Best books on GCA

[SL_Solow]

I have always enjoyed Wethered & Simpson's "The Architectural Side of Golf".  Along with Thomas' book, it is a wonderful volume from the Golden Age.  Anything by Max Behr is thought provoking but it can be a little obtuse.

[David Harshbarger]

You can't beat "Golf Architecture" by Dr. Alistair Mackenzie, for free, at

http://www.militarygolfcourseguide.com/golfbooks/Golf_architecture.pdf

Best part? it is free. 

[Sean_A]

There have been several good books mentioned - especially Steel's Golf Links of GB&I.  I would also add five more:

The Evangelist of Golf by Bahto
ANGC by Byrdy
St Andrews:The Evolution of TOC by Macpherson
Golden Age of Golf Design by Shackelford
World Atlas of Golf Revised 2005 edition (imo the best) edited by Rowlinson

Ciao

[Bruce Leland]

Another vote for Golf Architecture in America. It's expensive and ebay is a possible source. I think the book is one of the best on GCA and I've never played or seen a Thomas course in person.

Get the Sleeping Bear Press version. The original is off the charts expensive but I am still looking for one in every used bookstore I'm in.

[Mac Plumart]

Dream Golf is interesting, but it's not really a golf architecture book.

Grounds For Golf by Geoff Shackelford is a good primer on the subject. I read somewhere the other day it's going for more than $250 nowadays. Is that right?

Scott...Dream Golf may not be a book solely dedicated to discussing golf course architecture concepts and ideas, but it is one of the very best practical application books on how the application of architecture, construction, and business models work in the real world.  A must read for anyone who is serious about seeing concepts become reality.

[Garland Bayley]

Dream Golf is interesting, but it's not really a golf architecture book.

Grounds For Golf by Geoff Shackelford is a good primer on the subject. I read somewhere the other day it's going for more than $250 nowadays. Is that right?

Then why do the architects on this site constantly lecture us armchairs that golf architecture means the permitting process and the whole shebang?

I say Dream Golf is good.
Better than that snoozer Strawn's book.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Don't forget Jim Finnegans " Where Golf is Great" part travel and part architecture, well maybe more travel. However the photos of some of the great holes over there are worth the purchase price. A good book.

[George Pazin]

All excellent suggestions.

One overlooked by most is Favourite Holes By Design: The Architect's Choice by Paul Daley. It features holes and essays chosen by today's architects - even a few guys who post on here.

You can't go wrong with anything by Paul Daley, Geoff Shackelford or Tom Doak.

[Ross Harmon]

Grounds For Golf by Geoff Shackelford is a good primer on the subject. I read somewhere the other day it's going for more than $250 nowadays. Is that right?

Used "good" condition copies start at $21 via AbeBooks.com and Amazon.  It goes up from there...

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Shackelford&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=grounds+for+golf&x=69&y=13

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/031227808X/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Thanks for the recommendation and link! Just ordered that $21 copy! 

[RJ_Daley]

For researching the spread of golf in the U.S., I'd also recommend Stuart Bendelow's biography about his Grandfather, "Tom Bendelow, The Johnny Appleseed of Golf" and Chris Clouser's, "Midwest Associate".  Both Stuart and Chris have contributed posts on GCA.com in the past.  And, "The Scrap Book of Old Tom Morris" is a good one to have, particularly if you want to follow any of Melvyn's posts.  Be mindful that when you start buying golf books, it gets to be quite obsessive and expensive.   

[Pete Blaisdell]

A 1994 first edition of Tom's Confidential Guide is now up for bid on Old Sports Auction with 5 days remaining. There have been 6 bids . High bid so far is 350 pounds. By the way, not my book. Just thought I would give my brothers in arms a heads up.