"The Story Of Golf At The Country Club" Wins 2009 USGA Herbert Warren Wind
Book Award
Far Hills, N.J. - In recognition of its high standard
of achievement in golf literature, "The Story of Golf at The Country Club,"
an exploration of the Brookline, Mass., club that was one of the
co-founders of the United States Golf Association, has been named the
recipient of the USGA's 2009 Herbert Warren Wind Book Award.
"The Story of Golf at The Country Club," written by
John de St. Jorre, addresses The Country Club's contributions to the
development of golf in the United States, especially the amateur game, and
also looks at the way golf has shaped the evolution of the club. The book
celebrates the club's pioneering role with the United States Golf
Association and the 15 USGA championships it has hosted.
"The Country Club occupies a unique place in American
golf history as the host of many USGA national championships, including
Francis Ouimet's inspirational victory in the 1913 U.S. Open," said Rand
Jerris, managing director of the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for
Golf History. "In recent years, The Country Club has been associated with
the highest levels of professional golf, witnessing the 1988 U.S. Open and
1999 Ryder Cup.
"But the club's lasting legacy to the game will
surely be recognized through its dedication and promotion of the amateur
game. The beautifully written and elegantly designed club history is, most
notably, a worthy celebration of The Country Club's commitment to the
highest levels of amateur golf."
The Country Club, which was founded in 1882, will
host the 2013 U.S. Amateur Championship. That will mark the club's sixth
time as host club, tying it with Merion Golf Club for the most times
hosting the Amateur.
De St. Jorre's involvement with golf writing began
through a collaboration with Anthony Edgeworth on the 1998 book "Legendary
Golf Clubs of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland." He then worked with
The Country Club on the sequel called "Legendary Golf Clubs of the American
East." It was his work on that book that convinced The Country Club to ask
him to write "The Story of Golf at The Country Club."
"I believe I may be the first non-golfer to win the
award," said de St. Jorre. "As a writer, I like tackling cultures and
subjects that I'm not part of. It does give you some measure of objectivity
as I have no preconceived notions about what the great courses are, or what
the great moments are, or who the great golfers are. I never really thought
much about golf."
De St. Jorre will be presented the award on April 8
in Augusta, Ga., at the Golf Writers Association of America's annual awards
dinner during the week of the Masters Tournament.
Larry Hasak designed the book, which is illustrated
with more than 200 photographs, many of which have not been seen for
decades.
The Herbert Warren Wind Book Award was established in
1987. The award recognizes and honors outstanding contributions to golf
literature while attempting to broaden the public's interest in, and
knowledge of, the game of golf.
Wind, who died in 2005, was the famed New Yorker and
Sports Illustrated writer who coined the phrase "Amen Corner" at Augusta
National. He is the only writer to win the USGA's Bob Jones Award, the
Association's highest honor.
"Herbert Warren Wind is one of my heroes as a
writer," said de St. Jorre. "I put a section in the book dedicated to
writing about golf, Darwin, Wind and so forth, so this is just marvelous,
just wonderful. To be associated with him and to win this award is the
greatest possible honor. I'm over the top of the world."
The USGA is currently accepting submissions for the
2010 Herbert Warren Wind Book Award. For more information, contact Nancy
Stulack, the USGA Museum's librarian, at (908) 234-2300 or
nstulack@usga.org.
To be eligible, a book must be an original
full-length work about golf, written in English, and published in the
preceding year.
About the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for
Golf History The USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf
History is home to the world's premier collection of golf artifacts and
memorabilia. The greatest champions and greatest moments in American golf
history come alive through entertaining and engaging exhibits. Throughout
its galleries, the USGA Museum features a world-class collection of more
than 50,000 artifacts. Visitors also have the opportunity to tour the USGA
Research and Test Center and play a round on the Pynes Putting Course, a
Himalayas-style green that is open annually from early spring through late
fall. The USGA Museum is located in Somerset County, N.J.,
near the intersection of Interstates 78 and 287. For more information,
please call (908) 234-2300 or visit the Museum Web site at
www.usgamuseum.com.
