Who doesn’t love a good list on the topic of golf? I’ve done a number of them myself over the years. They’re fun to do, they’re a good way to dig into any facet of the game and its history, and they’re a great way to spark debate.

Who are the top five players of all time? What are the ten best tournaments ever? Name the five greatest shots you’ve ever hit. Name the five best shots you’ve ever seen. The list (of lists) is virtually infinite.

Shapiro and Sherman did some serious brain-storming to come up with most of the 100-plus lists included in the book. It’s filled with some creative, well-researched lists that are fun to read and thought-provoking.

But they did one better. They also included lists by notable figures such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Jiyai Shin, Ian Baker-Finch, Ron Sirak, Dave Kindred, Jim Nantz, Peter Kessler, and a number of others.

I can’t exactly review a book of lists without doing a list of my own. Here are a few of my favorite lists from the book:

• My Five Most Memorable Golf Shots (by Arnold Palmer). I love the fact that The King can rattle off his five best shots, some 50 years after the fact.
• Why We (Occasionally) Hate Golf. Everything great has a dark side. Golf is no different.
• Worst Bodies/Best Golfers. The fitness craze is mostly a new phenomenon. One thing that many pros shared with amateurs in days gone by was similar non-attention to physique, with some notable exceptions, of course.
• Golf’s Greatest Traditions. There are a boatload. I don’t envy the work involved in whittling the list down to ten.
• The Wit and Wisdom of Lee Trevino. The Merry Mex has always been known for his memorable quotes.
• Stuff You Probably Never Knew About the Masters. A Masters list is always a good thing.
• Golf Clichés. This list is better than most… better than most!
• The Difference Between the Pros and Us. Another one that could go on way beyond seven items.
• Biggest Chokes. It’s painful to watch, but it happens to the best of us sometimes.
• Resumé Gaps. Hard to believe The King never won a PGA Championship.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I can’t say I agreed with every item, but that’s the beauty of lists. The greatest shot, greatest tournament, greatest player, the best, the worst, it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

One thing is certain: the lists in this book will get your mind churning and you’ll come up with your own counter to many of the items. And, of course, many of the entries can’t be disputed. Or can they? There’s only one way to find out. Read it for yourself and we can continue the debate.

The bottom line is, I highly recommend this book. It’s a fun read, it will educate you on the history and traditions of the game, and will be a great source of debate among you and your golfer friends.

Golf List Mania! retails for $15. Click here for more information from the publisher.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: Golf List Mania!

Please note that this review contains a few plot spoilers, which are labeled, should you prefer to avoid those sections.

The Caddie Who Won the Masters, a novel by John Coyne, shares the story of Tim Alexander, an aging, inexperienced golfer who wins the USGA Mid-Amateur championship and an even bigger prize: the invitation to play in the Masters that is customarily extended to the champion of that and several other amateur events.

About the Author

As described on his website, John Coyne is the author of more than twenty-five nonfiction and fiction books, including a number of horror novels. A former Peace Corps Volunteer and a life-long lover of golf, Coyne has edited and written a number of books dealing with both subjects.

The back cover of the book also adds:

“Coyne, known for his novels of the occult, blends his skill with the supernatural and his knowledge of golf and its history to tell a Field of Dreams-like tale that brings the great legends alive again.”

As it turns out, that’s a great summary of the feel of this book.

The Plot

After winning the United States Mid-Amateur, Alexander finds himself thrust onto what can be considered one of golf’s most storied and historic stages. The Masters, first played in 1934, has been host to some of the most talked-about moments in professional golf.

Not only does the inexperienced Alexander have the weight of The Masters on his shoulders, but his wife Kerry, home in Illinois, is suffering from cancer, adding to his mental burden.

Shortly after arriving in Augusta, he is approached by a mysterious man, who promises that he can save Tim’s wife, if only he can win the tournament. With the help of a young caddie named Clay Weaver, Tim Alexander embarks on the most difficult of challenges: winning The Masters as an amateur. His doubt in himself and in his caddie make it seem like an impossible task, but the mysterious man claims that he can do it.

Tim is not concerned with the Green Jacket. His only concern is saving his wife. But as the week wears on, with the help of the mysterious man, the impossible starts to seem possible.

Reaction

It’s clear that Coyne is a golf lover, and even more, a student of the game, and especially of The Masters. The book is filled with a historic flavor that really brings The Masters to life. Not only did I have the sense that I was walking those hallowed grounds with our protagonist, but there was so much information about the history of Augusta, The Masters, and its champions sprinkled throughout that it was a real treat to read.

[Begin Spoilers]

I have one chief complaint about this book. The mysterious man that helped Tim Alexander was the ghost Clifford Roberts, Augusta National’s first chairman. Through out the week, Roberts brings the ghosts of Masters past to help out. Tim was aided by the likes of Bobby Locke, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, and others. Even Bobby Jones himself helped out with his quest to win The Masters.

That, I don’t have issue with. I found the supernatural twist made the story quite interesting and added to the historical feel of the tale. My issue is that these legends of the game stood there while Tim was playing, only visible to him, and told him how to hit shots, where to play the ball, how to play certain holes, and so on.

So, you’re thinking, “wait…you don’t have a problem with ghosts appearing to the guy, but you have a problem with them helping him out?”

Yes, I do. To many golfers, the Rules of Golf are a sacred part of its history and tradition, maybe more so than The Masters. Rule 8 prohibits a player from soliciting advice from anyone other than the player’s partner or either of their caddies. That includes long-dead chairmen and Masters champions.

As the story progressed and Tim received advice from the greats, I just found myself thinking, “Hogan would never do that.” “Jones would never do that.” And, so on.

On the other hand, I’m of the opinion that a story is the one the author wants to tell and whatever happens, happens for a reason. This is the story Coyne wanted to tell so I’m OK with that. But it did tarnish my opinion of the underdog champion. If any of us were in that situation, and had a chance to save a dying loved-one and all we had to do was cheat in a golf tournament, most of us, maybe even all, would do it. Still, there’s no glory in the win, but that’s not what Tim Alexander was seeking from the start, I guess.

Perhaps this is exactly what Coyne intended, but being such a lover of the game, I would have expected Tim Alexander to be painted in a less positive light, more along the lines of a guy in a tough situation, forced to have made a deal with the devil so save someone he loves. I guess, in a way, there was a sense of that, and the winning of the Masters was definitely downplayed, so perhaps I felt exactly how Coyne intended.

[End Spoilers]

Conclusion

I found this book to be very enjoyable to read. It really had me feeling like I was strolling the fairways with an unlikely player, taking in the history and majesty of The Masters. The plot moved well and kept me quite entertained.

Aside from one minor complaint (which I detailed above in the spoilers section), I liked it a lot. If you like to read golf fiction, especially if you love reading about The Masters, as I do, then I think you’ll like this book as well.

For more information on this and other books by John Coyne, please visit his website.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: The Caddie Who Won the Masters

Stan Utley is something of a rarity, having played golf at the highest levels, including being a winner on the PGA Tour, and having gone on to a very successful teaching career. He has been recognized as one of the 50 greatest teachers by Golf Digest (he was named 6th on the list in 2010) and he counts among his students, many players from the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, LPGA Tour, and others.

As the title of the book suggests, Utley tries to get away from overly-mechanical teaching to unleash the talent within players. The following excerpt from his website summarizes that philosophy.

To teach the “Art of the Short Game” using a fresh and unique approach. It is my desire to move beyond the jargon and mechanics of the short game and tap into the creativity, imagination and feel that all good short game players possess.

Chapter List

To give you a feel for what is contained within, here’s a listing of the chapters in the book.

1. How Can You Score with the Swing You Have?
2. What Are Your Short Game and Putting Handicaps?
3. The Three Basic Shots You Need to Know Today
4. The Three Hardest Short Game Shots, Made Simple
5. Short Game Strategy
6. Bunker/Trouble Shot Strategy
7. The Putting Strategy Guide
8. Tour School
9. Inside the Shotmaker’s Bag
10. Quick Reference Guide

Impressions

The book gets off to a good start with a foreword by Jim Hardy, a teacher who you’ll find right behind Utley on the top-50 list, and a teacher for whom I have great respect. Hardy kind of sets the tone for the book, not only with his high praise for Utley’s methods, but by preparing the reader to be ready to be shown how to “quit fighting your feel and and get out of your own way,” to be shown that “you can do incredible things around and on the green.”

While you’ll find some mechanical instruction in the book (chapters three and four, for instance), much of it is a refinement of mechanics, preparation, mental approach, equipment configuration, and so on, to help you discover the artistic side of golf.

As far as mechanical instruction goes, Utley discusses six shots that he believes you need to master to have the best shot at scoring. Those are: the basic pitch, the basic bunker shot, the lag putt, the 30-50 yard pitch, the shot from rough, close to the hole, and finally, the long bunker shot. Utley walks through his philosophy and technique for each of those six shots, in detail.

He also covers some ground that was a little familiar to me in the realm of the mental and course management segments of the game. He stresses things like preparation and commitment to every shot, and being a process-oriented player instead of being a results-oriented player.

Conclusion

I’ve come to believe over the last few years that there is no one-size-fits all in golf instruction. I genuinely believe that. Our minds all work differently. We have different capacities for analytical thinking. We have different temperaments. We have different bodies, different tempo, different things we want to get from the game.

As such, this book doesn’t really hit home for me as much as it will with some of you. And believe me, there are some of you reading this that will absolutely love this book and will benefit from reading it.

I don’t mean that to be a criticism of the book, per se. It’s well-written. It covers interesting and important topics. And there’s no question that Utley is one of the best teachers in the game.

My own brain is just not as receptive to an artistic way of thinking. Maybe that’s something I need to improve. In fact, it’s a place where I’m trying to expand my horizons in things other than golf by taking an interest in things like photography and oil painting.

For me, Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible and his Putting Bible are the gold standard for short game and putting instruction because they turn on the little imaginary light bulb that floats above my head (you do have one of those, don’t you?). I’m very receptive to the scientific leanings of his books.

Style aside, I do find Pelz’s books to be about as comprehensive as possible in their respective areas. After reading them, I feel like just about every conceivable thing relating to putting and short game are covered. Utley, on the other hand, aside from having some fundamental differences from Pelz on basic technique, focuses his instruction in areas where he believes players will reap the most benefit, so you’re not going to see every kind of shot covered. But, that’s kind of the point.

In fairness, Utley does have other books which cover putting and short game, which I have not read, but I think it’s fair to assume that there’s a much more comprehensive coverage in those books. After all, the point of this book is simply to teach you how to score better, not to teach you every shot in the book.

I did find some valuable material in the book, especially since I’m trying to expand my artistic side, but I’m going to continue to look toward Dave Pelz for the technical side of things.

My basic recommendation is this: if you’re the type of player with an artistic side that likes to play by feel, or if you’re someone who simply wants to move in that direction, I think you’ll really like this book and will get a lot out of it. If you’re like me, and like a more analytical, scientific approach, you might not identify as much with Utley. I still think there’s some value in reading it, but you might come away like I did, with the feeling that I expanded my knowledge, but without a spark being lit to explore the concepts further.

No matter what your style, though, you will definitely find at least some useful information in the book, though some of it might be ideas you’ve heard elsewhere. There’s not really anything ground-breaking contained within, but it’s the sum of the parts that becomes Stan Utley’s blueprint for helping you score better.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: The Art of Scoring

Instead, these books provide a humorous take on the seedy under-belly of the game. Cheating, lying, and gratuitous (though well-deserved) violence fill the pages of these books, which aim to parody the myriad of self-help golf books on the market today.

The material contained within could have only come from the depraved mind of a person who has been playing golf far too long. If you’re reading this, it most likely applies to you too, so wipe that smile off your face. I’m trying to become a pro over here, why am I associating with you people?

Aww, who am I kidding?

I like good golf humor as much as the next guy. If you can’t laugh at your own golf game then I’ll do it for you. These books are easy to get through, probably an hour each if you put your head down and go. Or, they could entertain you during numerous trips to the can, depending on your fiber intake, of course.

Here are a few chapter titles which might pique your interest and give you an idea of where I’m coming from:

• How to Get More Distance Off the Shank (Chapter 7, How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt)
• Using Your Shadow on the Green to Maximize Earnings (Chapter 9, How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt)
• Where to Buy Golf Pants with “Drop Pockets” (Chapter 10, How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt)
• How to Enjoy Your Partner’s 129 (Chapter 27, How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt)
• The Importance of Realizing That Most Golfers Are Bad Golfers (Chapter 32, How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt)
• When to Suggest Swing Corrections to Your Opponent (Chapter 39, How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt)
• What it Means When the Only Way for You to Hit a Good Ball is to Step on a Rake (Chapter 2, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• What to Do When Your Pause Becomes a Seizure (Chapter 9, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• When to Approach the Clubhouse Instead of the Green (Chapter 12, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• The Importance of Carrying a 95° Wedge (Chapter 16, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• How to Handle Your Caddie’s Hysterical Laughter (Chapter 26, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• Body Blocks and When to Use Them (Chapter 34, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• Why You Should Hit the Ball on Your First Try (Chapter 42, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)
• Why You Should Never Exaggerate Your Scores by More than 10% in Either Direction (Chapter 46, When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever)

The bottom line is, golf is supposed to be fun, but it can be funny, too. These books put a smile on my face, probably because there’s a little too much truth in them. I’ll probably never deliver a 9-iron to the solar plexus of of a complete jerk, but next time I tee it up with one, you can bet Chapter 13 of How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt will be right there at the top of my thoughts.

I found both books to be enjoyable, and I think you will too. If you bask in the glory of your own bad golf, then these books might provide some comfort in knowing you’re not the only one. Or maybe the comfort comes from knowing that others are suffering too. I’m not sure.

Either way, most importantly, don’t think you’re going to get away with using pants with “drop pockets” against me, because I’ll be watching.

For more information, please visit the 4Putt website.

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Disclosure: A copy of each book was provided to me by the publisher, for review purposes.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever and How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt

Since then, there have been countless magazine articles, blog posts (you can check out my Stack and Tilt category if you don’t believe me), and even an instructional DVD set. There has been much debate about the swing and it has even been discussed during national golf broadcasts.

I’m not sure why, but it took a couple of years for Plummer and Bennett to follow up the original Golf Digest feature and subsequent instructional DVD set with this book.  However, if you’re serious about the Stack and Tilt swing, or are even seriously considering giving it a try, then this book was probably worth the wait.

It amazed me in 2007 how many weekend players adopted the swing with relatively little information to go on. After all, the Golf Digest article was only a handful of pages. I even tried it myself based on that limited information. The need for more knowledge was kind of filled with the various subsequent outlets of information on the swing. Unfortunately, none of them is a really good substitute for a book.

Though the DVD instructional set was quite detailed and informative, the price tag was too steep for many people. This book comes in at less than a third of the price, and in my opinion, is more packed with detail.

The book starts with an initial overview of the swing and the theories behind it. From there, it takes the reader through the phases of the swing, including setup, backswing, downswing, and follow-through. After that, a detailed comparison of the Stack and Tilt versus the conventional swing is given. It finishes up with some more theory, drills, common faults and fixes, and a primer on how to track progress.

Though the book isn’t long (at a little over 200 pages), it is packed with plenty of images that demonstrate the concepts, and contains a lot of detail that is quite helpful to aid in understanding the swing and all the theory behind it.

One of the things I like about this book is that it provides a ton of technical detail while still being quite easy to read. For this reason, I think it serves the widest array of people possible – those who crave technical knowledge as well as those who might just have a casual curiosity about the Stack and Tilt swing.

One thing that Plummer and Bennett did with this book that appears in hindsight to not be such a great idea, is that they really hung their hats on their stable of PGA Tour players. Included in the book are blurbs both about and even from the handful of players that have become synonymous with the Stack and Tilt swing.

At first thought, that would seem like a great thing. Unfortunately, included in that group of players are both Aaron Baddeley and Mike Weir, who both have abandoned the swing since the original printing of the book in late 2009, and have returned to their previous traditional-type swings.

I know that pros are always trying to improve their swings, their equipment, their mental state, and so on, so it’s not unusual that players would try a swing and then revert back to their old ways, but it just rings hollow to read testimonials from Weir and Baddeley about how the swing has helped them, all the while knowing that they left it behind.

That aside, I still think this book has a ton of merit. There’s still debate out there as to whether the swing itself has merit, though. I’m one of those people that thinks it does. I don’t know that it’s the answer for everyone, but I’ve heard directly from so many people that have had success with it, that I’d be a fool to think otherwise.

Given that, my verdict on this book is that it’s excellent for anyone thinking of trying out the swing, or for anyone that has been playing with the Stack and Tilt swing but that would like to gain more refined knowledge about the concepts.

So that leaves one burning question. Does the book do a better job getting players using the Stack and Tilt than the instructional DVD set? The answer is yes and no. Both have their merits. For instance, the book has a great deal more detail. On the other hand, the DVDs provide plenty of visuals of the swing in motion, something that still photographs in a book don’t quite match.

If I was going to adopt the Stack and Tilt swing and if I was given the choice of either buying the DVD set or buying this book, I would definitely buy the book, for two reasons. For one, the book is a fraction of the price. Secondly, the book is packed with a lot more detail. Don’t get me wrong, the DVDs are quite detailed. It’s just that it’s not possible to put the same amount of detail as you can into 200+ pages in book format.

Overall, this book is a winner to me. Even though I don’t use the Stack and Tilt swing, I still like to read books like this. Especially after hearing critics come down on the concepts as being “radical” or otherwise wrong. Plummer and Bennett turn that around masterfully, though, with plenty of examples of great players from the past doing the things that they tout as Stack and Tilt fundamentals.

If you’re a Stack and Tilt player or if you have an itch to give it a try, I recommend this book to you. I think it will definitely help. Or, if you’re like me and just like to read about swing theory, I think you’ll like it too.

————————————————————————

Disclosure: A copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes. I received no other compensation for writing this review.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: The Stack and Tilt Swing

According to his biography, Bob Cayne has been playing golf for six decades, and has done a variety of things in the golf world, including organizing large tournaments and consulting.  Perhaps the biggest influence for this book (the basis really), was the weekly radio show he did with co-host George Sweda, Talking Golf.

Throughout its run, Talking Golf was a fertile ground for the cultivation of funny golf anecdotes, jokes, and more. Cayne channeled that material and plenty more from his other experiences and …Nothing Major was the result.

The story behind the title gives a little indication of what’s in store.

In the days of Talking Golf, a number of people prominent in the golf world recorded teasers for the show and these teasers were typically in the form of jabs at the show.  Jack Nicklaus’ blurb was the following: “This is Jack Nicklaus. I’ve won my share of majors and I have to tell you, Talking Golf with George Sweda and Bob Cayne is nothing major.”

Priceless.  Some of the others are even bigger pokes at the show, but I’ll leave those for you to discover, should you choose to pick up the book.

Sixty years playing golf has to change a man.  Bob Cayne, on the back cover of the book, touts “…the ability to laugh at myself.”  He has it in spades.  In those six decades, he’s seen and heard it all.  Self-deprecation must be a defense mechanism.  In my fifteen years playing golf (including a few years working on a course) I feel like I have sixty years worth of golf experiences.  Maybe golf years are like dog years.  In that case, Bob Cayne is like the Methuselah of golf.

As I said at the top, I have a soft spot for golf humor books, and …Nothing Major definitely delivers.  Cayne has a lifetime of humor to share.  It’s a lot of fun, delivered in short bursts, appropriate for even the most ADD-stricken among us.  I enjoyed the book and if this kind of golf book is your thing, I think you will too.

You can get more information about the book at the …Nothing Major website.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: …Nothing Major

After an on-course meltdown, the pro finds himself some 80 miles west of San Antonio in the town of Utopia where a 9-hole “goat track” surrounds an old cemetery.  The pro meets up with Johnny, the local rancher who takes him through a seven-day journey on the Links of Utopia.

This book is much, much more than simply a story.  Beyond being an interesting tale, it is also a serious lesson in the mental game of golf.  On top of that, it is also a deep spiritual journey.

Dr. Cook is recognized as one of the country’s top sport and performance psychology consultants.  He has served as mental coach to over 100 PGA Tour players, and has also worked with athletes from many levels of sport including the NFL and NBA, Olympics, and collegiate players.  Golf Digest has recognized him as one of the top mental-game coaches.

And that’s just some of the highlights.

It’s clear that Dr. Cook brought together all of his experience with the mental game of golf and crafted a story which is not only compelling, but is also highly informative, educational, and inspirational.   His mantra of “See, feel, and trust” may seem awfully simple, and on some level it is, but it’s something we golfers don’t do very well.  The fictional pro spends his seven days trying to come to grips with that simple philosophy.

But this book isn’t just about a simple mental game philosophy.  It is also a parable for a very spiritual transformation that our friend the pro must go through.  And frankly, it’s a very powerful and uplifting transformation.

When a copy of this book arrived in the mail, I was wondering when I’d have time to fit it in, with the massive pile of books I’m trying to work through.  But, sort of by chance, I had a few minutes that evening and I leafed through the first few pages.  I was hooked.  I ended up moving it to the top of the stack and knocking it out in two or three pre-bedtime reading sessions (which is unheard of for me).

Understand that when I say this book has a spiritual message, I mean in a Christian sense.  And also understand that I’m not a religious person at all (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  However, I still found the message to be very powerful, applicable to me (and really anyone), and I absolutely, positively, felt personally uplifted when I read it.

If I had not been sent a copy of Golf’s Sacred Journey, it’s not likely that I would have read it.  As I said, I’m not a spiritual person, and I don’t tend to read much fiction anyway.  If I saw it on the shelves at my local book store, I might not have connected with it.  However, I’m glad that it showed up at my door.

If you’re a spiritual person who plays golf, I believe you will get a lot from this book.  If you’re a golfer with interest in the mental game, I believe you will get a lot from this book. If for some reason, you really don’t like to delve into spiritual material (and I typically don’t), you might want to give it a pass, but I think you’re really missing out.  The lessons apply to both golf and life, in general, and while a spiritual person may get another layer of meaning from the book, I don’t think a non-spiritual person need feel left out, because the message is still valuable.

I give this book my highest recommendation.

One side note:  the golf hole on the cover of the book is actually a hole through the book itself.  How cool is that!

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: Golf’s Sacred Journey

The storyline was almost surreal.  Tiger Woods, probably the best player who ever lived, had come back after knee surgery, and as we found out later, was still seriously injured.  He was stared down to the bitter end (and then some) by Rocco Mediate, a player often described with terms like “journeyman” and “everyman”.

It took 91 holes to decide the battle and, as we know, Tiger Woods came out victorious. Tiger needed to hole a knee-knocking putt on the 72nd hole to even get into a playoff with Mediate.  The two then stayed neck and neck for an 18 hole playoff and Tiger finally won it on the first sudden-death hole where Rocco didn’t make the putt he needed to extend the playoff.

Tiger’s performance became more legendary after we learned the true nature of his injury.  Throughout the week it was obvious he was hurting, but we didn’t find out until later that he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee as well as stress fractures in his leg.

That’s not to take anything away from Rocco Mediate.  He gave Tiger a serious run.  Though he was an underdog in the tournament – usually the entire field is when Tiger plays – he bested everyone else and nearly beat The Man himself to take home the prize.

The drama on Sunday that spilled into Monday swept the golfing world.  It’s reported that trading was actually down on the New York Stock Exchange during the playoff.

The story was spectacular, but the story behind the story is compelling, as well. How did it all start for Rocco Mediate? What hurdles did he face on his way to that historic showdown?

“Are You Kidding Me?“, by Rocco Mediate and John Feinstein answers those questions and more.

No only does this book give a lot of detail about Rocco’s start in golf and his early career, it also gives a very detailed account of that U.S. Open week and the lead up to it, where Rocco had to play his way into the tournament through sectional qualifying.  We learn more about his longstanding back problems and how he overcame them.  We also learn how this brush with greatness affected Rocco as he moved on and found himself flush with new opportunities.

I still vividly recall the 2008 U.S. Open and I remember the knot I had in my stomach as it played out on Monday.  I’m a huge fan of Tiger Woods and always like to see him win, but how could I not pull for Rocco to win?  He seems like a great guy and the word is that he’s liked by everyone.  It was a great underdog story with two guys that had to play through adversity to contend for the U.S. Open.

I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable recounting of how Rocco found himself in that moment and how the week played out.  It is well written and quite a compelling story. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning Rocco’s back story or for anyone who would like to relive some of the magic of the 2008 U.S. Open from the perspective of one of the guys that made it happen.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: Are You Kidding Me?

The Downhill Lie is a humorous account of the year and a half following Hiaasen’s return to golf, the “ruinous sport” that it is. From an innocent 9-holes with a friend that culminated with a big member-guest tournament, his return was filled with ups and downs and, frankly, more downs.

I won’t tell you whether he decided to stick with golf at the end of the journey, but I will say that he experienced some nice personal revelations.

The Good

• Hiaasen has a great writing style and is really funny.  There were several parts in the book that actually triggered laugh-out-loud moments for me.
• Players that have been playing golf long enough will personally identify with every success that Hiaasen enjoyed and every setback that he faced.  It’s got the feeling of a train wreck.  You’ll want to turn away because of the uncomfortable familiarity with your own game, but you won’t.
• I love the cover photo (above).

The Bad

• Hiaasen gave up golf for 32 years.  What’s wrong with this guy?

Conclusion

As hard as it is to understand why someone would give up golf cold for 32 years, it’s easy to understand his frustration.  Hiaasen’s humorous style is sprinkled with just enough bitterness, dejection, and despair to make his tale compelling.  We can all identify with parts of it.

I got a number of laughs from the book and tore through it pretty quickly. It was a fun read and I highly recommend it.

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: The Downhill Lie

I have to be truthful in saying that when I first got my hands on the book, I didn’t have high expectations.  I pictured a sort of logbook of every shot Tiger made in 2008.  It was probably his most amazing season, given his winning five times in seven tournaments on a bad knee and broken leg.  And in the two he “lost” he finished second at the Masters and fifth at the WGC CA Championship.

But  I wasn’t sure how compelling it would be to read about every hole.   I was wrong.  Smiley caught my attention early and kept it through the end of the book.  Tiger is obviously the centerpiece of the book, but I’m a road trip-loving guy and Smiley’s adventure was a fun ride for me.

The Good

• It’s quite a fun read.  At the time he started his challenge, Bob Smiley was an unemployed sitcom writer.  His wit and lighthearted style made for some laughs through the retelling of a number of humorous happenings along the way.
• As I said at the top, 2008 was probably Tiger Woods’ most amazing season.  It was a pleasure to watch it unfold, and it was definitely a pleasure to relive the season throughout the book.
• The slew of people Smiley connected with over the season was quite interesting.  Some of them were real characters and many of them shared moments of commiseration with Smiley during Tiger’s bad shots and moments of elation during Tiger’s good ones.  It really added to the shared emotion that is Tiger Fandom.
• Smiley encountered a number of challenges in trying to see Tiger on every hole of every tournament, from travel mishaps to getting tickets to every round of every event.  When I started the book, I didn’t know if he actually succeeded or not, and I won’t tell you either, but I was definitely wrapped up in that part of the tale and was rooting for him through his setbacks hoping that he would achieve his goal of seeing Tiger play every hole.

The Bad

I really try hard to note down any criticisms for all the books I review, however small, but I’m coming up short here.  No book is perfect and I’m sure there’s something that can be stated here about Follow the Roar, but I’m a golf nut, not a literary critic, so I’m just going to say that nothing stood out in the book that I didn’t like.

One thing I will say, not as a criticism of the book, but as a warning to people who may not know what to expect, is that this book isn’t going to give you much insight into Tiger Woods.  It’s written from the outside looking in, from the perspective of a golf fan who evolved into a Tiger fan.  It’s not a biography and not a book about how Tiger plays golf.  Aside from few the snippets of conversation Smiley caught between Tiger Woods and his caddie, Steve Williams, you’re not going to really get any of that stuff.

Conclusion

As I said from the top, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.  I think any fan of Tiger Woods will enjoy reliving all his great moments from 2008 from the perspective of another fan.

Bob Smiley was a man on a mission, trying to see Tiger on every hole and it was a roller coaster of ups and down.  You’ll notice a definite transformation of Smiley’s own attitude about Tiger from the start of the book through to the end.

You don’t necessarily need to specifically be a fan of Tiger to enjoy this book.  Any golf fan can appreciate the journey that Smiley embarked on starting with the Buick Invitational in January 2008 and ending abruptly in June at the U.S. Open with one of Tiger’s greatest wins.

Watching golf on TV is great, but there’s something special about being there and seeing it in person.  Smiley really did justice to that in this book.  Take if from me – if you’ve ever been to a tournament with Tiger Woods in the field, you know that Follow the Roar is about as perfect a title as he could have picked.  His gallery is huge and so is its roar.

Follow the Roar definitely gets a thumbs-up from me.

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Further Reading:

Fore Right (Bob Smiley’s blog)

© 2007-2011 Life in the Rough. All Rights Reserved.

Book Review: Follow the Roar