Around the World in 18 Holes [Hardcover]

Tom Callahan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1994

Two sportswriters offer a colorful account of their around-the-world golfing odyssey as they played golf in twenty-one countries on four continents, describing their experiences and the diverse characters they encountered along the way. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The authors, both contributors to Golf Digest , set out in the summer of 1993 to play 18 holes of golf on 18 very different courses throughout the world. They began in Northern Ireland and finished in Augusta, Ga., site of the Masters that year. Along the way, they played in such unlikely spots at Akureyri in Iceland, where players tee off at midnight on the longest day of the year; Sun City in Bophuthatswana, not entirely isolated from the killings in South Africa; Mauritius; Kathmandu in Nepal; and Singapore, where chewing gum is a felony. Yet, even though they describe each of the holes, their book is travel writing at its best, with emphasis on the people they met in each country. They write of crusty old Scots, Russians gloomy about their nation's immediate future, B-girls in Thailand and Ben Hogan, whom they sought out as worshippers. It's a delightful volume and, for those who keep score, Callahan bested Kindred on the links.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Sportswriters Kindred and Callahan, the former jobless after the demise of the National, the latter recently separated from his wife, add a twist or two to the old idea of touring the world's golf courses: "We would find 18 diabolical holes in 18 diabolical places and string those holes together to make a golf course. We would call it the Royal & Diabolical Global Golf Club. It would be a par 72. The length would be 37,319 miles." This utterly engaging dual reminiscence offers a shot-by-shot recounting of the cross-continent match (won by Callahan 2 and 1) along with a travelogue so bizarre that it could only have been written by two golf-obsessed, ink-stained wretches hacking their way through both crocodile-infested fairways and a couple of nasty midlife crises. There's plenty of whimsy here, from competing in the Arctic Open (tee time, 11 p.m.) to practicing those tricky 300-foot putts on the marble floors of the New Delhi Airport, but there's also a genuine sense of wonder at the worldwide camaraderie golf manages to inspire. Anyone who has dreamed of the ultimate golf vacation will savor each page of this fantasy come to life. Bill Ott

Product Details

• Hardcover: 237 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (May 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038547315X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385473156
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,662,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worldwind of an eighteen holes!, January 19, 2001

By 

rodboomboom (Dearborn, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Around the World in Eighteen Holes (Paperback)

From the dreaming up of their Royal & Diabolical Golf Club with its par 72, 37, 319 mile couse to the finish, this book finds golf fun around the globe. These two writers play in unbelievable places, Russia, Iceland, Nepal. Especially enjoyed their accounts of Augusta and Shady Oaks. Good, enjoyable read.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Golf and travel enthusiasts will surely enjoy this book!, December 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Around the World in 18 Holes (Hardcover)

Any one with an interest in golf or travel will thoroughly enjoy this book. I underestimated the power of the writing of these two sports journalists. Their truly fascinating accounts of the people they meet and situations they encounter enlighten as well as entertain. Please go out and read this book!