(Reviewed by Pat Luboff)
I’m not a golfer, but I have a very dear friend who is one. I was interested in this book as a gift to her. But before I gave it to her, I read it. What fun!
The title refers to Mark Twain’s definition of the game:
“Golf is a good walk spoiled.”
The quotations are organized into themed sections. I particularly enjoyed the Presidential quotations. For instance, President Gerald Ford’s pronouncement: “I know I am getting better at golf because I’m hitting fewer spectators.”
If you’re old enough to remember Bob Hope, you are old enough to get this joke: “I’ve been playing the game so long that my handicap is in Roman numerals.” No matter what game you play, the golfer’s frustrations are yours. Ray Floyd summed it up: “They call it golf because all the other four letter words were taken.”
Another favorite section of mine was “The Back Nine,” which contains quotations related to aging. Lee Trevino spoke the truth for us all: “The older I get, the better I used to be.”
The quotations are only half the story of this book. It is generously sprinkled with an interesting variety of golf-related artwork. In fact, one of the goals of the book was to introduce new artists who focus on golf art. The result was various golf- art styles from thirty six artists from around the world.
So, after I gave the book to my avid golfer friend, I asked her what she thought of it. Here’s what she said: “I’ve read nearly 300 golf books, so some of the things I’d seen before, but it is very well organized, has quite interesting graphics, good spectrum of commentators, some funny things and some serious, thought provoking ones. It is a quick and easy read and highly entertaining!”
So yes, I recommend Golf Sayings: wit & wisdom of a good walk spoiled as the perfect gift for any golf enthusiast.
