Book "18 Greatest Scottish Golf Holes" one I'll cherish

As much as I love the book “18 Greatest Irish Golf Holes” (see my review here), I love my latest addition, “18 Greatest Scottish Golf Holes” even more. This elegant book published in 2010, but I just discovered it last week.

I’ve never played golf in Scotland. This book serves as my airplane ticket, travel guidebook and personal driver. It helps me feel like I’ve been to Scotland. And that’s a powerful emotion for a golfer who loves links.

Of the hundreds of golf books sitting in my office, these two “18 Greatest” books will be among the handful I keep for the rest of my days and thumb through on a regular basis. They’re keepers. The hard cover and hardcase slide-off cover ensure that.

Once again, authors Craig Morrison and Andrew Ross, with photography by John Kernick, capture the aura of Scottish golf. But their efforts are hardly spent on just 18 holes. They delve into the clubs and people associated with these holes. This format wins for one reason: They don’t jam a photo on the page. They devote full pages and two-page spreads to showcase the photography. They’re moving images, filled with color, mist, shadows, contrast and sheer drama. The dunes and gorse spring off the pages, alive almost. It’s as 3D as a golf book can get. Check out Kernick’s photo of a kilted Scot at Royal Dornoch below.

The authors aren’t afraid to stir up some controversy, either. All the great golf courses in Scotland are represented – vaunted venues like the Old Course at St. Andrews, Prestwick, Turnberry’s Ailsa Course and Kingsbarns – and yet they also were brave enough to toss in a few courses I’ve never heard of before: Hopeman Golf Club, Spey Valley and Moray Golf Club. Morrison admitted that Hopeman (pictured above) is the least recognized of the bunch. I won’t spoil why it was included (that’s what purchasing the book is for), but Scottish legends Paul Lawrie (the 1999 British Open champion) and Colin Montgomerie (who also wrote the foreword) authenticate the selection.

Each limited-edition copy is individually numbered (up to 3,000, which is more exclusive than the 5,000-copy Irish book) and costs $300.

The book is available for purchase at some high-end golf clubs – I saw the Irish version at Portmarnock Golf Club during a recent visit to Ireland – or it is available at 18greatestgolf.com.

18 GREATEST SCOTTISH GOLF HOLES:
Gleneagles King’s Course No. 13, par 4
Turnberry Ailsa Course No. 10, par 4
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club No. 2, par 5
Loch Lomond Golf Club No. 7, par 4
Royal Dornoch Golf Club No. 6, par 3
Kingsbarns Golf Links No. 12, par 5
St. Andrews Old Course No. 17, par 4
Hopeman Golf Club No. 12, par 3
Castle Stuart Golf Links No. 3, par 4
The Carnegie Links No. 12, par 4
Royal Troon Golf Club No. 8, par 3
Gullane Golf Club No. 7, par 4
Prestwick Golf Club No. 3, par 5
Spey Valley Golf Course No. 7, par 4
Cruden Bay Golf Club No. 6, par 5
Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club No. 14, par 3
Carnoustie Golf Links No. 17, par 4
Moray Golf Club No. 18, par 4