New member and a question

[David Moore]

Hi...I am new to GCA.  I live in Hilton Head, SC but have played many courses across the country.  

What is the definitive book on course architecture?  I was recently in Pinehurst and picked up a copy of Doak's book on the subject.  I also have a chance to pick up another by Hurdzan (signed).  

Thank you.

[Brent Hutto]

I'm as green as you are but here's the contents of my own miniscule library, starting with the most useful (to me) and descending from there:

Anatomy of a Golf Course by Tom Doak
Golf Has Never Failed Me by Donald Ross
Confidential Guide to Golf Courses by Tom Doak
Driving the Green by John Strawn

The last book on the list isn't about architecture per se but is an easy tour through the modern labyrinth of permitting, financing and construction. Interesting reading.

I'll be awaiting knowledgable replies on this topic myself.

OT: I live up the road in Columbia and an out-of-state friend recently asked me if there are any golf courses on Hilton Head worth playing that will be under $75 when he visits there in October. Any ideas? I said probably not.

[David Moore]

A new Dye course, Hampton Hall, should still be public at the time.  It is unlike other Dye designs that I have played (Dye Club in WV, Harbour Town, etc.) in that the fairways are wide and the landing areas are ample.

There may be a deal at a Gary Player course off island, Hilton Head National.  DL3 and Palmer both have courses in that price range---but they are lined with houses.  

Thank you for the list.

[Dan King]

Click here for book recomendations I made a few years back
(Wow, more than three years ago)

I'd update the list if I had the time and energy. My likes are more historical than actual so that's what my list is.

There have been many really good architecture books released in the last three years. I just picked up Paul Daley's two volume Golf Architecute: A Worldwide Perspective and while I haven't gone through it enough to highly recommend it, it is very impressive looking and has some chapters by some names familiar to this group.

Dan King

Beyond learning things for their own sake, the only satisfaction in reading deeply, really deeply, into the subject of golf -- its lore, its famous figures, its historical development, anything beyond curing your slice -- is a certain smugness in knowing something about the game that somebody else doesn't, or would be expected to, an advantage that comes in handy at the 19th hole after your have had your brains beaten out on the previous 18.
 --Charles Price

[David Moore]

Welcome, David.  Don't let ANYONE here scare you away.

One single, solitary book?  I like Tom's, but there is no ONE book.  Keep reading.

Bill V

Thank you.

I had bought the one---but wanted to create a good handfull of the best books to read together.  

[Llye Smith]

I'm a newbie to GCA, m'self (hello all. thanks for listenting to my first few ideas here...) and wouldn't mind some direction on reading material either.

My reading on the subject is limited so far...
The Course Beautiful (collection of Tillinghast columns from over the years).
The Spirit of St. Andrews by Alister MacKenzie.
A variety of Bernard Darwin articles and some Herbert Warren Wind coverage and Bob Jones' Down the Fairway, which I found of particular competitive, if not architectural interest.

And I'm learning quite a bit from some of the opinions here, particularly the pros. I'm reluctant to spend the $X00.00 to pick up Tom Doak's Confidential Guide, although I'd love to read it.

And I think short of working toward becoming a professional architect, the best instruction comes from seeing the widest possible variety of courses out there, great, good, bad and everything in between, plus formulating your own opinions. I've noticed there is no shortage of opinion on GCA. Personally, I grew up in New Jersey working as a caddie at Somerset Hills and feel like I had a fairly good introduction to the subject there. I'd like to take that introduction and what I've learned since and expand my vocabulary beyond.

Hope that's at least slightly helpful.

[DMoriarty]

Welcome.  

It might not teach you everything about gc architecture, but if you want insight into what goes on around here read Doak's Anatomy and contrast it with Tom Fazio's book.  

I think MacKenzie's Spirit of St. Andrews was my first GCA book and still my favorite by far.

[Donnie Beck]

Welcome David,

You can't go wrong with THE EVANGELIST OF GOLF: The Story of Charles Blair Macdonald. by George Bahto

[Kelly Blake Moran]

I second the recommendation of "The Spirit of St. Andrews".
Also, I am surprised by my attraction to Paul Daley's book where architects describe a favorite hole.  I expected much from Paul but this book far exceeded my expectations.

[TEPaul]

David Moore and Lyle Smith:

I don't think you need to come on here proclaiming you're "newbies" and acting like you need to be concerned you might offend someone on here.

What you need to do is come on here right out of the box and accuse some of these contributors on here like Tom MacWood, Pat Mucci, Rich Goodale or me of being outright idiots and then you can immediately settle into the Firday night barroom brawl in Dodge City ethos on here!



A good book? Some of Shackelford's, Doak's "Anatomy of a Golf Course", Hunter's "The Links" or Thomas's "Golf Architecture in America", Mackenzie's "Spirit of St Andrew's----they're all great for general and specific information on some of the principles behind golf architecture.

And then if you really want to get into the inner depths of all this stuff you need to read the collected essays of Max Behr! No one can really get to the ultimate level of architectural understanding without being familiar with Maxie! I'm sorry---you don't just need to read Max Behr, you need to read his essays over and over again for a number of years and then the truth and the light will just begin to appear at the end of the tunnel and you'll be on your way to the sun-lit uplands of the world of real golf course architectural understanding!

[RJ_Daley]

I second Donnie Beck, Bahto's book is an excellent one to give you historical perspective and an understanding of foundational design principles.  Then on to a few of Shackelford's books, "Grounds For Golf", "The Golden Age of Golf Design", The Art of Golf Design" (good coffee table material), his compilation of essays, "Masters of the LInks", and on to Doak's "Anatomy of a Golf Course", "Confidential Guide", "LIfe of Alister MacKenzie".  You probably will settle in to a more favorite perspective of the historical and classic study of GCA, or the contemporary comments, or nuts and bolts of design and construction aspects.  Of course everyone gets Hurdzan's book on GCA in that case, and everyone gets Cornish and Whitten's book and update editions to "The Golf Course" and "Architects of Golf" so you can look up various archies bios and which courses are attributed to which designer.  Happy studies...

[JakaB]

Could anyone please explain to me what good it does to read any of these books....sure I like the pictures and some of the more recent quotes found in the picture books....but really..what good comes from reading what you should like when you have your whole life to discover what you do like....I have never seen an activity where ignorance is bliss as that as golfing your ball..

[Mike Nuzzo]

I don't have it yet, but I'd recommend Daniel Wexler's new book on books.  See the Feature Interview - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/interviewwexler3519.html
Should be more definitive than this thread...although most of the books listed are great.

Cheers

[George Pazin]

Setting aside JakaB's wonderful case for the pursuit of ignorance, if I were to recommend one book to a relative newcomer to the topic, it would probably be Geoff Shackelford's Grounds for Golf. It is inexpensive, and it covers a great deal of material in a manner suited for both neophytes and well read enthusiasts. It also goes over the thoughts behind the building of a golf course (Rustic Canyon), and even has a neat little chapter with a topographic map to allow the armchair architect to indulge himself. An amazing little tome. You really can't go wrong with any of Geoff's books. Each is wonderful in its own way.

Paul Daley's two volume's are indeed fantastic, and I eagerly await the arrival of his latest, which I am ordering next week.

George Bahto's book is probably the most epic of the ones mentioned. We all looked forward to its release, and everyone has been thrilled with the final product.

[Scratch_Nathan]

David -

Welcome. I'd suggest a starter two-ball of The World Atlas of Golf and Geoff Shackelford's "Golden Age of Golf Course Architecture."

Scratch

[Joe Hancock]

I don't have a definitive answer, but if you have a wife that brings home the World Atlas of Golf and has only paid $0.99 like mine did, you can read until your heart is content.

Joe

[ed_getka]

I would start with Tom Doak's "Anatomy..." and then go on to Hunter's "Links" and Spirit of St Andrews by Mackenzie. Next I would make it to a GCA outing and you will be well on your way to a good architecture education. Welcome to the group.

[Wayne_Freedman]

If you held me to one...'The Links', by Robert Hunter

[ian]

I have read almost every book listed above and still recommend  "Golf Architecture in America" by Thomas as the best place to start.

Bill is right, read many books, and you will be more fulfilled

[Willie_Dow]

Don't leave out "The Future of Golf in America" ISBN 0-595-30793-0, a paperback which tells us how to get back what we lost in the 21st century.

 Geoff says it like it is!

[Andy Levett]

Lots of good thoughts here. But as a historian by training if not occupation I am surprised Cornish & Whitten's The Golf Course (later edition The Architects of Golf) has not been mentioned.

Apart from the World Atlas Of Golf, which apparently inspired this site, it is the only golf course architecture book I am aware of published between the Depression  and the 1990s revival in interest.  Recording briefly at least the genesis of  thousands of courses, the careers of the men responsible for them and the evolution of the art  it seems well worthy of an update even if - or especially  because -  the original sees all roads leading to the apotheosis  of Robert Trent Jones.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

David,

That's a pretty impressive list of correspondents to this post - I look forward to what you may draw out of the pool in later posts.

[Wayne_Freedman]

Yes, David.
Be sure to read them all, and then get back to us.

[John_Conley]

David:

Some of the suggestions are heavy tomes.  For a couple lighter doses, try Rough Meditations by Bradley Klein or The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses by Tom Doak.

Also, be wary of the arcane works from Whitten & Cornish or Hurdzan.  Some just don't flow well.

Finally, the navigation bar on the site has links to a timeline (under courses by architect) and a bunch of feature interviews.  Printed and bound, they'd make a worthwhile book.

[johnk]

Re: Doak's Confidential Guide, I'd read several posts that
said it costs $$$ on ebay, but I never really looked myself -
I already own it (it cost ~$45 new), but curiosity overcame me:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29223&item=6922226476&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

It's only at $51 with 2 days left... If I didn't own it, I'd gladly pay $100 for it, knowing what I know now.