I'm sure this has been discussed here before, but I'd like to see what everyone here would cite as their favorite golf books. No instructionals allowed. I'll start with, in no particular order:

1. The Spirit of St Andrews- Alister Mackenzie

2. Golf Architecture in America- George Thomas

3. The Golf Courses of the British Isles- Bernard Darwin

4. The trilogy by James Finegan (Emerald Greens and Foam Flecked Seas, Blasted Heaths and Blessed Greens, etc.

5. The Golf Course (The Architects of Golf) - Ron Whitten/Geoffrey Cornish

6. The Links- Robert Hunter

7. Discovering Australia's Golf Courses- Tom Ramsey

8. Pine Valley Golf Club, A Chronicle- Warner Shelley

9. Golf at Merion- Desmond Tolhurst

10. Alister Mackenzie's Cypress Point Club- Geoff Shackelford

11. Two Years at St Andrews- George Peper

12. The Captain- Geoff Shackelford

13. The Anatomy of a Golf Course- Tom Doak

14. Scotland's Gift, Golf- Charles Blair Macdonald

15. The 500 World's Greatest Golf Holes- George Peper

16. Lines of Charm- Geoff Shackelford

17. The Scottish Golf Book- Malcolm Campbell

18. Links Golf- Paul Daley

19. The Greatest Game Ever Played/The Grand Slam- Mark Frost

20. Where Golf Is Great- James Finegan ( I just received it in the mail and it's an instant fav.)


I could name a few more, but I think I'm getting long winded here. Any one else?
 

P.S.  Wayne and Tom, I eagerly await your much anticipated undertaking and I'm sure it'll  make my list of fav's, whatever that's worth!

I've read 10 of the books on the list. My favorites would be #1, 3, 14, and 20. There's not a single disappointing book on the list.

Oh yes and also Anthony Edgeworth's The Legendary Golf Clubs of the American East and also The Legendary Golf Clubs of Scotland England Wales and Ireland.

George Bahto's book 'The Evageklist of Golf' on NGLA and more particularly Macdonald/Raynor/Banks

Darius Oliver's book on Golf Courses in Australia (akin to Tom Ramsey's earlier book, but 25 years on).

Discovering Donald Ross - Brad Klein

The book covering the works of MacKenzie, by Doak and two others (my apologies to the two others, I can't recall your name off the top of my head).

Geoff Shackleford's Golden Age of Architecture.

Paul Daley's three volumes of Golf Architecture

and, last of all, lest we forget, World Golf Club Atlas.  Where would we be without that - certainly not here on this web-site.

James B

my apologies for the incomplete titles and incomplete titles.

 

and, last of all, lest we forget, World Golf Club Atlas.  Where would we be without that - certainly not here on this web-site.

James, where indeed!!! Shame on me for forgetting to cite that book that has launched so many of us into this fascination of ours. As mentioned, I could've go on, and I by no means imply that my reading journey is complete. I treasure my first edition copy of that great book and keep it in a safe place. Perhaps out of sight, out of mind?


Paul, I would also mention not only Herb Winds The Story of American Golf and Following Through as favs. I came across a 1st edition of The Story of American Golf in a used book seller's store when I started to get into the history of the game. I turned down the chance to buy it at the time, $150 I believe, and it's a big regret of mine. I didn't know what a find it was at the time and didn't have cash on me. I came back the next day to buy it and it was gone. And the kicker, it was signed by Gene Sarazen on the inside cover!!

Brad — Thank you for mentioning Haultain's book. It belongs at the top, but rarely gets mentioned.

A Wee Nip at the 19th Hole is an excellent read and available for $5.00 at many second hand book stores. It spells Caddie correctly.

Lest we forget some of the greats - Daniel Wexler's pair of books reminds us of some of the great NLEs, Missing Links and Lost Links.

Well,

If you wander into the realm of non-architectural books then you have to mention "The Bogey Man" by George Plimpton. Along with being a very entertaining read, it has one of the most priceless visions of swing mechanics I have ever read. I'll warn you, if you obsess over mechanics it could be a very dangerous read.

Ward,

#3

I would add "Barnbougle Dunes - The Beginnings", by Doak, Clayton and Schneider.

There are a few stunning photographs from local photographers, and a fascinating essay by Brian Schneider on the construction of the course, as well as various bits and pieces that relate to the development as a whole.

The only downside are the relatively brief hole discussions by Mike Clayton.

Architecture--"The Definitive Guide to The Hotchkin Course - Woodhall Spa" is a fantastic history of the course and its evolution.  Unlike a lot of club history books, this one focuses on the course (lots of great pictures-aerials) and not who was club secretary during The Great War!

"Golf is My Game" by Bob Jones is fantastic espicially since he actually wrote his own book--architecturally the analysis of Augusta National at the end of the book is interesting. I believe George Cobb did the drawings and the analysis of each hole is by Bob Jones.

On the lighter side, a true original--Pro, by Frank Beard was ahead of its time.  I'm sure he didn't make any friends with some of his observations but it's a fun read.

Contra Rich -

Haultain and Updike don't constitute a zero sum game. Neither is to be missed. Both rank right up at the top of golf writing.

Updike's essay (I think it was his address to the USGA) where he talks about the thin wall between metaphysics and golf is an indispensible part of the game's literature. A tour de force. Everyone should read it. You can find it in the collection of his golf writings published five or so years ago.

Bob