Synopses & Reviews
More than 25 million people in the United States alone play golf each year. A game born on the stark, wind-swept landscape of Scotland in the fifteenth century, golf has grown over the centuries into a global phenomenon. It is a sport not only enjoyed by professionals and the spectators of international tournaments, but one enthusiastically enjoyed by amateurs everywhere who socialize with friends and colleagues on their localand#160;courses. Yet despite golfandrsquo;s widespread popularity, few of us truly know its rules, which have grown more complicated and confounding as the game has grown in popularity. Extremely simple by comparison,and#160;the very first rules of the game are presented here in a charming, collectible format.
The first known rules of golf were drawn up in 1744 in Edinburgh for the worldandrsquo;s first open golf competition, hosted by the Gentleman Golfers of Edinburgh, who later became the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Local golf clubs then adapted the Edinburgh rules for their own useandmdash;until 1897 when the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews assumed oversight of the rules, and published the first national set of golf rules. The original Edinburgh and St. Andrews rules are both reprinted here alongside delightful images of the game throughout the centuries. In addition, well-known golf writer Dale Concannon provides a thorough introduction that examines the history of the rules of golf from their first codification in Edinburgh to the present day.
A must-have for anyone who delights in the spirit of the game, The Original Rules of Golf will find fans among golfers and armchair spectators everywhere.
Review
"An ideal mid-summer afternoon escape. . . . If you want an interesting read with proof that good things come in small packages then The Original Rules of Golf is a must get. Appreciating where we're at is many times just a matter of knowing where we came from."
About the Author
Dale Concannon is a golf historian and author of numerous books on the game including his Sunday Times bestselling book, Driven: The Definitive Biography of Nick Faldo.
Table of Contents
Forewordand#160;Introductionand#160;and#160; The Origins of Golfand#160;and#160; Changing Timesand#160;and#160; The Silver Club and the First Rulesand#160;and#160; Then and Nowand#160;and#160; What Happened Next?and#160;and#160; St Andrews Joins the Frayand#160;and#160; Back to the Futureand#160;The Original Rules of Golfand#160;and#160; Gentleman Golfers of Edinburgh, 1744and#160;and#160; The Burgess Club, 1773