The USGA has named Par Excellence: The Biography of Sir Michael Bonallack, which was written by Donald Steel, as winner of the Herbert Warren Wind Book Award for 2018.
Established in 1987, the Herbert Warren Wind Book Award recognises and honours outstanding contributions to golf literature. Named for the famed 20th-century American golf writer, the award acknowledges and encourages outstanding research, writing and publishing about golf. Presented by the USGA Golf Museum, the Book Award is the top literary prize awarded by the USGA.
Donald Steel will be recognised at the USGA’s Annual Meeting and Service Awards in San Antonio, Texas, on February 23.
“Donald Steel’s biography of Sir Michael Bonallack is yet another noteworthy accomplishment in his remarkable career in golf,” said Rand Jerris, USGA senior managing director of Public Services. “A true renaissance man, whose achievements span from print journalism to course design to elite competitions, Steel exemplifies the world Herbert Warren Wind profiled so affectionately – a place where dedicated amateurs give completely of themselves to the game we all love.”
A combination of engaging prose, thorough research and appealing design, makes Steel’s book an important addition to golf history – particularly as the first book on such a prominent and significant personality of the game, Sir Michael Bonallack.
In the biography, Steel explores the centuries’ old Bonallack dynasty through the lens of golf’s golden couple, Michael and Angela Bonallack. Romantically weaving a narrative of Bonallack’s far-ranging golf contributions, Steel takes his readers on a journey from Bonallack’s playing glory, to his role as secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, and ultimately to his knighthood and election as captain of The R&A. Through it all, the book puts family first, just as Michael and Angela have always done in their six decades of marriage.
The USGA is currently accepting submissions for the 2019 Herbert Warren Wind Book Award. To be eligible, a book must be an original full-length work about golf, written in English, and must have been published between November 2018 and October 2019. For more information, contact Hilary Cronheim at the USGA Golf Museum at museum@usga.org.