20th Century Golf Chronicle Book

The 20th Century Golf Chronicle pays tribute to golf's glorious heroes, beginning with Britain's Great Triumvirate--J.H. Taylor, Harry Vardon, and James Braid. Walter Hagen, winner of 11 major championships, was America's first golf superstar. The Haig was a flamboyant showman who reportedly partied with singer Al Jolson for much of the night before he won the 1919 U.S. Open.

No one defined "class" quite like Bobby Jones. His dream was to win all four major championships in one year, and when he did it in 1930 at age 28, he retired. In 1945, Byron Nelson worked on his game's weak point, chipping, and soon afterward rode a hot streak like no one had ever seen--11 PGA Tour wins in a row. Of course, golf's all-time champion is the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus, winner of 20 major titles. Jack remained the king of golf until the late 1970s/early 1980s, when Tom Watson outdueled him in classic British and U.S. Opens. In 1983, Palmer, Nicklaus, and Watson joined Gary Player in what was golf's first Skins Game.

This book also pays respect to America's renowned courses, such as Oakmont Country Club with its classic "church pew" bunker, and TPC at Sawgrass, home of the old hickories to Big Bertha, as well as the golf ball, from the gutta-perchas of the early years to the trendy orange balls of the early 1980s. Finally, the book delves into the controversies that have brewed over the years. In 1968, Roberto De Vicenzo lost his chance to win the Masters after he signed and incorrect scorecard. And in 1990, the golf world came under attack when Shoal Creek's founder said his club wouldn't accept African-American members.

Golf's roots have been traced all the way back to the 13th Century, but not until the 1900s did the game begin to flourish, especially in the United States. And now, for the first time, all of the century's legendary heroes, miraculous shots, and spectacular finishes have been chronicled in one volume, the 20th Century Golf Chronicle.