Top 10 golf books of 2010

I haven’t seen every golf book published this year, so don’t consider this top 10 list a declaration of the “best” golf books of the year. It’s pretty close, although the buzz is that the Rolex Top 1000 book (which I haven’t seen), is a home run. This story is probably best used as a guide for Christmas shopping. I feel like last year’s crop of books was stronger from top to bottom (see that list here), but you can’t go wrong with any of these titles.

10: To Win and Die in Dixie by Steve Eubanks. Eubanks digs deep into golf history with a look at the wild philandering times and untimely death of J. Douglas Edgar, a Brit who coached Bobby Jones and “invented the modern swing.” Published by Ballantine Books, it retails for $26.

9: Don’t Choke: A Champions Guide to Winning Under Pressure by Gary Player. Mr. Fitness gives us some insight into what it takes to be a champion. The book, published by Sky Horse Publishing, retails for $19.95.

8: The Little Book of Indoor Golf Games by Adrian Winter. The book touts “18 Surefire Ways to Improve Your Game at Home or in the Office” with drills and games that can both fun and beneficial to your putting stroke. It retails $10.99.

7: The Miracle at Merion: The Inspiring Comeback and Victory at the 1950 U.S. Open by David Barrett. This tale of Ben Hogan brings history to life. The book, by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., retails for $24.95.

6: Dream Golf by Stephen Goodwin. This rereleased book celebrating Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon got even better, just like the resort. The opening of the Old MacDonald has pushed the place to a rarified air. The book, now bulging to 376 pages, costs $24.95.

5: Titanic Thompson by Kevin Cook. Thompson swindled Al Capone and hundreds of others with golf and other scams – too bad there aren’t any cool characters like him in the game anymore. The book, published by Norton, retails for $24.95.

4: Golf’s Ultimate 18 by Steve Eubanks. The author and some famous golf personalities pick the ultimate fantasy course. It retails for $34.95 and can be purchased at sellerspublishing.com.

3: Dave Pelz’s Golf Without Fear: How to Play the 10 most Feared Shots in Golf with Confidence by Dave Allen and Eddie Pelz. I tend to like Pelz instruction books better because they aren’t about the full swing but specialty shots, like greenside pitches and downhill lies. The book, released by Gotham Books, retails for $35.

2: His Father’s Son: Earl and Tiger Woods by Tom Callahan. Given Tiger’s trying year, this is a must read for any golf fan. The book, published by Gotham Books on Nov. 2, retails for $27.

1: True Links by George Peper, the former editor of Golf Magazine, and Malcolm Campbell. The duo scoured the planet to find and define the world’s definitive list of links courses. They came up with only 246 by their standards. I don’t agree with all their choices, but I love the book. Published by Artisan Books, “True Links” retails for $40.