Kindle
$11.99
Available instantly
Hardcover
$22.48
$22.48 with 20 percent savings
List Price: $28.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, September 3 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 11 hrs 49 mins
In Stock
$$22.48 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$22.48
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Sean Zak
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Searching in St. Andrews: Finding the Meaning of Golf During the Game's Most Turbulent Summer Hardcover – April 2, 2024

by Sean Zak (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 78 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$22.48","priceAmount":22.48,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"22","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"48","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"BiNkOpMen6aEnWULhhh2i1y%2B0PNXOYLYtYm7wnczFPzYcWxqULaoNhnriTEL0qavC5QEXUqu2rCKNe4U11%2B711011Y6UOTU634GjCQHF0VvdQeQ4bvZ10DGrxNLBy37LEGEb3eKnMLxVmu7OqaKrog%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A compelling journey through the heart and soul of golf, bringing the sport's history and the current state of the game to life

When Sean Zak arrived in St. Andrews, Scotland—the mecca of golf—he was determined to spend his summer in search of the game's true essence.

He found it everywhere—in the dirt, firm and proper, a sandy soil that you don't see in America. He found it in the people who inherited the game from their grandparents, who inherited it from their grandparents. He found it in the structures that prop up the game—cheap memberships and "private courses" that aren't private at all.

At every turn he also found LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed entity which descended on the professional circuit during that summer of the 150th Open Championship. Zak's personal pilgrimage now offered him a front-row seat at a cultural reckoning, one which pitted the game's longstanding customs against a divisive new force.

Searching in St. Andrews is the vivid chronicle of an unforgettable sojourn in the birthplace of golf, informed by sublime mornings on the Old Course playing with just four clubs, evenings spent analyzing legal documents riddled with greed, and the singular characters he encountered along the way.

Readers will meet a 92-year-old who just learned how to putt, explore the many differences between Golf Over There and Golf Over Here, and even experience caddying on the PGA Tour, from deciphering the yardage books to keeping your player on time to drinking until sunrise after you've missed the cut.

Written with heartfelt curiosity and charm, this is an essential portrait of golf amid the crosswinds of tradition, progress, and power.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Triumph Books
  4. Publication date
    April 2, 2024
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1637273320
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1637273326
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Searching in St. Andrews: Finding the Meaning of Golf During the Game's Most Turbulent Summer
This item: Searching in St. Andrews: Finding the Meaning of Golf During the Game's Most Turbulent Summer
$22.48
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Sep 3
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Rainmaker: Superagent Hughes Norton and the Money-Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond
$19.96
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Sep 3
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Playing from the Rough: A Personal Journey through America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses
$17.94
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Sep 3
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Choose items to buy together.

From the Publisher

Searching in St. Andrews
Searching in St. Andrews

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Only in Scotland could you spend 90 days basking in all its glory and still feel like you've only scratched the surface.

About the Author

Sean Zak is a writer and multimedia journalist for GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. He lives in Chicago.
 

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Triumph Books (April 2, 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1637273320
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1637273326
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.22 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 78 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sean Zak

Sean Zak

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sean Zak is a writer at GOLF Magazine. He plays his golf and does his writing on the lakeshore in Chicago.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
78 global ratings
A Must-Read for Golfers 🏌🏻‍♂️🏌️‍♀️
5 out of 5 stars

A Must-Read for Golfers 🏌🏻‍♂️🏌️‍♀️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Kyle
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Golfers and Fans of Great Storytelling
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book is a story of a personal journey centered around golf, but through the storytelling becomes very relatable to golfers and non-golfers alike. Sean's trip to St. Andrews is a fascinating peak behind the curtain of professional golf and the history of golf more broadly and for golf fans this will be a very interesting and timely story considering the turmoil in the golf world today

However, this is not the main theme. Instead, Sean takes the reader on a journey of life with his summer in St. Andrews as the backdrop. How golf connects people from various walks of life and how just being open and available to others can enrich your life experiences. He also delves into his passion for golf and how it has ebbed and flowed and as a reader, I was able to relate this to my own life in not only golf but other passions.

His storytelling ability to evident in his writing as he paints a very vivid picture of the goings on around St. Andrews, the various characters he meets and the stories he hears which makes you feel like you are along for the ride with him. You are audience to Sean's personal development and his awareness of his own story puts the reader in a position to follow a similar journey and be aware of the people and things around you and show gratitude to them.

While this is a "golf book", it really felt like more than that and I have recommended it to many different people in my life with varying degrees of interest in golf. I would highly recommend reading it and I am looking forward to Sean continuing his career as a novelist.
Helpful
 Report
Chris M.
4.0 out of 5 stars Golfer's Dream
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024
Verified Purchase
Loved it. Much in the same vein as Sojourn in Scotland, To The Linksland and American Caddie in St. Andrews. Leaves you scheming how to spend your summer in St. Andrews.
Helpful
 Report
Ernie
5.0 out of 5 stars i went along .
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
I am glad that Sean invited me along on this my longest vacation. St Andrew’s was not only a relaxing trip but one filled with adventure . We made new friends as well as golf courses. Sean, thanks for letting me tag along. Until we travel again!!!
Helpful
 Report
Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
The author is fantastic. Highly recommended read for any golf fan.
Helpful
 Report
Anna Bruhn
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Storytelling
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
This was a really enjoyable read. In particular, the storytelling of the people he met during his summer in Scotland (some of whom were just regular people, not all part of the golf circuit) had me wishing that I made more out of the everyday experiences I have with others. Everyone has an interesting background or story to tell if you are just willing to listen. I personally do not follow professional golf closely, but I found Sean's story entertaining and engaging throughout. I learned a lot from Sean's insider perspective on the dynamics behind the PGA / LIV as everything burst into the open that summer. I would recommend this book for anyone, whether you are a golf aficionado or not.
Helpful
 Report
Andrew Walker
4.0 out of 5 stars Good overall, but something lacking
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2024
I am a huge St. Andrews fan and have been lucky enough to spend considerable time over there over the last 15 years. Usually, 7-10 days each trip. Loved reading about Sean playing many of our favorites- North Berwick, Elie, etc... and spending time in and around town. It is definitely a special place.

Hard to put my finger on it, but something is lacking- empathy maybe? He seems pretty judgmental and harsh on some of his playing partners- especially poor Rich Halliday. Maybe things we think, but don't say out loud are better left unsaid, or left unwritten for all to read.

This would be 4th on my list of golf writers who have spent time overseas. Behind the gold standard "To the Linksland" by Michael Bamberger, "Two Years in St. Andrews" by George Peper, and "An American Caddy in St. Andrews" by Oliver Horowitz. All seem to be able to articulate what makes golf in Scotland- and the people of St. Andrews in particular so special.

Saying that, I loved reading about the Open over there and his observations inside the ropes and the first LIV press conference in London shortly after he got there. His insights about caddying in the Scottish Open were really sharp as well.
Helpful
 Report
Jon Nehring
5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique and Great Book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Loved this book by Sean Zak! Great for those of us who love golf but has so much else to offer as well. This felt like a combination of a mini-memoir and mini coming of age story mixed in with the description of a summer that many can imagine themselves wanting to experience.

As a golf fan, I enjoyed the inside the ropes narratives that you won't find just anywhere. The chapter on Sean's caddying assignment is particularly memorable in this regard.

Having traveled a decent amount in Europe, I loved his description of the pace of life and the integration of the game and industry of golf into the communal life of St. Andrews. This is one of those unique books that you wish you could find more of.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Claude Ferguson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great storytelling and lots of heart
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book. The storytelling is phenomenal and the book has tons of heart. As a major golf nerd myself I enjoyed all of the inside information about players, tours, etc. Sean is a great writer and this book is a must-read for all serious (and maybe not so serious) golf fans.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Matt hulse
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2024
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed this book. Great insight into St Andrews and the characters that make up it’s unique persona plus interesting story of the writers stay and play there during the 2023 Open
Report