... was born in Cincinnati but spent his formative years in Montreal and in London, where he attended Harrow School. In 1984, he accepted a Morehead Scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he took creative writing classes with Bland Simpson and Max Steele. He graduated from UNC with a BA in comparative literature. Following graduation, Scott spent a year in Denver where, among other achievements, he coached a high school soccer team to an 0-15 record.

From Colorado, Scott moved to Charlotte, where he worked as a copywriter and typesetter. He then set out on his own as a freelance writer specializing in preparing manuals for financial institutions such as Barclays American Mortgage and Bank of America. He also wrote articles for a number of local publications. In 1992, he became editor of SouthPark Update magazine. In 1995, he joined Knight Publishing's Subsidiary Publications department. He is also the editor of Shouting at Amen Corner, a compilation of the best of former Charlotte Observer sportswriter Ron Green's articles and columns about the Masters.

Scott took up golf seriously in 1993 and has lowered his handicap from "not listed" to five. Scott continuously updates this guide, researching and reviewing golf and golf courses in the Carolinas. It's a tough job...

Scott is married with a two-year-old son, a slothful rat terrier and a crazed retired racing greyhound. He's a country member of Machrihanish Golf Club in southwest Scotland and regularly participates in tournaments held by the National Association of Left Handed Golfers.

... is a freelance writer in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He plays golf every possible moment throughout the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee, California, Scotland or wherever an assignment or a whim may take him. He's steadily improving his game and fully intends to be good at it someday.

Mitch grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he earned a master's degree in education and taught elementary school, then college, for more than 13 years. During that time he also learned to play golf and wrote numerous sports-related features for a variety of publications. The sports-writing interest was borne in high school when he was sports editor and photographer for the High Times newspaper.

A dedicated runner and fitness buff, Mitch enjoyed road racing for 17 years, then finally recognized that his aching feet would improve on the golf course but not on the road. When he moved to North Myrtle Beach more than seven years ago, his love of golf intensified. Too many courses are readily available and affordable to deny the passion. He travels frequently for golf experiences and other business. Whenever an opportunity arises, a golf course always beckons. When not golfing or writing about it, he actually enjoys his real job as a Realtor, and he will talk to anybody about buying and selling property in any state.

His trip to St. Andrews, the home of golf in Scotland, during the initial research for this book, provided additional inspiration, if not reverence, for the game. Walking the links, seeing the home of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and learning exactly how and where the phenomenon all began in 1400 AD brought an almost-religious experience into his life.