Book: Alister MacKenzie’s Augusta Greens

[Marty Bonnar]

I was in St Andrews this afternoon and popped into Topping’s Bookshop. They have a small, but decent Golf Architecture section (with all of the new Confidential Guides!). In amongst the shelves I found a soft-covered book with the title above. It was in a sealed cellophane wrapper, so I couldn’t look inside, but after a quick web search it looks like it’s a collection of the drawings.
Seems to have been assembled by a fellow named Graham Rowley.
Anyone got a copy or seen it around?
One website has it at $450, but in the bookshop today it was £59. Worth buying?
Cheers,
F.

[Niall C]

FBD
 
Graham Rowley is an auctioneer based down south who's company is called Sports Pages from memory.
 
The publication you refer to, and assuming it is the one I'm thinking of, is published by Georgia Peach Publications in 2020. From what I gather they brought out different limited edition iterations but they are basically the same thing from what I understand. The version I have which I bought at auction cost a bit more than £59 but nowhere near as much $450 !
 
My copy says no. 2 of 100 however that is printed on which leads me to wonder how many there are of 2 ?! The publication itself has photo of Bobby Jones on cover with heading of "Alister MacKenzie's, Augusta Greens, Dated 1933". The first introductory page has the heading "Bobby Jones Limited Edition of the Original Greens Plans of Augusta National Golf Club". The introduction then goes on to explain that what follows is fascimile editions of the original greens plans, has a bit of blurb about Mac and Jones inspiration in the Old Course and a brief history explaining how all the greens have now been changed.
 
The next page is an old typed introductory page presumably produced by MacKenzie and then follows 18 pages with each green plan, a couple of which also have a 3D render of what the green would like from the approach.
 
All together a nice thing to have but whether it is worth the money depends on your view.
 
Niall
 
ps. just noted that my copy is a second edition with amendments.

[Marty Bonnar]

Cheers mate,
This version had no real cover as such - just the text title. Actually looks pretty cheapo. Maybe get a look at your copy sometime before purchasing?
Cheers,
M.


PS Have to admit I was a bit fearful it might have the stench of the grandmother’s under bed about it! 🤪

[Colin Macqueen]

Dear Marty.
Pardon my ignorance but what on earth does "....the stench of the grandmother's under bed ..." allude to!?
Please explain on the assumption that to do so does not impact on the delicate sensibilities of this forum!!


Orra best, Colin

[Niall C]

PS Have to admit I was a bit fearful it might have the stench of the grandmother’s under bed about it! 🤪

I have to say Ian Scott-Taylor didn't come into my head but I suppose........


Niall

[Michael Wolf]

Further complicating the "worth" of the book is the way it appears to been released into the market: virtually every golf book auction over the past several years has included a copy from one or more of the various "limited" editions of this offering. It leaves the impression that a large percentage of the total print run is being sold off slowly by the publisher to the highest bidders. In a couple of cases the hammer prices seem to indicate the winning bidders thought they were buying ANGC documents, not the xerox pages contained in this "book".


All that said, L59 is on the low end of prices I've observed, and the sketches are interesting.


Michael

[Niall C]

Michael


Agree with all you say. It would be interesting to know who was behind this production now that FBD has raised doubts in my mind 


Niall