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Harry's little gray book of reflections: on championship golf, on the
"jumps" ("How many short putts I have missed during the past 15 or 20 years I
should not like to estimate. They must number thousands."), on a rich life in
golf, are no less meaningful than the grip and trophy that bear his name.
On his first visit to America, Harry was hired by a Boston department
store. Crowds "clapped, cheered, and thumped their sticks and umbrellas on
the floor with such persistency that I had to return," he wrote. All he was
doing was hitting balls into a net, but the store sold every club it had.
Bobby Jones's hero, golf's first true superstar, covers a lot of ground with
self-deprecating humor and clarity.
"The best way to win any important event," the six-time British Open
champion observed, "is to play just as one would play a private round at
home, and not endeavor to accomplish the performance of a lifetime. There is
such a thing as trying too hard; it begets anxiety, which is usually fatal -
especially in putting." The more things change. . .
Rating: Cat-Stroker * * *
Dr. Ed's subtitle, "Health, Humor, and Insight to Improve your Game," is
revealing. Were it simply pedaling tonic to better living, golfers being
golfers, woefully cavalier about alcohol, the elements, flexibility, etc., we
would likely give the book the bum's rush. But, save us strokes? Well, now.
And those strokes might not just be on the scorecard, either, but heat- or
sun-related, or worse.
We learn that luminescent sports drinks are no more revitalizing than
water. Collars should be upturned. Golf shoes should be purchased late in the
day, as feet tend to swell. Sunscreen should be applied at least half an hour
before playing. (You want one that is "broad spectrum," blocking both UVA and
UVB rays, and put it on your lips.) Ball caps and visors aren't wide enough
to offer sufficient protection.
The Golf Doc treats strength training, arthritis, tendonitis, heart
surgery recovery, and a myriad of other afflictions and issues with a
straightforward and engaging bedside manner. A New Hampshire cardiologist,
Palank has quantified the beneficial (calorie cutting) effects of walking at
golf (more than mowing the lawn, less than skating). Based on his popular
Golf Digest column, Palank offers a laundry list of strategies and tips
concerning everything from bee stings to sun sensitive medications to
melanoma.
Know someone recovering from a heart attack? He encourages his cardiac
rehab patients, depending upon their condition, of course, to chip and putt
their way back. "Bypass patients can begin to swing a club within three to
four weeks of surgery."
Lavishly illustrated (the graphic of a superimposed hip on Jack Nicklaus
is downright arresting), The Golf Doc is full of the kind of prudent and
sensible advice golfers blithely ignore. It may open up more eyes than LASIK
surgery.
RATING: Whip-Cracker * * * *
More stories from Dr. Bob's bulging, and endlessly entertaining, casebook
of golf psychosis, POYM is available only on cassette. Of the myriad of
golf's mental instabilities, Dr. Laura, let alone Sigmund Freud, would be
envious. There is the golfer, for instance, who, before he putts, hears in
his head the expected sound of the crowd moaning its disappointment of a
miss. Scary stuff.
Our attitude must determine how well we putt, he says, not the other way
around. Confidence has to come first. "Most players spend their lifetime
waiting for the putts to drop and then say. . .I'll develop confidence. You
do not have the choice of waiting. It starts inside and then works into the
ball going into the hole."
There's much on trust, focus, accentuating the positive. We should love
whatever conditions we're faced with THAT day, [as Vijay Singh rightly
majestically proved during the Masters] and acquiring a putting routine is an
absolute must. Anecdotal spoonfuls of sugar from his work on tour help the
medicine go down.
Rating: Cat-Stroker * * *
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Hogan vs. Snead
Shell's Wonderful World of Golf
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At the time of this outstanding 1964 title bout, each man was 51 years
old. Heavy rains and lightning threatened filming and the softened Houston
Country Club, 7,000 plus yards, with its "man-sized" par fours, proved a
challenging test, to put it mildly. This was Hogan's first TV match and he
came out slugging. "That's as well as I've ever seen Ben play," The Slammer
said afterwards.
The Hawk hit every green and every fairway and the only time he was in
trouble, overestimating a 4-wood, he stuck a wedge eighteen feet and drained
the snake for birdie. "I'm so glad I was able to see this match," a spectator
told Red Smith. "I'll remember it along with the War Admiral-Seabiscuit match
race, Graziano-Zale, and Don Larsen's perfect game." Wonderfully vintage
stuff and, as a bonus, we get slow motion looks at each man's peerless
execution.
Rating: Whip-Cracker * * * *
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Golfing in Ireland
The Most Complete Guide for Adventurous Golfers
By Rob Armstrong
Pelican Publishing
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Those visiting the Holy Land will find the CBS News veteran an upbeat and
resourceful guide. His descriptions leave the froth on the stout without the
spiritual flapdoodle we've come to expect, and the photos are suitably
mouthwatering.
He's devoutly but not prudishly old school; this is Ireland, after all;
the rise of "American-style" courses strikes him, quite rightly, as slightly
absurd. His longing for the Guinness tour is but one of many number of points
well taken. If you're wondering, while he is devotional about lesser-known
courses, he does make an exception for Old Head, unequivocally suggesting one
shell out the 120 pounds.
Our man in Eire does not dawdle. "Lahinch is a microcosm of the way golf
was intended to be played. Long, straight shots off the tee are rewarded and
errant shots are punished. Well-struck shots to the greens will yield birdies
and pars; poorly struck shots will find serious trouble and relegate the
perpetrator to bogies and doubles."
The enterprising will learn about "winter rules" (forget it), the best
places to score crystal or an Irish Walking Hat (leave time for duty-free at
Shannon Airport), pubs worth the effort despite the smoke, and 9-hole courses
that will steal your heart, in short all the things that make Ireland
memorable, regardless of where one plays. Newly updated. Perhaps the only
omission is a mention of the wondrous and extensive online resources
available to those willing to strike out on their own.
Rating: Cat-Stroker * * *
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