Review of "A Course Called America"

 I selected this book simply for the reason that it has been awhile since I read a good golf book and this one was a decent choice.  The biggest surprise I found out is that this the third book of a trilogy - which means I have to go hunting for the first two.  Here is my review of "A Course Called America."

Title/Author:

"A Course Called America: Fifty States, Five Thousand Fairways and the Search for the Great American Golf Course" by Tom Coyne

Tags:

Golf, memoir, travel

Publish date:

May 25, 2021

Length:

416 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

This is the third book by golf writer Tom Coyne that could be described as the ultimate road trip for golf fanatics.  After previously writing similar books on golf courses in Ireland and Scotland, Coyne returns to his native country and embarks on a criss-cross journey of the United States and plays on courses in all 50 states and at every course that has hosted at least one U.S. Open. 

While on this journey, Coyne absorbed much information on the courses.  He writes about course designs and the people who made some of the courses the magnificent sections of real estate that they are reputed to be.  He also writes about some of the culture that makes up some of these courses or villages – I thought the best one in both terms of humor and the information was about The Villages in central Florida. He writes with knowledge of these courses and while at times it does get a little dry, the human aspect of the stories behind the courses are what make them good.

The writing about the golf played by Coyne on these courses is much the same way.  He doesn't delve too much into describing each shot.  Instead, he includes those shots and rounds that also have an extra helping of human interaction and humor.  The best one of these came when he needed to hit a shot to the left to reach the fairway and didn't hit far enough left.  The response by one of his playing partners is not fit for printing here but was so funny it left me in tears.

Any golf fan or player will enjoy this book that takes a look at many courses and is a fun trip across the country that readers will want to experience, even if it has to be vicariously. 

I wish to thank Avid Reader Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Course-Called-America-Thousand-Fairways-ebook/dp/B08LDWRLBT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=