When Revelation Comes

Named a finalist for the USGA's Herbert Warren Wind Award, golf literature's highest honor.

Named one of the 10 Best Golf Books in 2022 by LINKS Magazine

Foreword by Michael Bamberger
Afterword by Wright Thompson

When Revelation Comes is the story of one man's search for peace. Along the way, he meets people whose compassion and empathy help him keep going. It’s a story about fathers and sons. It’s a story of a friendship between two people from different cultures and backgrounds. It’s also a story of how a game can be a framework for life.

On May 17, 2021, an unthinkable tragedy struck a tight knit family in the small town of Hartselle, Alabama. Jordan, a talented and promising junior golfer, died suddenly of an accidental drug overdose. He was only 21 years old. His father, Jim Hartsell, had spent most of the previous ten years supporting his son’s attempt to succeed in the challenging world of junior and college golf. The grief was crushing, and the feeling of guilt overwhelming. When nothing else made sense, the author did the only thing he could think of: take a trip to his beloved Scotland in search for answers.

Jim Hartsell had fallen in love with Scottish links golf as a child while watching the 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry, his father’s favorite tournament. He and his father went on to take several trips to Scotland together, to places like Dunaverty, Machrihanish, and Cruden Bay. Visiting and studying the lesser-known golf courses of Scotland became a lifelong passion for Hartsell. Along the way, he also fell in love with Scotland and its people. When his life seemed over, that love was reciprocated and became his salvation.

When Revelation Comes is a requiem for a lost child, and a parent’s search for reasons to continue in the face of crushing grief. It’s also a love letter to Scotland: it’s golf, culture, and wonderful people. It’s a reminder to look to the people and places around you: the answers to your questions may be there.

JIM HARTSELL s a native and lifelong resident of Alabama. A registered architect, he has worked on the design of projects for the University of Alabama, Jacksonville State University, University of Georgia and University of Florida. Scottish golf and golf writing are his true passions, having made many trips to Scotland to study the lesser-known courses. He is the author of When Revelation Comes (2022) and  The Secret Home of Golf: The Authorized History of King-Collins Golf and the Creation of Sweetens Cove  (2021). He has written extensively on golf in Scotland for  The Links Diary, No Laying Up, and is a contributor to  The Golfers Journal  and  Today’ s Golfer.  With Stephen Proctor, he is the cohost of the golf literature podcast, The Duffer's Literary Companion.