The Golf Lover’s Guide To Scotland Book Review

The Golf Lover’s Guide To Scotland Book Review

The Golf Lover’s Guide To Scotland
Grade: A
Teacher’s Comment: Seems comprehensive, with lots of information that you’ll actually use

On Amazon
Publisher’s Website: Pen and Sword

The Golf Lover’s Guide To Scotland is as practical a tour guide for golfers as I can imagine. In it, author Michael Whitehead has compiled much of the information a golf tourist might need to play thirty one of Scotland’s best courses.

Each of the entries lists vital information on how to actually get to, get on, and play these iconic courses:

• Address
• Phone number
• email
• Required Handicap Certificate
• Pricing guide (relative to each other)
• Caddie information
• List of equipment available for rent
• Information on exactly how to book a round

One unexpected bit of information for this American golfer is just how many ask for a “handicap certificate.” That’s something that I’ve never seen on a US course.

The entries also offer course pars and yardages, a short history of the course and some tips on playing. The “signature hole” on each course also is identified.

Photos of each of the featured courses give players an idea of what they’re getting into.

In addition, for each featured course, Whitehead offers suggestions for other courses nearby. The information on these is not as complete, but still has contact information, par and yardage and fee information.

The Golf Lover’s Guide To Scotland packs a lot of information into its 175 glossy color pages. The book would be easy to slip into a bag at just 5 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches.

My one ask for a future edition would be some tips on other, non-golf things to visit nearby. If I’m at Gullane and not overdosing on golf, what else might I see and do in the area?

As much as I like the book, I will admit that it also makes me sad. Playing golf in Scotland (along with visiting castles, battlefields and museums) has long been one of unfulfilled dreams.