Andrew grew up in the Scottish Highlands and as a teenager was a caddy at The Carnegie Links, Skibo Castle. He used to carry clubs for a businessman from Atlanta Georgia, Gene Brooks. Gene had similar ambitions and business expertise and together we established our publishing company, 18 Greatest Golf, and its intention is specifically to produce the world’s loveliest golf books, the most serious in terms of their overall artistic ambition.”

“This might be far-fetched, objectionable to some, but I see golf as something of a Zen pastime”

With their concept firmly in place, the pair set out on an unforgettable journey round the British Isles, meeting enthusiasts and listening to stories from across the region.


“Compiling the books was, really, to live the dream. Our first title was 18 Greatest Scottish Golf Holes and our second title 18 Greatest Irish Golf Holes. Compiling long lists and short lists and buying every book on the subjects which I’d ever fancied but hadn’t got round to and couldn’t previously justify was glorious. And then interviewing countless experts – from tour players to green keepers to club managers and club pros – was wonderful too. But inevitably playing (sometimes walking) all these courses again and on occasion for the first
time was fabulous. It was a great education because often I’d be accompanied by the club professional or secretary or historian or some such. We took it very seriously and followed up every lead we got about a perhaps slightly obscure golf course with a single stand-out golf hole.”

Both books are centred on the magic of Isles golfing: a dream for enthusiasts the world over. We asked Craig why Scotland and Ireland have such a strong appeal for golfers:

“The British Isles are home to almost all the bona fide links courses in the world and it’s in Scotland and Ireland that the majority of them, the best of them, are found. More specifically, Scotland and Ireland have an unreasonable number of golf courses for their populations; at the top end the quality is off the scale and at the lower end (I’m thinking little local golf clubs) still often surprisingly superb; there are whole villages and towns given over to the game; and the people are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about it. I’ve mentioned links golf but actually there’s a great deal of variety and quality inland too. Simply, Scotland, the home of golf, is the best place in the world to play the game. And Ireland’s courses are phenomenal and its reputation for hospitality and charm is entirely deserved. If I wasn’t a Scotsman I’d be proud to be an Irishman!

“I believe they are very good value, certainly no more than a cashmere pullover, decent whisky and fine cigar, all of which should be on hand for maximum enjoyment whilst reading...”

There’s a strong connection with nature throughout the books, perhaps a connection that’s inherent throughout the world of golf. Craig told us it’s a connection that puts him at peace, but isn’t necessarily ‘natural’:

“This might be far-fetched, objectionable to some, but I see golf as something of a Zen pastime in no small part because of its connection with nature, being in the moment, feeling the landscape and the conditions, calculating one’s own position within it...

Having said all that, golf courses are but an approximation of nature, a place’s true wild character edited out. Golf courses resemble nature but are not natural. Mind you, the courses featured in any books about Scottish and Irish golf will be about as close to nature as golf gets.