Dinner with a golf journo
January 31st, 2009 by Doogs
Had the opportunity to dine out this week with respected US golf journalist George Peper. George was in town with the envious job of playing some of Victoria’s finest courses for an article he was writing for “LINKS Magazine”. George is editor for LINKS magazine and was previously senior editor for 20 years of Golf Magazine, the most widely read golf mag in the US.
George now lives in a house on the 18th Fairway at St Andrews, which for a golfer is like owning the house at Number 2 Mecca Avenue, Saudi Arabia! He was playing the 18th hole on the Old Course one day, sliced an approach, and noticed a house for sale, and bought it! Spends his time between Scotland, the US and the rest of the world, playing and writing about Golf. What a life!
George is a links traditionalist and is writing a book on traditional links layouts, of which there are only about 200 in the world. He notes that ‘links’ layouts such as the Moonah course at the National are not traditional in the Scottish sense of a links course. He also enjoyed the Legends course at Moonah Links a lot more than the Open Course. So we had similar views on what makes a good layout.
George recalled being contacted by a very young Tom Doak, who initially wrote to Golf Magazine to talk about golf courses and architecture, he wrote his own warts and all review of America’s top courses, an original copy of which will go for over $500. George provided references and support for Tom, who has now gone on to be one of the world’s leading designers. We discussed the future of golf, with many people being more time poor and having less time to play 18 holes, yet 9 holes still being seen as “kissing your sister”, just not fullfilling enough!!!
Will be sure to catch up with George if I am ever wandering down the 18th fairway at St Andrews again, and will stop in and say hi!!!
