Book excerpt: Ever since that fateful day several hundred years ago when a Scottish shepherd first struck a rock with a shillelagh, perhaps no single athletic pursuit has brought man more joy and frustration, more fulfillment and utter despair than the game of golf. It has been said by many that it is a microcosm of life itself—a beautiful game which tests the mind, body, and spirit. As a testament to that, there has been no shortage of inspired writing on the topic, as golf has long caught the interest and imagination of some of the world’s finest and most celebrated writers. Contributors include P. G. Wodehouse, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bernard Darwin, Ring Lardner, Horace Hutchinson, Charles E. Van Loan, A. A. Milne, Francis Ouimet, and many more.