The Golf Omnibus / P.G. Wodehouse

The Golf Omnibus

category: humour, collection, author:

P.G. Wodehouse

original copyright 1916 on,
read in January 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

A most enjoyable book: Light, funny, guaranteed happy endings...

Who would have thought there could be so many angles on the game of golf? Who would have thought there is any humour at all, in the game of golf!

The humour is lightly ironic, poking fun at the golfing addiction. Those who do not play golf are... well... odd. Lovers are driven apart when one of them does not play golf; then brought together when the non-player sees the error of their ways and takes up the clubs.

After a few stories, The Oldest Member takes on the role of Narrator. He knows everyone, is too old to play but corners younger players and forces them to listen to his anecdotes. Even the person of the Narrator adds gentle fun to each story!

Still... an entire volume of golfing stories... Surely it's all a bit too much?

Well, perhaps. The style of each story is similar. The style of the humour is similar. There are perhaps only two plots: golfing lovers and golfing rivals.

Yet each story is so very satisfying!

Here is the difficulty... Here is the humorous action... How can the difficulty possibly be resolved? Here is the resolution -- and everyone is happy! Okay, an occasional rival will be put in his place. More often, though -- everyone wins :-)

In one story, two young men challenge each other to a special golf match, winner gets the girl. Each player has a cunning plan -- bordering on cheating. We're not sure which man is nice enough to get the girl... but when she is actually consulted -- she is already engaged to another... And that's about the least happy ending of any story.

More typical is the very first story: A group of golf club members unite, to help a nice guy to win his first ever golf tournament!

Want to be cheered up?

Read any book by P.G. Wodehouse.

..o0o..

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