Beautiful new book reveals first-of-its-kind ratings, criteria, and backstories of 100 superlative symbols
ATLANTA — Courses, players, inventions—what in golf hasn’t been ranked? Logos. Until now.
The Best Logos in Golf, a new four-color, 256-page book from Back9 Press, celebrates the game’s most meaningful and visually compelling club emblems through an exclusive ranking of the top 100. Written by award-winning golf journalist George Peper—editor of LINKS Magazine, former editor of GOLF Magazine, and author of 20 books—the volume combines history, tradition, and design with the first comprehensive ranking of iconic golf logos.
“A golf club logo is rarely mere ornament,” Peper writes in the book’s introduction. “It carries memory, identity, and meaning. Sometimes it serves as an invitation; at other times, a barrier—or even a passport. A small enamel pin exchanged across a clubhouse bar can open doors continents away.
“A bag tag swinging from a travel cover in an airport speaks volumes without a word. It tells us who we are. And in golf, perhaps even more pointedly, it tells us where we belong.”
Featuring full-color imagery, the book includes high-resolution club logos and expert commentary from leading golf logo designers Seth McWhorter, Ian Gilley, and Kate Smith-Stroh. Each logo is accompanied by its origin story. Some trace their roots to heraldry; others stem from local landscapes and traditions.
Together, the stories span the globe and feature an eclectic cast of characters, symbols, and inspirations—from flags and flora to buildings, birds, saints, sinners, and squirrels. While many of the featured logos are instantly recognizable, others may surprise readers.
However, some internationally known emblems do not make the list.
Peper and the “Logo Lads”—three avid, well-traveled golfers with a decade-long passion for club iconography—reviewed hundreds of golf club logos worldwide. To qualify, each logo was evaluated against seven criteria: distinctiveness, heritage, quality, timelessness, symbolism, versatility, and backstory.
“The final group includes familiar championship venues alongside clubs so small that even seasoned travelers might struggle to find them on a map,” Peper says. “There are private enclaves and public munis, sprawling resorts and tiny outposts, with memberships ranging from fewer than 100 to more than 10,000.”
Rather than assigning precise numerical rankings, the book presents the top 100 logos in tiers of 10—The First Tier, The Second Tier, and so on. It also includes an “Emergency Nines” section highlighting logos notable for their charm, character, and eccentricity.
The book features a foreword by PGA Tour veteran Brad Faxon, whose fascination with golf logos began in his college years at a club that would later be included in the book’s First Tier.
The Best Logos in Golf is available for preorder at www.back9press.com and at Amazon.com for $79.99, plus shipping. Books will begin shipping Oct. 1, in time for the holiday gift season.
A limited collector’s edition, signed and presented in a slipcase, is available for $149.99.