All Courses Great And Small: A Golfer's Pilgrimage to England and Wales [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

James W. Finegan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

Anyone who's watched the Ryder Cup will want to take on the challenge of the risk-reward 10th at the Belfry; anyone seeking the most natural golf course in the world will be delighted by the rolling hills of Royal Ashdown Forest, where you'll share the fairways with townsfolk walking their dogs, and you won't find a grain of sand to trouble you. These and more than 100 other worthies are waiting for you, with James Finegan as your guide to the famous courses and the lesser-known gems across the countryside. Finegan takes us on a circular tour of the English and Welsh landscape, finding the golfing pleasures to be found at every turn. He gives pointers on how to book your tee times and describes some of the lodging he's sampled and the non-golfing attractions that are not to be missed however fanatical your focus on the game may be. Finegan's books are the only travel guide you'll ever need for the golf trip of a lifetime.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of books about golf in Scotland and Ireland swings his way across the best courses in England and Wales in this ode to the sport by one of its most impassioned fans. From links bordering the sea, to heathland courses in the English countryside, to those on London's outskirts, Finegan, whose age has upped his handicap but not his enthusiasm, meets up with local club members to showcase each course for his readers. His descriptions range from the evocative ("Distinguishing the course are the complex and silken-swift greens and...the bunkers, which are variously shaped and exquisitely sited, the sand often flashed up the face, the lip sometimes a thin swooping line") to the technical ("Even from the medal tees, the course measures only 6,200 yards; par is 70...There are eight strong holes here, six of them in a row...This series includes a pair of excellent par threes, the short one a knob-to-knob beauty...plus a quartet of rigorous two-shotters"). Finegan charts over 100 courses, "taking them as they fall on the map, with little regard for their pedigree," and in doing so he shares information about courses' architects and owners (The Addington's old-fashioned and charmingly dictatorial Mrs. Moira Fabes being a colorful example of the latter), tidbits of course history, vignettes from the lives of the folks he tees off with and helpful information about food and lodging. For true golf lovers, this one's an ace.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This third installment in Finegan's Golfer's Pilgrimage series finds the author on the trail of more undiscovered links in Great Britain. His first two volumes, Blasted Heaths and Blessed Greens and Emerald Fairways and Foam-Flecked Seas (both 1996), covered the golfing world's twin Meccas, Scotland and Ireland. This time he turns to less-heralded England and Wales but finds a succession of mouth-wateringly beautiful courses, most of which possess the added attraction of not being overrun with hordes of Americans. What makes this series particularly valuable is Finegan's focus on average golfers who prefer to play from the white (shorter) tees and for whom length is not the measure of a great golf hole. In a chatty, conversational style, Finegan takes us from course to course with enticing hole-by-hole descriptions and practical notes on tourist attractions and places to stay and eat. Unlike many accounts of idyllic summers spent on the links of Scotland by low-handicappers with high incomes (or expense accounts), Finegan's proposed tours seem nicely manageable for mid-range players and earners. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743223888
• ISBN-13: 978-0743223881
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,736,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly Exceptional again, April 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: All Courses Great And Small: A Golfer's Pilgrimage to England and Wales (Hardcover)

Well, mr Finegan has done it again. Terrific description of well selected courses in England and Wales.