This book is not a ranking of the best courses in the United States, which may come as a futile gesture, but it is a cross-section of some of the finest layouts in America. As a ranking panelist for two major magazines, one in Canada and one in the U.S., I'm well aware that ranking courses has become a necessary evil in the past dozen years or so. In fact, I even started the ranking trend in Canada when I was managing editor of Score magazine, the national golf publication. Mea culpa.

However, this book is not about rankings; it's about exploring great courses from coast to coast, enjoying the spectrum of design, history, geography, and topography. Some are private, some public, some resorts. While most of us may never have the chance to play at prestigious venues like Pine Valley, Seminole, or Augusta National, it's truly a delight to dream about it. On the other hand, anyone can play at Kapalua or Harbour Town, and one may even have a golfing acquaintance with a friend who is a member at Shinnecock Hills or Winged Foot.

The process of selecting and writing about the courses was just the first step. Photographer Michael French, who has collaborated with me on two previous golf books, spent weeks on the road, covering almost 20,000 miles and shooting more than 400 rolls of film to capture the essence of the final choices. He packed only the essentials into his vehicle: cameras, lenses, golf clubs, mountain bike, and even a cappuccino maker, which came in handy when he was storm-stayed for two days in the mountains of North Carolina. Our collaboration also required 500 faxes, $10,000 in telephone calls, and mounds of books, scorecards, yardage guides, videos, and other resource materials.

Whether or not you agree with the courses we selected is not the point. These choices are intended to delight the golfer's eye and ignite their imagination. We believe we have accomplished that goal, and we hope you agree.

product information: