Classy Divots

Here it is, a magnum opus for golf-fiction fans: thirty-seven stories, written over the course of eighteen years (1986-2003), polished from their original online versions to an even greater clarity concerning the spiritual, psychological, and animal aspects of our game. Classy Divots: The Best From Golf''s Online Literary Magazine presents ample helpings of R.N.A. Smith''s principal characters -- haughty Professor Birdbaum, luscious lawyeress Leslie Brentel, Shakespeare-lover Roger Alcott, and rock-hard pro "Saint Peter" Cunnard. But, this story collection is more noteworthy for the common threads of ingenuity, sophistication, and wit that spin through each tale like well-struck wedges. If you have trouble picking your driving strategy, read "To Tee Or Not To Tee"; if you think there''s got to be a better way to speed up play, delve into "The Wizards"; if you ever wondered what the Devil''s golfing weakness would be, it''s there in "Double Eagled"; or, if you like to bet on the links, flip a coin between "In The Beginning," "Plumb Bob Crazy," "The Other Side Of The Coin," and "Naked Nerve." No matter which story comes "up," you''re a winner. Two classics, "A Golfer''s Christmas" and "Cupid Plays A Round," commence a strong foursome of holiday stories at the center of this "scratch" collection.