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St. Andrews Sojourn Reprint edition by Peper, George (2007) Paperback
The Old Course at St. Andrews is to golfers what St. Peter's is to Catholics or the Western Wall is to hallowed ground, the course every golfer longs to play -- and master. In 1983 George Peper was playing the Old Course when he hit a slice so hideous that he never found the ball. But in looking for it, he came across a For Sale sign on a stone town house alongside the famed eighteenth hole. Two months later he and his wife, Libby, became the proud owners of 9A Gibson Place.
In 2003 Peper retired after twenty-five years as the editor in chief of Golf magazine. With the younger of their two sons off to college, the Pepers decided to sell their house in the United States and relocate temporarily to the town house in St. Andrews. And so they left for the land of golf -- and single malt scotch, haggis, bagpipes, television licenses, and accents thicker than a North Sea fog. While Libby struggled with renovating an apartment that for years had been rented to students at the local university, George began his quest to break par on the Old Course.
Their new neighbors were friendly, helpful, charmingly eccentric, and always serious about golf. In no time George was welcomed into the local golf crowd, joining the likes of Gordon Murray, the man who knows everyone; Sir Michael Bonallack, Britain's premier amateur golfer of the last century; and Wee Raymond Gatherum, a magnificent shotmaker whose diminutive stature belies his skills.
For anyone who has ever dreamed of playing the Old Course -- and what golfer hasn't? -- this book is the next best thing. And for those who have had that privilege, Two Years in St. Andrews will revive old memories and confirm Bobby Jones's tribute, "If I were to set down to play on one golf course for the remainder of my life, I should choose the Old Course at St. Andrews."
In 2003 Peper retired after twenty-five years as the editor in chief of Golf magazine. With the younger of their two sons off to college, the Pepers decided to sell their house in the United States and relocate temporarily to the town house in St. Andrews. And so they left for the land of golf -- and single malt scotch, haggis, bagpipes, television licenses, and accents thicker than a North Sea fog. While Libby struggled with renovating an apartment that for years had been rented to students at the local university, George began his quest to break par on the Old Course.
Their new neighbors were friendly, helpful, charmingly eccentric, and always serious about golf. In no time George was welcomed into the local golf crowd, joining the likes of Gordon Murray, the man who knows everyone; Sir Michael Bonallack, Britain's premier amateur golfer of the last century; and Wee Raymond Gatherum, a magnificent shotmaker whose diminutive stature belies his skills.
For anyone who has ever dreamed of playing the Old Course -- and what golfer hasn't? -- this book is the next best thing. And for those who have had that privilege, Two Years in St. Andrews will revive old memories and confirm Bobby Jones's tribute, "If I were to set down to play on one golf course for the remainder of my life, I should choose the Old Course at St. Andrews."
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First published May 30, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 18, 2021
As someone lucky enough to have played The Old Course and who is deep in negotiations with his wife to one day spend at least a summer if not a few years living in or near St. Andrews, this book should have been right up my alley. And eventually it got there, talking about the course, the golf, the community and the history.
But far too much of it reads like a wealthy, elite white dude chortling about his crazy connections, lifestyle and privilege with little recognition that he’s doing this. Overall, a good book but it doesn’t really fulfill its promise.
But far too much of it reads like a wealthy, elite white dude chortling about his crazy connections, lifestyle and privilege with little recognition that he’s doing this. Overall, a good book but it doesn’t really fulfill its promise.
June 19, 2017
This book was recommended to me after I announced that I want to retire to St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Essentially, that is what George and his wife, decided to do. A longtime golf writer, George already owned a small apartment that faced the 18th fairway on the famed Old Course. He rented it out to college students when they weren't visiting.
They planned to live in the apartment for two years, renovate it and then make a tidy profit before returning to the United States. They packed up a few belongings and their dog and headed across the pond. The best bit of information that I got from the book was that you no longer have to have pets quarantined when moving to Great Britain! It takes a while to get them through customs though.
If you have been to St. Andrews, you will know most of the time it is a seaside college town, home to the oldest university in Scotland. Then, every few years, it becomes the center of the golf universe. Naturally for a book about St. Andrews, there is a lot of golf in this book. I even skipped over some of the more detailed descriptions of rounds played by the author. But this book is not just for the golfers. It's also for anyone who has dreamed about leaving it all behind for a nice, peaceful village on the coast.
I am a little bit biased, having been to St. Andrews twice, it is one of my favorite places in the world and has a lot of special meaning for me. So, this may not be the book for everyone, but I enjoyed the real life characters we meet in the book and a look inside the real life place that is almost mystical to American golf fans.
They planned to live in the apartment for two years, renovate it and then make a tidy profit before returning to the United States. They packed up a few belongings and their dog and headed across the pond. The best bit of information that I got from the book was that you no longer have to have pets quarantined when moving to Great Britain! It takes a while to get them through customs though.
If you have been to St. Andrews, you will know most of the time it is a seaside college town, home to the oldest university in Scotland. Then, every few years, it becomes the center of the golf universe. Naturally for a book about St. Andrews, there is a lot of golf in this book. I even skipped over some of the more detailed descriptions of rounds played by the author. But this book is not just for the golfers. It's also for anyone who has dreamed about leaving it all behind for a nice, peaceful village on the coast.
I am a little bit biased, having been to St. Andrews twice, it is one of my favorite places in the world and has a lot of special meaning for me. So, this may not be the book for everyone, but I enjoyed the real life characters we meet in the book and a look inside the real life place that is almost mystical to American golf fans.
October 24, 2025
I love golf and was bored of this book one-third of the way in. I really wanted to like this book and it was a gift, so I kept going. It didn’t get better.
This book was published in 2006 and it’s already a relic. Outdated references, corny jokes, and banal musings made this a tough read in 2025. The name dropping and forcing Scottish phrases into the writing made it brutal. (Please, I don’t want to read “Auld Grey Toon” again.)
There isn’t much of a story here, either; the greatest conflict in the book is whether the home remodel will be done in time. It’s a lot of pretension, privilege, and self-aggrandizement that I don’t think is intentional but it’s there nonetheless. I’m not necessarily asking for hardship, just something more interesting.
We all wish we could cash in by writing a book with minimal effort about a trip we took or something we did. Well, that seems to be Peper’s thought, too. In his own words: “Few notes were taken and no traditional research was done for this book. Most of the words just sort of spewed forth after long periods staring out the window.”
There are plenty of other good golf books you can get something out of. Go for one of those instead of this one.
This book was published in 2006 and it’s already a relic. Outdated references, corny jokes, and banal musings made this a tough read in 2025. The name dropping and forcing Scottish phrases into the writing made it brutal. (Please, I don’t want to read “Auld Grey Toon” again.)
There isn’t much of a story here, either; the greatest conflict in the book is whether the home remodel will be done in time. It’s a lot of pretension, privilege, and self-aggrandizement that I don’t think is intentional but it’s there nonetheless. I’m not necessarily asking for hardship, just something more interesting.
We all wish we could cash in by writing a book with minimal effort about a trip we took or something we did. Well, that seems to be Peper’s thought, too. In his own words: “Few notes were taken and no traditional research was done for this book. Most of the words just sort of spewed forth after long periods staring out the window.”
There are plenty of other good golf books you can get something out of. Go for one of those instead of this one.
December 16, 2024
I am a sucker for a memoir of a golf life well lived, a category which this book fell squarely into. George Peper, after retiring from a career in golf writing and editing finds a way to make the story of his time spent living a semi-retired life in the home of golf seem both relatable and achievable, despite multiple anecdotes of connections, club memberships, and even basic economics that remind you that this *can't* happen to you, dear reader. Peper's humility and wit, which seemed crucial in allowing for his assimilation into Scottish culture, shine through in the tellings of his adventures on and around the golf courses of the world's most famous golf town.
October 13, 2017
Reminds us why we love it!
Even when your exposure to the Old Course and the Old Town is through TV, books and magazines, and as one of those American pilgrims that comes to worship at the mecca, you know how precious and special it is. I doubt anyone can read this book without wishing we were there or without trying to figure out how we can get back. Great writing (and reverence)!
Even when your exposure to the Old Course and the Old Town is through TV, books and magazines, and as one of those American pilgrims that comes to worship at the mecca, you know how precious and special it is. I doubt anyone can read this book without wishing we were there or without trying to figure out how we can get back. Great writing (and reverence)!
November 17, 2017
Extremely well written, as expected from a magazine editor. Although I’ve never been to St. Andrews, I was immediately able to get a feel for the Auld Grey Toon and its people. Golfing in Scotland, and particularly the Old Course, is a bucket list. It won’t be long now.
Good books can be great motivators. 2 years outside of my comfortable bubble sounds like a great adventure. Thanks George.
Good books can be great motivators. 2 years outside of my comfortable bubble sounds like a great adventure. Thanks George.
June 8, 2022
Read this book in preparation for a golf trip to Scotland. It did gove me a pretty realistic description of St Andrews and Scotland generally. I found the author a bit narcissistic. The book was one humble brag after another, and that was distracting to me. Not a bad quick read if you enjoy golf and perhaps want to learn more before this summer’s Open.
April 20, 2019
A wonderful journey to St Andrews
George Peper gives us a lighthearted visit fo Scotland and St. Andrews. George, his wife Libby, and their dog Milllie left their home in New York to spend to years in the birthplace of golf.
The book is largely about golf, the courses, and people of golf, Bob is so entertaining that even I, a non-golfer could not put it down. A hearty thumbs up!
George Peper gives us a lighthearted visit fo Scotland and St. Andrews. George, his wife Libby, and their dog Milllie left their home in New York to spend to years in the birthplace of golf.
The book is largely about golf, the courses, and people of golf, Bob is so entertaining that even I, a non-golfer could not put it down. A hearty thumbs up!
February 11, 2023
A bit of a mixed bag, and a bit of a time capsule to another age of golf journalism. Delightful stories of golf and the life in Scotland intermingled with some casual misogyny, a lot of privilege, name dropping and heavy drinking.
August 2, 2023
This is a great read about George Peper's two years living in St. Andrews. It was so funny it had me laughing so hard, tears ran down my cheeks in more than once.
It is a love letter to the "grey old toon." If you like golf, you will love this book.
It is a love letter to the "grey old toon." If you like golf, you will love this book.
June 7, 2019
Well written and entertaining. A great read for anyone interested in St. Andrews.
August 9, 2023
This was a very enjoyable book. Very decent stories, not many long. Nice that they were his actual experiences. The author has great humor and perspective.
March 11, 2017
I don't play golf, but loved this book.
September 22, 2010
Peper got one of the great real estate deals of all time when he was able to buy a townhouse for peanuts that was situated right on the 18th hole of The Old Course in St. Andrews. After renting it out for years Peper decided to live in it for a few years following his retirement.
I read this book while staying about 100 feet from Peper's house last year while in St. Andrews and it probably made a good read a little more enjoyable than usual.
I read this book while staying about 100 feet from Peper's house last year while in St. Andrews and it probably made a good read a little more enjoyable than usual.
February 19, 2012
Extremely amusing.
For someone like myself who has been to the Old Course and St Andrews, and as an avid golfer much interested in the history of the Mecca of Golf, this book by Peper is a must read.
From the vivid description of the cobblestone streets to the little apartments lining the 17th and 18th hole, to the R&A Building, it brings back lovely memories to me.
A nice and fitting ending to a very well written story.
I love it!
For someone like myself who has been to the Old Course and St Andrews, and as an avid golfer much interested in the history of the Mecca of Golf, this book by Peper is a must read.
From the vivid description of the cobblestone streets to the little apartments lining the 17th and 18th hole, to the R&A Building, it brings back lovely memories to me.
A nice and fitting ending to a very well written story.
I love it!
September 22, 2015
I loved the St. Andrews aspect of this book, and my review could definitely be tainted by jealously, but I though this book seemed a little self-serving and congratulatory. Not to mention how the slight liberal slant turned me off. At best, just okay.
August 17, 2007
I really cant tell you why, but this book drew me in. I loved it. If you've ever dreamed of playing the old course this is a must read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews