Don'ts for Golfers: Illustrated Edition

By Ian Woosnam

An illustrated edition of the classic book of golf advice first published in 1925.

Foreword by Masters and Ryder Cup legend Ian Woosnam.

The advice found in Don'ts for Golfers was originally printed in 1925 and contains hundreds of snippets of entertaining, timeless and amusing advice for golfers of all abilities.

Advice includes:
- 'Don't irritate your opponent by wearing jazzy colours. To dazzle his eyes with a multi-coloured pull-over or peace-disturbing golf stockings is to take a mean advantage.'
- 'Don't blame your clubs for faults of your own that may be easily corrected if you analyse your methods of using the implements.'
- 'Don't over-indulge yourself in eating and drinking during the non-golfing days, and then expect to work off excess by "a good game of Golf." You may play Golf of sorts, but it will not be a good game.'
- 'Don't make Golf your sole topic of conversation. There are a few otherwise quite intelligent persons who are non-golfers. You will never make converts if you bore non-players to distraction by for ever talking of the Royal and Ancient Game.'

The content, ranging from technique and equipment to etiquette on the course, provides a fascinating snapshot of life in early twentieth-century Britain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Sep 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781472977113

Book preview

A NOTE ON THE TEXT

The main body text in Don’ts for Golfers remains as originally published in 1925. The foreword, photographs and corresponding captions, however, are new additions as of this 2020 publication.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

I. DRIVING

II. IRON PLAY

III. MASHIE SHOTS

IV. BUNKERED

V. PUTTING

VI. FAULTS

VII. CLUBS

VIII. IN THE CLUB HOUSE

IX. CLOTHES

X. GENERAL MAXIMS

FOREWORD

by Ian Woosnam, OBE

SEPT 2020

Hello and welcome to Don’ts for Golfers. When I won the Masters in 1991 it was my maiden major victory and the highlight of my golf career, a win made even sweeter by where it happened, at the iconic Augusta National. That historic club, of course, is renowned for the strict rules it enforces during the event—don’t run, don’t use your mobile phone, don’t take pictures and so on—but those regulations also help to make the Masters one of, if not the greatest event in the sporting calendar.

That’s much like golf really. For every don’t a coach might tell you when you’re learning to play, or those matters of etiquette where you’re told what not to do, there’s always a flip side where you’re positively encouraged to embrace all the many fantastic things about this great game of ours.

So do delight in that booming drive, smashed straight down the middle. Do take pride in the unlikely par salvaged from nowhere. And do revel in that long birdie putt to win at the last. Just don’t forget to enjoy this book.

INTRODUCTION

Once upon a time there was a worthy Minister o’ the Kirk who started to learn golf late in middle life. He soon discovered that the art of smiting the elusive guttie is not quite as simple as it appears; and he was further surprised at the ease with which expressions of feeling quite incompatible with his cloth issued from his lips. On his return to the Club House one of the members hailed the Minister: "Well, Minister, I heard you in your last bunker. What do you think of the game? The Minister shook his head sadly, and blushed to think of what the other had overheard. I’m afraid I’ll hae to gie it up," he replied.

What? Give up golf? asked the member. Na, na! replied the