St Andrews Links: Six Centuries of Golf [Hardcover]

Tom Jarrett (Author), Peter Mason (Author), Jack Nicklaus (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 2009

That the game evolved and developed into its final form at St. Andrews has never been in question—St. Andrews is the home of the game’s most influential ruling body, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, and it was there in 1764 that today’s standard 18-hole round was established when the 22-hole Old Course was reduced. One golf course has now become seven and many of golf’s most dramatic moments, affecting the world’s most famous players, have occurred here. It has played host to the game’s greats, as well as those enthusiastic amateurs for whom the chance to play St. Andrews' hallowed turf is a dream come true. This celebratory volume of the official history of golf’s most important location was written by Tom Jarrett, a caddie, journalist, golfer, and author, and updated by Peter Mason, who was involved in managing the links throughout its most intensive—and controversial—phase of development.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tom Jarrett was a historian and a journalist who lived all of his life in St. Andrews. Peter Mason is employed by the St. Andrews Links Trust. Jack Nicklaus won 18 Major Championships during his illustrious professional career. He lives in North Palm Beach, Florida.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Mainstream Publishing; Updated edition (September 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845965019
• ISBN-13: 978-1845965013
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 0.8 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,470,100 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A MONUMENTALLY DISAPPOINTING BOOK, October 4, 2009

By 

D. McAllister "MRD" (Somewhere in the Field) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: St Andrews Links: Six Centuries of Golf (Hardcover)

When I heard about ST. ANDREWS: SIX CENTURIES OF GOLF I couldn't move fast enough to obtain a personal copy. As the title seemed to imply, I looked forward to reading about golf as it had been played since before Christopher Columbus at the Home of Golf. What would the book include? Perhaps a detailed account of golf history as it unfolded in St. Andrews? A detailed history of how the land was first discovered as an ideal venue for the evolving game? A look at how the equipment of the game, balls and clubs, evolved at St. Andrews? Maybe detailed accounts of early tournaments and golf events on the Old Course and their participants and winners? I hoped that this would be a volume that would answer these and many other questions about the Royal and Ancient game of golf.

Instead, what unfolds here is a dreary dialog involving such weird and boring things as the politics of St. Andrews. Yes, the politics did impact golf, but why not keep politics in the background and bring forward a rich history of a game, its notable players and a preeminent place? Rather, the author also goes to great lengths to describe such riveting things as how facilities for changing clothes were provided, how driving ranges were added and how sprinkler systems were added. What total nonsense! How do such mundane things play at all into a book title that seems to promise so much.

Add a preface by Jack Nicklaus. After finishing the book, I went back and read the Nicklaus's preface again. After a second careful review of the Golden Bear's assessment of the book, I had to conclude that Nicklaus probably wrote his comments either before reading the book or after a cursory review of a few of the pages therein. I just cannot bring myself to believe that Nicklaus would have written his glowing preface after a careful reading of this volume.

The only redeeming pages of ST. ANDREWS: SIX CENTURIESW OF GOLF are those that deal with some of the "The People Who Brought the Links to Life", "St. Andrews and the Open Championship" and "Winners of the Open at St. Andrews." These pages account for the very weak two stars that I give this monumentally disappointing book.

THE (GOLFING) HORSEMAN

5.0 out of 5 stars Huh. I should have known that this is the updated version of....., January 17, 2012

By 

Czarnecki - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: St Andrews Links: Six Centuries of Golf (Hardcover)

This the updated version of St. Andrews Golf Links - The First 600 Years, with a forward by Tom Watson. "Both versions" were released in 1995, but this version was updated with newer photos and information on the new Castle Course.

I recommend that you skip the other book and pick this one up...

It's very interesting....