In this entertaining cultural history, Moss explores the circumstances that led to the establishment of the country club as an American social institution and its inextricable connection to the ancient, imported game of golf. Moss traces the evolution of country clubs from informal groups of golf-playing friends to "country estates" in the suburbs and eventually into public and private daily-fee courses, corporate country clubs, and gated golfing communities. The book shows how these developments reflect shifts in American values and attitudes toward health and sport, as well as changing social dynamics.

This is the first text to provide comprehensive coverage of three major types of clubs: country clubs, city clubs and yacht clubs, and others (e.g. racquet clubs, university clubs), and to explain the similarities and differences in their management and marketing.