Golf as Meaningful Play

A very special book. . . a very detailed. . . guide to the philosophical aspects of the golf discipline, aimed above all at the curious golfer who is looking for a better understanding of the sport he loves so much. . . The fact that golf can serve as a "laboratory" to test oneself is a significant component of the attraction that this game has on those who practice it. Golf, if played well, conveys an experience that combines happiness, excellence and interpersonal prosperity. This book aims to illustrate how golfers can improve their game and even themselves, making golf a primary experience of life. [Translated from original Italian] * Il Mundo del Golf Today *
A two iron pured to a distant green describes my joy in reading this book. Golf has internal structures that, if understood and appreciated, help the golfer to seek and find ‘self-fulfilling golf.’ A discussion of the shot, the game, social and political issues, aesthetics and ethics, and presentations of golf in literature and film. I recommend this book to golfers, philosophers, and sport enthusiasts. -- Warren P. Fraleigh, author of Right Actions in Sport: Ethics for Contestants
W. Thomas Schmid’s analysis of golf is one of the best applications of Aristotle’s ideas to the sport philosophical literature. His essentialist proposal takes internalism deeper and provides new, original ways to respond to the challenges posed by contextualist philosophical theories of sport. I invite everyone interested in the philosophy of sport, or golf, to read Schmid’s work. -- Francisco Javier Lopez Frias, Pennsylvania State University
It is widely believed that golf has stimulated a more varied literature than any other game. Golf as Meaningful Play encompasses this impressive variety as thoroughly as any book I’ve read, opening windows into many of its mysteries. After reading it, if you’re a golfer, you will see the game in new ways. If you’re not, you may well be amazed. -- Michael Murphy, author of Golf in the Kingdom