"To the Linksland" is absolutely fantastic, you will enjoy it.
Dodson's efforts are not as good but diverting nonetheless. "The Dewsweepers" and "Final Rounds" are the two I've read. "A season in Dornoch" by rubenstein, is not bad but he hasn't the passion for the links that Bamberger has and I ended up disliking him intensely.
I love Bamberger's writing but believe it was he who ratted out Michelle Wie on her drop mistake.
Excuse me, I sent that from Iphone in haste. I retract "ratted out".
Bamberger is a very fine writer. Exceptional. Wie was in the wrong no doubt. I allude to post facto, viewers and spectators etc making calls about rules violations. I dont have a problem with blatant violations. But it seems to me that sometimes given the circumstances they are unjust.
Im sure there has been many a time that a benevolent tournament director has turned a blind eye to an inconsequential mistake/offense. Once the tv guys/we know about it, it is beyond correction perhaps. This sort of thing making for good tv, sadly.
I nearly puked watching the British Open last year with the cameras zoomed in on the hovering putters and the wind oscillating balls. "This guy did ground his putter, this guy didnt ..........." Just zoom out for crying out loud before I hurl.
Justice may be blind but I like her to use her sense of smell sometimes in a benevolent way. Although on the other hand a star player berating an official into a favourable ruling smells bad, very bad.
Maybe that is just me. In a compassionate way I would also have given Roberto De Vicenzo his birdie on 17 in the 1968 Masters. This is a complex issue. I respect the rules of golf. I honour the memory of Bobby Jones walking out of the woods to call a penalty on himself. I acknowledge there are opinions contrary to mine on this issue. I really just want the rules to be officiated over by one body not a tv announcer or a cell phone user. No other sport does this that I can think of.
Excuse me, I sent that from Iphone in haste. I retract "ratted out".
Bamberger is a very fine writer. Exceptional. Wie was in the wrong no doubt. I allude to post facto, viewers and spectators etc making calls about rules violations. I dont have a problem with blatant violations. But it seems to me that sometimes given the circumstances they are unjust.
Im sure there has been many a time that a benevolent tournament director has turned a blind eye to an inconsequential mistake/offense. Once the tv guys/we know about it, it is beyond correction perhaps. This sort of thing making for good tv, sadly.
I nearly puked watching the British Open last year with the cameras zoomed in on the hovering putters and the wind oscillating balls. "This guy did ground his putter, this guy didnt ..........." Just zoom out for crying out loud before I hurl.
Justice may be blind but I like her to use her sense of smell sometimes in a benevolent way.
Maybe that is just me. In a compassionate way I would also like to award the 1968 Masters jacket to Roberto De Vicenzo. Maybe Im just a golf romantic.
Sorry for this off topic meander.
Back to the books. "Links Land" is inspired, yes.
ob
O.B.
I actually agree with your first take. I don't have a problem with this sort of thing...
Except
If you are going to do this, do it right there. Don't wait until the next day after the card has been signed. If done on the spot, the drop could have been rectified. Even if brought up later in the round, a penalty could be applied. Bringing this to the committee after the card was signed is what is hard for me to swallow.
If an intentional mistake, I would see it differently...
I'm a romantic as well.
Sorry for the thread jack continuation.
Kevin
__________________
I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
It is a complex issue that maybe transcends this game and my sorry knowledge of Law. As I started to explain myself I realized what kind of mine field I was stepping into and hit the edit button in a hurry.
If I could teach my much smarter older brother "The Judge" how to turn on a computer he would have maybe 100 or more pages on this sort of thing for us, in one post too and off the cuff. A historical view the separation of Church and State, the golfers rights to a fair trial but by whom? ETc etc etc etc.
Back to books.
ob
Last edited by O.B.Left : 01-24-2009 at 11:31 PM.
Reason: love
It is a complex issue that maybe transcends this game and my sorry knowledge of Law. As I started to explain myself I realized what kind of mine field I was stepping into and hit the edit button in a hurry.
If I could teach my idiot older brother "The Judge" how to turn on a computer he would have maybe 100 or more pages on this sort of thing for us, in one post too and off the cuff. A historical view the separation of Church and State, the golfers rights to a fair trial but by whom? ETc etc etc etc.
Back to books.
ob
Hehehe,
Nobody else said anything about The Bogey Man. Are you guys all too young?
Kevin
__________________
I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
Nobody else said anything about The Bogey Man. Are you guys all too young?
Kevin
An awesome insight into the tour of yesteryear. Plimton's wit is captured in his description admirals in his mind running his shot routine. A must read.
An awesome insight into the tour of yesteryear. Plimton's wit is captured in his description admirals in his mind running his shot routine. A must read.
You must be one of my contemporaries!
My favorite chapter was about the tempers on tour. Ky Laffoon taking his putter by the neck, dipping it in the lake, yelling "Drown you son of a bitch, Drown!"
Kevin
__________________
I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
Drewit - good book recommendations on golf course architecture?
For the Donald Ross fans, in addition to "Golf Has Never Failed Me" as mentioned by Yoda, I would also recomend "Discovering Donald Ross" by Bradley Klein. There are many beautiful pictures of Ross' courses, which fortunately for me are in abundance in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
If you decide to read "The Match" by Mark Frost, I would recomend getting a copy of Geoff Shackleford's book "Alister MacKenzie's Cypress Point Club". The black and white photos of the course in Shackleford's book bring "The Match" to life. So when you are reading about the Par 5, 476 yard fifth hole you can also see it.
Although it is unlikely that you be able to get a first edition of Charles Blair Macdonald's "Scotland's Gift Golf" (sell for $800-$1000 each), copies are available from The Classic of Golf book series. This is Ben Creshaw's favorite book on golf architecture and I will also recomend it to both the serious fan and casual observer.
Others to consider: Golf by Design by Robert Trent Jones Jr. He explains in detail his thinking for designing a course; chess, pool, auto racing, target sports, etc.
Also, Golf course Designs by Tom Fazio. The color pictures are breath-taking. At the beginning of the book is a picture of his uncle George Fazio (who lost a playoff along with Lloyd Mangrum for the 1950 US Open to Ben Hogan at Merion), to whom the book is dedicated, showing why he was such an outstanding player, executing a Flat Left Wrist and Lagging Clubhead.
Golf Architecture (1920) by Dr. Alister Mackenzie gives the good doctor's ideas on golf course development. It is also available from The Classic of Golf book series.
Finally, for now, Geoff Shackelford's "Lines of Charm" compiled the best writing and quotes from all the great designers from the golden age of architects. Easy reading and informative.
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