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"Golf," observed Samuel Johnson, "is a game in which you claim the privileges of age, and retain the playthings of childhood." As the golf craze continues to sweep the world, golf books have been added to clubs, clothing, and other trappings of the game. After all, while you can only play golf during normal daylight hours in reasonable weather, you can read about the game far into the evening and during rainstorms and sub-freezing temperatures.
While golf books appear in many varied structures and styles, I prefer to categorize nonfiction efforts into four large groups: coffee table books, instructional books, historical books, and biographies. Obviously there is some overlap and intermingling, but some categorization allows for a semblance of order in a discussion of new books recently released or soon to be released for this summer.
 Instructional books are perhaps the most difficult to discuss. Reading instructional books is similar to exploring barren oil fields or mineral mines. There may not be anything, but perhaps there may be some small deposit or trinket that has enormous value. This is the lure of instructional books. In such a book, the golfing reader will search for the small nugget of information that will add 15 yards of distance or eliminate putting woes or otherwise cut strokes from the golfer's handicap. Many such books are the equivalent of television infomercials, promising far more than they can deliver. But many books have important information relating to golfing fundamentals that can be of significant help to golfers willing to spend practice time and effort translating words into deeds.
 Peter Croker's PATH TO BETTER GOLF is such an instructional book. Croker is an Australian golf professional who maintains that the golf swing should be a pushing swing with the hands, arms, and body rather than the traditional pulling action advocated by most teaching professionals. He maintains that the best way to hit a golf ball is the same way that baseball players and hockey players are taught to hit. One important byproduct of this theory is less stress on the back. The pushing method does not result in severe twisting of the spine as does the pulling method. Many golfers with back and shoulder problems may find Croker's method to be helpful in eliminating their ailments. As Croker details his methodology, he offers a theory that while claiming to be revolutionary does not differ greatly from traditional fundamental concepts of golf. Nearly 50 years ago, golfing legend Tommy Armour advocated a similar approach to the golf swing in HOW TO PLAY YOUR BEST GOLF ALL THE TIME. His theory was to let the left arm and hand act as a guide to swing and, "whack the hell out of the ball with the right hand." The Croker method is very similar. For those golfers inclined to try self-teaching, this book is a worthwhile addition to your library.
 Two books for release this summer combine elements of biography and instruction. One book studies a golf icon, while another introduces us to a man whose face may be well known to golf enthusiasts but whose golf accomplishments are not as familiar. In THE BOBBY JONES WAY, author John Andrisani follows a pattern that the author has previously used in instructional biographies of Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan. Bobby Jones is a golf legend. In the 1920s and '30s Jones was the greatest golfer in the world and, perhaps most uniquely, he won his recognition while maintaining his status as an amateur. Jones won what was then considered the Grand Slam of golf --- the British Open and Amateur, and the U. S. Open and Amateur --- in one year. Shortly thereafter, he retired from competitive golf. During his retirement Jones was paid to star in a series of instructional movies. Andrisani has used these films, still photographs, and Jones's own instructional books to offer some important insights into the fundamentals of the golf swing. In addition, the often-neglected areas of course strategy, management, and the subject of how to practice are addressed. The final chapter deals with specific problems as Jones would deal with them. Bobby Jones was the first great golf super star. From his game and from his fundamental skills, golfers can still find information to make their golf game more complete.
 Clearly, Andy North does not have the golf resume of Bobby Jones. As a professional golfer for over three decades his fame comes from two victories in the U. S. Open. Presently, he serves as a commentator on ESPN and occasionally plays on the Senior Tour. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT, written with Burton Rocks is both autobiographical and instructional.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Andy North overcame a serious childhood illness to become an accomplished college golfer at the University of Florida. After college he followed the path of most outstanding college golfers and joined the PGA Tour. North's career paralleled the careers of many future golf greats such as Ben Crenshaw, Tom Watson, Lanny Wadkins, and Tom Kite. He also joined the professional tour at a time when legends Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, and Gary Player were actively adding to their golf accomplishments. It was an eventful period in golf history. In 1978 he won his first U. S. Open at Cherry Hills in Denver. His victory came on the final hole as he sank a four-foot putt for the victory. The first person to congratulate him was television commentator Bob Rosburg. North was touched by the fact that Rosburg was rooting for him to make the putt. The announcer explained, however, that his cheering for North came because Rosburg's wife had North in her pool to win. In addition, had North missed the putt, forcing a play-off the next day, Rosburg would have missed a corporate outing and its lucrative payday.
In addition to his tour memories and anecdotes, North offers some interesting instruction. Like many instructors he emphasizes the importance of the short game, chipping, putting, and bunker play. Very few golfers can ever hope to achieve professional type distance off the tee or with long irons. As a result, the short game is where we need to spend substantial time. In this area of the game, practice can offer great benefit. Many of Andy North's lessons and thoughts can help the average golfer.
 A golf course can make a beautiful portrait. Pictures of golf temples such as Pebble Beach, Augusta, or St. Andrews seem to be a requirement for any golf coffee table book. THE ULTIMATE GOLF BOOK, edited by Charles McGrath and David McCormick, is more than just pretty pictures. Every well-known golf writer seems to have contributed a literary effort to this book. In addition, non-sports writers such as Ward Just and John Updike have weighed in with their contributions. Perhaps most appropriate at this time of the year is a story by Chang-Rae Lee about waiting at early morning sunrise to get a tee time at Bethpage Black, the site of this year's U. S. Open. Bethpage is a public course in New York and a coveted tee time often requires a night in the course's parking lot sleeping in your car. Coverage of this year's U. S. Open will no doubt make mention of the unique nature of the host course for the 2002 tournament.
 AN ENDURING PASSION, by Jaime Diaz is a coffee table book for a much smaller table. More picture than exhilarating text, this book's uniqueness can be found in its replica documents that are part of the book but can be removed and examined as separate mementos. The original rules of golf, maps of St. Andrews, a 1940 edition of Golfing Magazine and a replica scorecard from Augusta National are just a few of the objects that are included in the book. While it may not have the depth of material that other similar books have, it is interesting reading nonetheless.
 DUEL IN THE SUN, by Michael Corcoran, is ostensibly about the epic British Open battle between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in 1977 at Turnberry. But that analysis is as simple as saying that Huckleberry Finn is about rafting. Outside of the United States, the British Open is simply the Open. Until 1960, the Open was a moribund tournament that received scant attention in the United States. Two things occurred that year that forever changed the face of golf. Arnold Palmer created the professional grand slam of golf --- the Masters, U. S. Open, British Open, and PGA tournaments --- and after having won the first two legs of the grand slam, he went to England to attempt to capture the third leg of the slam. This is where Corcoran begins his story of Turnberry. Through the '60s and '70s we find the Open's prestige rising each year as more and more of the world's greatest players attempt to add the championship to their resume. In addition to Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, and Tom Watson joined fellow Americans in the annual summer trek across the ocean seeking to capture the claret jug.
The Watson-Nicklaus struggle was unique because for the final 36 holes it was essentially a match play battle between the two antagonists. Almost all modern tournaments are stroke play events, with the lowest score winning. At Turnberry, after two rounds, Nicklaus and Watson were paired together for the final two rounds. They were clearly ahead of the field and the outcome of the battle between the two was undoubtedly going to determine the tournament champion. The hole-by-hole struggle is vividly portrayed in this book. Any lover of golf history will be happy to have this saga in his collection.
 Finally, we cannot forget that golf is a game with clear traditions and rules. Indeed, the application of the rules and the often self-imposed penalty for violations is one the things that make golf such a unique sport. PLAYING BY THE RULES by Arnold Palmer is a wonderful book for any avid golfer who occasionally has trouble with interpreting the rules of golf during a round. Each year, the Unites States Golf Association publishes a small volume of the rules of golf. Many of the rules are complex in their application. Anyone who has watched a golf tournament on television and observed rules officials in action knows the difficulty that often arises as a player seeks relief from an artificial hazard or a drop from an unplayable lie. PLAYING BY THE RULES explains the rules but also goes further. Concrete examples from golf history are used to assist the golfer in comprehension. Golfers can see the rule in actual use and their understanding of the rule is thereby improved. This is a book that golfers will be able to use over and over.
Father's Day is rapidly approaching. If you are stumped for a gift for your golfing dad, consider one of these books. The better dads play, the happier they are. A happy dad might even reciprocate the next time he is shopping for you.
--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
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More Golf Roundups by Stuart Shiffman:
• 2005 SPRING GOLF BOOKS
• 2004 SPRING GOLF BOOKS
• 2003 SPRING GOLF BOOKS
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