Stoney Baloney is a comedic account of a season at Stonehaven Golf Club. Two friends - the author, Alex Russon, and  Keith Douglas - reunite after a three-decade break to participate in the Winter League competition. 
Does it end in harmony or in the courts? The answer lies within Stoney Baloney's fast flowing pages, as do random recollections of Stonehaven over the years, you'll love it

Colin Farquharson writes: That's the review you will get of Alex Russon's fourth book if you google it.
I have to own up to personal mixed feelings about the contents of  the book, which is certainly in a good cause: the proceeds go to Stonehaven RNLI and Stonehaven Rotary.
I liked the bits that were factual about the Stonehaven golf course, Alex's memories of his youth - he was the club junior champion in 1986 - and the real characters from the past such as Bryan Innes and Andrew Locke, people I have known for years.
But I thought Alex's  attempts to invent a fictional vendetta went on too long and its finish was too much of a Greek Tragedy for my liking.
Stonhaven Golf Club and course play a special part in my journalistic career. The first golf tournament I was sent out to, from Aberdeen Journals' then HQ at Broad Street, by bus, I might add, to report on it for the Press and Journal, and the Evening Express (we worked for both newspapers back in the 1950s), as a wet-behind-the-years teenage cub sports reporter was the Stonehaven Open, won by Wallace Anderson, who also played football for Falkirk.
The clubhouse, opened in 1897, is the same one that was there more than 60 years ago when I cut my tee as a golf reporter. Time for a new one? 

I'd be interested to know if you agree with me about the book. Buy a copy - it costs £7 - read it and let me know!

FROM THE MEARNS LEADER NEWSPAPER

It has been described as a mix of fact and fiction: Alex confesses to not being as good a golfer as Keith, but in the book the tables are turned and Alex is the better player. The book is not all for all for laughs though, Alex uses it to address some serious issues in his life too. He lived as an alcoholic for many years - which he blames for not being as good a golfer as he could be - and reveals in the book how becoming a Christian helped him overcome his addiction. “It’s not all dark though,” he said. “But there is a bit of how Christianity helped me beat being an alcoholic.” Stoney Baloney will be available at the golf club, shops in the town, his blog and online stores like Amazon, as well as an audiobook version, narrated by Alex.

Read more at: http://www.mearnsleader.co.uk/news/local-headlines/stoney-baloney-details-local-club-1-4204315

"Stoney Baloney" is described as a mix of fact and fiction: Alex confesses to not being as good a golfer as Keith, but in the book the tables are turned and Alex is the better player. The book is not all for all for laughs though, Alex uses it to address some serious issues in his life too. 
He lived as an alcoholic for many years - which he blames for not being as good a golfer as he could be - and reveals in the book how becoming a Christian helped him overcome his addiction. 
“It’s not all dark though,” he said. “But there is a bit of how Christianity helped me beat being an alcoholic.” 
Copies of Stoney Baloney (£7) are available at Stonehaven Golf Club, shops in Stonehaven and online stores like Amazon, as well as an audiobook version, narrated by Alex.

The book is not all for all for laughs though, Alex uses it to address some serious issues in his life too. He lived as an alcoholic for many years - which he blames for not being as good a golfer as he could be - and reveals in the book how becoming a Christian helped him overcome his addiction. “It’s not all dark though,” he said. “But there is a bit of how Christianity helped me beat being an alcoholic.”

Read more at: http://www.mearnsleader.co.uk/news/local-headlines/stoney-baloney-details-local-club-1-4204315