New book focuses on The Masters
May 23, 2008
Golf book publishers focus on three prime sales periods each year, as they reach out to folks seeking books about their own favorite sport or for their golf nut relative or friend.
Father’s Day and Christmas time are two of them. The Masters Tournament, the first major men’s golf tournament held each spring, is the third.
Given that pattern, it’s perfectly understandable that shortly before this year’s championship, the folks at Sterling Publishing sent out review copies of First Sunday in April: The Masters ($19.95 SRP).
For this edition, however, there are no new insights into the 70-year history of the tournament. That’s because this is a collection of some of the best of what’s already been written about it.
With an introduction by PGA Tour veteran Brad Faxon, and a Foreward by former Golf Digest Senior Editor Don Wade, the unnamed editors cobbled together a wide variety of pieces from books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet.
The mix includes some of the most well known Masters stories about the greats of the game, including recent victors such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, but also early winners such as Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan. It also features pieces that touch upon other distinctive elements of the golf course and tournament that millions of television viewers watch each year.
Many selections will be familiar to book-loving golfers who keep a fairly extensive library. There’s an essay by Herbert Warren Wind, perhaps the dean of American golf writers. The ironic counterweight to Wind, longtime golf writer Dan Jenkins, also has an article reprinted here.
Mark O’Meara’s popular victory in the 1998 Masters is recounted, using a chapter in John Feinstein’s The Majors. Passages from the semi-autobiographies of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus also make an appearance. Rick Reilly’s brutally funny attempt to caddie for 1963 Masters Champion Tommy Aaron, first told in Who’s Your Caddy?, is a welcome addition to the collection.
On the other hand, I particularly like the pieces that might not have been selected, if the editors had assumed they should only reproduce what would be acceptable to the late Clifford Roberts, the autocratic co-founder of Augusta National.
Roberts’ role in running the golf course and the Tournament is a frequent mention in many of the pieces, as one might expect. Nonetheless, I was impressed that the editors ran a moving segment about Roberts that first appeared in Curt Sampson’s The Masters: Golf, Money and Power in Augusta Georgia. That book is a respectful but clear-eyed assessment of the event and the people who played a central role in Augusta National’s creation and management. Even so, it would never be confused with an official, “authorized” history.
I wouldn’t recommend reading this book straight through. That would be a bit much, even for devout fans of Augusta National. On the other hand, it’s a very good collection on a single, well-covered topic. It may also help inspire its readers to check out the lengthy publishing credits pages in the back of the book, and buy some copies of the original source materials.
And that would be well worth the effort.
Spring sales of more golf stuff
Cape Region golf outlets are now fully stocked for the season, and seeking new customers.
For example, Ruddo’s Golf on Route 1 is holding a Memorial Day weekend sale. Bags will be 10 to 20% off, shoes up to 40% off and apparel 10 to 40% off. Some men’s shirts are also offered on a buy one, second one for 50% off.
On Saturday, May 31, Ruddo’s is also holding its first Demo Day, at the Midway Par 3 Driving Range on Route One near Lewes. From 10 a.m. till 2 p.m., golfers can try out clubs from Callaway, Nike Golf and Adams Golf. Bret Marshall says they’ll also be offering custom fittings for irons, and will have several hybrid clubs available to replace hard-to-hit long irons.
For more information, call Ruddo’s at 302-227-1520.