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Searching in St. Andrews: Finding the Meaning of Golf During the Game's Most Turbulent Summer
A compelling journey through the heart and soul of golf, bringing the sport's history and the current state of the game to life
When Sean Zak arrived in St. Andrews, Scotland—the mecca of golf—he was determined to spend his summer in search of the game's true essence.
He found it everywhere—in the dirt, firm and proper, a sandy soil that you don't see in America. He found it in the people who inherited the game from their grandparents, who inherited it from their grandparents. He found it in the structures that prop up the game—cheap memberships and “private courses” that aren’t private at all.
At every turn he also found LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed entity which descended on the professional circuit during that summer of the 150th Open Championship. Zak's personal personal pilgrimage now offered him a front-row seat at a cultural reckoning, one which pitted the game's longstanding customs against a divisive new force.
Searching in St. Andrews is the vivid chronicle of an unforgettable sojourn in the birthplace of golf, informed by sublime mornings on the Old Course playing with just four clubs, evenings spent analyzing legal documents riddled with greed, and the singular characters he encountered along the way.
Readers will meet a 92-year-old who just learned how to putt, explore the many differences between Golf Over There and Golf Over Here, and even experience caddying on the PGA Tour, from deciphering the yardage books to keeping your player on time to drinking until sunrise after you’ve missed the cut.
Written with heartfelt curiosity and charm, this is an essential portrait of golf amid the crosswinds of tradition, progress, and power.
When Sean Zak arrived in St. Andrews, Scotland—the mecca of golf—he was determined to spend his summer in search of the game's true essence.
He found it everywhere—in the dirt, firm and proper, a sandy soil that you don't see in America. He found it in the people who inherited the game from their grandparents, who inherited it from their grandparents. He found it in the structures that prop up the game—cheap memberships and “private courses” that aren’t private at all.
At every turn he also found LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed entity which descended on the professional circuit during that summer of the 150th Open Championship. Zak's personal personal pilgrimage now offered him a front-row seat at a cultural reckoning, one which pitted the game's longstanding customs against a divisive new force.
Searching in St. Andrews is the vivid chronicle of an unforgettable sojourn in the birthplace of golf, informed by sublime mornings on the Old Course playing with just four clubs, evenings spent analyzing legal documents riddled with greed, and the singular characters he encountered along the way.
Readers will meet a 92-year-old who just learned how to putt, explore the many differences between Golf Over There and Golf Over Here, and even experience caddying on the PGA Tour, from deciphering the yardage books to keeping your player on time to drinking until sunrise after you’ve missed the cut.
Written with heartfelt curiosity and charm, this is an essential portrait of golf amid the crosswinds of tradition, progress, and power.
- GenresSportsNonfiction
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 2, 2024
3 people are currently reading
1605 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 31, 2024
the damn boy
May 14, 2024
This book is a story of a personal journey centered around golf, but through the storytelling becomes very relatable to golfers and non-golfers alike. Sean's trip to St. Andrews is a fascinating peak behind the curtain of professional golf and the history of golf more broadly and for golf fans this will be a very interesting and timely story considering the turmoil in the golf world today
However, this is not the main theme. Instead, Sean takes the reader on a journey of life with his summer in St. Andrews as the backdrop. How golf connects people from various walks of life and how just being open and available to others can enrich your life experiences. He also delves into his passion for golf and how it has ebbed and flowed and as a reader, I was able to relate this to my own life in not only golf but other passions.
His storytelling ability to evident in his writing as he paints a very vivid picture of the goings on around St. Andrews, the various characters he meets and the stories he hears which makes you feel like you are along for the ride with him. You are audience to Sean's personal development and his awareness of his own story puts the reader in a position to follow a similar journey and be aware of the people and things around you and show gratitude to them.
While this is a "golf book", it really felt like more than that and I have recommended it to many different people in my life with varying degrees of interest in golf. I would high recommend reading it and I am looking forward to Sean continuing his career as a novelist.
However, this is not the main theme. Instead, Sean takes the reader on a journey of life with his summer in St. Andrews as the backdrop. How golf connects people from various walks of life and how just being open and available to others can enrich your life experiences. He also delves into his passion for golf and how it has ebbed and flowed and as a reader, I was able to relate this to my own life in not only golf but other passions.
His storytelling ability to evident in his writing as he paints a very vivid picture of the goings on around St. Andrews, the various characters he meets and the stories he hears which makes you feel like you are along for the ride with him. You are audience to Sean's personal development and his awareness of his own story puts the reader in a position to follow a similar journey and be aware of the people and things around you and show gratitude to them.
While this is a "golf book", it really felt like more than that and I have recommended it to many different people in my life with varying degrees of interest in golf. I would high recommend reading it and I am looking forward to Sean continuing his career as a novelist.
May 31, 2024
This was a fascinating story describing Sean’s summer living in St. Andrews rediscovering his love for the game of golf. One very interesting side story throughout the book was the early days of the LIV golf tour. This book had it all! Tidbits of history surrounding St. Andrews, beautiful description of the landscapes and courses, and awesome backstories filled with interesting characters he met along the way.
This is a book that non-golf fans and fanatics of the game could equally enjoy. Sean did an amazing job with his storytelling and descriptions of terrain as well as how specific courses he played are set up. This is a book that I read through very quickly once I picked it up. It moves fast in the best way possible.
I would definitely recommend this book!
This is a book that non-golf fans and fanatics of the game could equally enjoy. Sean did an amazing job with his storytelling and descriptions of terrain as well as how specific courses he played are set up. This is a book that I read through very quickly once I picked it up. It moves fast in the best way possible.
I would definitely recommend this book!
February 22, 2025
I enjoyed the parts about the town of St Andrews, the Open Championship at St Andrews, the Women’s Open at Muirfield, the affection towards North Berwick and a behind the scenes look at what the LIV tour in London looked like.
But the author’s frequent divergence to his political views and inferiority complex as a writer took a lot away from the book in my opinion.
But the author’s frequent divergence to his political views and inferiority complex as a writer took a lot away from the book in my opinion.
May 11, 2024
This is one of the most enjoyable golf books I have read. Sean Zak, a writer for Golf.com, decided to spend a summer in St. Andrews, Scotland, often known as the home of golf. He wanted to experience the town, the famous golf course and the people. His account of his time there is both light hearted and introspective in just the right balance. He is living out every golfer’s dream. Since the Open Championship was held at St. Andrews that summer, he got to meet a lot of famous people in the world of golf but his stories about the locals were the highlight of the book. I would recommend this one to any golfer who has ever thought about what it would be like to play the Old Course. Who hasn’t?
July 16, 2024
Great book. I read it on my way to Troon for the open this year and it felt like it opened my eyes to the ways these events impact a town, a place, and how those work when they aren’t in town. I have a sudden desire to pick up my clubs again and find my way to the queue for the old course
April 30, 2024
Sean's book will take you inside the ropes of St. Andrews and the sport of golf. From some golf history to St. Andrew characters and the birth of LIV, its all covered!
October 12, 2024
Fantastic storytelling. Thanks for letting us spend a summer with you Sean.
February 20, 2025
Quick read, enjoyed it but nothing new for me which is okay! Great to be transported to one of my favorite places on earth.
May 29, 2025
This was a great read. I always want to go back to St Andrews, but now I’d like to go sooner and for longer.
May 20, 2025
This book was donated to my local library by the "Friends of the Atascocita Library" (FOAL).
I got to read it 1st and now I'm going to go buy one for my home library.
I really enjoyed the book. Sean Zak's style fits my reading style just fine.
Thought provoking at times, fun at times, serious business at times and always interesting reading.
The information shared about LIV was disturbing. I'm a Phil Mickelson fan and I was a Greg Norman fan... They certainly have the right to grab the money when it is available. If the Saudi's had opened a business venture and invited me to join for 1/10 the money the pros got, I would have taken it.
I really enjoyed the way the differences between golf in America and golf in Scotland, Ireland, England is described. I makes the way the Europeans play on the PGA Tour all the more impressive and explains why Americans don't do better in The Open. Like most golfers I want to play St. Andrews and now I want to stay in town and play all the local courses over a summer! I look forward to reading more from Sean Zak.
I got to read it 1st and now I'm going to go buy one for my home library.
I really enjoyed the book. Sean Zak's style fits my reading style just fine.
Thought provoking at times, fun at times, serious business at times and always interesting reading.
The information shared about LIV was disturbing. I'm a Phil Mickelson fan and I was a Greg Norman fan... They certainly have the right to grab the money when it is available. If the Saudi's had opened a business venture and invited me to join for 1/10 the money the pros got, I would have taken it.
I really enjoyed the way the differences between golf in America and golf in Scotland, Ireland, England is described. I makes the way the Europeans play on the PGA Tour all the more impressive and explains why Americans don't do better in The Open. Like most golfers I want to play St. Andrews and now I want to stay in town and play all the local courses over a summer! I look forward to reading more from Sean Zak.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews