Top 10 golf books for 2009 (1)

My favorite golf books revolve around courses and history. If you're looking to give - or receive - a last-minute Christmas gift, here are the Top 10 golf books I've come across in the past 12 months.

1. Planet Golf USA: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses in America; Author: Darius Oliver; Publisher: Abrams
If you consider yourself a true course connoisseur, welcome to your Christmas feast. If you simply want a gift book full of pretty pictures, here's your answer as well. PLANET GOLF USA works perfectly on every level. One of golf design's most astute critics, Australian Darius Oliver, has carved out a superb sequel to his original compendium of the world's best courses. His follow-up, focusing solely on U.S. courses, isn't the revelatory surprise that characterized his first effort, but it's every bit as worthy, both as a reference work and as a photographic journey to America's greatest private and public layouts. What separates-and elevates-this book from other coffee table tomes is the author's insights and candor. Oliver doesn't pull punches, even tweaking the Top 100s where he sees fit, including our own at GOLF Magazine. Agree or disagree, you'll find yourself totally engaged.

2. Sports Illustrated's The Golf Book; Author: The Editors of Sports Illustrated; Publisher: Sports Illustrated Books

OK, so I'm a little biased, since Sports Illustrated is our sister publication and they share our web site. That said, for 55 years, SI has stood for the finest in sports journalism, both words and pictures, and THE GOLF BOOK illuminates those virtues beautifully. The tournament coverage, both ancient and modern, vividly brings to life the events that meant something to us all, but my favorites are the quirky images, such as a beaming Richard Nixon holding up his hole-in-one ball at Bel-Air, or the amazing shot of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara locked in a putting duel soon after they claimed Cuba for themselves. It's great fun-and great memories-from start to finish.

3. Freddie & Me: Life Lessons from Freddie Bennett, Augusta National's Legendary Caddy Master; Author: Tripp Bowden; Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
It's not easy digging up fresh insights on one of the most famous, yet secretive clubs on earth, Augusta National. Freddie & Me does so in admirable fashion. This coming-of-age tale of the first full-time white caddie in the club's history succeeds on many levels. It's replete with always entertaining caddie yarns. It's also a classic tale of a young man and his street-wise mentor. I can pretty much see Morgan Freeman playing caddiemaster Freddie Bennett. Yet, ultimately, it's a rare look at the inner workings of America's most storied golf club, from Masters Week to regular days, as remembered by a likable young guy who soaked it all in.

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