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Stephen Proctor
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The Long Golden Afternoon: Golf's Age of Glory, 1864-1914 Kindle Edition

by Stephen Proctor (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 44 ratings
See all formats and editions
A history of golf’s boom period from the founding of England’s first golf club to the dawn of World War I.

The Long Golden Afternoon tells the story of the transformative generation of golf that followed the rise of Young Tom Morris—an era of sweeping change that saw Scotland’s national pastime become one of the rare games played around the world.

It begins with the first epochal performance after Tommy—John Ball’s victory at Prestwick in 1890 as the first Englishman and the first amateur to win the Open Championship – and continues through the outbreak of the Great War. If Tommy ignited the flame of golf in England, Ball’s breakthrough turned that smoldering fire into a conflagration.

The generation that followed would witness the game’s coming of age. It would see an explosion in golf's popularity, the invention of revolutionary new balls and clubs, the emergence of professional tours, the organization of the game and its rules, a renaissance in writing and thinking about golf, and the decision that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews must always remain the sport’s guiding light.

Praise for The Long Golden Afternoon

Named one of 10 Best Golf Books in 2022 by LINKS Magazine
Shortlisted for the 2023 Sports Book Awards for Best Sports Writing of the Year
Shortlisted for the USGA Herbert Warren Wind Book Award

“Proctor’s skill with the language is crisp and fluid. . . . A beautifully crafted examination of a period in the history of golf that will never again be witnessed. It is not to be missed.” —Jim Davis, The Golf
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  1. Print length
    474 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Arena Sport
  5. Publication date
    August 16, 2022
  6. File size
    12918 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

The Long Golden Afternoon
The Long Golden Afternoon

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephen Proctor has served as a senior editor at The Baltimore Sun, The San Francisco Chronicle and The Houston Chronicle. A native of Maryland, he graduated from The American University in Washington and was later awarded a John S. Knight Fellowship in journalism at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He is an avid golfer and has spent the past decade studying the history of the royal and ancient game. Monarch of the Green is his first book. He lives in Malabar, Florida. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Review

"With his beautiful use of language, Proctor has Bernard Darwin's gift of bringing a moment to life. Delightful and insightful, capturing the very spirit of the age, The Long Golden Afternoon is an instant classic."
Roger McStravick (golf historian and author)

“It is beautifully, but digestibly detailed. Stephen's writing style is that of an exemplary journalist providing a commentary and observations utilising contemporary press reports, scorecards and his knowledge of this period in history.”
GolfShake.com

"This excellent book, that brings to life many of our heroes, will simply encourage a legion of golf history devotees and it should be heralded for this."
Through the Green

"What a fabulous addition to golf history. The tale of the late Victorian transformation of golf has finally found a storyteller worthy of the story."
Waterstones Bookseller, St Andrews

"If you have not already taken a dive into golf history, this is a good book to start; if you have, it is still very much worthwhile."
Golfblogger.com

"Proctor's skill with the language is crisp and fluid ... a beautifully crafted examination of a period in the history of golf that will never again be witnessed. It is not to be missed."
Jim Davis, The Golf

"I couldn't recommend it more highly... it's a magnificent book."
Andrew Thomson, The Firm and Fast Golf Podcast

"If his first book betrayed Proctor’s love for golf history, his second confirmed his rare ability to recount it."
Links Magazine, 10 Best Golf Books of 2022

"A very charming and richly detailed history of the game from 1864 until the start of World War I."
Alan Shipnuk, The Fire Pit Collective --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BQ7PC36P
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Arena Sport (August 16, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 16, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 12918 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 474 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

About the author

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Stephen Proctor

Stephen Proctor

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
44 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

JAthey
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and stunning.
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
A book for golf lovers of the early history of the game -- brilliant in just the right way. The prose is charming, with clear explanations of what was important back then to Scottish and English and finally American golfers. And the winners are . . . ! Readers find a winner here.
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nicholas noren
5.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderful book by Mr. Proctor
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
From start to finish this book was such an enjoyable read. In fact, I found myself putting it down so I wouldn’t finish it to quick. There are a few books that I reread each year. This will certainly be added to that list. I sure hope Mr. Proctor has another book in the works!!
One person found this helpful
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JR
4.0 out of 5 stars warm and evocative anthology of early golf
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
Golf’s origins and history are brought to life this colorful book. From the gutta percha golf ball to the Alps and Himalayas of Prestwick, birthplace of the Open, Proctor recounts those that helped shape golf into what it is today as a worldwide sport. Vardon, Braid, Ball, Hilton, Taylor and others all come to life as he explains how Scotland, England and America have all shared dominance in golf over the many years since golf emerged in St. Andrews, Scotland I the 1700’s. Relax and enjoy some of the key golf accomplishments of the game’s professional and amateur titans are brought to life once again for your enjoyment.
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Timothy G Schirmer
5.0 out of 5 stars Approachable and Effective Overview of Golf After Tom Morris
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2022
Stephen Proctor does an excellent job connecting the dots and telling golf's story following the Morris/Park rivalry. Great way to learn about how golf evolved from the Morris and Park families to John Ball, Horace Hutchinson, Harold Hilton, Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, Freddie Tait, Ted Ray and others. Essential reading for anyone interested in the subject!!
One person found this helpful
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Annie 627
5.0 out of 5 stars Fine book by a great author.
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
I bought this for my hickory golfer husband and he loved it.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sara
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! Highly recommended!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
Really enjoyed learning so much about the history of the game of golf, its players, writers, course designers and fans. Amazing amount of research by Stephen Proctor. It is so well written and engaging - definitely my favourite book of the year! I also bought copies to give as presents to family members. A must on the bookshelf, or Kindle library, of every golf enthusiast!
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