Reminiscences Of The Links (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Richard C. Wolffe (Author), Robert S. Trebus (Author), Stuart F. Wolffe (Author) "SO has some rhymester playfully caricatured the ruling passion at St. Andrews..." (more)
Key Phrases: modern golf architecture, teeing ground, open championship, Pine Valley, Garden City, British Open (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A.W. Tillinghast was an individualist, to say the least. American golf was fortunate to have him around in the early stages. His writings about golf give us a glimpse of his vivid imagination, which certainly leaned towards the artistic." -- Editor of Golf Illustrated Ben Crenshaw.

"Sit back and relish of the times when poor Johnny McDermott's spirit was broken; when Old Tom Morris saw a rubber-wound ball for the first time; and when Willie Smith, originally of Carnoustie, engaged in a fire fight with Mexican rebels assaulting his pro shop." -- Frank Hannigan.

In Chapter 43, Tillinghast tells the story of Bethpage's founding, design and development. He foresaw that the Black would become a Mankiller to test the world's best golfers; he also predicted the entire Bethpage complex of multiple golf courses would become great golf for the public and a Mecca of the golfing world. How right he was. -- Rees Jones

Product Description

In this book, his second volume of essays, A.W. Tillinghast recounts the origins of Golf in America, and traces its growth through the 1930's. This book is much more than golf history--it is history as chronicled through the eyes of Tillinghast. It is a story of Golf's early days in America and our connections to Scotland. Loaded with over 150 vintage antique photographs and sketches, Tillinghast relives with style and humor golf at St. Andrews, the early U.S. Opens of the roaring nineties, the birth of the birdie, the founding of Pine Valley and many other humorous and fascinating tales on early American golf and golf architecture.

As one of the greatest golf course architects ever, Tillinghast lived and breathed golf from the 1890's through his death in 1942. A native of Philadelphia, he was on hand for every major U.S. tournament of note; as a respected amateur he played in many of the early amateur and U.S. Open championships; he was a founder of the PGA of America; a staunch supporter of the United States Golf Association's Green Section; a renown golf journalist; managing editor of Golf Illustrated; and an advocate for public golf.

It can be said with little argument that the Mecca for all golfers is St. Andrews. And this is where Tillinghast begins his tales. "Once in St. Andrews one revels in Golf." Tillinghast recounts his memories of Old Tom Morris and Old Tom's recollections to him of one of the greatest of all time -- Tommy Morris, son of Old Tom, who thrice in succession won the British Open, and who died of a broken heart when "his girl wife died as their baby boy was born." Tillinghast tells many other stories from his trips to Scotland as a young man, recounting the colorful personages of many of the old timers of golf--Andra Kirkaldy, successor to Old Tom, the great little Ben Sayres, and others.

Tillinghast connects us with Scotland and the earliest golf in Canada and the United States. He recounts the human interest side of the early amateur and professional championships--the first but unrecognized U.S. Open champion, Willie Dunn; the early demise of the first four time U.S. Open champion , Willie Anderson; and the real story behind the fall from sanity of America's first and youngest U.S. Open champion, Johnny McDermott.

We are taken into the gallery and behind the scenes at many of these early tournaments. We are also told many humorous stories on the early Scottish caddies, and the sharp practices of the distasteful cheaters of golf.

We are given unique insights on golf architecture from a historical perspective --how the improved golf ball, "the bounding billie," and matched irons changed the game and golf course design forever; the genius in the creation of Pine Valley; the development of modern golf course design principles in the United States; and much more.

Tillinghast also provides us with his opinion on the top ten golfers of all time. "With the exception of Young Tom Morris, who died before I stalked the links, it has been my rare privilege not only to have observed the play of every man-Jack ... but to have played with half a dozen of the first nine."

The editors - Rick Wolffe, Bob Trebus and Stuart Wolffe - have done an amazing job compiling and researching this book. The photographs and sketches harmonize with each essay effectively bringing the book to life. This is the editors second volume of Tillinghast essays; their first, The Course Beautiful is internationally acclaimed and is currently being translated for Japan. The editors are working on a third Tillinghast book, Gleanings from the Wayside; they are also the authors of Baltusrol 100 Years, the Centennial History of Baltusrol Golf Club.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Treewolf Productions (October 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965181812
• ISBN-13: 978-0965181815
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #855,321 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Genius! A Work that Will Live!, January 2, 1999

By A Customer

Having restored and modernized more Tillinghast layouts than any of us Rees Jones states in an introductory paragraph "A.W. Tillinghast was pure genius" while Ben Crenshaw in a companion paragraph says "he was an individualist to say the least. American golf was fortunate to have him around in the early stages."

Our profession (golf architecture) is indebted to the editors for their second volume of Tillinghast essays. It is to be followed by a third title within two years entitled GLEANINGS FROM THE WAYSIDE. (I think the first, THE COURSE BEAUTIFUL is still available.)

Frank Hannigan says in the foreword that golf architecture is an art form requiring engineering expertise mixed with 19th century principles of landscape design. Vision is also required in the creation of golf courses as it was in the creations by Olmstead and other 19th century landscape architects.

Somehow Tilly's essays demonstrate this. Reading them and studying the descriptive illustrations one reaches that conclusion.

REMINISCENCES...... IS A WORK WORTHY OF STUDY AND A PLACE IN ALL OUR LIBRARIES AND AS A GIFT TO CLIENTS AND OTHERS. We urge members to obtain it and if still available THE COURSE BEAUTIFUL. This trilogy will live and could influence our profession far into the future, because the three volumes will be studied by all seeking the upward progress of our profession which must be one of the most intriguing ever practiced. As Rees and Ben indicate, Tilly ranks among its most unique practioners.

-- Geoffrey S. Cornish, Historian, American Society of Golf Course Architects

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific, Revolutionary and Astonishing, December 13, 1998

By A Customer

The editors, Rick Wolffe, Bob Trebus and Stuart Wolffe have produced their second of a three book series on A.W. Tillinghast. This book, "Reminiscences of the Links" is even richer than the first ("The Course Beautiful") with terrific photographs, revolutionary writing and astonishing admissions. Like Tillie taking a 17 on the closing hole at the Garden City Invitational, the incident regarding Johnny McDermott at Shawnee, or his suggestion that someday Bethpage will rank as one of the great golfing meccas of the world. It may have taken awhile for that prediction to come true but by the time the Open rolls around there will be few who will dispute it. And where else can you find the original routing plan for all the courses and such early photos of play on the Black? Good job, fellas! -- Bob Labbance, Editor for The Golf Collector's Society.