Golf Anecdotes

A cornucopia of tales about the game and its players, this compendium by the former editor of Golf Journal and author of The U.S. Open will entertain fairway fans. Sommers's historical approach moves from the presumed 12th-century origin of the game through the development of ever more sophisticated equipment and democracy on the course to the hegemony of the U.S. and eventual international parity among players. Some of the anecdotes are touching, such as those involving Bobby Jones's 23-year fight against terminal illness and the dying Babe Zaharias's last visit to the links, but many more are humorous: Ring Lardner's wisecracks while playing a round with then President Warren Harding, or the female champion who blew up when she read the inscription on a dog-show trophy mistakenly presented to her--Best Bitch in Show. Capping them all, however, is the reply of Ben Hogan when asked how to improve one's game: ``Hit the ball closer to the hole.'' (June)