To the Linksland: A Golfing Adventure

Rating:
Summary: The antitype to Golf in the Kingdom
Review: As many have already reviewed, this book overcomes the temptation to do the mystical thing with golf. Most of us aren't into that (maybe that's the reason we're not scoring those low numbers). This book is about caddying on the European tour and life on that tour we're not exposed to as much as our own here in the states. As Crenshaw wrote about this book: "joyously reflective of why and how we play the game of golf." Must read for golfers!

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant surprise...
Review: This is a very well written book that is as much about people who love the game as it is about the links courses referred to in the title. The author takes us on a pleasant 7 month journey that includes his experiences as a caddy on the European professional tour, and subsequently an extended vacation in Scotland where he plays numerous linksland courses.

We are introduced to numerous acquaintances, most of whom claim golf as an important part of their lives and heritage. As a result we learn a good deal about the early history of the game, the modern game (as of 1991), the differences in the casual golfer's approach to its play in Scotland/Europe and the U.S., and personal glimpses of some of the players who have had an impact during the past 150 yrs.

We are also introduced to a number of golf courses in a way that includes not only the usual topical descriptions (length, greens, hazards, flora etc.) but also Bamberger's emotional response and evaluation after having played them.

I don't usually enjoy this type of odyssey but the author's relaxed style, the people he meets, and his experiences at play in golf's homeland made this a thorougly enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for Golf Enthusiasts
Review: To the Linksland has something for everyone: a look inside a pro tour, an intimate view of Scottish golf, and, most of all, an accurate depiction of the never-ending quest for improvement and the associated cycles of hope and despair that all golfers experience. Bamberger manages to evoke these weighty themes without crossing over the line into contrived mysticism or gross sentimentality. I re-read it every spring, when it's still too cold to play but I need a golf fix. My favorite golf book, it captures the true spirit of the game!