A little while back, I was contacted by Bob Cayne, author of the book, …Nothing Major.  He asked if I’d like to review the book and since I have a soft spot for books on golf humor, I gladly accepted. 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. 

Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia, by Dr. David Cook, is a fictional tale set in a real location: Utopia, Texas.  In the book, a chance meeting between a disheartened golf pro and an improbable mentor – a small-town rancher with uncommon insight – leads the pro to a crossroads in his life. 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

Without a doubt, the 2008 U.S. Open was one of the greatest golf tournaments I’ve ever had the pleasure to watch and it probably ranks somewhere solidly within the list of the most exciting ever played. 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 Downhill Lie: A Hacker’s Return to a Ruinous Sport, by Carl Hiaasen, is a look at his return to the game of golf after having sworn it off in 1973.  After 32 years, and a couple of chance encounters, he ended up back on the course and, before long, was plunged headlong into golf again. 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

Follow the Roar, by Bob Smiley, is a chronicle of Smiley’s journey to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of following Tiger Woods on every single hole of every single tournament during the 2008 season. 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