Late July is an annual celebration of British golf. Last weekend was the British Open at Carnoustie, this weekend, the Senior British at Muirfield.
In keeping with that theme, two vastly different books provide insight to the birthplace of golf. “Where Golf is Great,” by James W. Finegan, is a reverential coffee table book with more than 500 pages of spectacular photographs and descriptive prose on the finest courses of Scotland and Ireland.
“Money Golf,” by Alexandria’s Michael Bohn is a thoroughly researched, anecdotal history of betting in golf. It takes the reader through 600 years of gentlemanly wagering beginning with the King James I and Mary Queen of Scots. Betting is an often-overlooked aspect of the sport, which, according to Bohn, is done by 90 percent of those who play.
Bohn, a member at Mount Vernon Country Club and a former naval intelligence officer, has written two other books — Nerve Center: Inside the White House Situation Room (2003) and The Achille Lauro Hijacking: Lessons in the Politics and Prejudice of Terrorism (2005).
It’s safe to say Money Golf is a lighter read. In it, Bohn quotes Sam Snead: “I’ve always believed in playing golf for a little something, even if it’s just fifty cents a side. For me to play a casual round of golf with nothing at stake is a waste of time.”
And Phil Mickelson offers this: “If you’re in Las Vegas and playing in the casino, that’s gambling. I consider golf wagering a form of competition.”
It’s a different side of golf, one not portrayed in Where Golf is Great, a book so successful that in less than a year has already spawned a DVD.
Finegan’s work is much more than a picture book. Loaded with tips on dining, lodging and sightseeing from a player’s perspective, it’s a must-read for anyone considering a golf trip to the British Isles.
AUTHOR, AUTHOR
» At age 9, Michael Bohn was introduced to golf wagering by his grandfather at Herman Park Golf Course in Houston.
» James Finegan lives in Villanova, Pa. For four decades he has traveled to the British Isles to play golf.
» “Where Golf is Great” is Finegan’s fifth book. All are about golf in the British Isles.
