FINALS - Worlds Greatest Golf Architecture Book BY AN ARCHITECT

[Carlyle Rood]

Well, this is it.  The final matchup in the unscientific, unreliable, and unfair World's Greatest Golf Architecture Book (that I have in my possession) BY AN ARCHITECT contest.

The NCAA Tournament in March rarely has the top seeds face eachother in the final, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised to see where our finalists are seeded.

Tom Doak's (#7) "Anatomy of a Golf Course" vs.
George Thomas's (#4) "Golf Architecture in America"

I'm delighted to see Thomas's book in the final.  I probably seeded his book poorly.  It's a personal favorite of a number of architects.  (I wonder where Tom Doak would have seeded it?)

And certainly Doak's "Anatomy of a Golf Course" is worthy of serious consideration.  It's probably the best golf architecture book written in the last twenty years.  (It's also the only book in the tournament which I possess TWO copies of!)

So, who will it be?  I've noticed that people have been less enthusiastic to vote since the competition got tougher.  The decisions have been much more difficult.  I think you should just wing it.  Your favorite book probably isn't left any more (if it was ever entered).  But these are two damn fine books that deserve your evaluations.  Let's hear them.

[Craig Van Egmond]

This is certainly a tough choice, on one hand Doak's Anatomy of a Golf Course was the book that got me interested in Golf Architecture in the first place, Thomas's book is an all time classic.

My vote goes to..... Golf Architecture in America by George Thomas.

[Tom_Doak]

Thomas had better photos.

I had the advantage of coming 75 years afterward and being a bit more up to date on some issues.

[ian]

My vote is for Thomas, concidering it was the very first golf architecture book I ever read, and it still remains my favourite after reading almost all the others on the list (2). I always felt Tom's (a very good book too) book was very influenced by this book.

[Carlyle Rood]

Thomas had better photos.

I had the advantage of coming 75 years afterward and being a bit more up to date on some issues.

Any chance of a sequel to your book?  I presume your profession has evolved considerably in the last eleven years.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Carlyle,
So let me ask this again--The Architectural Side of Golf by Weathered and Golf Architect Tom Simpson and Colt & Allison's Some Essays on Golf Course Architecture were not allowed, but Jack's book, which is at most, a picture book and Pete Dye's book, which is a biogrpahy, and a lousy one at that were up for consideration?

Carlyle, what do I have to do to get you to read these?

[Carlyle Rood]

Carlyle,
So let me ask this again--The Architectural Side of Golf by Weathered and Golf Architect Tom Simpson and Colt & Allison's Some Essays on Golf Course Architecture ...

Carlyle, what do I have to do to get you to read these?

I have read them.  I'm familiar with both of them.  I had to narrow the list down somehow.  As mentioned previously, I simply selected books that I CURRENTLY HAVE IN MY POSSESSION.  It was an arbitrary consideration that I used to narrow the list.

I don't exactly hold up Nicklaus's book as a masterpiece of literature.  As you can see, it was the lowest seeded book in the tournament.  As for Pete Dye's book, I thought it was entertaining.  It's not a classic, but it is what it is.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy:

There is no question that the Weathered and Simpson book should have been included. Not doing so seriousy detracted from the competition.

That said, at the end of the day I would probably cast my vote for the Thomas book. I have never considered it my favorite - it is tough to top Mackenzie for that honor - and I'd probably recommend Tom Doak's book first, but Thomas' effort just seems like a notch above.

[Carlyle Rood]

There is no question that the Weathered and Simpson book should have been included. Not doing so seriousy detracted from the competition.

Exactly how does the omission detract from the competition?  The contest is intended to be UNREALISTIC.  It has been constructed to be BIASED and UNFAIR.  The results are expected to be ARBITRARY, FALLACIOUS, and abjectly PREPOSTEROUS.  

I think all of this posturing is just to avoid voting.  Regardless of any omission, both of these books are worthy of being in the finals.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Carlyle, Your right!

So I cast my vote for: "The Architectural Side of Golf" by Weathered & Simpson as the Greatest Golf Architecture book ever published, but it doesn't win by much over The Links, British Golf Links by Horace Hutchinson, and many of the others listed here.

There, I voted!

(And yes, I'm just egging-you on just like you egged-me on last week!  )

But I do have to ask, you had two Brian Silva's.....I mean BYES!