Oftentimes the land we interact with daily has more history than we realize – from urban environments and greenspaces to the places we call home. And for some, home is a fairway, stretching greens and bunkers that abound. Tom Coyne gave us a taste last Fall of walking the greens of America’s golf courses, and this year we are honored to host author, golf historian, and founding director of the Binienda Center for Civic Engagement at Worcester State University, Mark Wagner to learn the history and people behind these beautiful lands. In his most recent publication, Native Links, Wagner unveils the often-overlooked history of the golf courses we enjoy, and their rich connections to the First Peoples who inhabited them, long before par fours. Join us for an introspective on contemporary relationships to the historic value of land – an evening not to be missed by any golf goer or connoisseur alike.
If you are unable to attend the event, but would like to purchase one or more signed copies, please visit Buxton Books here.
About the Book
As seen in the Boston Globe, The Golfer’s Journal, Golf Course Architecture, ICT News, The Worcester Telegram, and elsewhere, Mark Wagner’s writings on golf have focused on the unique history and excellent design. In 2024, Wagner was the first Runner Up in the Coyne Prize, which celebrates the best storytelling in golf. In his new book, Native Links, Wagner turns his attention to the surprising history of the country’s First People. The result is an entertaining and inspiring look at the history of the game—and the country—we all love.
About the Author
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Dr. Mark Wagner is the fourth child of eight born to Jack and Pat (Coyle) Wagner. A decorated athlete and educator, Mark has published extensively on golf course architecture and history. In 2021, as he explored the history of Native-owned golf courses, Mark began to realize there were many firsts among our First Peoples in golf, a game he has loved since his childhood outings in the Adirondacks with his family. The result is Native Links, a travelogue and oral history about and by the Indigenous people who have shaped and played the game. Mark lives with his partner Monica Elefterion on a small farm in Dudley, Massachusetts, where they raised their son Myles and fostered Cody and Jared.
