Book Review - A Natural Course for Golf
By Laurence Gale MSc
A Natural Course for Golf, compiled by Malcolm Peake, is a must buy for all golf clubs, and they should ensure that all their Greens Committee members read it before taking up their posts. The book will enlighten them on the fundamentals of golf course management, putting into perspective all the tasks and objectives of the course's greenkeeping staff and management as they try to manage and maintain a natural living golf course 365 days a year.
There are many contributions from leading golf architects, agronomists, course managers and players, all who promote the principle that appropriate, qualified people should be employed and listened to when important decisions on the future management of the course aret to be made.
The Author:
Book contents:
1. Introduction by Malcolm Peake.
2. The Essence of Golf - A Tournament Professional Golfer's Perspective.
3. The Art of Coarse Management.
4. Natural Golf - Preserving our Heritage.
5. Survival on the Frontline.
6. Behind the Frontline - The Green Committee.
7. Working Together.
8. A Battle of Wits.
9. What is your Problem?.
10. A subliminal Feeling of Wellbeing.
11. It's Alright for the Tournament Professional.
12. The Architect Conducts but the Contractors Play the Music - Construction, Drainage and Irrigation.
13. Pity the Poor Golfer - Safety on the Golf Course.
14. The Wildside of Golf.
15. The Commandments of the Prophet.
16. The Grass is always Greener, or is it?
17. Golf's Doomsday in Europe - It could happen to us.
18. It's not a miracle - it's down to skill!!!
19. The Future - Take Golf Back to it's Roots.
20. The Last Piece in the Jigsaw - The role of the R&A.
21. A Golfing Craic.
Comment:
An interesting and, at times, humourous read with contributions from celebrities such as Terry Togan and Tim Brooke Taylor. The book also has a serious side, with each of the experts succinctly putting forward their specialist view of managing and maintaining a golf course. The book is well laid out, combining the use of photographs and amusing illustrations that provide relevant information for the reader to understand the principles and objectives of golf course management.
The aim of the book is to help readers, and particularly golfers, to become more aware of a golf club's circumstances in the hope that they become useful and more understanding members of their clubs. It is a laudible aim, and the book will go a long way to achieving it, but I still wonder who the golfer will blame when he misses that six inch putt which would have won him the match!
Other information:
First Published 2005 (87 pages).
The Book can be obtained from STRI Price: £19.50
ISBN 1873431619 Published by the STRI (Sports Turf research Institute) Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1AU.
Tel - 01274 518918
