Links to the Past
A vintage reprint captures the storied heritage of golf in Britain

Published in 1897, British Golf Links is considered a classic in golf literature. Horace Hutchinson, a noted golfer and writer of his day, set out to chronicle the great courses of Great Britain, combining historical information, hole descriptions, yardages and playing tips with a wealth of photographs. The result was a unique volume that, to this day, is unmatched in its exquisitely detailed portrait of the early game.

A copy of the original masterpiece is both extremely rare and extremely expensive, but thanks to Sports Media Group and its Rare Book Collection, a facsimile edition is now available and makes a handsome addition to any serious golf library. Profiling 51 of the finest British courses as they existed in the last days of the gutta percha era, the book is a fascinating read for aficionados of the game. But what makes it truly special are the visual images—a dazzling black and white collection that ranges from the awesome Cape bunker at Royal North Devon to the sleeper-faces Sahara at Prestwick, with all manner of great holes, hazards and players appearing in between; $85. greatgolfbooks.com