5 Must-Read Golf Books for Sports Lovers

Posted by Stiletto Jen 322 views

Follow the Roar: Tailing Tiger for all 604 Holes of His Most Spectacular Season by Bob Smiley

Seriously Bob, you couldn’t come up with a shorter title? Then again, I don’t really have to give a description, you pretty much summed the whole thing up! Guess I might as well let you tell the rest too: “Follow the Roar is the definitive account of Tiger’s dominating 2008 season. From the are-you-kidding-me highlights everyone saw on TV to the off-camera moments that no other writer witnessed, the book brings the year to life and unravels the mystery of who Tiger Woods really is and how he makes the most frustrating sport in the world look terrifyingly simple.”

Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus and Golf’s Greatest Rivalry by Ian O’Connor

The book not only shows their intense competition, but also their individual stories. They were as different as can be yet both are esteemed legends in the world of golf. They battled each other from on the green to their business empires. And those around them were either in Jack Pack or Arnie’s Army. So which one are you?

The grand slam: Bobby Jones, America and the Story of Golf by Mark Frost

A Grand Slam in baseball is hitting a homerun with the bases loaded. In golf, it’s takes on a whole new meaning. It means winning The U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, the British Open, and the British Amateur championships all in the same year. And there is only one man in the history of golf to do such a thing, and it ain’t Tiger, Jack, or Arnie. It was Bobby Jones way back in 1930 . This is the story of his life and of his remarkable, unparralled accomplishment in 1930.

Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost

This book was also by Mark Frost and is supposed to be a bit more thrilling–they even made it into a movie. The review from Booklist reads ” The story of Francis Ouimet, the first amateur to win the U.S. Open golf tournament, is just too good to be true: it’s Rocky without the sequels, it’s Jack without his beanstalk, it’s Tiger without Nike. But it’s true, and as told by veteran thriller writer Frost, it’s the most compelling sports book since Laura Hillenbrand’s best-selling Seabiscuit.” Sold me on it! And the opening line of the book: “It begins with the simplicity of a fairy tale.” You know how much I love fairy tales! This is the true story of Francis Ouimet, a caddy who grew up very poor and turned pro golfer in 1913 against all the odds. He challenges his idol Harry Vardon, who is still considered one of the best golfers ever to have played, in the U.S. Open Championship.

Caddy for Life: The Bruce Edwards Story by John Feinstein

It wouldn’t be a sports book list without a book from John Feinstein. It is the story of Bruce Edwards, the well known caddy for big name golfer Tom Watson. He was with Watson for over 30 years beginning in 1973. One of the most famous scenes in golf history came in the 1982 U.S. Open after Watson sank a seemingly impossible shot to beat the legend Jack Nicklaus. Watson then turned and began celebrating with Edwards in a clip scene by millions every year since. In 2003, he was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, only 15 days after proposing to the love of his life. I personally haven’t read it but I will now. And my father said it was a truly remarkable story.

About the author: Jennifer Taglione is the owner of this fabulous website Stiletto Sports. Despite writing well over 500 posts, she still maintains that she is not a sports writer! She is however a huge fan of Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Mark Sanchez, the Celtics, and totally kicks butt on March Madness brackets! Connect with her by following her on Twitter @StilettoSportsJ and subscribing to her weekly newsletter. For more info check out the About the Editor page!