My golf book collection
Golf fanatic John Fowler gives us the fascinating background behind his golf book collection, and reveals why the time has come to sell it off
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Having been sports mad all my life, and with my football career over and my cricket pads well strung up, I decided, having retired from work, it was now time to take up golf as my main hobby.
Some of my friends, who were experienced golfers, proffered their words of wisdom - get yourself some lessons off a Pro, and buy some instruction books, videos, DVDs, learn about the game, they said.
I decided to implement their advice a week later. I was on holiday for a few days in a small seaside town in Lancashire, when I happened upon a second-hand bookshop, advertising "all books for £1". By the end of my three day break, I was the proud owner of 17 golf books and just £17 lighter. If it had been a week's holiday, I would have had a whole library.
Addiction to finding books was only another charity shop away. Finding a second-hand bookshop now is as rare as seeing Tiger smile. It was an exhilarating feeling discovering a hidden gem, especially an old one with such names for clubs as Brassie, Baffy, Mashie Niblick, Spoon, Cleek, and a Flange.
Over the years, Jack told me to play his way, Gary shared his secrets, Hogan said I only needed five lessons, and when Trevino said swing my way, I don't think he meant to slice his way.
I learnt about Bob Jones and his Grand Slam; I nicked stuff off Faldo; cottoned on to Henry and got poetic motion from Lord Byron Nelson. Dr.Bob convinced me it was all in the mind. 'Guess what', I told my mates. They said just hit another feckin provisional, the four ladies behind are waiting to play through.
I read the history of the game gaining enough knowledge to go on Mastermind. I did make some mistakes, though. "The Eagle has landed" was misleading, and "The Birdie man of Alcatraz" was a huge disappointment. I gave them back to Charity shop, with a written complaint.
After seven years, I am still a duffer, so I have decided to sell my books and follow the other advice given seven years ago: get some lessons off a Pro.
Anybody interested in buying my collection of 118 books, DVDs and videos, please contact johnnyfowler@fsmail.net.
The collection (listed alphabetically):
- P/B = Paperback; H/B = Hardback, D/C = Dustcover.
- Books noted as first editions are as far as I can tell from copyright page
- Cannot vouch for the authenticity of any author's autographs.
- All books in clean condition as would be reflected by age
_____
ALLISS PETER--- " YET MORE BEDSIDE GOLF"
---------- 1ST EDITION 1985 H/B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLISS PETER--- "GOLF - A WAY OF LIFE" REPRINT
----------
1989 H/B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLISS PETER--- "MY LIFE"
----------
P/B 2005
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ARMOUR TOMMY--- " A ROUND OF GOLF"
----------
H/B 1960 D/C.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ARMOUR TOMMY--- " HOW TO PLAY YOUR BEST GOLF ALL THE TIME"
----------
1985 P/B BADDIEL SARAH--- "GOLF - THE GOLDEN YEARS"
----------
H/B 1969 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BERG PATTY-- " GOLF FOR WOMEN" ---------- 2ND EDITION 1952 H/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLANCHARD KEN-- "THE ONE MINUTE GOLFER" -------------------- 2005 P/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOTTOME GEORGE MCDONALD -- " GOLF FOR THE MIDDLE-AGED AND OTHERS"
----------------- 1ST EDITION 1947 H/B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRADBEER AND IAN MORRISON---"PLAY BETTER GOLF" -------------- 2007 P/B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BREWER GAY--- "SCORE BETTER THAN YOU SWING" ------------ H/B. 1968 1ST ED. D/C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CANNON DAVID--- " SEVERIANO BALLESTEROS" ------------ 1986 1ST ED. H/B D/C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLARKE DARREN---- " HEROES ALL" --------------- H/B 2006 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONCANNON DALE---" FROM TEE TO GREEN" ------------------- 1996 1ST ED. H/B. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORBETT RONNIE--- "ARMCHAIR GOLF" -------------- 1986 1ST ED. P/B. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COTTON HENRY----- "THIS GAME OF GOLF" --------------
REPRINT 1949 H/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COTTON HENRY ---" GOLF -A PICTORIAL HISTORY" --------------
1ST EDITION 1975 H/B D/C. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COUSINS GEOFFREY AND TOM SCOTT--- "A CENTURY OF OPENS" ------------ 1971 H/B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COUSINS GEOFFREY--- " GOLF IN BRITAIN" ------------ H/B 1975. 1ST ED . D/C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COX TOM ---- "BRING ME THE HEAD OF SERGIO GARCIA" -------- P/B 2007
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COYNE JOHN--- "THE CADDIE WHO KNEW BEN HOGAN" ---------- 2006 P/B -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CREIG ANDREW ---" PREFERRED LIES" --------- 2007 REPRINT P/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DABELL NORMAN-- " HOW WE WON THE RYDER CUP" ----------- 1997 P/B. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DALY JOHN-- "GOLF IN MY OWN DAMN WAY" -------- 2007 H/B ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAVIS WILLIAM---" THE PUNCH BOOK OF GOLF" --------- H/B 1973 D/C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOBEREINER PETER--- "THE GAME WITH THE HOLE IN IT"
REPRINT 1970 H/B D/C ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOBEREINER PETER ---"THE GOLFERS; THE INSIDE STORY" -------------------- 1982 1ST ED. H/B D/C -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOBEREINER PETER --- "THE GLORIOUS WORLD OF GOLF" ------------------- 1973 1ST ED. H/B D/C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DODSON JAMES--- " THE DEWSWEEPERS" ------------- 2001 1ST ED. P/B. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DODSON JAMES --- "FINAL ROUNDS" ------------ H/B 1ST ED. 1997 D/C. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DURAN RUDY---" IN EVERY KID THERE LURKS A TIGER" ---------- 2002 P/B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EDMUND NICK---"THE EUROPEAN MASTERS" ------------- 1990 1ST ED. H/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXLEY HELEN --"A ROUND OF GOLF JOKES" --------- 1992 H/B. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FALDO NICK--" LIFE SWINGS" ----------
2004/05 P/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEINSTEIN JOHN--- " A GOOD WALK SPOILED" --------------- 1995 1ST ED. H/B D/C. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FORSYTH BRUCE---"IT IS ONLY A GAME" -------------- 1989 H/B -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GALLWAY W.TIMOTHY--" THE INNER GAME OF GOLF" -------------- 1981 1ST ED. H/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GILLER NORMAN--- "THE BOOK OF GOLF LISTS" ----------- H/B. 1988 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GLOVER TOM AND HICKS PETER---"FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN" ------------- --------- 1999 P/B.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GREEN MICHAEL--- "THE ART OF COURSE GOLF" ----------- 1967 1ST EDITION H/B D/C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GREGSTON GENE-- "HOGAN" ---------------- H/B 1978 D/C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAINING PETER---"HOLE IN FUN" ------------ 1988 1ST ED. H/B D/C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARTLEY J.R.---"GOLFING" -------------- 1995. 1ST ED. H/B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HASKIN MIKE AND CLIVE WHICHELOW---"FOR THE WORLD`S BEST GOLFER" ------------- 2010 H/B -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAY ALEX ---" RIPENING HAY" ------ 1989 1ST ED. P/B D/C ---- SIGNED BY AUTHOR ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOGAN BEN--- "THE MODERN FUNDAMENTALS OF GOLF" ------------------- 1975 H/B D/C. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOGAN BEN---"FIVE LESSONS" ------------ 1985 REPRINT H/B D/C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOPE BOB-- "CONFESSIONS OF A HOOKER" -------- 1985 H/B 1ST ED. D/C. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUGHTON GEORGE --- "PORTRAIT OF A GOLF ADDICT" --------------- 1960 1ST ED. H/B D/C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUGHTON GEORGE--"GOLF ADDICTS ON PARADE" ---------------- 2003 H/B ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRELAND JOHN AND PLUMRIDGE CHRIS--" GOLF CHARACTERS" -------------- ------------------ 1989. H/B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JACKLIN TONY WITH PETER DOBEREINER--- "JACKLIN`S GOLF ------------- SECRETS"
2003 1ST ED . H/B D/C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JACKLIN TONY--"THE CHAMPIONS OWN STORY" ------------ 1970 H/B D/C 1ST ED. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JACOBS JOHN--- "PLAY BETTER GOLF" ----------- 1969 REPRINT P/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAMES MARK ----"INTO THE BEARPIT" ----------
REPRINT. 2000 H/B D/C ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JEFFEYS SUSAN---"THE PUNCH BOOK OF GOLF" ------------ 1986 1ST ED, H/B D/C --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JESSOP J,C,----- "TEACH YOURSELF GOLF" --------------- 1955 H/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOLY DOM-- "LETTERS TO MY GOLF CLUB" -------
2007 H/B ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JONES BOBBY---" GOLF IS MY GAME" --------- 1962. H/B D/C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KONNING CHRISTINA -- "GREEN, ROUGH, BUNKER" -------------- 2000 1ST ED. H/B. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KUZMIC BORIS---"FIT FOR GOLF" ------------
H/B 2004
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LANGER BERNHARD--"MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY" -----------
2003 REPRINT P/B AUTOGRAPH OF AUTHOR INSIDE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEADBETTER DAVID=== "THE GOLF SWING" -------------------
1996 H/B D/C ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEWIS CATHERINE M---" BOBBY JONES AND THE QUEST FOR THE GRAND SLAM" --------- 2006 H/B ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEWIS BEVERLEY--- "PLAY BETTER GOLF" ---------- 1989 H/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
LOVE DAVIS 111---"EVERY SHOT I TAKE" -------- 1997 1ST ED, H/B D/C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MACKENZIE RICHARD---"A WEE NIP AT THE 19TH HOLE" ----------------- H/B 1997 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MACRURY DOWNS---"GOLFERS ON GOLF" --------------- H/B 1997 D/C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARSHALL KEITH B. ---"THIS IS FOR A HALF" ----------------
1988 1ST ED. H/B /DC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARSHALL ROBERT--- "THE HAUNTED MAJOR" ---------------- 1959 1ST ED. H/B. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCCORMACK MARK--- "THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL GOLF" ---------------------- 1976 H/B 1ST ED. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCCULLOUGH J.---"GOLF IN THE YEAR 2000" ---------------------
1998 1ST ED. H/B D/C --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCEVOY PETER---"FOR THE LOVE OR MONEY" ------------- 2006 H/B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MONTGOMERIE COLIN--- "THE REAL MONTY" ---------------------
2002 1ST ED. H/B D/C ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORRISON ALEX J.---" A NEW WAY TO BETTER GOLF" ----------------
H/B 1932 1ST ED. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MURRAY H.A. DR, --- " MORE GOLF SECRETS" ------------- 1954 H/B. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NELSON BYRON----- "WINNING GOLF" ------------ 1949 REPRINT H/B D/C. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NICKLAUS JACK--- "TOTAL GOLF TECHNIQUES" ---------------
H/B REPRINT 1987 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NICKLAUS JACK--- "GOLF MY WAY" --------------- 1974 1ST ED H/B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NICKLAUS JACK--" ON AND OFF THE FAIRWAY" ---------------- 1978. P/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NICKLAUS JACK---- "MY LIFE IN GOLF" --------------- H/B 1996 1ST ED. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
O`CONNOR TOM-- "FROM THE WOOD TO THE TEES" ------------------
1992 1ST ED. H/B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAKENHAM KEVIN-- "THE GATHERING BUNKER" -----------------
1996 H/B 1ST ED. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PECK M.SCOTT--- "GOLF AND THE SPIRIT" -------
1999 P/B. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PENNICK HARVEY---"LITTLE RED GOLF BOOK" ------------ 2001 H/B D/C. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEPER GEORGE--"ST.ANDREWS SOJORN" --------- 2006 P/B ----SIGNED BY AUTHOR
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
PINNER JOHN --- "THE HISTORY OF GOLF" -----------
1988 1ST ED. H/B D/C ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PINNINGTON JOE--- "MIGHTY WINDS --MIGHTY CHAMPIONS" ------------------
WITH PHOTOS BY GUY WOODLAND-- PRESENTATION SET WITH A REPRINT OF "HISTORY OF ROYAL LIVERPOOL" BY GUY FARRAR FROM 1932. 1ST ED. 2006 IN SLIEVE H/B. THIS IS NEW CONDITION. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYER GARY ---------- "GOLF SECRETS" ----------- 1964 1ST ED. H/B D/C. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLUMRIDGE CHRIS---" THE CHALLENGE OF GOLF" -----------------
1988 1ST ED. P/B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POTTER STEPHEN--- " THE COMPLETE GOLF GAMESMANSHIP" ------------
H/B 1ST ED. 1968 D/C. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REES DAI---- "DAI REES AUTOBIOGRAPHY" -------
1968 1ST ED. H/B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REES DAI--- " DAI REES ON GOLF" -------
H/B 1959 1ST ED. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROTELLA BOB DR. - "THE GOLF OF YOUR DREAMS" -------------- 2005 P/B "GOLF IS NOT A GAME OF PERFECT" 2004 P/B "PUTTING OUT OF YOUR MIND" 2005 P/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RUTTER HADYN---"THE GOLF RULES DICTIONARY" ------------
2000. H/B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMPSON CURT---"CHASING TIGER" --------------
2004 REPRINT P/B. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCOTT TOM -- " GOLF WITH THE EXPERTS" ---------
1959. H/B -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHIPNUCK ALAN---"BUD, SWEAT AND TEES" --------------- 2001 H/B D.C
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ST. ANDREWS----"GOLF RULES ILLUSTRATED" ---------------------
5TH EDITION. 1985 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ST.JOHN LAUREN----"SEVE" -----------
1993 1ST ED. H/B D/C. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STOBBS JOHN--- "AN ABC OF GOLF" ------------
1964 1ST ED H/B D/C -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STREGE JOHN--"A BIOGRAPHY OF TIGER WOODS" ------------ 1997 P/B. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUGGS LOUISE--- "PAR GOLF FOR WOMEN" ----------- 1954. H/B D/C -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMERS ROBERT-- "THE U.S. OPEN" ---------------
H/B 1996 D/C. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAPPIN NEIL--- " THE LITTLE BOOK OF GOLF LEGENDS" ----------
2006. H/B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THOMAS FRED---- " TIL GOLF DO US PART" -------------
1997 P/B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TORRANCE SAM-- "SAM" ----------------
2003 1ST ED. H/B. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREVILLION PAUL---"MISSING IMPOSSIBLE" -----------------
H/B 1996 D/C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREVINO LEE--- "SWING MY WAY" -------------
1984 REPRINT P/B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDIKE JOHN--- "GOLF DREAMS" -----------
1996 1ST ED. H/B D/C --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIGELAND CARL--- " STALKING THE SHARK" ---------------
1996 1ST ED. H/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARD ANDREW--" GOLF`S STRANGEST ROUNDS" ----------
1988 P/B. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARD PETER-- "CAME DOWN TO GOLF" -------- H/B 1984. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WILLIAMS MICHAEL--- "HISTORY OF GOLF" ---------------
1986 H/B --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WRIGHT NICK--- "LOWER YOUR GOLF HANDICAP" ------------ NOT DATED H/B D/C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUNGBLOOD JOHN--- "THE SENIOR`S GOLF SCHOOL" ---------------------
2003 1ST ED. P/B.-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ZIEBM HOWARD--- "GOLF IN THE COMIC STRIPS" ----------
H/B 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------