by Jeff Skinner
Another day in the Hudson Valley and another forecast for more snow. I am sitting here watching it come down again with a possible 3-5 inches expected. It is ironic that we are snowbound and frosty over here while the Winter Olympics in Sochi are troubled by warm temperatures and lack of snow. Maybe the Hudson Valley can put in a bid for the Winter Olympics? I for one can’t want to see bare ground again.
In my efforts to kill this case of Cabin Fever and somehow make it to Spring I spent some time at my local Barnes & Nobel last week. Yea, you remember what a bookstore is, don’t you? It’s that brick building filled with books where people find the book they want and then go order it on Amazon.
Anyway, a nice cruise through the aisles is always relaxing and sometime rewarding. On my last excursion into civilization I came across a wonderfully entertaining book: Sports Illustrated, The Golf Book.
It’s not a new one having been published in 2009 and it is not one I would have normally bought. This book is an oversized coffee table book which usually isn’t on my radar. But after finding it on the Bargain Books table marked down from $29.95 to $9.98, I couldn’t resist. After all, if there is anything a Scotsman loves more than golf it’s a bargain.
An overview from the book jacket: “In a history spanning more than 500 years, a Scottish seaside pastime has become the passionate pursuit of 60 million players and 10 times as many fans worldwide. Along the way, golf has provided heroes, heroines and moments that live forever in the hearts of those who follow the sport. In its 296 stirring pages, THE GOLF BOOK offers a spectacular tribute to an old game that never runs short of surprises–a celebration of the grand, still-unfolding story of golf.”
Indeed this book covers the game from its beginning through its evolution into what it is today, today being 2009. There are pieces by historic golf writers as well as current ones and all the big names, trends and developments are covered.
But the strong point of this monster of a book is its photography. Page after page is filled with the outstanding images that Sports Illustrated has given us for years. You’ll find many of the iconic images of the game but more than that you’ll see the heroes of the game in pictures rarely seen.
From Old Tom to Bobby Jones to Country Club Life to Slammin Sammy to The Polyester Years to Francis Ouimet to The Hawk to The King, The Golden Bear and Tiger it covers them all. And it is just the ticket to get me through another snowbound day.
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