Searching in St. Andrews: Finding the Meaning of Golf During the Game's Most Turbulent Summer

by Sean Zak

A compelling journey through the heart and soul of golf, bringing the sport's history and the current state of the game to life When Sean Zak arrived in St. Andrews, Scotland— the mecca of golf— he was determined to spend his summer in search of the game's true essence. He found it everywhere— in the dirt, firm and proper, a sandy soil that you don't see in America. He found it in the people who inherited the game from their grandparents, who inherited it from their grandparents. He found it in the structures that prop up the game— cheap memberships and "private courses" that aren't private at all. At every turn he also found LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed entity which descended on the professional circuit during that summer of the 150th Open Championship. Zak's personal personal pilgrimage now offered him a front-row seat at a cultural reckoning, one which pitted the game's longstanding customs against a divisive new force.Searching in St. Andrews is the vivid chronicle of an unforgettable sojourn in the birthplace of golf, informed by sublime mornings on the Old Course playing with just four clubs, evenings spent analyzing legal documents riddled with greed, and the singular characters he encountered along the way. Readers will meet a 92-year-old who just learned how to putt, explore the many differences between Golf Over There and Golf Over Here, and even experience caddying on the PGA Tour, from deciphering the yardage books to keeping your player on time to drinking until sunrise after you've missed the cut.Written with heartfelt curiosity and charm, this is an essential portrait of golf amid the crosswinds of tradition, progress, and power.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

297 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Vincent Recine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needed more about Scotland

I liked the book but would have preferred less about LIV and more about the average golfers of Scotland. The author spent too much time on The Open . It would have been better if he told more about what goes on in the pubs.

[Patrick Schultheis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful account of the summer of 2022, spent in St Andrews. Just the right balance of golf and life

[Maida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The author had an easy style of storytelling and his anecdotes gave a great sense of place. As someone who had been to St. Andrews and who is keen on the subject of golf, I was an engaged reader. Avid golfers and those who are new to the game alike would find it enjoyable as well because there's something here to pique their interests--whether it's about the experience of playing on the Old Course or about various golf personalities.

The book was strongest when it dealt with local color. My attention dipped when the author got too personal.