The Wit & Wisdom of Bobby Jones
A Review of Sid L. Matthew's Collection of Jones Golf Quotes
Apr 4, 2007
The Warm Up
The name “Bobby Jones” rings with an unmatched resonance in the world of golf. The name conjures up visions of persimmon woods, sharply creased trousers, and dapperly draped jackets (green of course). The time that all of golf awaits is upon us, the time when we visit the magnificent house, or rather, the unparalleled course that Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. built in Augusta, Georgia for The Masters, arguably golf’s premier event in the US. Will Tiger Woods make this his personal playground as he did a decade ago? Who will be doing the most praying around Amen Corner? There is no dearth of questions as golf’s Super Bowl approaches.
Sidney L. Matthew has to be considered one of the premier authorities on Bobby Jones. Matthew has coauthored two books with Jones himself, and has written several about him and all things connected to him. What better time to read about Bobby Jones, and what better author?
The First Tee: In the Rough
The 2003 collection of words uttered by Jones himself, The Wit & Wisdom of Bobby Jones, arrived amidst mounting anticipation. In the book’s foreword by Robert T. Jones, IV, a passage noting the lack of great literary contributions of athletes reads, “However, nobody would complement Berra for his great contributions to literature.” Of course he meant “compliment” and something as miniscule as that shouldn’t cause dissonance, but it did.
Recovery: Back in the Fairway
Only 86 pages, this easy read is arranged in categories entitled, Instruction in Golf, Psychology of Golf, Philosophy of Golf, Humor of Golf, and Reflections on Golf. It may have been difficult to determine to which categories some quotes belonged, because some were included in more than one category.
Trouble with Club Selection
Quotes sometimes began with “In the second place…” or “The second failing…” and we were left wondering what is “the first place” or “the first failing?” For example, on p.26, a passage begins, “In the second place there is a feeling of better and easier balance.” The reader doesn’t know to what Jones is referring. Ten pages later, however, another passage reads, “The matter of bringing the feet closer together than most golfers has two distinct values. In the first place it reduces tensions throughout the body.” It appears as though the two passages are related, but there is no way to know. Pulling such thoughts together would have enhanced the reading experience.
Help Please Caddy
For those are not fully familiar with golf terminology or the gentlemanly manner in which Jones spoke, some of the quotes may need a bit of translation. For example, “The almost universal tendency is (for the ball) to creep more and more ahead until the player suddenly finds out that at address the ball is directly opposite his right foot when he would have sworn it was opposite his left.” It would seem that if the ball crept ahead, indicating forward, that it would be opposite the left foot more so than the right, unless one were left handed. The collection might have benefited had the editor used his intimacy with Jones and the game of golf to explicate such passages.
A Solid Score on the Back
Despite encountering such divots in the fairway, pick up The Wit & Wisdom of Bobby Jones for lovers of the game. Listening to Jones’ approach to, and perspective of, the game and instructional passages about the takeaway, stance, and full swing and Jones’ approach to the mental game of golf, in the Psychology of Golf section, is well worth the time.
Heading for the 19th Hole
When it's all read and done, the nutritional nuggets in Sid L. Matthew's collection of Bobby Jones' expressions can be consumed in one sitting, in small bites, or in repeated nibbles. They can certainly energize your game, and at the very least, they will whet your appetite for one of the main courses that Matthew provides in his other books on Bobby Jones.
