Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects: A Treasury of the World's Greatest Golf Courses by History's Master Designers

The tests a golfer faces on the course are the direct result of the challenges originally faced by the golf course architect, whether they be complicated terrain, forces of nature, budget limitations, demanding developers, or the difficult task of balancing the practical scientific needs of a golf course with the architect’s creative instincts.

Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects offers readers behind-the-scenes tales from America’s master architects themselves in their own words. Elite designers such as Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Arthur Hills, Arnold Palmer, and others share their personal anecdotes related to the creation of some of the world’s most famous courses: from run-ins with snakes to bulldozers sinking in quicksand, to holes created by accident, such as the famed island green 17th at the TPC at Sawgrass.

Published in collaboration with the prestigious American Society of Golf Course Architects, Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects includes more than 150 beautiful full-color photographs and dozens of drawings and course blueprints, making this a first of its kind insider’s look at golf course architecture sure to become a key addition to the libraries of all golfers with an appreciation for the courses they play.

Michael Patrick Shiels is the author of several books, including Golf’s Short Game for Dummies and Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects. Shiels is also a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and was an advance volunteer for George H. W. Bush’s two presidential campaigns. He serves on the committee for the George H. W. Bush Celebrity Golf fundraiser in Kennebunkport. Shiels resides in Michigan, where he hosts an award-winning syndicated morning radio program.