10 books on golf in 2009 (2)
4. Fifty More Places to Play Golf Before You Die; Author: Chris Santella; Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
OK, I’m a little biased here as well, since I’m one of the contributors. Just the same, I wouldn’t have contributed to this sequel if I hadn’t found Chris Santella’s original book so enjoyable. The beauty lies in the format: Santella taps into 50 well-traveled golf insiders and asks them to identify the one course you must play before your travels are through — and why you need to play it. He then interweaves the anecdote-laced narratives with interesting course facts that he’s gleaned through his research. The result is 50 punchy, compelling course stories. Courses range from munis in the U.S. to resort spreads in China and Uruguay, with sharp photography to match. Most of the courses are public-access, but the author let me gush about Cypress Point, my favorite course anywhere. That’s a tough one to get onto. Bob Hope probably put it best. “One year they had a big membership drive at Cypress. They drove out 40 members.” Play it once if you can before your days are done.
5. The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia; Authors: Sal Johnson and Dave Seanor; Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Let’s start by saying this encyclopedia won’t win any beauty awards. Its 959 pages look and read like a phone book. With that in mind, if you’re a golf history buff, you will love each and every one of the fascinating cherished numbers that dwell within. Golf’s top stat man, Sal Johnson, teamed with former Golfweek editor Dave Seanor to create a labor-intensive, figure-filled book that dishes out desert-dry facts that somehow tell remarkable stories. The encyclopedia lists every player who competed in 25 or more PGA Tour events, starting in 1958, through 2008. Displayed are his season-by-season totals, from wins to top-5s, top-10s, top-25s, cuts made, best finishes and prize money, among others. With this book, it’s pretty easy to go back and compare Tiger and Phil to Arnie and Jack. It’s fun to see the obscure names from yesteryear, such as Rex Caldwell, who had a win and three consecutive seconds in 1983, only to fade away by 1990.
6. Great Golf Down Under; Author: Gary Lisbon; Publisher: Gary Lisbon
If you’re into spectacular photos of faraway courses, this aptly named book will resonate. Without question, the subtitle, “Breathtaking images from the best of Australian and New Zealand golf,” sums up the book’s essence. Author, publisher and photographer Gary Lisbon has been documenting the region’s best courses for more than 10 years, many of which Americans have finally gained the chance to see, thanks to telecasts on the Golf Channel. To his credit, Lisbon provides near-equal treatment to hidden jewels such as Newcastle Golf Club and Barnbougle Dunes, in addition to showcasing such legendary layouts as Kingston Heath and Cape Kidnappers, though I do feel readers would have connected more with the holes depicted if there had been even a modicum of accompanying text. Still, with Royal Melbourne playing host to the next Presidents Cup, Great Golf Down Under becomes even more relevant.
Top 10 golf books for 2009 (1)
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