Golf in Canada

100 Years of the U.S. Open by John Delery & Greg Garber
101 Essential Golf Tips by Peter Ballingal
101 Golf Courses by Geoffrey Giles
112 Miles to the Pin by Duncan Lennard
12 Myths That Could Wreck Your Golf Game by Tom Wishon (with Tom Grundner)
52 Amazingly Simple Secrets for Better Golf by Rick Graves
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein
A Wee Nip at the 19th Hole by Richard MacKenzie
Adventure Golf by Pilot Film & Television Productions Ltd.
Alice Cooper, Golf Monster by Alice Cooper
Alliss' 19th Hole by Peter Alliss
An Enduring Passion by Jaime Diaz
Are You Kidding Me? by Rocco Mediate & John Feinstein
Arnie & Jack by Ian O'Connor
Arnold Palmer by Arnold Palmer
Around the World in 80 Rounds by David Woods
Back Spin by Harlen Coben
Bullet Hole by Keith Miles
Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes by Stephen Goodwin
Essential Golf Skills by DK Publishing
Eyewitness Companions Golf by DK Publishing
Fairways To Heaven by Trent Ricker & Michael Stevens
Golf Magazine 500 Best Tips Ever!
Golf's Finest Par Threes by Tony Roberts & Michael Bartlett
Pabby's Score by James Ross
The 3-Degree Putting Solution by Michael Breed
The Anatomy of a Golf Course by Tom Doak
The Art of the Short Game by Stan Utley
The Back Nine by Billy Mott
The Best Bargains in Golf by Ted Wilson
The Best Golf Tips Ever by Nick Wright
The Case of the Missing Links by Lee Tyler
The Swinger by Michael Bamberger & Alan Shipnuck
Trump: The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received by Donald Trump
Unconscious Putting by Dave Stockton (with Matthew Rudy)

100 Years of the U.S. Open
John Delery & Greg Garber © 2000
Price: $3.00 (Book Events)

It's hard to imagine an event like the U.S. Open has already been around for over a century. The history and drama of one of golf's most prestigious tournaments has been gathered into one volume with historic black-and-white and full-color photographs of the players who have stalked the trophy over the years. Beginning in 1895 in Newport, Rhode Island at the Newport Golf Club we progress up to the year 1999. A few years of the tournament were missed due to the First and Second World Wars.

100 Years of the U.S. Open touches on each of the champions and describes some of the events leading up to victory.

I found this book in a bargain bin at a local Mall. It's a decent read if you're interested in golf history or a fanatic of the game itself.

101 Essential Golf Tips
Peter Ballingall © 2003
Price: $7.20 (Amazon.ca)

101 Essential Golf Tips is a small 72 page book providing basic information on golf equipment, technique, exercise, rules, along with a touch of etiquette. This is not an advanced book by any means and is probably geared to give a beginner or novice a quick crash course on golfing. This is the book to give the first timer to read before their first company golf tournament.

Originally published in 1995, an avid golfer will see a little age in the book's content.

Nothing here for the regular golfer, but everything for the novice.

101 Golf Courses
Geoffrey Giles © 2008
Price: $16.19 (Chapters)

101 Golf Courses takes a jaunt around the world looking at the authors personal selection of favourite golf courses. Each course has a aerial sketch, a course history and description, scorecard, and best of all, glorious photos that with make you eager to grab your travel bags. This book can easily make the grade as a coffee table book, consisting of over 250 pages with no necessary ordered flow of reading. Simply pick a destination and read about a desirable course to play. Some courses will be standard clubhouse discussions while others will open up new gateways for debate.

The author, Geoffrey Giles, has played over 1,000 courses in his 45 years of playing golf. His business travels have given him the opportunity to play some of the best courses in the world.

I really enjoy these kind of books and probably have four or five of them sitting on my bookshelf. I was very surprised to see 101 Golf Courses available as a bargain book when I hadn't seen it on shelves at any other price.

112 Miles to the Pin
Duncan Lennard © 2007
Price: $5.99 (BookCloseOuts.com)

112 Miles to the Pin looks at unique golf feats and the level to which avid golfers go to (perhaps) improve the game they so love. Some of the stories between the covers I've already read the complete book with a review (see "I Golfed Across Mongolia", "Around the World in 80 Rounds") and others are new while some are totally bizarre. I don't think I'll be playing in the New Zealand Naked Open any time soon. Nor will I be climbing any cliffs in Greenland to get to a tee. However, hitting golf balls off a moving boat does sound enticing.

The book contains the rules for City golf (no shouting "Get in the Hole" is allowed) as well as rules for dealing with hazards while playing Tundra golf and tips for Mountain golf. In 1992 when John Daley and Mark Calcavecchia were fined for playing a round in 2 hours and 3 minutes I'd hate to see what the fine would be for speed golfer Gary Wright at 28 minutes and 9 seconds.

112 Miles to the Pin is an enjoyable read and sure blows the pants off some of those drab technique and lesson books.

12 Myths That Could Wreck Your Golf Game
Tom Wishon (with Tom Grundner) © 2006
Price: $5.53 (Amazon.ca)

12 Myths That Could Wreck Your Golf Game is a 32 page book containing excerpts from The Search For The Perfect Golf Club. The 12 myths are common beliefs about golf that are responded to with factual answers. You can tell the data used in responding to these myths is based on many years of experience and a lot of research.

The first myth, "Modern golf clubs hit further than clubs of even a few years ago", proved to be an eye opener for a golfer such as myself. I truly believed that modern clubs greatly improved distance. I've been gullible, and so have most of us.

Myth Two, "The longer my driver is, the further I hit the ball." Again, a factual answer to disprove this belief.

The myths carry on with 10 more covered in this interesting, short, yet informative book. If the contents has peaked your interest you may want to take a giant step and get Tom Wishon's, The Search For The Perfect Golf Club.

52 Amazingly Simple Secrets for Better Golf
Rick Graves © 2006
Price: $4.99 (BookCloseOuts.com)

In size, 52 Amazingly Simple Secrets for Better Golf resembles something that would be found on the shelf in a child's bedroom. Its meager 48 pages contains paintings by William Mangum but the text, the "52 secrets", are not secrets at all but a list of tips that, as a golfer, we've all heard before. This is not to say that we don't need reminders when our game goes for a dip and this book may change help you repair your game. However, I don't believe it'll work for me and 52 Amazingly Simple Secrets for Better Golf is just not a book I'd recommend.

Although nicely presented, there really isn't much content. It's not the kind of book you'd display on a coffee table and it'll hardly take you 15 minutes to read.

A Good Walk Spoiled
John Feinstein © 1995
Price: $9.98 (Chapters)

Golf Magazine toutes A Good Walk Spoiled as being, "The best ever account of life on the PGA tour" and I concur! Although beginning to show its age (the book was written in 1995) the content still gives great insight into life on the PGA Tour.

The book follows many golfers, both famous and not so famous, as they encounter golf related pressures (namely "Q-School") or personal issues in life. Issues are explained in a heartfelt manner through the eyes of the players and I could truly sympathize with many of the subjects.

A Good Walk Spoiled is a large read of over 600 pages and covers a broad range of topics. At first glance I thought the book was for reference as an index at the back will allow you to flip to a topic or Tour Pro of interest. With so much material covered one would think the book would ramble, yet surprisingly it has a flow. This is a book that can be read in baby steps or taken in large gulps.

I was so impressed with this book by John Feinstein I purchased another named "Open" (inside the ropes at Bethpage Black).

Don't expect A Good Walk Spoiled to help improve your golf game in any manner but next time you see some of the Tour players mentioned you'll find you almost know them personally.

A Wee Nip at the 19th Hole
Richard MacKenzie © 1997
Price: $4.99 (Golf Town)

A Wee Nip at the 19th Hole celebrates the tradition of the St. Andrews caddie. Many golfers will recognize the name of Old Tom Morris as being one of the prominent caddies to ever carry the clubs at the R&A (Royal & Ancient) Golf Club. Beside Old Tom, many others have gained recognition at the club and these characters are identified in Caddie Profiles throughout the book.

Photos, all in black and white, date back to the late 1800s. The photos are not just of people but are of documents such as the "Regulations for the Employment of Caddies", "Rules Regarding Discipline of Caddies", and the "Caddie Application to the Benefit Fund". This wonderful collection of photos are what make the book. It's too bad many of the documents captured weren't a bit more legible.

Although not an overly long book, any one taking a trip to St. Andrews may like to read A Wee Nip at the 19th Hole before they play their round. Remember, as Old Tom Morris insisted in 1864, that your caddie, "appear for work clean, and moderately sober."

Adventure Golf
Pilot Film & Television Productions Ltd. © 2005
Price: $4.77 (Chapters)

Adventure Golf consists of 5 sections covering golf courses (and travel information) to Scotland, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Southern California. Accompanying this bargain book is a DVD of which I recommend watching before reading any of the Scotland section. The DVD is about a half hour long and is a pleasant watch. Upon reading the book (after viewing the DVD) I was given the impression that the book is the script used for the short-lived TV series of the same name.

I tried to visit the website of adventuregolftv.com as mentioned in the book as DVDs for the TV series were to be sold there. Alas, the site no longer exists. It apears the show was experimental and probably wasn't greeted with much success.

The Adventure Golf book does have some value if you plan to visit any of the 5 locations but beyond that it's not much of a read. With a limited travel selection this book is not much of a value even at a cut rate price.

Alice Cooper, Golf Monster
Alice Cooper © 2007
Price: $11.51 (Chapters.ca)

Alice Cooper, golfer?

It's hard to believe that a hard nosed rocker like Alice Cooper is a golf junkie, but it's true. If you haven't seen him swing the club in a Pro-Am event then you're really missing a treat. With a recorded handicap of 4 and playing 5 or 6 games a week, Alice is a hard man to compete with on the golf course.

Alice Cooper, Golf Monster is a mixture of biography with a sprinkle of golf. Alice uses golf as a stress relief tool when touring or at home. Golf also helped Alice overcome his addiction to alcohol.

If you still remember those classic tunes from your younger days: "School's Out", "I'm Eighteen", "Billion Dollar Babies", "No More Mr. Nice Guy", to name a few, then you're probably still a fan of Alice Cooper. The book is surprisingly well-written and is a very enjoyable read, even for a non-golfer.

Alliss' 19th Hole
Peter Alliss © 2005
Price: $11.19 (Chapters.ca)

A great collection of anecdotes, mishaps, and general golf history compiled under one cover. I'd look at Alliss' 19th Hole as being a bathroom reader for golfers as rarely does one of the entries cover more than one page. I loved reading the obscure entires like "Scores From Hell" and "Caddie Tales". Mixed amongst the stories and facts are "Hall of Fame" entries featuring accomplishments of a great golfer, past and present. Another enjoyable read was "Rules of Engagement". Rules established by the Richmond Golf Club in 1940 during the Second World War.

My one complaint with Alliss' 19th Hole is the fine print used throughout. A hard cover book generally uses a larger font.

This book has since been released in soft-cover. The price found in the heading is for this cover format. Enjoy!

An Enduring Passion
Jaime Diaz © 2002
Price: $6.50 (BookCloseOuts.com)

An Enduring Passion is an abbreviated history of golf. It's also a quick read book that will take an average reader less than two hours to finish. At a mere 28 pages of content it does a decent job of perking ones interest but there's nothing new or insightful between the pages.

The nice feature of An Enduring Passion is the removable documents that are slid between pages. Many of the documents are letters written by Bobby Jones to various acquaintances while others concern the Augusta National Golf Club. These letters are what makes the book a worthwhile read as many are dated well over 50 years ago.

However, the cover price of this book is ridiculous. The original price is $48.50 Canadian and you'd be crazy to pay it.

Are You Kidding Me?
Rocco Mediate & John Feinstein © 2009
Price: $18.80 (Chapters.ca)

If Rocco Mediate doesn't make it to the final of the 2008 U.S. Open against Tiger Woods then this book would never have been written. But because the Rocco versus Tiger final did happen many golf fans were left asking, "Who is Rocco Mediate?" My guess is that the idea of a book was in someone's head before Tiger made his winning putt.

John Feinstein is one of the finest writers to ever put words on paper for golf. His way with prose can only be described as the next best thing to being there. If you ever want to read any of John's other books be sure not to miss A Good Walk Spoiled.

The title of the book had one word dropped from the proposed title and I'm sure you can guess what that is. Are You Kidding me? is probably the first and last book to be written about Rocco Mediate but it's a good one.

Arnie & Jack
Ian O'Connor © 2008
Price: $18.77 (Chapters.ca)

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Two of the most dynamic golfers to ever play the game.

Arnie & Jack takes a look at the careers of both these gentleman. The book combines their biographies and delves into their rivalry both on and off the course. Whether you're a Palmer fan or a Nicklaus fan you'll want to read both sides of the story to which you'll end up loving both men.

It strikes me as being amazing that, only in golf, can a rivalry last so long even with a 10 year age gap. Palmer's reign as top grossing athlete for 30 years will probably never be surpassed but I'm sure he'd trade it all for Jack's 18 major victories (Palmer has 7).

Arnie & Jack is a well written book of 354 pages featuring only a handful of black and white pictures bound in the center.

Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer © 2004
Price: $6.99 (BookCloseOuts.com)

I first read the Jack Nicklaus autobiography which had an identical format to this book and quite enjoyed it. This Arnold Palmer autobiography was published three years before Jack's and includes 14 rare, removable collectibles from Arnie's Archives. I loved looking at the old scorecards, photos, and letters. A special collectible in this book included the Arnold Palmer Dial-A-Problem which is an instant-tip instructional tool published in 1966 and can still be of some use today.

I wish more of these books would be made available on other great golfers in history. Both the Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were not long to read but the quality of information makes both books very unique and worth picking up even if you can't obtain them at a discounted price.

Around the World in 80 Rounds
David Wood © 2008
Price: $18.24 (Amazon.ca)

At 47, David Wood sold everything he owned and set out to fulfill every golfer's dream: For one year, he traveled the world (covering 60,000 miles and every continent except Antarctica) by plane, boat, bus, train, motorcycle, and rickshaw, to play the game he loves in the most exotic locales, including the world's highest, driest, hottest, coldest, and most remote golf courses.

Along the way, he met a bevy of fascinating characters, including surly cabbies, taxi drivers with a death wish, welcoming golf-course managers, threatening kangaroos, and golf pros out for a quick game. David faced dire situations, such as bouts of food poisoning in India and Egypt, altitude sickness in Argentina, getting booted out of the Ukraine by armed guards, and muddling about with limited language skills. But, through it all he maintained a sense of humor and, of course, his passion for golf.

What golfer wouldn't want to escape on a journey of this magnitude? And, David Wood completed his entire trip on his own. No companion to keep him company or see him through his hardships.

Around the World in 80 Rounds is a golf book for which you don't need to be a golfer to enjoy. The humor and pace of events makes this book a great read for young and old, and all walks of life.

Back Spin
Harlan Coben © 1997
Price: $11.23 (Chapters.ca)

I've read a number of Harlan Coben books over the years but never realized he had written a mystery novel with a golfing theme.

Back Spin follows Myron Bolitar, a sports agent, trying to solve the kidnapping mystery of the son of Jack and Linda Coldren. While Jack has a comfortable lead in the U.S. Open, Chap Coldren disappears. The pressure of the kidnapping and a previous collapse at the Open begins to take its toll on Jack. As the event nears its close the number of suspects mount. Where is Chad and what do the kidnappers want?

It's always hard to find a fictional story with golf as a theme and Harlan Coben has twisted a great mystery. Myron Bolitar is a superb character and Back Spin is a great mystery.

Bullet Hole
Keith Miles © 1986
Price: $14.95 (Chapters.ca)

I've been reading a number of Edward Marston mystery novels and after doing a little research I discovered that Edward Marston also writes under the name of Keith Miles. As Keith Miles, Marston has published 6 crime novels about a professional golfer named Alan Saxon.

How appropriate it was to pick up the first of the series, Bullet Hole, and begin reading a mystery surrounding the British Open at St. Andrews, and on the same day the 2010 Open began.

This novel was a treat to read and I really enjoyed the characters and the setting for the first in the series. I can hardly wait to start book two, Double Eagle.

Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes
Steve Goodwin © 2006
Price: $23.06 (Chapters.ca)

Dream Golf starts out more like a biography then a book on the making of a golf course. Part One (over 80 pages) follows the life of Mike Keiser, the owner of Bandon Dunes. With a dream of building a links style golf course, on the perfect piece of land, it was years in the making. Although the book is slow to get into, Part Two, the actual creation and construction of Bandon Dunes is quite interesting.

All three courses at Bandon Dunes (Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, and Bandon Trails) make up an elite golf resort in Oregon bordering the Pacific Ocean. All three courses quickly appeared in the top 30 golf course in America as rated by Golf Digest and Bandon Dunes Resort is the No. 2 rated golf resort in America (behind Pebble Beach). A quick look at the Bandon Dunes website and you'll see that playing a round at any of the three elite course will cost you in excess of $200 per round in prime season.

After reading this book I now have the desire to play at Bandon Dunes as my retirement gift. Retirement is still a few years away and some other golf destination may take over but for now, I'm set on Bandon Dunes.

Bandon Dunes. Golf as it was meant to be.

Essential Golf Skills
DK Publishing © 2011
Price: $12.24 (Chapters.ca)

I read a previous golf from DK Publishing called Eyewitness Companions Golf that was a decent book and Essential Golf Skills follows along in the DK Publishing standard; printed on high quality paper, well written, and well organized.

Essential Golf Skills is directed at a novice golfer and supplies information on many key skills and drills designed to bring down your handicap. The photos are clear and there are lots of them. The book feels small and lightweight yet there's over 150 pages of content.

Help may be just a few pages away.

Eyewitness Companions Golf
DK Publishing © 2005
Price: $5.99 (Borders)

DK Publishing has published some fine books on a broad range of topics over the years. DK books are printed using high quality paper, are well written, and are extremely well organized. Eyewitness Companions Golf is no exception.

The book is useful for all levels of golfer as a quick reference to equipment, golf basics, rules, techniques, and history of the game. The later half of the book deals with major golf tournaments, and a detailed tour of 50 of the worlds finest golf courses. This reference library of the sport is highly recommended.

Whether you're a novice or just want to know more about your favorite pastime this guide is brimming with top tips to help you tee off with confidence.

Golf Magazine 500 Best Tips Ever!
© 2011
Price: $15.64 (Amazon.ca)

Golf is one of those sports where there's an infinite way of producing a desired result. "Tips", in any manner, are always important. However, put too many together and I often become more confused than actually understanding anything.

Golf Magazine 500 Best Tips Ever gathers together loads of information but nothing is broken down in detail. I'm rather frustrated with these kind of books because I look at them as an easy moneymaker for a publisher as almost the entire contents can be created with simple cut and paste techniques.

I'd suggest reading this book is small portions or focus in on the pages that will help with your current golfing woes.

Golf's Finest Par Threes
Tony Roberts & Michael Bartlett © 2011
Price: $25.04 (Chapters.ca)

Golf's Finest Par Threes takes a deep look into the art and science of the one-shot hole. The book contains great detail from how par threes came about to how par threes are designed. The photos are excellent and the featured par threes are spectacular. I don't think a book such as this could be written about par fours and fives but after reading this one I'd like to see the authors try.

One hundred of golf's finest par three are captured in photo and text. Golf's Finest Par Threes is a solid 250 pages of well-conceived content. This is a must read for any golfaholic.

I'm not sure whether this book will be released in a paperback version but a hard cover version will look good on your shelf.

Pabby's Score
James Ross © 2011
Price: $19.95

It's always nice to kick off the golfing shoes and sit back to read a James Ross novel. Pabby's Score is James Ross' fifth book and it continues using the same Prairie Winds Golf Course characters established in his previous novels.

With Pabby's Score James takes on more challenging subjects of society. Getting to know Pabby and Shea, two teens with special needs, brings out strong feelings for characters and more than likely to a reader as well. On top of this you can add in a corrupt police force, dishonesty in the judicial system, and an Internet dating service. Can things get any more diverse?

Pabby's Score provided me with a few unexpected surprises I'll refrain from being a spoiler and keep you waiting for the December 2011 publication.

The 3-Degree Putting Solution
Michael Breed © 2011
Price: $18.81 (Chapters.ca)

This is probably the best book on putting I have ever read. The theories presented are backed by scientific fact which means more to me than just hearing someone talk about putting. This is more than a "what I do" book.

The 3-Degree Putting Solution has a very methodical approach. It starts with putting in the early morning and what Michael discovering while putting on the dew. Next we step into the grip, the stroke, why we should have negative loft on a putt, speed, reading the greens, and "Good-bye Mr. Yips". There are some excellent practive drills outlined in the final chapter.

Michael Breed is known as being the host of The Golf Fix on Golf Channel. His fast-paced show offers a lot of content and his no frills presentation makes it one of my favourite watches.

The Anatomy of a Golf Course
Tom Doak © 1992
Price: $13.68 (Chapters.ca)

If you've ever been interested is understanding what goes in to the design and development of a golf course then pick up a copy of The Anatomy of a Golf Course. Every golfer feels that they can design a course or make an existing one better. Do you really believe that? I did. I thought I could easily design a golf course given a decent piece of land. But, after reading this book, I don't believe I'd ever want to take up the challenge.

The Anatomy of a Golf Course covers just about every facet of a golf course. From routing the course, aesthetics, fair play, greens, tees, fairways, rough, bunkers... Well, you get the picture. There's a lot of though that goes in to a golf course beside just money. The Anatomy of a Golf Course is extremely well written. It's not a long read at just over 200 pages but the content is superb. Don't expect to see this one on any best seller list but expect to see it on any avid golfers.

Tom Doak learned golf course design from working with Pete Dye and is now a highly regarded course architect himself.

The Art of the Short Game
Stan Utley © 2007
Price: $19.44 (Chapters.ca)

The Art of the Short Game focuses on the weakest part of my game and does it with great success. The book provides advice on equipment and which club is right for which shot. The photos are appropriate for the content and every facet of the short game is explained. Useful drills close out the book.

I'm not one that enjoys reading an instructional book but The Art of the Short Game may help in what ails me. It's a pleasant read with a great deal of content that will take time to absorb and implement.

Problems with your short game? Stan Utley's book is a good stepping stone to solving your woes.

The Back Nine
Billy Mott © 2007
Price: $10.89 (Amazon.ca)

The Back Nine is an entertaining read about a caddie, Charlie McLeod, who loves the game of golf but at a very young age damaged his arm and has been unable to play since. As the story goes, Charlie finds out that over the years his arm has healed to a point where he is able to play on the Monday's when caddies are allowed to play the course. Other caddie's take note of Charlie's smooth swing and control of the clubs. So much so they invest all they have in a one on one challenge pitting Charlie against a local rival. Telling you any more would simply ruin a good book.

Not often do I find a fictional golf story that has any clout. The Back Nine can sit up on the self beside The Legend of Bagger Vance and The Greatest Game Ever Played and not look out of place.

The Best Bargains in Golf
Ted Wilson © 2004
Price: $3.79 (Chapters.ca)

If you're planning an inexpensive golf trip anywhere in Canada and the United States then The Best Bargains in Golf might be a worthy purchase. The book is basically an encyclopedia guide to budget golf courses that can be played for under $50. Courses and trips of value are flagged but descriptions (there are over 1250) are summed in so few words that the writing has next to no value. The book contains some nice photographs but many have nothing to do with golf.

Although the book came at a bargain price I really can't say it is a bargain to buy. A good sized book with next to no reading value.

The Best Golf Tips Ever
Nick Wright © 2003
Price: $14.40 (Chapters.ca)

I've been looking for a book that contained short, snappy golf tips as I thought such a book would be a very valuable resource. The Best Golf Tips Ever contains many tips. So many in fact that some are repeated (more than once) and others suggest opposite of a previous tip. Such is the case with leaving the pin in or pulling the pin when confronted with a close chip. Another is to "practice 4 foot putts before a game", while another says, "practice long putts to get your weight". Which is it? I'm now of the opinion that too many tips in one book isn't such a good idea. Especially if the tips are from more than one person.

Mixed between the tips is on-course analysis of famous golf holes from around the world and a player profile. These pages provide a breather to allow you to absorb some of content before you move on to another chapter. Tips are sorted into 18 chapters starting with equipment and moving on through various positions of play on the course. All aspects of play are covered including the mental game, course management, and practicing.

The layout of the book is excellent. However, I now have mixed feeling about the value of too many tips. Too much solutions when I only need one.

The Case of the Missing Links
Lee Tyler © 1999
Price: $10.93 (Chapters.ca)

I read Lee Tyler's latest book, The Teed-Off Ghost, and enjoyed her writing style so I thought I'd try on of her earlier novels.

The Case of the Missing Links features the same characters as The Teed-Off Ghost but is a much more believable story. The plans for a new golf course have gone missing and June Jacobs and Harry Winslow, two private investigators that specialize in golf mysteries, are brought in to find the design. A number of interesting characters work for Sheldon Moore III and every one hates Sheldon. Unlike most mysteries, The Case of the Missing Links ends with a murder (actually more than one) and, although not surprising, there are many suspects.

It's a fun read for the golfer any mystery love.

The Swinger
Michael Bamberger & Alan Shipnuck © 2011
Price: $18.17 (Chapters.ca)

I've read a number of Michael Bamberger's books and quite enjoyed them but The Swinger enters a different genre. Quite frankly put, I was very disappointed.

The Swinger reads like a biography of Tiger Woods' career yet the main character, "Tree" Tremont, is the name used. Secondary characters are actual names of people you will most likely recognize (Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, etc.). While events in the book parallel Tiger Woods' career you'll find that they have all been twisted. Yes, there are affairs and golf victories, but the death of Tremont's mother affects his life much like the death of Tiger's father affected his.

I'm not sure what The Swinger is actually to be. Is it a biography? Is it a parody? It is definately a work of fiction and whatever the thought behind the book was to be it is a major failure in my mind. I didn't find anything funny about the book. I simply found myself trying to think of the events in Tiger Woods' career that matched the events that occur in The Swinger.

The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received
Donald Trump © 2005
Price: $4.99 (Chapters)

Every one has a nugget of advice about golf. From Arnold Palmer to Yogi Berra, The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received is a collection of short, typically one page, writings that not only helped the writers in golf but also in life. Don't expect this book to improve your score but do expect it to change your attitude toward the game. Many of the writings put the game into perspective and advise you to treat the game as a game.

I was pleasantly surprised at this book. Typically bargain books lack something that is rather easy to discover. Perhaps the discouraging thing about this book is that the business magnate Donald Trump isn't recognised as a golfer. Just take a visit to Trump Golf and view the spectacular courses in the Trump stable. By the way, Donald Trump's handicap is reported as being '4'.

In The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received, Donald Trump has collected over 200 writings from friends, colleagues, and playing companions. What golf can resist sharing a few words of wisdom?

Unconscious Putting
Dave Stockton (with Matthew Rudy) © 2011
Price: $20.06 (Borders)

If you're looking for a book to help you with your putting then I'm not completely sure this is your book. Unconscious Putting talks more about the mental aspect of putting and very little about technique. Written by one of the finest putters in the history of the game, you can see why so many professionals seek Dave Stockton's advice. When you reach a professional level you don't get there because you can't putt. This is where the mental aspect of the game really enters into the equation.

Personally, my putting numbers seem to be very constant. When my numbers go up it's normally because my short game is poor, and vice versa. I've had games when I'd though my putting was very good yet the numbers don't indicate how I felt about the round.

Unconscious Putting is a quick read at just under 100 pages. Images are mostly in black and white with a mid section of 8 colour photos. The photos didn't offer much value from my point of view.