If you’re like some of us here at PIG, the 2020 golf season is now in the rearview mirror and you’re gearing up for a long winter of pandemic-induced solitude. In order to get your golf needs met, you can plan your buddies trips for 2021, watch classic highlights on YouTube, and, of course, watch PGA Tour events on TV.
However, one of my favorite ways to engage with the game I love is to read about golf. Back in the spring we published a list of 10 of my favorite golf books. With the days getting shorter, I wanted to share a few more books I’ve enjoyed lately with those of you who may be looking for a good golf read this winter.
The Nine Virtues of Golf, by Jay Revell
Golf holds a special place in our lives, and I think we don’t often take time to reflect on the deeper reasons why. That is exactly what Jay Revell does in the essays in this slim volume. In ways that are personally revealing and universally recognizable, he muses on the frustrations, ecstasies, and quiet in-between moments that make golf the unique, wonderful game it is.
Buy it HERE
Uneven Lies: The Heroic Story of African-Americans in Golf, by Pete McDaniel
When Tiger Woods emerged as the most dominant athlete in golf and energized the sport in an unprecedented manner, it may have seemed like he came out of nowhere. The reality is that, as a black man in a predominantly white sport, his way was paved by a generation of brave individuals and talented golfers whose stories have been criminally under-told. Uneven Lies tells these stories and illuminates an essential part of golf history that all golf fans ought to know about.
Buy it HERE
The Golfer’s Journal
Although it’s not technically a book, I can’t create a recommended reading list without plugging The Golfer’s Journal. A quarterly publication of the highest quality, it features beautiful photography and both short and long form written pieces that highlight a vast array of different aspects of the world of golf. From golf course architecture to golf history, there is usually a spotlight on the diverse characters that populate the strange and beautiful world of golf.
Golf’s Holy War, by Brett Cyrgalis
Is the secret to good golf art or science? It’s an age old debate that has grown even hotter in recent years. In Brett Cyrgalis’s new book he dives in to this question head first. In a way that is approachable and balanced, Cyrgalis examines the nuances of golf greatness and probes the intricate blend of art and science that enables it. This was one of the best new golf books I have read in a long time. If it piques your interest at all, I highly recommend you check it out.
Buy it HERE
Golf Architecture In America, by George C. Thomas
If I can’t play golf, I love to get myself onto a course vicariously by learning about golf course architecture. You’ll find several GCA books in my earlier piece, but this is one I was particularly excited about. Written in 1927, famed Golden Age architect George C. Thomas’s landmark book shines a light on the practices and ideas of early golf architecture. Until recently, the book was virtually unavailable except on the secondary market at very high prices. Now it’s been recently reprinted and the price is right.
Buy it HERE
I hope one or more of these books will help get you through the coming off-season. Are there any of your favorite golf books that I missed? I am always looking to add new golf books to my library. Let me know in the comments section. Thank you for reading.
Dylan Thaemert
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My Usual Game: Adventures in Golf Paperback – May 1, 1996y David Owen is a laugh out loud non-fiction book that all avid golfers can relate to.
Thanks for the recommendations. I’m a big fan of The Golfer’s Journal. #SecretGiveaway2021