New Book - Links of Heaven: a complete guide to golf journeys in Ireland

By Richard Phinney and Scott Whitley. Published 2007 by Arum Press. Originally published in 1996 and now fully updated and expanded, "Links of Heaven" is part a practical guide to Ireland's finest courses and a part travel book. Along with hard, practical information, it also offers a warm and affectionate portrait of the country's golfing community and its history.

In the course of their travels the authors encountered a rich assortment of colourful characters, with whose help they recount the often improbable histories of courses such as The Island, founded by a group of Dublin aristocrats in 1888 or Connemara, the realisation of a dream conceived by a parish priest determined to bring visitors and prosperity to his parish on the westernmost fringes of County Galway.

The chapters on individual courses, their histories and characteristics, are interspersed with anecdotes and reminiscences that bring Ireland and its golfers vividly to life and with information on food and drink, accommodation and some suggested itineraries for visiting players.