Book Review: 'How to Speak Golf: An Illustrated Guide to Links Lingo'

Whether you’ve been playing golf for years or are new to the greatest game ever invented, you’ll want to check out “How to Speak Golf: An Illustrated Guide to Links Lingo.” This quick, easy and enjoyable read - written by Sally Cook and illustrated by Ross MacDonald - is loaded with terminology from A to Z ... Approach Shot to Zinger.

Not sure what a Zinger is? It’s a ball hit high and hard. It’s also the nickname of former PGA Tour player and the last captain of a winning U.S. Ryder Cup team - Paul Azinger. Which brings me to another aspect of the book ... Clubhouse Chatter.

Woven into book are sections called “Clubhouse Chatter.” From Player Nicknames (Lefty, Golden Bear, Big Mama, etc.) to the origin of golf apparel, tees, balls and clubs, this was my favorite part of “How to Speak Golf.”

While beginners will find the definitions handy - birdie, eagle, par, bogey, etc. - I’ve been playing for more than three decades and just now learned what a “barky” is ... Hitting a tree, but still getting a good score.

“How to Speak Golf” also offers the more adventurous golfers a chance to add to their bucket list with “Hell Holes.” Did you know the Skukuza Golf Course in Kruger National Park, South Africa counts more than bunkers and lakes as hazards? When confronted by a lion, rhino or other dangerous animal, golfers are advised not to run, but to back away slowly and forget about finishing that hole.

Add “How to Speak Golf: An Illustrated Guide to Links Lingo” to your reading list today.

To learn more about the book or to order a copy for yourself, click HERE.