Golf Books #166 (Golf: The Marvelous Mania)

Golf The Marvelous Mania On a fateful day in 1964, legendary journalist Alistair Cooke was dragged into Van Cortlandt Park in New York City to play his first game of golf and was immediately hooked. Golf became his greatest passion, even though he called it “a method of self-torture, disguised as a game.” Few have written more brilliantly or more lovingly about golf than he does here in this collection.

For the first time, Golf gathers together the best of Cooke’s writing on what he called “the marvelous mania.” This stunning collection showcases the incomparable wit and mischievous charm that made Cooke one of the greatest journalists and broadcasters and “one of the most effective interpreters of the American way of life to the world” (New York Times) of the twentieth century.

Whether it is Arnold Palmer playing in 102-degree heat in San Antonio; dapper Gary Player winning the US Open at Creve Coeur, Missouri; or Jack Nicklaus playing—and winning—almost everywhere, Alistair Cooke on his favorite sport is a rare and constant pleasure. This is a book no golfer—pro or amateur—should go without.

Publication date: March 3, 2015 (source)

About the Author

Alistair Cooke was a British American journalist and TV personality who gained world renown for his peerless journalism on every facet of American culture, politics, and life. Cooke hosted PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre for twenty-two years and was known internationally for his weekly BBC broadcast Letter from America, which ran for fifty-eight years and was broadcast in fifty-two countries. He died in 2004 in New York City.

Jack Nicklaus is a professional American golfer famous for winning eighteen career major championships over twenty-four years. He is also known as “The Golden Bear” and competed in his last tournament in 2005. He lives in North Palm Beach, Florida.

Jerry Tarde is the chairman and editor in chief of Golf Digest, a position he has held for twenty-five years. He is also the chairman and editorial director of Golf Digest Publications. He lives in New York City, New York.