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

Nick Faldo
By
published

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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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