Confidential Guide Online?

« **Reply #25 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:14:16 AM »

Tom,

I'll buy all of the 1000 copies for 110 $ each.

Everyone else:

I will have a limited amount of The Confidential Guide for sale later this year. Please get in touch with me to reserve your own copy for just 200 $.

Cheers,

Eric "for the good of the game" Franzen

« **Reply #26 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:19:14 AM »

Eric, the sad truth is that I'd take two.

« **Reply #27 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:29:19 AM »

I have one of the brown covers. I did not buy it as an investment. If Tom wants to issue some more its his work and it is irrelevant how the "market" will be impacted. The dissemination of knowledge is a good thing.

« **Reply #28 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:31:18 AM »

I've seen several threads like this and I have to wonder...

Why all the love for this one book?

Don't get me wrong. I like the book a lot and it has been well perused, but why is a book that has been around for ten or so years and was mass published generating so much interest? Is it solely because it isn't being printed anymore?

Or is it because of the most favored status of Tom and the fact that he participates on here frequently and people are sucking up to him?

I'll be honest, the book is very nice to have as a resource on some courses and it is interesting to see Tom's comments on courses from twenty or so years ago, but many of the courses have changed in some fashion (many significantly) and I would think that Tom's opinions would as well on some if not many of the courses. Would I pay $100 for any version of the book? No, it is just a book after all...

By the way, I doubt I would sell the copy that I have for $100, but I will gladly cut a deal for the book if anyone wants it that will beat the prices on Ebay or in any of these online auctions.

« **Reply #29 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:39:20 AM »

"Is this like the upside down airmail stamp and I can expect it to fetch thousands of dollars ? Or should I simply write to Tom and ask him to send me a copy of the Garden City text?"

wayne
that stamp is referred to as "the inverted jenny" i think they say it is worth $100,000

the one thing you do not want to do is lick an inverted jenny.
it could cost you alot of money.

« **Reply #30 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:44:25 AM »

Chris, I want the book because I respect Tom Doak's first-hand knowledge of golf courses and the book is referenced so often by the DG and others. Like many other members, I've had to glean an understanding of a course from Doak scale discussions rather than having the text in front of me to think about and apply to the course -- perhaps to see whether or not I agree. If the sold for $20-30 on Amazon, this thread wouldn't exist. There are several books OOP in addition to Confidential Guide by other authors that I'd like to see reprinted where the price is way too steep. Geoff S.'s book on George Thomas and Thomas' Golf Architecture in America, TD's book on Mackenzie are other examples where library copies only go so far, where they even exist and haven't been filched.

« **Reply #31 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:45:48 AM »

Come on, Racetrack, my cabin fever is bad enough as it is without golf. Now you have me thinking about licking an inverted Jenny $:-\$

« **Reply #32 on:** February 23, 2007, 10:53:28 AM »

Quote from: Wayne Morrison on February 23, 2007, 08:18:47 AM

I have a 1996 SBP version that has a printing error. The text for Garden City in the Gourmet's Choice is the text for Durban CC. When I checked out Durban CC, the text was correct. The photos in the GCGC section are correct but the text is nowhere to be found in the book. Does anyone else with that edition have the GC text missing with DCC substituted?
____________________________________________________
Wayne:
I have the 1996 version too, but my Durban and GCGC sections are correct. So I guess you may have an "inverted Jenny."

« **Reply #33 on:** February 23, 2007, 11:22:02 AM »

I have the "inverted jenny" copy also. I just assumed that all the 1996 copies were that way. Now we know there are at least two out there.

« **Reply #34 on:** February 23, 2007, 11:23:07 AM »

Daryl,

Burn yours so there is only one....I'll split the millions with you when we auction it off

« **Reply #35 on:** February 23, 2007, 11:28:41 AM »

Wayne,
You'll have to split it 3 ways. I also have one.

« **Reply #36 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:04:46 PM »

Quote from: Tom_Doak on February 22, 2007, 11:48:03 PM

If it is ever posted online, someone will be hearing from my lawyer.

And I keep threatening to print another 1000 copies of the book in hopes of driving the price down, but it hasn't worked at all, so one of these days I may just have to print those 1000 copies. I figure it would be fair game to sell them for $100 each and use the money to pay for some upcoming family educational expenses.

I'd buy one

« **Reply #37 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:05:53 PM »

Add me to the list of buyers for $100. I have been looking for used copies for a year now since I joined the site and found out how expensive the book was.

« **Reply #38 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:18:29 PM »

Craig,

You're ruining the cabal. You of all people should know about secrecy...we could have negotiated offline. Now the plot is foiled and visions of wealth evaporated $:-\$

We could have licked Jenny upside down

Or something like that.

« **Reply #39 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:29:58 PM »

Many years ago when I first got into this business I purchased a copy of this book. I glanced through it, looked at a few images, read a little about some of the courses I was familiar with and put it away.

When this thread started it jolted my memory and I realized that at one stage this book was in my possesion. I asked my wife if she had seen it (she knows where everything is) but to no avail. Yesterday I found the book at the bottom of an old chest.

I am going to spend the weekend reading the book and see if I can find out what all the fuss is about.

Aidan.

« **Reply #40 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:39:07 PM »

Count me as one of those interested in the book as well.

But all the jokes, even though I'm sure you only mean them as such, is not re-assuring to Mr. Doak to re-print more.

« **Reply #41 on:** February 23, 2007, 01:21:10 PM »

I like the book and realize there are precious few copies, but I can't imagine paying $800 for it. Are there people who actually pay that much?

« **Reply #42 on:** February 23, 2007, 01:22:45 PM »

Quote from: Tommy Williamsen on February 23, 2007, 01:21:10 PM

I like the book and realize there are precious few copies, but I can't imagine paying $800 for it. Are there people who actually pay that much?

someone paid $2800 for one of the ltd editions at an auction this month!

« **Reply #43 on:** February 23, 2007, 03:38:50 PM »

Although I would like to own one, I just want to read it!!!

« **Reply #44 on:** February 23, 2007, 04:18:33 PM »

Out of curiosity, how many copies of each edition were published? I find it hard to believe they are fetching such high premiums. The premium doesn't matter to me as I'm holding on to my copy anyway.

« **Reply #45 on:** February 23, 2007, 04:22:34 PM »

On a related note:

Anyone have any updates on the Sebonack book? It shows being out of stock on Amazon. Mr. Klein do you have any updates?

Furthermore

Mr. Doak,

Any timeline on the making of Pacific Dunes and when that will hit the shelves?

Thanks,

« **Reply #46 on:** February 23, 2007, 04:59:10 PM »

Wayne,
Some information I have read along the way(not sure of accuracy):
-First Edition(1986) 40 copies, another printing in 1989 ? copies
-Private printing(1994) No picture version 1000 copies
-Sleeeping Bear Press(1996) First printing, High Point in Gourmet 31 10000 copies
-Sleeping Bear Press(1996) Second printing, Stonewall in Gourmet 31 2000 copies

I have Second printing of Sleeping Bear 1996, but my Garden City and Durban are correct

Dave

« **Reply #47 on:** February 23, 2007, 08:48:36 PM »

Dave:

Your recap is correct.

I believe there were 2000 copies printed with the messed-up text when the second printing of the Sleeping Bear book was done ... those that were on the shelves were recalled, but some of them were already sold. I don't know how many of those are out there.

« **Reply #48 on:** February 23, 2007, 09:42:46 PM »

Chris,
Before GCA I used it as a reference point for courses I was thinking of checking out. With the opinions rendered here by people I know that have similar tastes to mine, the book is less useful. However, I will still refer to it anytime I am going to a course I haven't played before.
It has nothing to do with sucking up in my case. I was writing letters to Tom well before this website existed to ask him architecture questions.
What other publication would you say is superior to Confid. Guide?

« **Reply #49 on:** February 23, 2007, 09:47:14 PM »

Tom , we have been teased enough with similar threads on this over the years.

But please add me to the list

Brian

News:

Eric Franzen

Guy Nicholson

SL_Solow

Chris_Clouser

D_Malley

JMorgan

wsmorrison

Pete Stankevich

Daryl David

wsmorrison

Craig Disher

Matthew Hunt

Tim Leahy

wsmorrison

Aidan Bradley

Kalen Braley

Tommy Williamsen

PThomas

JR Potts

wsmorrison

Kalen Braley

Dave Maberry

Tom_Doak

ed_getka

Brian_Ewen