The Story of Golf Book

Golf Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Masterfully Tells the History of Golf

Where it began, no one knows. The origin is lost in the mists of time. It might have been on a country road in Normandy, or in an alley near the Roman forum. It might have been among the sand dunes above the North Sea, or on a hillside overlooking Peking. It might have been in a field in Flanders or a courtyard in London or on the frozen surface of a Dutch canal. No one can say precisely where or when the game of golf was born, but one thing is certain: No other form of recreation has transfixed its practitioners with such engaging appeal.

The Story of Golf by George Peper, the Editor-in-Chief of Golf Magazine, with a foreword by golf great Jack Nicklaus, brings to life the rich history of the game of golf from its origin in medieval times to the present. Along the way Peper recounts historical anecdotes on how the game -- including one that involved golf and the fall of Mary Queen of Scots; the evolution of the rules of the game; the making and remaking of golf equipment; the early masters of the game; the pioneers of the golf course architecture; and the milestone events that shaped the game that we have come to love so much today. As Peper leads us on a stunning tour of the world of golf - past and present - and its most famous golf courses in the world, we see the greatest players of the game in action: members of the prestigious Royal and Ancient Golf Club; the first club for women formed in 1867; the game's first great player, Allan Robertson; Willie Park, the first champion of the British Open; Robert Lockhart, the man held responsible for bringing the game of golf to America; Beatrix Hoyt, who held the champion as the youngest champion until the 1970s - she captured the amateur title in 1896, 1897, and 1898 then retired from the game in 1900; Harry Vardon and the Vardon Flyer; Sam Snead; and Ben Hogan. In addition to these innovators, The Story of Golf highlights the "American Revolution" of golf beginning in the early 1900s up through the golf pros that are household names today - Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods.

The Story of Golf captures in 200 lavish illustrations and lively prose the events and personalities that have made the game of golf into the world-renowned sport and pastime that it is today. The Story of Golf is a must for every golfer and makes the ideal gift for Father's Day.

About the Authors:

George Peper is the Editor-in-Chief of Golf magazine. Peper has written or edited ten books on golf, including the best-selling Golf Courses of the PGA Tour. Since 1983, he has been Editor of the Masters Annual, the official chronicle of the Masters Tournament, and, in 1994, served as Editorial Consultant to the USGA's centennial film series "Heroes of the Game." He has also served as the principal researcher and scriptwriter for the documentary film The Story of Golf. He lives in Grandview, New York, with his wife Elizabeth, a well-known illustrator specializing in golf courses, and their sons Tim and Scott. Jack Nicklaus, "The Golden Bear," is the all-time leader in golf tournament wins with 18 major championship titles. He is also a prominent golf course architect with nearly 200 courses to his credit and serves as a Special Contributor to Golf magazine.

The Story of Golf is the companion book to the two-hour documentary The Story of Golf produced with the cooperation of the United States Golf Association and The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, by Cramer Productions, Inc., in association with the Carver Group, Inc., and distributed by APT Programs for Public Television with funding from Deloitte and Touche.