Book Review: Great Golf Collections of the World by Dick McDonough & Peter Georgiady

One of the most intriguing places of the PGA Merchandise Show is the New Product Zone. It is a good sized area at the show with row after row of tables displaying the latest, newfangled and intriguing products and services of the worldwide golfing industry. No different than walking the practice tee at a WGC or major as many will do at Pinehurst during the Women’s U.S. Open to see the newest and youngest golfing sensation- 11-year old Lucy Li. Though at the show there usually is little advance notice of what you will find in the New Product Zone. That’s the excitement of course, entering the Twilight Zone or bursting further into space on the Enterprise, one never knows what one will find when you get there. Great Golf Collections of the World, by Dick McDonough and Peter Georgiady simply caught my eye sitting there so solemnly amongst all the gadgets and gizmos that will supposedly transform me immediately into a plus- handicapper. Perhaps it was the mosaic of photographs on its cover calling to me in a subliminal fashion to stop and say hello? Old balls and clubs, smiles, Bobby Jones and a colorful sketch of a pretty girl finishing her swing caught my eye. The young lady reminded me of a piece of collectible artwork in my own collection with a historic woman golfer in a flowing dress swings her club while a distinguished looking man observes in the background. With the words “Out on the links, we made our start… she missed her drive but caught my heart.” Golf can be a game of romance, life and sport all in one. So I jotted down Booth 2191 and golf book collectibles on my “must-visit’ list and headed back into the sea of merchandising activity on the floor of the Orange County Convention Center. The name Peter Georgiady came to me as an associate of mine in the Golf Collectors Society. I must admit my name is Andy and I am a golf collector too. My addiction started back in the mid-1990s when my brother ‘LP’ introduced me to Dick Donovan, the renowned bibliographer of the printed word in golf. Dick introduced me to the Golf Collectors Society where I found Joe DeWulf and Harry Horton. Harry was as prominent as Dick in the golf collectible world as a restorer of hickory-shafted golf clubs. Books and clubs are my thing along with the history of golf. Pete sold me my first ‘Golf Goods Manufacturing Company’ hickory club which was made in the early 1900s right on Court Street in my hometown of Binghamton, New York. I was excited to meet Dick and Pete at their booth. Unfortunately neither was there but I met Dick’s friend Jim who was covering the booth in their absence. I had a chance to pick up the book and look at the back cover- another 14 colorful pictures that took me back in time with the game I love. The dust jacket was amazing, how about the inside of the book? So I opened it and marveled at even more beautiful pictures. Without even looked at any text or the Table of Contents I knew this book was a milestone book along the lines of Dick Donovan & Joe Murdock’s The Game of Golf and The Printed Word and Jeff Ellis’ The Golf Club. The Foreword was written by Bobby Clampett, someone I have had the pleasure of getting to know a little bit in the broadcast booths of The Masters and who is revolutionizing the golf instruction industry with his ‘Impact Zone’ methodology. I had a few minutes and being at the show is a little like being in the checkout line at the grocery store. It is okay to pick publications up and browse through them a bit! Bobby met Georgiady in the late 1990s and was smitten with the golf collecting bug about the same time as I was with Dick and Harry. Though his first collecting gig was a bit more memorable to the world than mine. After a Sunday golf broadcast, golf’s darling young amateur came out of his TV tower on the 12^th tee at Augusta National and found the wayward ball of Greg Norman’s struck 8-ironway that averted his triumph in the 1999 Masters. That’s the best part of golf collecting. You learn the story behind the story and like any romance taking the time to do so is well worth the reward found within. Like the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Florida this book is a collection of collections. Best part is that is all about golf collections. Treasure troves from private clubs the likes of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, from private collections the statue of Arnold Palmer and from museums like the U.S.G.A.’s ‘Golf House.’ There is also a topical section so if you are into seeing golf on magazine covers there you have it in Great Golf Collections of the World. I particularly like the Appendix which documents the origins of golf, golf clubs and balls. Remember I am a book and club guy! The reality is that if you buy this book you automatically become a golf collector without the expense of being a golf collector. So educated by this book, you will know what to look for if you so choose to pursue the addiction. It makes a great gift for any golfer and conveys a message of depth and character that a pair of Loudmouth trousers simply don’t. Though there is nothing wrong with wearing Loudmouth trousers as this book is full of colorful characters and the clothing they wore since the game was invented. I ventured back to Booth 2191 several times in hopes of meeting the authors. Both authors have their private collections in their book. I missed Pete this time but he is a ‘club guy’ like me so it is just a matter of time before we are standing at a table admiring some beautiful hickory-shafted clubs and happen to look up and notice one another. I did meet Dick whose collecting culminated in the ‘Art of Illustration.’ His collection contains a more modern glamorous golfing lady than mine but Great Golf Collections of the World has certainly caught my heart! Unlike the tabloids at the checkout line at the grocery store, I knew I had to have my own personal copy of Great Golf Collections of the World! This golf book is the Facebook of golf history and of certain impact to the golf collecting world. CLICK here to order your copy and another for a friend!