We have been tracking the prices of antiquarian and collectible golf books for fifteen years and have compiled an extensive database of sale prices. Thus, we were delighted to see a rare item that sold at auction recently maintain its price. Only three other copies have sold at auction over the last fifteen years.
The book is Golf Holes They Talk About by Frank Hopkins, published in 1927. The book was published in a limited edition of 880 copies, each signed by Hopkins. The book contains reprints of sketches that “Hop” did on the sports pages of the New York Telegram during 1927.
The book has 60 drawings of the New York Metropolitan district golf courses all done by the author. Each illustration also mentions and shows notable members of each club. Some of the courses listed below either no longer exist or have been remodeled, thus, this book is a valuable historical record of golf in the New York area in the 1920s. Pictured below is the illustration of the 8th and 9th holes at Oakland Golf Course on Long Island. Oakland was a Seth Raynor design that was sadly lost, but looks spectacular.
The courses illustrated are :
Arcola – 14th hole
Ardsley’s – 14th hole
Baltusrol – 4th Hole
Bonnie Briar – 13th hole
Brae Burn – 10th hole
Canoe Brook – 13th hole
Cherry Valley – 7th hole
Dunwoodie – 7th hole
Elmsford – 7th hole
Engineers – 14th hole
Englewood – 12th hole
Essex – 11th hole
Fox Hill – 8th hole
Fresh Meadow – 14th hole
Garden City – 18th hole
Glen Ridge – 9th and 13th holes
Grassy Sprain – 12th hole
Green Brook – 5th hole
Green Meadows – 6th hole
Greenwich – 10th hole
Hempstead – 11th hole
Hillcrest – 10th hole
Hudson River C.C. – 4th hole
Inwood – 12th hole
Knickerboker – 4th hole
Lakeville L.I. – 13th hole
Leewood – 16th hole
Lido – 4th hole
Meadow Brook – 10th hole
Milburn – 11th hole
Montclair – 24th of 27 holes
Nassau – 17th hole
Newark – 14th hole
Oakland – 8th and 9th holes
Old Flatbush – 1st hole
Oakridge – 6th hole
Pelham – 16th hole
Phelps Manor – 12th hole
Pomonok – 8th hole
Quaker Ridge – 4th and 5th holes
Richmond – 8th hole
Ridgewood – 4th and 5th holes
Rumson – 17th hole
Shackamaxon – 9th hole
St. Andrews – 5th hole
Scarsdale – 9th hole
Salisbury – 9th hole
Sleepy Hollow – 14th hole
Siwanoy – 16th hole
Soundview – 10th hole
Teterboro – 5th hole
Westchester – 5th hole
Wheatley Hills – 9th hole
White Beeches – 14th hole
Winged Foot – 7th hole
Wykagyl – 6th hole
Yountakah – 10th and 11th holes
One of the courses that no longer exist include Charles Blair MacDonald’s Lido on Long Island. Hopkins illustrated the famous ‘Channel’ hole. Others include Pomonok, Englewood, Grassy Sprain, Hudson River, Newark, Salisbury and Soundview.
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Dear sir:
Having been a member of The Pelham Country Club for 40 years, I am writing the history of the club and would love to have a scan of the pages of “Golf Holes They Talk About” that concern The Pelham Country Club, and the drawing of the 16th hole. It would be very much appreciated if you could contact me at the above email address. I am a golf Historian and a published golf author and would be extremely pleased to hear from you.
All the Best,
Byron Huff
Best place to try is the USGA library, they should have a copy
If you have no luck at USGA contact me as I have the book & can send you a copy of that page – just cover modest costs. ron at rhm@redshift.com
I just bought this book , im gonna post what i thing about it soon i finish it
thanks for recommand it
FYI, the name of the club illustrated by “Hop” was Shackamaxon Country Club (not Hackamaxon, although that is a catchy name) which is in Westfield, NJ. My grandfather Danny Williams Sr. was the head pro there during the 1920’s and even gets a mention for his then course record of 65. Danny Sr. left our family some wonderful artifacts of that bygone era including two copies of “Golf Holes They Talk About,” #94 and #210.
By the way, I love your web site…very informative and entertaining.
Dan Williams III
Mendham, NJ
P.S.
Cash Banister was the assistant pro there back then.