A Course Called Scotland: Searching the Home of Golf for the Secret to Its Game

In this witty and charming follow-up to A Course Called Ireland, Coyne continues living a golfer’s dream by playing every links course in Scotland, golf’s birthplace. Approaching 40, the author sets out to play 107 courses across the United Kingdom’s northernmost country in 56 days. The itinerary includes St. Andrews, Royal Troon, and Trump International Golf Links Scotland, culminating in a qualifying round for the Open Championship at Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh. Along the way, Coyne experiences the game anew with a memorable cast of characters—including Gretchen, a 20-something World Speedgolf Champion who “weighed less than her set of Nike irons... and liked to go around 18 holes in less than an hour;” a 34-year-old newbie named Garth, who despite a handicap of 38.4 still begins each morning proclaiming, “We get to golf today”; and Penn, an almost-septuagenarian fan of Coyne’s books who gives the author advice that helps him improve his game. Enthusiasts will revel in Coyne’s eloquent narration of his course-by-course adventures, while casual fans might be tempted to pick up their clubs a little more often. (July)