BOOK REVIEWS

The 2001 Walker Cup will take place in Sea Island, Georgia, August 11-12, as the team from Great Britain & Ireland defend the Cup, on the Rees Jones designed Ocean Forest Golf Club. It will be the 38th time this competition has been played between the finest amateur golfers of the United States and those of Great Britain and Ireland. While this year's event has yet to be written into the history books, Gordon Simmonds has captured the magic and all the details of the past 37 competitions in his wonderful limited edition book -- The Walker Cup, 1922 to 1999 -- Golf's Finest Contest (Grant Books $60)

In an era where, unfortunately, money is playing an increasing role in how and where the professionals compete, The Walker Cup remains true to its ideal of promoting the highest quality of competition among amateurs, and embodies all the traditional and ethical values of this great game.

The limited edition book gives an in-depth account of the matches and is excellently supplemented by dozens of pictures. Unlike many "chronicle" books, Simmonds, a 1-handicap himself, takes you personally to the matches and involves you with intimate details of the competitors and strategies during play. It is further enhanced by the Foreword and Afterword provided by the great amateurs Sir Michael Bonallack and Bill Campbell.

Of special note is the chapter on the 1981 Matches held at The Cypress Point Club, Calif. The strong American team with Hal Sutton, Cory Pavin, Jodie Mudd and Jay Sigel defeated the team from Great Britain & Ireland handily by a score of 15 and 9. The Advisor wonders, however, if the outcome might have been different if a certain young Scottish Amateur Champion, by the name of Colin Dalgleish, had not had his flat stick unceremoniously stolen from his bag two days prior to the match.

To read more about the 1981 Matches and some of the greatest duels in golf history contact Grant Books at 011-44-1299 851-588, 011-44-1299-851-446 (fax), e-mail: golf@grantbooks.co.uk or view the Web site at www.walkercuphistory.com

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Ivan Morris may be the best Irish golfer you've never heard of, but after read ing his new book, "Only Golf Spoken Here" (Sleeping Bear Press, $22.00), you'll never forget him.

Ivan competed internationally on a high amateur level for over 30 years in over one hundred Irish, British, European and American championships, both as an individual and a team member, and won his fair share.

Only Golf Spoken Here is his personal account of the game he holds so dear, as it has been as much a part of him as his treasured family, throughout his life. The book is filled with personal antidotes from his amateur career and the courses and personalities that crossed tee times with him. But it is not all history, there is an excellent chapter on the new Greg Norman course -- Doonbeg, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2002. He covers the modern pros such as Tiger and Payne Stewart's own love affairs with Irish golf as well as Ireland's own golf hero -- Christy O'Connor, Sr.

You'll gain appreciation for the subtleties of Irish links golf as he gives great insight into courses, especially his chapter on Ballybunion versus Lahinch and his chapter entitled "A Personal Miscellany of Irish Golf Holes." You'll meet unforgettable caddies such as "The Rooney"; and local heroes Dr. David Sheahan, aka "The Walking Pencil", James "Jazz" Carew, aka "Tail Gunner Supreme" and Billy Rice, aka "The Boy Blunder". You'll relate as Morris and his golfing Musketeers spend hours over a book called "The Search for the Perfect Swing." Most of all, you'll want to discover, for the first time or the 100th, for yourself, in person, what makes golf in Ireland so unique.