generally gets good press. I thought I had a copy but as I can’t find it I can’t comment further. It’s the most frequently referenced so perhaps I’m assuming I’ve seen it.
http://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview/interviewwhitleyphinney If someone can review this it may turn out I’ve never actually bought a copy!
The most interesting of these types I can lay my hand on is Hooked – An amateur’s guide to the Golf Courses of Ireland. By Kevin Markham. I like it because his personality and likes and dislikes come across well. For instance, having read the Confidential Guide you would guess, correctly, that Tom Doak is a fine putter and enjoys clever greens. I would guess that strongest part of Markham’s game is his driving and he frequently singles out the holes he found most testing in that respect.
Doak (33 courses profiled), Steel (10 links courses profiled) and Darwin and Hutchinson all offer a glimpse.
However I’m in search for ‘other’ literature that will help me learn and enjoy more about the Irish golf experience.
Some books I’ve enjoyed include.
Early Irish Golf by William H Gibson publ 1988. I’m sure more info has surfaced and an update is required but this is an honest effort and as far as I can tell accurate. A scholarly approach but Recommended.
Ivan Morris. Only Golf Spoken Here. Published by Sleeping Bear press in 2001. Morris would be an ideal participant here. He played top level amateur Golf for many years and represented his country. He got to play with and caddy for Irish’s Golfers like Joe Carr, Christy O’Conner and Payne Stewart and err Tiger O’Woods. This is book is idiosyncratic and equal parts meat and whimsy. A long term member of Ballybunion and Lahinch he offers his comparison between the two courses. An character whoose written an unlikely gem. Recommended.
An Emerald Odyssey by Paul J. Zingg. The author is a professor in California and is probably nuts and it’s summed up in the sub tilte – IN search of the Gods of Golf and Ireland. That said he’s produced the perfect curate’s egg of a golf book. Recommended for those who are stuck in the middle of winter miles from the old sod thinking it’s too long since I’ve been back. But not one to present to someone who’s never been. E.g. there’s a chapter urging us to love the Irish rain as if our golf is enhanced by it. He crams a load of ancient Irish History (confusing isn’t it) as if it’s all relevant to the golfers experience. He hails the naturalness of Links golf and yet fails to notice his hero Pat Ruddy’s love of a bulldozer. Honestly I don’t know what to make of this book, but I’m glad I have a copy.
Finally I would add that A Course Called Ireland by Tom Coyne so far has failed to interest me one bit – but I would be interested in hearing from those who’ve read the whole thing. I’m put off by the bits I read on his blog about Northern Ireland and the arbitrary selection of courses. Why no Portrush Valley or Arklow when some cliff top effort in Wicklow does make it? It seems to me it all has to fit in with his schedule and predetermined views?
Can anyone recommend something I’ve missed?