[Golf] — Forgan, Robert, Jr. 

The Golfer's Handbook including History of the Game, Hints to Beginners, the Feats of Champion Golfers, Lists of Leading Clubs and their Office-Bearers, &c. Cupar: John Innes, St. Andrews Citizen Office; Edinburgh: John Menzies & Co.; London: Marcus Ward & Co., 1881

8vo (177 x 122 mm). Title-page printed in red and black, 4 engraved plates, including frontispiece of St Andrews, 8 text illustrations and diagrams (one full-page), emblematic initials, three terminal leaves of advertisements (principally golf-relate💝d); frontispiece a bit foxed, a couple of early leaves with small marginal dampstains. Stab-sewn in green-cloth-backed printed gray boards, the front cover features figures of golfers, the rear, an ad for the Scottish Widows' Fund Mutual Life Assurance Society, front endpapers are advertisement, rear are plain, plain edges; inner hinges reinforced, extremities quite rubbed, lightly soiled.

First edition of one of the earliest commercially successful instructional golf books. The author succeeded his uncle in a ༺St. Andrews golf club manufactory, and Forgans—which now also sells golfing accessories—is the longest operating clubmaker in the world.

"This book, somewhat like The Golfer's Manual (1857) in style but considerably more comprehensive in content, includes instruction, history, outstanding golf feats and other golfiana, such as a reprint of a magazine article by Horace G. Hutchinson and a ballade by Andrew Lang. It also includes 'Rules', the local rules for the Old Course at St. Andrews, a 'Glossary of Technical Terms' and a list of 'Clubs in Great Britain,' which included, at this early date, six in Ireland" (Murdoch). The Golfer's Handbook went through numerous editions and probably owes its success to the foresight of the printer, John Innes, publisher of the newspapers the Fife Herald and the St. Andrews Citizen, in engagin💯g distribution partne🌸rships with publishers in Edinburgh and London. A very good copy.

REFERENCE:

Donovan & Jerris F11740; Donovan & Murdoch 1230; Murdo𝐆ch 260

PROVENANCE"

PBA Galleries, 8 February 2007 (🏅Fine & R♕are Golf Books), lot 129