Friday, June 26

penfold hearts

He looked sharply at Goldfinger. 'You play a Number One Dunlop, don't you?'

'Yes, of course.' A sixth sense of disaster wiped the triumph off Goldfinger's face. 'What is it? What's the matter?'

'Well,' said Bond apologetically. ''Fraid you've been playing with the wrong ball. Here's my Penfold Hearts and this is a Number Seven Dunlop.' He handed both balls to Goldfinger. Goldfinger tore them off his palm and examined them feverishly.

Slowly the colour flooded over Goldfinger's face. He stood, his mouth working, looking from the balls to Bond and back to the balls.

Bond said softly, 'Too bad we were playing to the rules. Afraid that means you lose the hole. And, of course, the match.' Bond's eyes observed Goldfinger impassively. -Fleming, Ian. Goldfinger. New York: Macmillan, 1959. 80.

Penfold rereleased the Heart golf ball last year to coincide with the Ian Fleming Centenary, though you can dig up 1960's Penfold Hearts on ebay every so often. Beyond that though, the novel of Goldfinger is must-read. At the absolute very least, grab a copy in the library and read the golf match chapters.