Offering a little bit of history and a lot of fascinating insights and reminders of the rules of golf, author Tony Dear’s latest book is sure to please those who love the game of golf. “The Story of Golf in Fifty Holes” chronicles 50 holes, past and present, where significant events in golf’s illustrious history have taken place.
The author writes in the introduction that “There is much to be inspired by in the story of golf. The focus here is not on constructing a perfect timeline (though the holes are listed chronologically, not in the year when the significant events happened but when the hole opened) so much as capturing the reader’s interest by presenting some important dates, places, and people any fan or player should be aware of before entering into a conversation about the game’s eventful history.” Along with the hole and documented incidents that made it famous, you will find some elaboration on the course, the designer, and anything else of note.
You couldn’t write a book of this nature without including something about St. Andrews (Old Course), Pinehurst No. 2, or Augusta National, all of which have significant mention in the 224-page book, published by Firefly Books.
Given the current political race for the White House, it’s ironic that one of the most interesting summaries is the last one, which discusses the 18th hole at Trump National in Los Angeles. After the 18th green slid nearly into the Pacific Ocean and the owner ran out of patience and money, presidential hopeful Donald Trump stepped in and bought the golf course. Trump spent $264 million building the course, with the help of course architect Jim Fazio (Tom Fazio’s brother), who made several significant improvements. This spectacular track re-opened as the 7,242-yard Trump National Los Angeles in January 2006.
The author writes, “Whatever your opinion of Trump, whether you admire the acumen or abhor the arrogance, you can’t deny he has an impressive portfolio of golf courses.” There are now 17 venues in Trump’s collection, including the site of the 2022 PGA Championship, Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey.
“The Story of Golf in Fifty Holes” offers plenty of other anecdotal stories similar to this one. The book retails for $29.95 and is available on Amazon and all major booksellers.
Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
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