John O'Sullivanfinds plenty to enjoy in an array of golfing tomes, from a factional account of a match between two legends and the exploits of Ireland's older amateur stars.
There is a fine line that applies to the genre of golf books whereby relentlessly focusing on the detail of particular rounds is about as appetising as elevator music. Golfers, irrespective of ability, will empathise, especially those who been subjected to the minutiae of another's round.
A casual inquiry of 'how'd you play?' can induce an avalanche of detail that can take up to 10 minutes to deliver, making the questioner regret opening his mouth, but resigned to nodding politely at appropriate moments.
It's a selfish trait to unburden on others, but it is an accepted aspect of golfers' etiquette. Everyone does it, despite the best intentions on the part of some. The better the round the more monosyllabic the summary. It's cathartic to be more verbose in sharing misery.
There is a certain irony that professional golfers who, unlike amateurs, are largely not afflicted by the desire to volunteer information about a round unsolicited, are encouraged to do so by the media for the edification of the readers or viewers.
This vignette is meant to illustrate the pitfalls of basing an entire book on a single game of golf, but that is exactly what Mark Frost endeavoured to do in The Match(Sphere books, priced €21.99), an account of a game of golf between two golfing icons, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, and their opponents that day at Cypress Point, the then amateurs E Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi.
The foundation for the match was a wager made by Ed Lowery, a wealthy car dealership owner for whom the two amateurs nominally worked; he asserted that his employees could beat any golfers in the world. Lowery's millionaire pal George Coleman took the bet and persuaded Hogan and Nelson to take up the challenge.
The author Frost has been in this sort of territory before, principally in his acclaimed book, The Greatest Game Every Played, that recounts Francis Quimet's against-the-odds victory in the 1913 US Open, beating the legendary Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the process. The book's appeal was not confined to chronicling a golf tournament, but in recounting the social and political history of the time.
There is a link between the two books - Lowery, the car dealership owner. He caddied for Quimet as a 10-year-old boy during that US Open triumph, while in Frost's latest offering it's his wager that inspires, The Match.
There are no newspaper reports or pictures of this Cypress Point duel so Frost can take liberties in terms of dialogue - the facts of the match are provided by the protagonists and the recollections of friends and family.
The book's only real weakness is Frost occasionally blurs the line between imagined and actual conversation, which jars, and lavish descriptions of the golf. The latter aspect makes it a bit tedious at times: Tru-antasy.
It's a minor cavil, but you can see why it's required to take the book over the 200 page mark. The accounts of "the match" are interspersed with biographical information on the main characters. It's a very easy and, for the most part, enjoyable book to read. It's not as engaging as The Greatest Game Ever Played, but as a story, is lovingly recounted.
It's harder to imagine a greater contrast than Tom Cox's Bring Me The Head of Sergio Garcia(Yellow Jersey Press, priced €18.45), an acerbic, self-deprecating and at times very funny account of the author's decision to forego freelance journalism for a crack at professional golf.
A decent player as a teenager, Cox returns to the game at 30 and playing off a 5.1 handicap, decides he'll try and qualify for the EuroPro tour, his ultimate goal, a place at the British Open.
His equipment, clothes, attitude and observations are non-conformist in terms of the typical golfing stereotype yet easy to identify with.
There are some great cameos for the reader, notably his account of a 10-minute interview with Lee Westwood. The story line branches off in all directions, but rarely hits the sidings of irrelevance.
Cox dares to dream, but is then forced to live the nightmare, guaranteeing an empathic response from any amateur golfer.
Padraig Harrington's Journey To The Open(Bantam Press, priced €16.99) is as close as the reader will come to his autobiography.
Written in conjunction with six top Irish golf writers, it charts the British Open champion's journey from Stackstown tyro to Carnoustie champion in a series of essays that deal with various aspects of his career.
Engaging and forthcoming, Harrington simply confirms what many will believe him to be - an eminently likeable, hard-working, modest sportsman.
The book contains several nuggets of statistical information about his Open triumph that will wow your friends; providing you don't overdo it. It'll appeal to more than golf fans. The proceeds go to charity.
Legends in their Spare Time(Niche, priced €24.99) by RTÉ's Shane O'Donoghue chronicles the careers of nine of Ireland's top mature golfers by way of testimonials and interviews. There are some wonderful pictures in what is quite obviously a labour of love for the author.
