4 comments about Bernard Darwin On Golf (On).

1. I bought this as a Christmas gift for my husband. He thinks it is very well written and is enjoying it a lot. He is an avid golfer, but was not familiar with Bernard Darwin.



2. Bernard Darwin lived through, played in and wrote about the Golden Age of golf. Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Bob Jones, Glenna Collett, Joyce Wethered, Ben Hogan and beyond - he knew them all. He wrote about golf from the perspective of an accomplished player but all his stories are gems, whether about the immortals and the classic tournaments and matches or about the mere mortals who populate the game of golf. This is a wonderful selection of golf literature and I am indebted to Mr Darwin for creating it and to Mr Silverman for bringing it to us.



3. Jeff Silverman's compliation of Darwin stories is a must have for any library. Long one of the Game's more overlooked heroes, Darwin's legendary writing style spells out in great detail of golf's most definitive years, where the purity and passion ruled the Sport.



4. I've long heard about the wonderful golfing essays of Bernard Darwin, the grandson of Charles Darwin, but I've never been able to find a collection. I have now. This excellent anthology covers the breadth of Darwin's long and honored career. It is filled with writing to be savored, and how fortunate we golfers are that there exists prose of such quality, heart, intelligence and wit on the game we love so much. Whether he's profiling great golfers he saw play like Bobby Jones, Frances Ouimet, and Ben Hogan, touring courses like St. Andrews, offering a strategic tip, or just weighing in on the small, seemingly insignificant things we all think about over a round -- like why can't the group ahead move faster, or when is this string of good shots I've just hit going to end -- Darwin's words are moving, funny, lyrical and insightful. I'm thrilled someone's finally put a book like this together. Having just finished the copy I bought for myself, I've purchased another three to hand out to the rest of my regular foursome before we tee off next weekend. This is a perfect addition to every golfer's library.

5 comments about Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond.

1. I was born and raised in Vinton, VA, just outside Roanoke. I have always followed the careers of both Ronde and Tiki Barber. I am proud that two local guys have done well for themselves--they deserve it! I enjoyed the book, even though I admit to skimming the detailed football games! My problem with Tiki's book is how he made Roanoke, Va seem in the country. He calls it rural and semi-rural a couple of times. He even says at one point that he wasn't sure that Roanoke had a limo service when he graduated from Cave Spring High School in 1993! You've got to be kidding!!! I graduated from smaller William Byrd High in Vinton in 1991 and I am sure we had limos for prom. Please, Tiki, don't act like you came from the sticks. This is Roanoke, not far southwest Virginia!!!



2. Dear Tiki, the reviewers on this site who labeled your book as self-serving could not be more spot-on. All I had to read were a few pages of your book, starting on page 59, where you talk about a dear friend of mine from college (yes, I went to Virginia and was in the class of '97 with you). If you were trying to prove that you've faced adversity in your life, this was not the appropriate way to accomplish this. You exploited a short-lived relationship with my friend and as a result completely disrespected her. If you want anyone to believe that you grieved after her death, you should have first spelled her name correctly. This was one of a few inaccuracies I quickly discovered. I always thought you were a very nice person in college but now, I unfortunately can't look at you on TV without feeling a little ill. Next time, do your homework. Better yet, consider the lives and feelings of others before your own. These few pages in your book were disgraceful.



3. It was an excellent book, but after I finnished reading the book it left me with alot of questions. Which some you just can't bare not to find the answer and you keep searching and searching, but still can't find the answer. That was one of the things that bothered me in this book. One thing that you mite enjoy it as much as I did, at the end of the book there is a section of the book with all of his stats and records. He is one of the best running backs ever to play the game. He is compared to Barry Snders,and alot more of the famous or to be famous running backs. One thing you mite not like is that he criticizes Tom Coughlin because of his practice style that every body should have th same drills as every other player if tour a rokie, bench warmer, star, or hall of famer you have the same practice as every body else.



4. I have been giants fan all my life ...Tiki was self serving on the field .... althouth successful ... he obviously was not a team player ... Tiki is now part of the drive by media ... will say whatever it takes to sell !!!!



5. I picked up this book with mixed feelings. Around the NY area, there are Tiki-lovers and Tiki-haters. I neither loved nor hated Tiki, I am just a Giants fan who wishes he had stayed, but understands why he left. It is his own decision, and I respect it. Sometimes I think fans want to control players lives, like they are some sort of commodity and we are on the board of directors. Life doesn't work like that.
   
   Enough preaching, and on to my review: I loved this book. It is the type where you cannot put it down; you say to yourself, "One more chapter and I'll go to sleep," and the next thing you know it is an hour later and you've read 5 more chapters. So you keep on reading.
   
   I think in this book the reader can really get to know Tiki. The style, pace, is as if Tiki is narrating all of this. I am not sure how much his ghost-writer contributed to this, but of all sports biographies, this seems to me the one most likely to have been penned by the athlete, with minimal editing.
   
   Reading about Tiki's childhood, relationship with his twin Ronde, his wife Ginny, members of the team, his masseuse in the city (strictly therapy) and especially his trip to Israel and meeting Shimon Peres, it was just incredibly engaging.
   
   I recommend this book not only to Giants fans, but to anyone who wants to read a biography of someone who has a positive attitude, isn't scared to speak his mind, and wants to better himself and society. I respect Tiki a lot more, and to me he is no longer #21 hiding under a helmet, or the stud runningback on my fantasy team, he is a real person about whom I really know something.

5 comments about Bury Me in a Pot Bunker.

1. Pete Dye has long been one of my favorite course designers and this book gave me some great insight into the mind of a master. I recommend this book to anyone who has played one of his courses and cursed Dye's name, it will make you appreciate all the design elements that you may have missed.



2. You are going to love this book despite if you are a golf lover or not. It's the story of some of Pete Dye best golf courses described in a chapter base. Those who know Pete will enjoy the book since it is like talking to him in person because of the simplicity of the words chosen and the graphical description that he makes of how each course was conceived.
   
   The story of the famous island green 17th at the Stadium Course at TPC is one of a kind. I particularly enjoy the story of "Teeth of the Dog", a course that could hardly be replicated in history since it was practically built by hand decades ago at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. It is not only the best Golf Course in the Caribbean -according to Golf Digest and many other publications- but also the birthplace of golf in the DR at this enchanted destination. I consider this course as the "Prima Donna" of the Caribbean and one of the top 20 in any most play list. I hope that in a next edition he could also include one of his most recent courses "Dye Fore" also at this destination which I partially saw in the book Caribbean Architecture: Exclusive Designs by Gianfranco Fini in Marina Casa de Campo and has a breathtaking view all over the Chavon Cannon, the Casa de Campo Marina and, of course, the Caribbean Sea.
   
   Pete's book will help you understand why there is such connection between the player and his courses, how he makes it happened and best of all the anecdotes behind the creation of each one of them. This book is a keeper and it rating is 5 out 5 starts with any doubts. The pictures are touching; the text is like talking to Pete himself and; is a most for any golf aficionado.



3. Books by golf architects tend to be on the dull side for most people. They don't tell you a story of their development as architects, or how their courses evolved during the design phase, but just seem to begin and end with "see, wasn't this brilliant?"
   
   Pete Dye is something of a mystery to many. His designs are "unique", which can be bad or good for most people. Where did his ideas come from? What influences him the most? What stories are behind his greatest feats?
   
   In this one book, we get pleanty of answers, all in a tale that feels like you are sitting down and listening to it as it is being told. Even golfers tend to think course architecture is a dull subject, but hopefully this will change a few minds. Architecture isn't some great mysterious practice. It is an art, and the artist is often times less seperated from us than we care to imagine.



4. Having played several of Dye's famous layouts, you realize this guy knows the game and challenges all facets of your shotmaking abilities (or should I say streches them.) Enjoyed the organization by layout. Must seem like real chapters in his life. Great book from a great architect.



5. Some think Pete Dye's golf courses are tricky or too hard. The courses Pete designs are built to be fair but punnishing for the right reasons. Played right, Pete's courses offer memorable rounds to the golfer. Now, it's not Pete who designs the course but a strong team of Pete, his wife Alice and his sons Perry and P.B. (architects in their own right) as well as the site managers and crews that are hired to do the building.

   You'll learn that Pete designs courses on a sheet of paper and this is where his skills lie - understanding the land offered for the course and knowing how the wind and terrain will match in creating a great experience. Courses like PGA West, TPC Stadium (Sawgrass), The Pete Dye Club, Harbour Town and many others are discussed. One chapter per course.

   Pete talks to you in this book. It's not an interview but it is presented as if Pete is telling you his life's story.

   For a golfer looking for lessons, these are a different kind of lesson - from the eyes of a designer (and historically gifted golfer too). You will play better golf after you read this.

   When you play a Pete Dye course, you'll remember Pete's words and how Alice was a main contributor to the design you're playing.

2 comments about Buried Lies.

1. I had my doubts about the book, but it was worth the read. Very easy style. Almost conversational. Good stories about other players and even better ones about himself. His description of the recovery proces after his hip surgery was worth the price of the book. Not the typical "don't we all agree how great I am" book. Makes you wish you knew him.



2. Jake is such a popular player and very versatile. Not only does he play golf very well at the pro level, but his lead singing is legendary. Buy the Jake Trout and the Flounder album if you haven't already.

   The guy's imitations on the practice range are classics. Now, in this book he tells some stories of himself and others. Remember Fluff?

   Great golf read from one of the most respected guys on tour. Win a couple more Jake.

5 comments about Let Me Tell You a Story: A Lifetime in the Game.

1. great book awesome stories. i actual went by the restaurant wherte they eat. The game lost an amazing lifer.



2. Of all the Sports that Feinstein covers I think he covers Basketball Best.
   This is a superb tale of the Legendary Boston Celtic's LEADER. I was told that Red grew up in the DC area going to a Segregated Roosevelt High School. I wondered how someone coming from a Segregated Environment could draft one of the first 3 African Americans in the Now NBA. Also how he could select the first African American Coach. Well he grew up in Brooklyn in a multi-cultural Neighborhood. Fascinating stories about the Carnegie Deli area. He went to college in DC (GW) (Which I knew), and then later taught at Roosevelt (Which may have been where the confusion started.) I think it helped that I have been in the Chinatown Restaurants that are the setting for a lot of the stories, This an absolutely Great Read, and one of Feinstein's best.



3. I have never been a fan of the Celtics, but a big basketball fan none the less. Having said that, this book was perfect for me. It is a in-depth, personal look into the life of the greatest coach in basketball history, as told not only by the man himself, but the great writer John Feinstein. This book gives great insight not only the the makings of the Celtic dynasty, but into the beginnings of the games, and how Red has shaped the game into what it is today. Must read for all basketball fans.



4. I'm not the greatest John Feinstein fan. Sometimes he's really good, but sometimes he just seems like he's trying to be elitist. But when I heard about this book, I put it on my list to buy. Two years later I finally got around to it. My loss.
   
   Red Auerbach was the institutional memory of the NBA as well as the guy who created the Celtic dynasty. He was a master storyteller and collector of people. This book is the story of lunch with Red every Tuesday, 11am @ the China Doll restaurant. Just as importantly it is the story of the people Red collected and his influence on their lives.
   
   No one will claim this book is objective-it's not supposed to be. I'm sure Red had flaws, but I really don't care. For older boomers he and John Wooden define greatness in basketball. I'm just glad to have the stories.



5. I read 10 pages of this book while waiting in the doctor's office & bought 3 copies the same day.. one for my dad, one for my brother & one for me.
   
   Great stories & since I'm a native Washingtonian, I love the stories about DC & one of the greatest characters & coaches of all time.

5 comments about Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf.

1. I was at the local library looking at books in the golf section. I've read a couple by Tommy Armour and one by Ben Hogan, both were good and informative.
   
   I saw three copies of this Murry prose on the shelf. Thought, hey this should be good and interesting. I quickly noticed that all 3 copies had not been creased, thus unread.
   
   Went and sat down and started reading.....then my mind started to wonder...then I flipped through and looked at the pictures....then quickly returned the book to the shelf. Bill, stick with the game itself and leave the word processor to sending quips to Chevy.
   
   The stories did not grab me, the humor was non-existant, and there were very little facts that I could grasp of interest.
   
   I did like the movie Caddyshack, but Dangerfield stole that show, Carl the groundskeeper didn't really do much for me as a character or make me laugh. Sorry Bill, but Stripes was cool :)
   
   2 stars for the pictures.



2. Not only is Bill Murray a great comedian, he is also a good writer. I found this book very enjoyable and extremely funny. For a man who has never written a book before, I believe Bill has done an excellent job. From the very beginning you can tell that Bill has his very own style of writing, the dedication page says it all. (Pg. V to VI). In my opinion, Bill also puts a lot of voice into this book because he is reflecting on his own personal experiences. (Pg. 4, second paragraph). Bill, much like in acting, never has a serious moment throughout the book; it's all about the laughs. (Pg. 3). Above all though, I noticed that when reading this book, it's as if you aren't reading the book, but listening to Bill give a stand-up comedy routine or sitting at a bar sharing a drink with him. There is no book, its just stories. He is just reminiscing about the past, be it about golf or otherwise. Bill's stories really have no start or finish, but just lead into another, funnier one. (Pg. 210 to 211). If I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be simply hilarious.



3. Hey, it's a book on golf written by Bill Murray. I didn't expect an intense discussion on golf...I didn't expect an intense discussion on Bill's life. I expected a funny, witty, clever, and subtlely wise book about some of Bill's adventures and lessons learned from golf and life. And that's what I got.

   It's one of the few books I read from cover to cover in one sitting. It was that funny, witty, clever, and subtlely wise...to me anyways...




4. Yes, Bill Murray is one of the best comedic actors of any Hollywood era. Yes, "Caddyshack" is every bit the cinematic masterpiece people in the know tout it as, even if no published critic in the world agrees. Yes, Murray's persona and his golf background would seemingly make for a diverting read. But Cinderella Story is decidedly not that read. It's a mess of a book, written sloppily and fairly joke-free.

   Big type and generous spacing make Cinderella Story about as long as this review (not very). But even in that small a frame, it becomes clear that Murray's gifts are strictly in performance and not in writing. Stories run into each other, coming out of nowhere, and only to mention some of the famous folks Murray has hit the links with (Michael Jordan, Clint Eastwood, etc.). Those stories are rarely interesting, and are told without any sense of structure. Murray (or his ghostwriter George Peper, who apparently needs a ghostwriter of his own) jumps from one story to another and back without helping the reader keep everything sorted out. Superior literary humorists, like Bill Bryson, have a talent for telling anecdotes in a concise, purposeful fashion. That's what's missing here. Only a brief, and I mean brief, recalling of the original "Cinderella story" scene from "Caddyshack" offers readers any enjoyment. The rest is muddled and ultimately boring.

   Other sections of the book include pictures and filler anecdotes from other people telling stories about how funny Murray is. If only this book was. Look, Bill Murray is an outstanding comedian who is woefully underrated as a true actor. But Cinderella Story only makes you want to see him do what he does best, and not read what does poorly.




5. I really had high hopes for this book. Sounded to good to be true, and it was. Murray's writing is rambling and unfocused, and while there are the occasional amusing stories I mostly found myself asking what in the world he was talking about.

   Shame, too, because I really am a big fan of Bill Murray.

No comments about Jack Nicklaus: My Story.

5 comments about Getting Up & Down: My 60 Years in Golf.

1. Too young to know Ken Venturi as anything but the voice of CBS golf, his story as a golfer is phenomomal. His heartbreaks in the game were many and tend to overshadow the triumphs but this a great story of the human spirit. Some of the most interesting parts of the book are the stories behind the 3 Masters defeats('56,'58 & '60) and the 1964 US Open victory. The "inside" the ropes stories about some of the "Gods" of golf will make most rethink the images that have been fed to us through the years. Don't get me wrong as you would expect, Venturi does it with class. The other thing that will surprise his fans from the broadcasting days is his behind the scenes intensity as a player and as the winning captain of the 2000 Presidents Cup team. I checked it out from my library but will be buying it because it is a story I want my sons to read some day. You will not be disappointed!



2. Ken Venturi as the voice of golf on CBS is one of the most popular sportscasters of his day. Now retired, he finally has a chance to say things that he couldn't say on the air or anywhere else. In this book he talks about his life as a golfer, his life as a sportscaster, and his life as a man.
   
   He has not had a life that was all roses. Medical problems from carpal tunnel ended his professional golfing career after only 10 years of play. Other illnesses plagued he and his wife from back surgery to multiple bouts with cancer. He has not only survived these, but through it all has kept his sense of humor and overall happiness with the world.
   
   As an accomplished communicator, Mr. Venturi has the ability to tell stories about golf, about himself that make very good reading.



3. Not only read Ken Venturi's book, but read the many different reviews here. To those who accuse Ken Venturi of sour grapes and whining about his close Masters losses, I say that every golf tournament has two stories to tell. Everyone loves a winner obviously, but the guy who tasted victory and had it snatched from his hands also has an interesting story to tell. If Greg Norman or Tom Weiscopf ever write their autobiography, or Sam Snead could tell his story of the '39 US Open, it too would strike some as just sour grapes. Doesn't make their stories any less valid. As for stories of gamesmanship, rule bending, and maybe even (borderline) cheating, why do so many golf fans show a willingness to believe it about some major champions (like Seve Ballesteros, Vijah Singh, Gary Player) but find it implausable when discussing someone like Arnold Palmer? Are they still so childlike in their awe of their golf hero that even firsthand reports are automatically dismissed? Reminds me of what Tommy Bolt always said about news stories of his club throwing. He said that Arnie threw as many clubs as he did, but the stories never stuck. Anyway, a good book, Ken. And I too miss your voice on TV, particularly at the Masters.



4. Come back --- underdog --- fighter --- champion --- commentator. These are words about Venturi, who it seems most of his life was always dualing with himself against others to show them what he was made of: toughness and talent that could and would succeed in winning.

   He suffered through much: hand injuries, marriage trauma, etc. But the biggest hurdles were those letdowns, those meltdowns which occur in sports when one is so close to seizing the brass ring, only to have it slip out of grasp. As Venturi would describe, someone else always played phenonemenal to do just that. He would be a previous generation's Greg Norman.

   Anyone who was so close and fondly associated with the likes of Nelson, Sarazen and Hogan, now this is a special person. Or for Vince Lombardi to admire the look in an competitor's eyes, this is a special golfer. One who endured severe heat and win his country's national golf championship in the doing, this is a special golfer.

   This carried over in his broadcasting. Concise, poignant, to the point. Let the golf describe most of the action. I like millions admired and respected his great gifts for commenting, but never really knew about the stammering. Maybe the greatest hurdle of all. What courage he showed and can encourage all who have such to do the same. A man of principle.

   Somehow as good as this read was with all the fascinating stories and incidents, I thought it was slightly "I oriented" too much. Thus, four not five.




5. Venturi is a bit of a prima donna - you can't be on TV for 35 years without a touch of that - but at the same time he has lived a very interesting life in golf, and come across some very interesting people. I forgive him his brushes against Palmer and Player: I have no doubt that those people, while projecting saintly public images, are extremely fierce competitors willing to work everything possible in their favor, and I thank this book for having the nerve to reveal that side to me. In a similar but more positive way, I came away with a much more well-rounded sense of people like Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.

   Venturi's attitude about his own play and level is interesting: while he blames injury and circumstances for many losses and for not having achieved full potential, I think he minimizes the way many greats have overcome similar problems.

   The main thing, though, is that I read this book because I sorely miss his voice - and attitude - on TV. He's been replaced by a generation of blabbermouths who, unlike Venturi, are unable to push their own considerable egos aside to comment on the sport itself. Johnny Miller is by far the worst offender, but they're all reasonably guilty. And if I see Peter Kostis "analyze" another errant swing I think I'll puke. I miss you, Mr. Venturi.

5 comments about Tin Cup Dreams: A Long Shot Makes It on the PGA Tour.

1. We often get a quick blurb by anouncers whenever an unknown makes it into the top running during a tournament. Some kid who has done nothing put play golf since he could hold a club, or some underadvantaged caddie who figured out how to beat a few of the best. We don't tend to hear much more than that, though.
   
   Esteban Toledo, like many of the figures on (and off and on...) tour that we admire rarely get such a closeup. Hogan's story brings inspiration, Bobby Jones brings awe. Neither tale, however, gives any of us much to relate to. Esteban's story does. He is far beyond a weekend hack, but like most of us who seem to spend more time on the range than at home he is a grinder, ever looking to improve and maintain himself. His motivations are different, but the goal is the same: attaining a dream.
   
   Reading this story will stir something in any golfer, I imagine, making it a good addition to your library. I do hope if the book is reprinted, though, that the numerous typos will be fixed.



2. To simply put it, this was a very good book and an easy read too, however many typos and errors. But other than that i loved the book.



3. Itýs hard to know what part of this sweaty fairy tale to like the best.
   First there was Esteban Toledo the boy. He was the driven young Mexican kid whose family in Mexicali was so poor that having nothing would be a step up.

   But the boy was also unique. He was a scrapper. He was a boy with nothing who taught himself to play a rich manýs game and he worked at it fulltime. So, just at the right time, some rich gringo from California offered the boy a miracle.

   Then, there is Esteban the man. It took a while until he adjusted to the first miracle: Going from the streets to living in a mansion. But he goes on to a new struggle, the hugely difficult quest to play on the PGA tour and just when he seems doomed, he creates a second miracle.

   Finally, we have the millionaire, a man who plowed fields behind a horse at age 8. Jon Minnis the self-made man doesnýt care about a charitable tax deduction. He prefers results to tax deductions. He and his wife, Rita, would rather pluck a poor kid out of the Mexicali slums, just because the kid deserves a shot. Then, of course, they will love him and suffer with him. Youýll thank God they didnýt just write a check.

   Tin Cup Dreams by Michael DýAntonio is a true, painful, inspiring tale in which suffering leads to miracles. These miracles demand huge investments in sacrifice, and enormous, unlikely leaps of faith before the ball falls into that tin cup at just the right moment. But when that ball really does fall, you still know it is a miracle and you still wipe the sweat off your brow and rejoice.

   If youýve never bet on a long shot, or even if you have, this is a great, fast read that pays off in inspiration and motivation. Meet PGA Tour pro golfer Esteban Toledo and the people who are there with him in his dream. Itýs worth it.




4. This book contains an excellent story and very well paced.It follows Esteban Toledo from his PGA tour qualification to the tour as he plays in a variety of tournaments, covering his practise habits, his earlier life, his caddy, the playing partners and family. The year seems to pass in front of the reader giving insights into variety of aspects of professional golf players.

   A hard to put down book.




5. This book was simply sensational! Anyone who has ever touched a golf club should read this book, because it makes anyone a believer that the "impossible" can happen. I could not put this heartwarming book down after reading page after page of Esteban's trials and turmoils on his path to greatness on the PGA Tour. What a great book for anyone who's been told that they cannot do something. Esteban Toledo silenced all his critics and proved that he could!

1 comments about Life and Times of Bobby Jones.

1. Any one from recent generations wanting to learn about Bobby Jones needs to get this book. You will learn of Jones the golfer, family man, gentleman, academic, and lawyer. Jones was a winner in golf and life but never waivered from his philosophy of "playing it as it lies". A collection of stories and photos unmatched in other Jones biographies. The manner in which Jones dealt with his success, and then his disabling illness is a lesson for all.