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Golf's true definition depends on the writer Have you ever had in your foursome an aquadextrous player who produced so many golful shots that he would constantly misanthrowp or engage in flaggression? If you have no idea what that sentence says, perhaps you should refer to a new book, "Golf For the Fun of It," by two Ashland men, Mike Holstein and Scott English. You'd find: Aquadextrous is someone able to hit into a water hazard from either side of the tee or fairway; Golful is a shot so heinous no one speaks for several moments; Misanthrowp is the act of trying to hurl a club farther than the just-hit ball; Flaggression refers to a variety of on-the-green behaviors, like rushing to grab the flag, letting the flag flap in the wind as a person putts or ramming the flag into the cup after one's own golful putt. These are some of the terms the authors have coined for hard-to-describe golfing situations in their book, a lighthearted, far-reaching look at a game that so often is depicted in a far more serious vein. There is something in the book for the novice, something for the low-handicap, tournament-tested player and something for all of us in between. But the prevailing notion is that you don't have to go low to enjoy golf. "Occasional weekend golf is not getting too good of press," says Holstein, who teaches in the honors program at Southern Oregon University. "The average golfer playing once a week or once a month and still having fun, that story wasn't being told." So Holstein and English, a biologist and habitat restoration specialist, set about to do so. Would anyone be interested in this story? The numbers suggest as much. The authors cite that of the 26.7 million Americans who play golf, the average scores for 18 holes are 97 for men and 114 for women. The overall average is 100. Their premise is that something other than low scoring attracts these golfers to the course like ducks to water. "Competition is one way to enjoy the game," says Holstein, "and it's a good way. We enjoy playing competitively. It tests you. But we also want to say it's not the only way." They present examples, from playing without a scorecard, to focusing on pristine surroundings and wildlife, to trying alternative forms of golf, to taking a cerebral approach, to combining the game with travel. It's a rose-colored look at a green-glossed game, and that perspective might not appeal to players who place an emphasis on scoring. Yet, other parts of the book will enthrall most anyone. Interviews with players of all ages, including a number from the Rogue Valley, are noteworthy. A son tells of his deceased father's game; a couple of black men in Washington, D.C., give accounts of barriers they and their family members encountered; a man who made his first hole-in-one at age 95 proudly tells how he still walks the course, often wearing a sweatshirt that reads, "96 and still putting." Another chapter deals with the history of the game. Another with course design. Another with the aesthetic appeal the game offers. In the chapter on alternative methods of playing the game, there's a detailed account of Alan Shepard wielding a mean, modified 6-iron on the moon; of Xtreme golf, which recently found its way to the Rogue Valley; and of a one-hole, par-70 course in Kodiak, Alaska. The latter takes place up the side of Pillar Mountain and requires a fore caddie to mark the colored ball in the snow and another to bring along a saw, hatchet and shovel to prepare playable lies. There is color on every page, and the book is rife with photos and tips. Neither Holstein nor English is hugely accomplished at the game. Holstein sports a 21 handicap at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Ashland and returned to the game four years ago after a 32-year hiatus. English has been playing for four years and is a 20. They took lessons several years ago from Mike Roberts of the Rogue Valley Country Club, and he mentioned he was writing a book about golf. "I thought, 'People write books about golf?'" says Holstein. The light that turned on over their heads remains illuminated as they market their 199-page work and partake in readings at bookstores. They kept reminding themselves that golf was their hobby, so was making this book. It required a year of writing, a year of gathering photos and graphics and a year to lay it out. "We read the manuscript aloud to each other three times," says Holstein, explaining the text's conversational voice. "I had to bribe Scott with chocolate chip cookies and coffee." Save for the cover, which was painted by a San Francisco artist, the entire book was produced in the Rogue Valley. The first printing, by Madrone Press in Ashland, was 5,000 copies. Another 2,000 unbound copies are available and can be customized. Holstein puts the cost of the book at "tens of thousands of dollars," and that still is cheap compared to what it would cost through a major publisher. The two also wanted "complete editorial, aesthetic and marketing control" over their work. In the month or so it has been out, they've staged readings at Bloomsbury Books in Ashland and Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Medford and will have others. "When we see people pick it up and browse through it," says Holstein, "they're entranced by the pictures. That surprised us a little because it took us a year to write all those words and we're serious about what we say, but they page through the pictures." It's one of many ways to enjoy this book. Have a local golf story idea? Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.