It's no secret that golf has produced some of the best writing in the world of sports. And much of golf's best writing has been on the subject of golf course architecture.

When the practice of designing golf courses was at its peak during the first part of the 20th century, characters like C.B. Macdonald, Alister Mackenzie, H.S. Colt, Donald Ross, Tom Simpson, Robert Hunter, A.W. Tillinghast and others were not only designing some of the best courses the world would ever see, they were writing eloquently about craft.

Quotes from their work are often used to explain how and why their courses are great. But finding such quotes, and relating them to golf course design, renovation and maintenance has required acquiring an extensive library of valuable old books, and spending hours poring over them.

Now, Geoff Shackelford has given us some of the best "lines" from the golden age of golf course architecture in one book, Lines of Charm. Published by Sports Media Group, And it may be the ultimate resource for someone who wants to learn more about golf course design, in the words of its master practioners.

For architecture aficionados, Shackelford says, it can serve as a tool to help them find the great quotes they remember reading but can never locate.

As for the title, the book's introduction begins with wisdom from two geniuses:

"…no hole is a good one unless it has one or more hazards in a direct line of a hole. Max Behr, who is one the best American golf architects states that the direct line to the hole is the line of instinct, and that to make a good hole you must break up that line in order to create the line of charm." -- Alister Mackenzie.

For more on the book, visit, http://annarbormediagroup.com/GolfCatalog.htm#charm. Publisher Skip Dewall says GCSAA members can get a discount on the book by contacting him directly at mailto:SDewall@annarbormediagroup.com.