Favourite golfing book?

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Lots to choose from, albeit not quite as many as there are about cricket or baseball.

My favourite has to be The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever by Mark Frost, which is about the encounter at Cypress Point in 1956 between Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward.
I also enjoyed:
To The Linksland by Michael Bamberger, about his year long adventure as a caddy for Peter Teravainen on the European Tour, and his lessons with the legendary Scottish teacher John Stark.
My Baby Got The Yips by Richard Russell, 6 handicapper at Sunningdale and self confessed 'ordinary golfer'. Very funny.
I've got The Match on my golf books shelf - to be read. I need a book for the next few days so may well take that one with me.
 
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Are all these books being mentioned instruction books, or history books?

I’ve only ever read one instruction book, Tiger’s How I play golf. It was boring as hell.
 

Skytot

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Only ever read 1 golf book but it’s a classic in fact I still think it’s the best selling sport book of all time .
Harvey Pencik - Little Red Book
 

Ethan

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Are all these books being mentioned instruction books, or history books?

I’ve only ever read one instruction book, Tiger’s How I play golf. It was boring as hell.

I think they are mostly telling real life stories about the golf tours, often written by proper journalists. Feinstein is an excellent writer. Books under the name of famous players, invariably ghostwritten, are usually terrible.
 

Tongo

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Aside from John Feinstein's efforts I would also recommend The Scorecard Never Lies by Chris Lewis, a similar subject matter to A Good Walk Spoiled but not as good, The Last Stand of Payne Stewart and A Course Called Ireland by Tom Coyne.
 
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Liked Tom Coyne's 'Paper Tiger' - about himm - off scratch trying to get through PGA Q school, and also 'A course called Ireland' - but the others ' A course called..Scotland, America) not so much
..and of course don't forget PG Wodehouse e.g., 'The Clicking of Cuthbert' or 'The Heart of a Goof '
 

Sports_Fanatic

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Slaying the tiger and Dream on were good books personally. Love to see an update to the first one as they revisit the players, image and who they are now.

Pre-order currently, but i reckon i'll be tempted to get Alan Shipnuck's book on Phil !
 

Bratty

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1) Golf is not a game of perfect by Dr.Bob Rotella.
2) The Big Miss by Hank Haney
3) In Search of the Tiger by Ian Stafford
 

Ethan

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I also quite enjoyed Commander In Cheat, about Trump and golf. Not exactly a work of award winning writing but an insight into the man and his golf. The story about Mike Tirico, the sports commentator, playing with Trump is quite enlightening.
 

MarkT

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Lots to choose from, albeit not quite as many as there are about cricket or baseball.

My favourite has to be The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever by Mark Frost, which is about the encounter at Cypress Point in 1956 between Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward.
I also enjoyed:
To The Linksland by Michael Bamberger, about his year long adventure as a caddy for Peter Teravainen on the European Tour, and his lessons with the legendary Scottish teacher John Stark.
My Baby Got The Yips by Richard Russell, 6 handicapper at Sunningdale and self confessed 'ordinary golfer'. Very funny.

My Baby Got The Yips is hilarious in parts, all the others also brilliant
 

MarkT

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Not sure what it's called but the one where a journalist is a caddy for a European tour journeyman. Finished it in a day

To The Linksland by Michael Bamberger. Found it on eBay for £1 and also finished it in a couple of reads. Actually went up to Bemberger at the Open and thanked him, he was quite taken aback and I think quite chuffed. Said he still keeps in touch a bit with Peter Teravainen
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Are all these books being mentioned instruction books, or history books?

I’ve only ever read one instruction book, Tiger’s How I play golf. It was boring as hell.
Bobby Jones' book has some instruction - but for Jones the game of golf came down to taking a stance; address the ball - then whack it. Very, very little about swing technicalities or technique - and that's why I like it - and that's the way I'm changing to play.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Any other recommendations of golf books on St Andrews, esp on the architecture please
A History of Golf by Robert Browning obviously covers the development of the game and the St Andrews part in it and such as why we play 18 holes. Don’t recall there being anything much on the individual holes though. But it’s a very interesting read.
 
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