The Missing Links: America's Greatest Lost Golf Courses & Holes

Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Look at the Best Disappearing Links
Review: Summary: The enthusiasm for private golf courses is almost as high now as it was when most were established around a hundred years ago in the United States. During the Depression and in the suburban expansions after World War II, many private golf courses either disappeared or were turned into home lots. Mr. Wexler has done an outstanding job of bringing these courses to life, even though we will never see most of these holes in person. The book features 27 of over 100 lost courses that he has found. Among these are courses that hosted the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. So much for fame!

Review: If you did not know that these courses have ceased to exist in their original form, you would think that existing courses were being described. The 27 featured courses include a visual layout of the course, scorecard, hole-by-hole descriptions, history of its development, photographs of play and holes, a little about the course designer, and an assessment of how the course would be viewed today.

I was particularly impressed to see that many of these courses disappeared in New York State. Imagine having so many scenic spots changed away from golf today. It would never happen. Or at least I hope it wouldn't. What do you think?

Of the courses, I was shocked to learn that 6 or 7 would be in the top 100 in the U.S. today. Even if that is optimistic, it does seem like a shame to lose any great golf tracks.

As a Donald Ross fan, I was astounded to find out that expanding I-95 in New Jersey had helped doom his course, the Englewood Country Club. Even more remarkable was the loss of Pinehurst number four, so close to his masterpiece of Pinehurst number two.

In addition to enjoying this book, golf club members should think about how to provide for the financial security of the courses where they play. After all, many of these are on land that would sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars an acre. What is to stop conversions of more top courses into building lots in the future during times of economic troubles? Certainly, the many clubs that have invested extra millions in clubhouses and courses recently may have made this more likely.

After you finish enjoying this book, think about what else may have disappeared from your community. See if your local historical society has photographic records to help you see those missing parts of history.

Cherish what is fine . . . even when the costs are high!

Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Look at the Best Disappearing Links
Review: Summary: The enthusiasm for private golf courses is almost as high now as it was when most were established around a hundred years ago in the United States. During the Depression and in the suburban expansions after World War II, many private golf courses either disappeared or were turned into home lots. Mr. Wexler has done an outstanding job of bringing these courses to life, even though we will never see most of these holes in person. The book features 27 of over 100 lost courses that he has found. Among these are courses that hosted the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. So much for fame!

Review: If you did not know that these courses have ceased to exist in their original form, you would think that existing courses were being described. The 27 featured courses include a visual layout of the course, scorecard, hole-by-hole descriptions, history of its development, photographs of play and holes, a little about the course designer, and an assessment of how the course would be viewed today.

I was particularly impressed to see that many of these courses disappeared in New York State. Imagine having so many scenic spots changed away from golf today. It would never happen. Or at least I hope it wouldn't. What do you think?

Of the courses, I was shocked to learn that 6 or 7 would be in the top 100 in the U.S. today. Even if that is optimistic, it does seem like a shame to lose any great golf tracks.

As a Donald Ross fan, I was astounded to find out that expanding I-95 in New Jersey had helped doom his course, the Englewood Country Club. Even more remarkable was the loss of Pinehurst number four, so close to his masterpiece of Pinehurst number two.

In addition to enjoying this book, golf club members should think about how to provide for the financial security of the courses where they play. After all, many of these are on land that would sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars an acre. What is to stop conversions of more top courses into building lots in the future during times of economic troubles? Certainly, the many clubs that have invested extra millions in clubhouses and courses recently may have made this more likely.

After you finish enjoying this book, think about what else may have disappeared from your community. See if your local historical society has photographic records to help you see those missing parts of history.

Cherish what is fine . . . even when the costs are high!

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating and informative tour through time
Review: The Missing Links: America's Greatest Lost Golf Courses & Holes by golfing enthusiast and history Daniel Wexler wonderfully showcases grand American golf courses that have two things in common: they were designed by some of the most talented architects in the history of the sport, and they no longer exist in the present day. Resurrecting memories of lost golfing paradises with a profusion of maps, black-and-white photographs, picturesque descriptions and trivia, The Missing Links is a fascinating and informative tour through time and golf courses gone by. Also very highly recommended is Daniel Wexler's superbly illustrated companion volume, Lost Links: Forgotten Treasures Of Golf's Golden Age (Clock Tower Press, 193220203X, $45.00).

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating and informative tour through time
Review: The Missing Links: America's Greatest Lost Golf Courses & Holes by golfing enthusiast and history Daniel Wexler wonderfully showcases grand American golf courses that have two things in common: they were designed by some of the most talented architects in the history of the sport, and they no longer exist in the present day. Resurrecting memories of lost golfing paradises with a profusion of maps, black-and-white photographs, picturesque descriptions and trivia, The Missing Links is a fascinating and informative tour through time and golf courses gone by. Also very highly recommended is Daniel Wexler's superbly illustrated companion volume, Lost Links: Forgotten Treasures Of Golf's Golden Age (Clock Tower Press, 193220203X, $45.00).

Rating:
Summary: Great for the golf nut, mediocre for the average man
Review: This is an incredibly original and detailed work. Golf historians and enthusiasts will appreciate the detail, but the average sports fan might find it too tedious. But if you are a golfer, Wexner spookily evokes lost courses and estimates how the courses would play today. The book is a bit pricey; yet, that won't matter to the right customer. An excellent book within a narrow frame.

Rating:
Summary: Great for the golf nut, mediocre for the average man
Review: This is an incredibly original and detailed work. Golf historians and enthusiasts will appreciate the detail, but the average sports fan might find it too tedious. But if you are a golfer, Wexner spookily evokes lost courses and estimates how the courses would play today. The book is a bit pricey; yet, that won't matter to the right customer. An excellent book within a narrow frame.