Tom,

That is great news. I'm one of those constantly seeking a copy & can't wait for the reprint!

I will explore the possibility of a small reprint of the 1996 book [when I have time], so that it can be made available to interested readers without having to pay a ransom on eBay.

Oh, man, just think how much those copies will be worth on eBay!

(Just kiddin', boys. Thanks, Tom. Put me down for a copy.)

P.S. I just remembered the one time I've read any of the Confidential Guide.

It was 1997.

I was at a Barnes & Noble in Woodbury, Minnesota -- on a beautiful, beautiful Friday evening in July. In other words: one of Minnesota's far-too-rare perfect evenings. In still other words: a perfect time not to go to a bookstore!

I was there for a book signing. My own. We had just published the fourth volume of material collected from "my" column.

Other than a few woebegone employees, cursing their fate at having been scheduled to work, I believe I was the only person in the store during the entire two hours I was scheduled to sign books.

Naturally, early on, I wandered over to the Sports section -- where I found "The Confidential Guide," of which I'd never heard, and which I spent a very fine couple of hours reading. The only thing I remember for sure (I think; memory is a tricky thing) is that this Tom Doak character had not given Sand Hills (with which I'd fallen deeply in love the previous fall) an immediate 10 ... though I think he said (correct me if I'm wrong, someone) that it could very well get to 10, in time.

If I'd had the money, I'd've bought the book -- but I was already showing a deficit for that evening!

Ad me to the list, please.

Dan -

I have a similar, but more messy story.

I was in a bookstore in Atlanta with the Confidential Guide and a RTJ book in hand, heading for the check-out counter when I heard my wife call out from a couple of aisles over. My son had an enormous nose bleed. There was blood on his shirt, pants, everywhere. We put down our books and raced to the car to clean the kid up.

Never did get back to buy the book. Still don't own a copy.

Bob

Tom:

Why don't you add a section that includes all your courses, both US and international. Surely you must have dozens of pictures that all of us would enjoy seeing.

It would also be nice if you could include a Doak International Plus trail, so those of us who would like to play your international courses...if you could include suggestions for other courses to play while out there playiing yours, that would be a wonderful addition.

Maybe we could even organize a Doak International Plus trail trip, and a bunch of us could get together and do it.

Peter:

In the second printing of the book, that one course of The Gourmet's Choice was changed at my request.  At that point Stonewall was my best work to date and High Pointe was in very poor condition, and I thought it did not suit me to be publicizing the latter.

There were 10,000 books printed in the first run [with High Pointe in front] and 2,000 with Stonewall.

Dan -

I have a similar, but more messy story.

I was in a bookstore in Atlanta with the Confidential Guide and a RTJ book in hand, heading for the check-out counter when I heard my wife call out from a couple of aisles over. My son had an enormous nose bleed. There was blood on his shirt, pants, everywhere. We put down our books and raced to the car to clean the kid up.

Never did get back to buy the book. Still don't own a copy.

Bob

Funny, my "I never bought the CG story" is very similar.  I had it in my hand while my son was looking at books in the children's section.  It was one of his first trips out of the house after getting out of diapers.  Just my luck, he had an "accident" so I had to put down my intended purchase to pick him up and get him out of the store.  Never made it back to buy the book...

An attractive course of action would be to set up PayPal for GCA'ers and email or mail them a copy upon receipt.  

Sorry to think so small - of only us.

Tom,

I've refrained from paying big bucks for your guide based on the comments here regarding the poor production quality under Sleeping Bear Press.  Not sure they were completely warranted but I think it's great you have the rights back and look forward to finally getting a copy if and when you reprint it.

My bumper sticker reads, "You can have my Confidential Guide when you pry it from my dead, cold hands".    

My bumper sticker reads, "You can have my Confidential Guide when you pry it from my dead, cold hands".    

Mike --

That's a very dangerous bumper sticker.

Have you noticed how close behind you some of those tailgaters are?

Do you know how slowly many of those people read? Those who can read, I mean.

If you slam on the brakes with one of these clowns on your tail, your hands might be dead and cold in a big hurry!

Let's be careful out there.

Dan

Dan;

I thought those rabidly fearsome guys following me closely in the pickup truck with the shotgun rack on the way to Sutton Bay on Sunday were just some locals.  I didn't realize the book was so popular and valued in these parts.

I'll have to slap a "Daschle" sticker over it while I'm here.  That should calm the natives.