The Joy of Golf

This is a great book for the novice looking to quickly get up to speed with the sport. There are also nuggets within for the those who have played for years. A quick and enjoyable read.

Seeing that the book description stated this was pocket-sized, had many stories, quotes and facts, I figured this would be a quick and fun read about the game. Ray Hamilton delivered on that expectation that is the perfect description for this book.

The stories and facts cover the history of the game and its equipment, etiquette, famous players and important golf events like the majors and the Ryder Cup. Therefore, a reader will most likely find a story or some facts on whichever part of the game desired. All eras are covered here so one can learn a new fact or two about Bobby Jones as well as Tiger Woods. The ladies are also included and I was happy to read about Patty Berg, Kathy Whitworth, Annika Sorenstam, and Laura Davies.

The information is often presented in a humorous manner, especially the sections on the history, equipment and etiquette. This made those sections especially fun to read. My favorite quote in the book came from the etiquette section. After describing the usual rules of etiquette on a golf course (no talking or moving around when another player is taking his or her shot, do not walk across the putting line, etc) the author asked that since these are being violated more often, he has written to inquire “…on whether hanging might be brought back for inconsiderate golfers.”

While certainly not an extensive book with detailed research or writing, this little book on golf is one that will certainly entertain readers and can be put down and picked up frequently for quick bursts of reading as all of the information is in lists or very short sets. Good for golf fans and players.

I wish to thank Summerfield Publishing for providing a copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.