From Publishers Weekly
It's a duffer's dream: a "fantasy" course of 18 holes, each drawn from a different (and real) British course used in British Open play. Fay (Golf, As It Was Meant to Be Played) traveled through the British Isles in preparing the book, gathering the history of courses as well as their peculiarities and specifics. Accompanied by lush photos by Michael Freeman (Frank Lloyd Wright Masterworks), Fay describes what makes each hole-of-choice interesting, what the obstacles are and some ways to play them. Of the 12th hole, at England's Royal Saint Georges course, Fay writes, "A shot hit through the fairway is just as likely to be a lost ball as not." The "enormous short bunker" of hole 17 at Prestwick, England's course has a wooden stair for climbing in and out. The expansive photographs of the course feature stormy Liverpool skies, a sunset at Murfield Gullane and a dozen variations on the simple color green. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Who among golfers does not dream of one day playing the great windswept and gorse-filled seaside courses of the British Open-those seemingly natural and subtle but magnificently challenging courses, where even Tiger Woods can become "a cropper"? Who does not dream of teeing off the hallowed greens of Prestwick or Royal St. Georges, playing such famous holes as numbers 2 and 11 ("Dyke" and "High") at St. Andrews? For all who love the game, author Michael Fay, in the tradition of his first book Golf, As It Was Meant to Be Played, provides this unparalleled opportunity to walk through eighteen holes, each epitomizing a particular challenge, from the courses that have been used for the British Open. These are the holes that define the links game and symbolize the way the sport is best played. A golfing purist, with enormous respect for courses that present a strict but fair balance of risk and reward, Michael Fay discusses each course's rich history and offers practical advice and inspiration for players at all skill levels. Having played and carefully studied each course, many of which are inaccessible to the general public, Fay includes informed, helpful advice about precisely what makes these holes so special, as well as complete walkthroughs of how players might best approach each hole. With a unique historical and professional perspective, Fay offers lively coverage of every course and gives detailed explanations of why each has been considered worthy of inclusion in the British Open-and has achieved such legendary status. In addition, Fay, who leads tours of British courses, offers invaluable assistance for the golfer planning to make a pilgrimage to the country where golf began. An appendix is also included that contains an informative year by year history of the British Open. Supplementing the text is a wealth of newly commissioned photographs by Michael Freeman.



About the Author
Michael J. Fay is a historian of golf who co-founded the Donald Ross Society in 1989 to preserve Ross's courses and ideals. He is the author of Golf, As It Was Meant to Be Played, a celebration of the courses designed by Donald Ross.

Michael Freeman has photographed for numerous publications, including Frank Lloyd Wright Masterworks, American Masterworks, and Adobe. He is also the author of many books on photography and design and resides in London.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Few golf historians know as much about courses as Michael J. Fay. An unabashed purist, Fay demonstrated his devotion to the architecture of the game in Golf, as It Was Meant to Be Played, a tribute to the course work of designer Donald Ross. Golf, as It Was in the Beginning follows a similar format, walking fantasy golfers through 18 holes of various British Open courses, each of which epitomizes a particular challenge. Michael Freeman's lush color photographs add to the allure of the book.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Who among golfers does not dream of one day playing the great windswept and gorse-filled seaside courses of the British Open-those seemingly natural and subtle but magnificently challenging courses, where even Tiger Woods can become "a cropper"? Who does not dream of teeing off the hallowed greens of Prestwick or Royal St. Georges, playing such famous holes as numbers 2 and 11 ("Dyke" and "High") at St. Andrews? For all who love the game, author Michael Fay, in the tradition of his first book Golf, As It Was Meant to Be Played, provides this unparalleled opportunity to walk through eighteen holes, each epitomizing a particular challenge, from the courses that have been used for the British Open. These are the holes that define the links game and symbolize the way the sport is best played. A golfing purist, with enormous respect for courses that present a strict but fair balance of risk and reward, Michael Fay discusses each course's rich history and offers practical advice and inspiration for players at all skill levels. Having played and carefully studied each course, many of which are inaccessible to the general public, Fay includes informed, helpful advice about precisely what makes these holes so special, as well as complete walkthroughs of how players might best approach each hole. With a unique historical and professional perspective, Fay offers lively coverage of every course and gives detailed explanations of why each has been considered worthy of inclusion in the British Open-and has achieved such legendary status. In addition, Fay, who leads tours of British courses, offers invaluable assistance for the golfer planning to make a pilgrimage to the country where golf began.An appendix is also included that contains an informative year by year history of the British Open. Supplementing the text is a wealth of newly commissioned photographs by Michael Freeman.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly