Sportswriting about golf tournaments usually has a fairly short shelf life. Like most other reporting about events, reader interest can be pretty intense, until coverage of the next tournament distracts them. I enjoyed reading about this year’s Masters, but I’m already looking forward to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Dick Wimmer did golf fans a favor by reviving several classics of golf reportage. The anthology samples some of the best writing about some of the most historic golf contests of the 20^th Century. The slim volume includes most of the famous golf sportswriters, such as Herbert Warren Wind, John Feinstein, and Tim Rosaforte.

The book starts with Grantland Rice’s piece on Bobby Jones at the 1923 U.S. Open. It finishes with Thomas Bonk’s story on David Duval’s 59 on the last day of the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

In between, Wimmer treats readers to a wide range of great sports journalism. Tom Boswell’s piece on Tom Watson’s U.S. Open win at Pebble in 1982 is here. Feinstein’s story on Nick Price’s British Open win in 1994 is more poignant now, since the death of his longtime caddie, Squeeky Medlen.

Similarly, Rosaforte’s article on how Tiger Woods won the 1994 U.S. Amateur can’t be read the same way now as it was originally. The readers’ knowledge of Woods’ record since he turned professional keeps that from happening. Nonetheless, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight Rosaforte’s work is probably more intriguing than when it was first published.

Wimmer also had some fun with the collection when he branched off from the tournament pieces. He included a segment from Ian Fleming’s Goldfinger novel, in which James Bond finesses the cheating megalomaniac into a painful defeat. I read this piece with the movie version running in my head the whole time.

Dan Jenkins’ little satire on PGA sponsorships and television was not too subtle, but fun nonetheless. Wimmer also reprinted a very short segment from John Updike’s Golf Dreams, recounting how Tom Kite finished play in his victory at the Atlanta Classic.

Wimmer’s editing fits the definition of a useful anthology—a good sample of the best the field has to offer.

These pieces did not go stale.

Review Date: April 21, 2000

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