True lovers of the game would rather crawl into a pot bunker than imagine a golfing universe untouched by the hand of Donald Ross. In the art of coaxing courses from the landscape, his was the most sought-after signature through the first four decades of the 20th century. The finest of the classic course architects, he had definite ideas of how the game should be played--hence the title of this stunning photographic tribute--and he shaped his designs accordingly. His design philosophy stressed using what nature provided rather than a wholesale remolding of topography, and the game he sought to promulgate stressed strategy over power, enjoyment over penance. His output was prolific, and the masterpieces he shaped from nature were exceptional: Pinehurst, Seminole, Inverness, Oak Hill, and Congressional.

In Golf, As It Was Meant to Be Played, Michael Fay, the cofounder of the Donald Ross Society, attempts to create the perfect coffee-table Ross tribute by creating the perfect Ross course. His plan mixes and matches 18 different Ross venues to form a single, magnificent, virtual round that any serious player should salivate over. Teeing off at Aronomink Golf Club near Philadelphia and finishing up at Hartford Golf Club in Connecticut, Fay links together 18 strategically challenging and visually arresting holes built from 1907 to 1936. Not necessarily Ross's best holes, they all still play as Ross conceived them; Fay's aim was clearly to celebrate the unadulterated, living, still-relevant Ross rather than some golfing museum piece. To that end, both his knowledgeable text and Paul Rocheleau's evocative photographs blend into a wonderful golfing keepsake that easily obliterates par. --Jeff Silverman


Review
"Donald Ross's golf courses have stood the test of time. He was an artist and his works are certainly worth preserving. Thanks to Michael Fay for documenting his work."--Ben D. Crenshaw

"I have always enjoyed and respected the work of Donald Ross, and have long considered him one of history's master golf architects. From my days of learning the game at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, to playing Pinehurst No. 2 in the 1999 U.S. Open, I've always relished the opportunity to play a Ross design. I found Ross to be a creative genius, and his design work reflects that. Ross had a way of creating subtle difficulties on a golf course, minus such strategic hazards as water or trees. Take Pinehurst No. 2, which is one of my favorite courses from a design perspective. At first glance, Pinehurst doesn't appear intimidating. Yet when you play it, you see how Ross put such a premium on the balance of power and accuracy. All his shots require a great deal of thought and planning. He also used the available land and the elements to their fullest degree in establishing a theme and strategy to his courses."--Jack Nicklaus



Review
"Donald Ross's golf courses have stood the test of time. He was an artist and his works are certainly worth preserving. Thanks to Michael Fay for documenting his work."--Ben D. Crenshaw

"I have always enjoyed and respected the work of Donald Ross, and have long considered him one of history's master golf architects. From my days of learning the game at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, to playing Pinehurst No. 2 in the 1999 U.S. Open, I've always relished the opportunity to play a Ross design. I found Ross to be a creative genius, and his design work reflects that. Ross had a way of creating subtle difficulties on a golf course, minus such strategic hazards as water or trees. Take Pinehurst No. 2, which is one of my favorite courses from a design perspective. At first glance, Pinehurst doesn't appear intimidating. Yet when you play it, you see how Ross put such a premium on the balance of power and accuracy. All his shots require a great deal of thought and planning. He also used the available land and the elements to their fullest degree in establishing a theme and strategy to his courses."--Jack Nicklaus



Book Description
Between 1900 and 1948, Scottish-born Donald Ross designed over 400 golf courses in the U.S. and Canada, among them the world famous Pinehurst Number 2 in North Carolina. Ross was also a championship player and a master of technique, style, and form. Since his death in 1948, Ross's guiding principles of play have only grown in influence. For many, Ross's game--a strict but fair balance of risk and reward--is the only game. Here, Michael Fay, cofounder of the Donald Ross Society, takes the reader on a walk through 18 of Ross's masterfully designed holes chosen from courses across the U.S., providing a wealth of inspiration, a course in enjoying the purity of traditional golf, and practical advice on how best to play these courses for the golfer at all levels of expertise. With more than 175 newly commissioned and archival photographs, this is a book for anyone who has ever been touched by the sport and its rich history, a book that will compel you to grab your clubs and head toward the nearest course with new found admiration for the game's challenges and how to confront them.



About the Author
Michael J. Fay cofounded the Donald Ross Society in 1989 to preserve Ross's courses and ideals. He resides in West Hartford, Connecticut, with his wife, Monica, and dog, Marley. A scratch player, Fay is a member of the Wampanoag Country Club at the Pinehurst Country Club.

Paul Rocheleau's photography has been featured in Frank Lloyd Wright: Master Builder and Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape.

Peggy Kirk Bell, an LPGA charter member and owner of two Donald Ross courses, Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club and Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina, is a legendary player and teacher.

FROM THE PUBLISHER