[HarryBrinkerhoffDoyleIV_aka_Barry]

I'm hoping that you all can suggest some reading material for the aspiring GCA enthusiast. I have read The Confidential Guide cover to cover, and have read some additional golf books, but I'm sure there are probably 50+ more that I would love to read.  Especially stuff covering the golden era of architects........I haven't read any books specifically on/from MacKenzie, Tillinghast, Flynn, MacDonald, Thomas, Maxwell, Raynor, etc. 

If this topic is covered in another posting, please point me to it.  Thank you!

[Bill McKinley]

1. Evangelist of Golf. The story of CB MacDonald - George Bahto
2. Golden age of golf design - Geoff Shackelford
3. MacKenzie's Cypress Point - Geoff Shackelford
4. The Captain - Geoff Shackelford

That should get you started! Some are harder to find than others

[Mike Schott]

Near or at the top of the list is "The Spirit of St. Andrews by Dr. MacKenzie". Tom Doak's book "The Anatomy of a Golf Course" is also in my small library.

[Mac Plumart]

Golf Course Architecture and Spirit of St. Andrews by Mackenzie are books in which I re-read all the time.

[Stephen Davis]

The Spirt of St. Andrews - MacKenzie
Anatomy of a Golf Course- Doak
Golf Course Architecture- Thomas
Rough Meditations- Klein

Not an exhaustive list by any means, but these are some that come to mind immediately

[Mark Bourgeois]

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/a-golfers-five-foot-shelf-by-michael-m-thomas/

[Tom Ferrell]

Hey Barry!

The Links, by Robert Hunter.  A must-have.

Give me a shout - I've got a bunch of good suggestions.  Along, of course, with all the ones suggested here.

[Jason Topp]

Here are a few not already mentioned:


Golf Architecture - A Worldwide Perspective Volume 1
Links Golf - Paul Daley
The Augusta National Golf Club - Stan Birdy

[Michael George]

The following are in order that I would recommend:

1.  World Atlas of Golf - use the most current version for easy start to the subject
2.  Anatomy of a Golf Course - Doak - as I think it does the best job of educating the reader on the entire subject- gives nice overview
3.  Masters of the Links - Shackelford - gives you a little something from the great architects
4.  Spirit of Saint Andrews - MacKenzie
5.  Golf Architecure in America - Thomas
6.  The Links - Hunter -
7.  The Course Beautiful - Tillinghast
8.  Golf Has Never Failed Me - Ross
9.  Scotland's Gift - Macdonald
10. Dream Golf - not only gives you a history of Bandon but the reason that the golf courses are so great  

Then buy club histories and learn what made each of them great.

[Mac Plumart]

Then buy club histories and learn what made each of them great.

I LOVE this idea!

[Paul Gray]

The Anatomy of A Golf Course - Tom Doak. Excellent introduction to the subject from which to gain some sound principles and begin to develop your own take.

[Garland Bayley]

Near or at the top of the list is "The Spirit of St. Andrews by Dr. MacKenzie". Tom Doak's book "The Anatomy of a Golf Course" is also in my small library.

Even if your library is large, these are still the top two.

[Michael George]

Mac:

Rarely do the club histories reveal  much about architecture but they really provide insight about the other things that make clubs great.  The often reveal the basis of the "tone" of a club as set by its founders. Most clubs are true to their founding principles.   I have really enjoyed buying them and reading them.  Waiting for the Dismal River book still. Maybe you can put together for the club. Seems like fun project and one you would have a labor of love for.

[V. Kmetz]

Here's some not yet offered:

1. The Architectural Side of Golf - Wethered and Simpson (essential turn of century tome)

2. The Life and Work of Dr. Alistair Mackenzie - Doak, Scott, Haddock

3. St. Andrews Golf Links: the First 600 years - Jarrett (the rare prize of my collection)

4. Golf Course Architecture - Hurdzan (this may be what Mac was referencing in an earlier post)

5. The Augusta National Golf Club - Frank Christian (more of a picture book, but some great photos and more than few perspectives on the architecture)

I tend to agree that Club Histories are valuable in this regard, even though you have to wade through much non-GCA stuff; it's not a bad trolling and sometimes you get more than a GCA nugget or two.  Plus, as was said, they are fun, fun, fun to immerse yourself in the peculiar historic details of classic clubs old enough to have one.

cheers

vk

[Connor Dougherty]

I'm amazed no one mentioned Shackelford's Grounds for Golf. It was the first book I read on the subject, and both it and The Anatomy of a Golf Course taught me so much about golf course architecture. I would highly recommend reading those and then advancing to the older books that many people mentioned.

I also liked Masters of the Links, which was a collection of essays from several architects that Shackelford compiled.

The last thing I would say is The Spirit of St. Andrews seems to cover almost everything in Golf Course Architecture (MacKenzie's original book) and more, so you could probably get away with just reading the former. Mac, would you agree/disagree with this statement? I may have to re-read them myself 

[David_Elvins]

Some good books mentioned but I think reading too many of the same type of book is redundant.  

If I had to read
'The Links,
Anatomy of a Golf Course,
Golf Architecture in America,
Grounds for Golf,
The architectural side of golf, and
Golf Architecture
back to back I would lose all interest in golf course architecture.  1-2 of these books is more than enough, IMO

I think in general Shackelford's and Daley's books are underated.  

'The Art of Golf Design'  by Shackelford and 'Favorite Holes by design - The architects choice' are two of my favorite books that rarely get mentioned.  

[Phil McDade]

I'd recommend Dan Wexler's two books: The Missing Links and Lost Links, which cover in great detail the architectural merits of courses and holes that no longer exist.

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