Two Years in St. Andrews: At Home on the 18th Hole

This has to be one of the "Gems" of Golf Travel books. From start of finish I found this book well written, humorous, sophisticated and wonderfully self-effacing. I would like to meet George Peper; I'm sure we would get along very well. Maybe a game on the Old Course would do the trick. This is a fabulously entertaining tale of George and his wife's move to St. Andrews from an important position in the U.S.A., namely editor of Golf Digest. The story begins with the acquisition of an apartment overlooking the hallowed turf of the 18th Green of the Old Course at St.Andrews, the home of Golf. George has the extremely good fortune of being a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and sets about using this privilege to good effect. Not only does he become a popular and successful member, he also achieves a long held ambition; playing a round on the Old Course in Par. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been inspired by his "two years of golf" and long to follow his example by playing the Old Course, at least once. His fondness for the people of St. Andrews and Scotland in general comes through with a warmth and genuinely felt emotion. I can not imagine anyone finding this book disappointing. To me it has been a wonderful windfall.

I loved this book. It was the perfect combination of life and golf in golf's birthplace - St Andrews. The writer provided an excellent look into life in the golf club and the village of St Andrews; their people, the culture and the history. Mr Peper writes with an excellent dry witt and makes you feel as if you know him personally. I enjoy books the most when I feel like I can relate to the place and people being written about and the author was very good at doing this. While being a single digit handicap golfer and a past editor of Golf Magazine and traveling in a very select inside group of professional golfers, media personalities and celebrities, Mr. Peper never took himself too seriously as a golfer, a writer or as a person. The more I read this book, the harder it became to put down and the more I looked forward to reading it the next day. It was educational, enlightening and enjoyable.It is a book you can just lean back, put your feet up and enjoy while at any time of day or night. The only thing that bothered me about this book was wondering how the author pronounced his name, Pepper or Peeper so I contacted a writer who interviewed the author for a magazine and was told that it was Pepper and that he was as enjoyable and selfless in person as he seems in his books. I look forward to Mr Peper's next book.

Thanks George Peper!!!!: For one of the best golf books. Its as if I was actually there. I can`t wait to go to the "OLD COURSE" and expirience the magic you narrated in your book. The srtucture of the story (expirience)is wonderfull and adictive. You read the first page and want to keep on reading till you can barely keep your eyes open. If you love reading and golf this book is a must read.

I've taken two trips to St. Andrews and can definitely relate to George's Peper's outstanding take on the place. I treasured every sentence of these 299 pages. He's really nailed the spirit of St. Andrews, both the setting and its people. I'm not a mad, keen golfer, and my wife - like Peper's - is disinterested in the sport itself. But - like me - she loves the atmosphere of the place. One of the greatest things in the world is to sit on the steps in front of the 18th green and watch group and group tumble home with big, goofy grins on their faces. It's a fabulous way to spend an early evening. Peper's character really shows through here. When you read his bio on the backflap, it's only then that you get a sense of the depth of his accomplishments in golf and journalism. The book taken at face value gives you the impression that he sort of tumbled into some of these accomplishments (hello, R & A Competition Committee!) by being at the right place at the right time. While I'm sure luck played a small part, there's also the matter of talent and hard work. First, the guy can flat-out write. He's funny, engaging and perceptive. Second, the guy works hard. At one point, he lets on regarding the assignments he's juggling. He's definitely not slacking over there! The two other characters worth mentioning: - Mr. Peper's neighbor Gordon Murray. There's that expression "it's not what you know, it's who you know"...Gordon seems the living embodiment of that and of what Pepard calls "Gordon's three degrees of separation" (none of that six degrees stuff applies here). - Millie Peper. This Westie charmer is surely the cutest thing on four legs to hit the Old Course in some time.

An experienced wordsmith, Peper memoirs his decision to spend two years in their invested real estate lining the sacred 18th at golf's home. Reminiscent of Rubenstein's excellent book: A Season at Dornoch, former editor of Golf magazine Peper and his wife venture to live in their St. Andrews adventure home. There is just one great memory after another recalled enjoyably and in adventerous fashion by this pro writer and avid golfer and full of life fellow who exhibits humility while brushing lifes and rounds of golf and drinks with golf elite and St. Andrews citizens. The differences in culture and golfing are explored, with the Scottish life clearly providing what Peper terms: "a life mulligan." A more purer, innocent, slower, less marketed way of life. The golf stories are worth the read, especially humorous tale of the H.W. Wind nameplate.