Down the Fairway by Bobby Jones

To write your autobiography at the age of 24 normally takes a lot of hubris. Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. – a.k.a. Bobby Jones – did it, but with great effect and humility. Originally published in 1927, his Down the Fairway has become what Sports Illustrated calls "an incontestable classic."

Part memoir, part golf instructional, part golf history, it's a must read for all who care about this most fascinating sport. His thinking was that, having just become the first golfer ever to win both U.S. and British Open titles in one year (1926), he would never perform at such a high level again. It seemed a good time, then, to tell his story.

In an age of big money, lucrative endorsements, TV contracts, and pouting millionaires, this ernest volume comes as a breath of fresh air. Infused with Jones's deep knowledge of and pure passion for the game, it evokes a long-ago time when an amateur could be the best in the world.

But what makes this autobiography so moving is the wisdom he acquired through numerous drubbings, hot-headed meltdowns, and runner-up finishes. “I never learned anything from a match that I won,” he wrote. (Publisher's Description)

The 2015 Golf Resorts of the Year

The International Association of Golf Tour Operators has named PGA Catalunya Resort, Pinehurst Resort, and Casa de Campo as the 2015 Golf Resorts of the Year as part of the golf industry’s “Oscars” – the IAGTO Awards. The honors are awarded in three regional categories: Europe, North America, and the Rest of World.

Voted for by more than 500 IAGTO’s golf tour operator members from 62 countries, criteria for the awards include customer satisfaction; quality of golf courses and accommodations; value for money; support from suppliers, tourist boards and airlines; professional conduct of suppliers and accessibility to tee times.

Europe — PGA Catalunya Resort, Spain

The spectacular Stadium Course is consistently ranked among the best ten golf courses in Europe since it’s opening in 1999, and was recently voted #1 in Spain, #3 in Continental Europe and #77 in the world.

The equally beautiful but kinder Tour Course is slightly less challenging. Dominated by towering pine trees and lakes, most of the holes feature wide fairways and strategically placed bunkers, which can be forgiving of a less than perfect shot.

North America — Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina

In the heart of the North Carolina Sandhills is Pinehurst, the cradle of American golf, according to the resort’s website. “Walk beneath the whispering pines and you’ll understand the wonder Donald Ross experienced as he first surveyed the property in 1901…and the exhilaration Payne Stewart felt in his stunning 1999 U.S. Open victory on No. 2.”

Pinehurst No. 2, the centerpiece of the resort, remains one of the world’s most celebrated courses. It has served as the site of more single golf championships than any course in the United States, and, in 2014, hosted 14 days of championship play with back to back U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open Championships for the first time in their history. The U.S. Open will return in 2024.

Rest of World — Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic

Renowned golf course architect, Pete Dye, along with his wife, Alice Dye, created three of the most challenging courses in the game for Casa de Campo — Teeth of the Dog, The Links, and Dye Fore.

Teeth of the Dog — "The opportunity to carve out Teeth of the Dog was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Pete Dye wrote in his book, Bury Me In a Pot Bunker. "Without proper heavy machinery to crack the coral, the tireless Dominican crew used sledgehammers, pickaxes and chisels." The result was a true masterpiece.

Dye Fore — The numbers are staggering — 7,740 yards, 7 cliff-side holes dropping 300 feet below to the Chavon River — with 40 m.p.h. gusting winds and breathtaking 360 degree views.

Of all the picturesque holes on the course, #12 and #15 are two of the greatest par three holes in the world, according to the resort’s website. "Dye Fore has spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea, the Dominican mountains, the Chavón River, and the Casa de Campo Marina.

The Links — “This beautiful inland links course may not seem as exciting or challenging as its sea-side and cliff-hugging siblings,” according to the resort website, “but don’t be deceived. With its spectacular views of the Caribbean, its moderately hilly track with tall bahia and guinea grass roughs plus multiple sand traps, and its several lagoons and even lakes with wading birds, the Links will keep you on your toes.”

For more information, see www.pgacatalunya.com, www.pinehurst.com, www.casadecampo.com.do and iagto.com.

Golf Dreams by John Updike

In his preface to this volume of essays and short fiction, Updike speculates that his addiction to the game has "stolen my life away." As he addresses the frustrations, humiliations and rare "soaring grandeur" of the game, Updike's dry wit and ironic insight enliven such entries as a spoof on instruction books and an evaluation of viewing golf on TV.

Essays range in theme from the specific to the ethical and philosophical. If there is a general theme, it is that golf can be both a mystical experience and infernal torture, what Updike calls "the bliss and aggravation of the sport." (Publishers Weekly)

The Five Hundred World's Greatest Holes

This is an altogether magnificent volume, big in size, big in contents, visually rich, and thoroughly engaging. Peper's opening essay explains how he and his editors identified the ultimate one-tenth of 1 percent of the 500,000 or so holes on the planet, and explores the question of what exactly makes a great golf hole.

Challenge and difficulty, certainly, but also beauty, fairness, reputation, history, and the way it begins to eat into a golfer's mind as he or she takes it in from the tee box. It's all in the mix.

Then the fun really starts, with a comprehensive look at the best 18--the 15th at Cypress Point (but not the more terrifying 16th), the 18th at Pebble, the 16th at Merion, the 17th at St. Andrews, the 6th at Royal Melbourne, and the 13th at Augusta among them -- complete with lush photography and an artist's depiction of each. The next 100 are then rolled out in somewhat less depth, with the remainder of the 500 receiving a thumbnail sketch and photo, along with either appreciation or curses from golfers everywhere. (Amazon)

The First Tee and the 9 Core Values of Golf

Established by the World Golf Association in 1997, the stated mission of The First Tee, a national, non-profit organization, is "to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character-development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Toward that end, the organization has established Nine Core Values that represent some of the inherent values of the game. The Nine Core Values have been defined as follows:

Honesty - the quality or state of being truthful; not deceptive. Golf is unique from other sports in that players regularly call penalties on themselves and report their own score.

Integrity - strict adherence to a standard of value or conduct; personal honesty and independence. Golf is a game of etiquette and composure. Players are responsible for their actions and personal conduct on the golf course even at times when others may not be looking.

Sportsmanship - observing the rules of play and winning or losing with grace. Players must know and abide by the rules of golf and be able to conduct themselves in a kind and respectful manner towards others even in a competitive game.

Respect - to show deferential regard. In golf, it is important to show respect for oneself, playing partners, fellow competitors, the golf course, and for the honor and traditions of the game.

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Confidence – self-reliance or trust. A feeling of self-assurance. Confidence plays a key role in the level of play that one achieves. Players can increase confidence in their abilities by being positive and focusing on something they are doing well regardless of the outcome.

Responsibility - accounting for one’s actions; being dependable. Players are responsible for their actions on the golf course. It is up to them to keep score, repair divots, rake bunkers, repair ball marks on the green, and keep up with the pace of play. Perseverance - to persist in an idea, purpose or task despite obstacles. To succeed in golf, players must continue through bad breaks and their own mistakes, while learning from past experiences.

Courtesy - considerate behavior toward others; a polite remark or gesture. A round of golf should begin and end with a handshake between fellow competitors. Players also should be still and quiet while others are preparing and performing a shot.

Judgment - the ability to make a decision or form an opinion; a decision reached after consideration. Using good judgment is very important in golf. It comes into play when deciding on strategy, club selection, when to play it safe and when to take a chance, as well as making good choices on and off the golf course.

In addition to teaching these Nine Core Values to children, The First Tee also runs such programs as the Future Leaders Forum and the National School Program. And through a recent congressional appropriation, The First Tee will also provide life skills education and character development to children of men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

Among the founding partners of the First Tee are the PGA TOUR, the LPGA, PGA of America, the USGA, and the Masters Tournament, and former President George H.W. Bush has served as the organization's honorary chairman since its founding in 1997.

For more information, please see www.thefirsttee.org

Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy

Instantly hailed as classic, Golf in the Kingdom is an extraordinary confluence of fiction, philosophy, myth, mysticism, and golf instruction. The central character is the bawdy Scotsman Shivas Irons whom Murphy meets in 1956 on the links of Burningbush in Fife.

The story of their round of golf ends in a wild night of whiskey and wisdom, where, as Shivas demonstrates how the swing reflects the soul, the game finally takes on a metaphysical glow. The events of the day change not only Murphy’s game, but also radically alter his mind and inner vision. Amazon.com