Golf World has always used the best photography (to go with its writers) so for every hundred words there is a picture to add the equivalent or more to inspire you. When a region does not have the proliferation of places to play that is typical of more developed regions, the editorial mixes taking in the architecture and the history (or the more modern) which turns a golfer into a more general tourist - once they have sampled a round or two.

The Chapter on South Africa has a conscience to it. For Florida, the information is spot on, including how expensive (and how much cheaper) it can be. South Carolina is a must for any US visit and if you want to know where Thomas Bjorn learnt his game, Denmark is obviously well worth a visit. Of the less recognisable golfing counties, Egypt seems not far behind Morocco and Turkey is becoming a place to go to escape UK winters.

There are some hidden gems revealed, individual courses which are given their own chapters, ranging from just a couple of pages to a full blown presentation which will surely make it impossible to book a tee time for the foreseeable future, as well as lots of précis within larger chapters for special places in developed golfing territories. That is the quandary of a book such as this. Golf is perfect when it doesn t take a day or isn t on overplayed golf courses.

The best (by design, exposure or beauty) can control the amount of play through green fee prices which even on a bad day for a high handicapper, can work out at £2-3 per shot. Golf though, as a holiday, is now big big business. The newer championship venues are now rarely member courses and clubs and to play lots of the places in this very good book is expensive. South Africa seems the real value option and what really comes over in many of the Chapters is that making a golfing escape should not be all about just playing golf. Leisure facilities go with big time golf so that a playing holiday can be some R&R as well, or it can go a bit further and take in some culture and just getting around to see more than the fabulous views which are on offer from the course. Ask any Tour Pro about the bad sides to their profession and it is never seeing anything outside the walls of their luxury hotel rooms.

Going back to this book, its a great present for this Christmas (any occasion) for a golfer who wants to play abroad. It takes the best of the travel features from one of the UK s leading golf magazines, literally removing away the need to collect a mountain of paper. It has some excellent writing, beautiful pictures, and contact info for courses and travel companies who can take you on a Golfing Escape.

Golfing Escapes is printed by Haynes for Haynes Publishing and Emap Active.

Its available from all good bookshops, priced £16.99

ISBN 1 84425 146 2