Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die: Golf Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations

Part coffee table book, part guidebook, this well-produced volume features fifty recommendations of some of the greatest courses in the world. Author Chris Santella asked esteemed golf industry professionals around the world to recommend their favorite course. Those interviewed by the author include such golf luminaries as Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Pete Dye, Peter Jacobsen, Nick Faldo, and Dave Pelz. The content of each course description is approached like a magazine article, with quotes from each interview interwoven with well-written descriptions of the course and a few special holes. The accompanying photos are excellent, and the "If You Go" section at the end of each course provide some basic directions on how to get to the course, where to stay, and how to book your round. A very-nice book. -Bryan Fryklund, author of The Golf Fanatic's Guide to Hawaii

Top Notch Golf and World Travel...what more could a serious golfer want? This book is a fabulous find and an inspired gift you will be proud to share with a golfer you love. Even as a non golfer, I enjoyed the travels insights and the background on how each course was created. It provided me a whole new appreciation for the game and the "art" of golf course creation.

Bought it for my Dad, an avid golfer and traveler. He loves it.

Being a golfer, I got this as a gift from one of my relatives. I must say the pictures are outstanding. This book makes me want to travel more to other countries to experience the pleasure of these courses. This book will always have a permanent place in my library. For excellent golf instruction that helped me to drastically reduce my handicap, I recommend, The Ultimate Golf Instruction Guide: Key Techniques for Becoming a Zero Handicap Golfer or Better, isbn 1933023090 and for more great pictures of specific golf holes, I recommend, Golf Digest 365 Golf Holes Calender 2006, isbn 0761137343. This maintains a permanent place on my office desk.

This really is an attractive volume, and it constitutes a sort of fantasy list of unique golf courses. The author has gone out of his way to avoid many of the "obvious" big name courses that golfers know from televised tournaments. This gives the book an added interest factor, as one can read about exotic courses in such out-of-the-way locales as Morocco and Oregon. Full Disclosure: I know Chris. He is a genial companion and a talented, assured writer.