Driving the Green: The Making of a Golf Course

by John Strawn

Book Overview

In the tradition of John McPhee, a brilliant analysis of how a golf course is built and the people who build it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1558215557
• ISBN13: 9781558215559
• Release Date: December 1997
• Publisher: Burford Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Taking the glitter off of course design

This is one of my very favorite golf reads! Presents realistic insight into the dream, conception, and final reality of a golf course. This is similar to grinding it out that all of us hackers and pros must go through to get to that stage in our round or game where it all comes together. The bird lady story is illustrative of my fascination with this book. It so kept my attention because it seemed so realistic to what real life in golf course architecture must entail. The give and take between developer, architect, and owner was exceptional insight as well.I've reread and will continue as well as give copies away to those I know are into the game as I.

The people involved and the process itself are pictured very

The people setting out to realise a dream and their encouters with the outside world and reality are pictured very nice and vivid. The proces is given with warm observations. One comment for those who publish the book: please enclose a 1-page overview of the site and lay-out because then moving 200.000 (square)yards of dirt (soil) from lake 7 to green 12th realy has a meaning. Now, with the details given it was just impossible to understand the weight of this kind of information. Even still: a very fine read for all in golf and courses.

Documents the ills of modern golf course architecture. Wow!

CAUTION!!! The only book of its kind. John Strawn reports it as he sees and hears it. It's the perfect illustration of what is wrong with modern golf course architecture. If you're looking to hire an architect for remodelling, reconstruction, redesign or a new project... read this first. Then read Masters of the Links.

Insight into modern golf course construction

This book left me wondering! The access the author had to the developers, construction crew, and architects of the 'Ironhorse Resort' was complete. This is the book's major strength. Throughout I read a muted implicit criticism of almost all his sources. However the line of outright criticism is never crossed. The author becomes so close (he's an avid golfer and golfs with everybody) you wonder where he stands ultimately on issues he brushes against. For example, we get to know ruthless developers throwing their weight and money around as they make their deals. Environmental advocates and their concerns are introduced, then dropped. We see brief references to the Haitian migrant workers, and other hard working laborers, who toil on the irrigation systems of this luxurious playground for the rich. None of this is followed through, leaving the question open whether the author along the way abandoned the writing of a social commentary, or was just the consumate sycophant all along. This criticism aside, as a avid golfer I enjoyed the book. It might not appeal to the non-golfer. It is well written, and the anecdotes and asides into golf history that the reviewer below complains about I found fascinating. This book about the making of a modern golf course (notwithstanding the lost opportunities to educate on and explore in greater detail larger issues pertaining to the hitting a little white ball in a manufactured paradise that's replaced a natural one) is a one-of-a-kind.

Well-written account of the building of a golf course.

Only a small % of the population has ever heard of the profession of golf course architect, but a large % of that group dreams of quitting the day job and designing golf courses for a living. For them, Strawn vividly describes all aspects of the building of an Arthur Hills golf course in Florida. Strawn is equally good at describing the golf strategy that goes into the course, the lives of the construction workers, and the hassles with bureaucrats. Certainly the best book ever written on the building of a single golf course. (Ok, it's probably the only book ever written on this topic, but it's still quite good in absolute terms). Steve Sailer steveslr@aol.com