The Greatest Course That Never Was

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as the original, but still fascinating
Review: Back in the sleepy spring days of 2000, author J. Michael Veron created a little tale of golf fiction that caught the golf world by surprise with its wonderful mix of mystery and golf history called "The Greatest Player Who Never Lived". While undoubtedly a fictional work, the strength of Veron's writing and research forced readers to continually read the disclaimer at the beginning of the book that asserted that these events were fictional. "...Greatest Player..." told the story of a young law school student named Charley Hunter, who was working a summer internship for the law firm of Butler & Yates, legendary golfer and Augusta National founder, Bobby Jones, old law firm. Given an assignment to organize all off Jones' old office files, Hunter uncovered a mystery about an unknown golfer named Beau Stedman. The quest by Hunter to unravel this mystery was compelling. Combined with a backdrop just dripping with golf history, "...Greatest Player..." created a story with such plausibility and such reverence for the game of golf, that reader could not help but be awed by this tale.

A year later, Veron rode used the success of "The Greatest Player Who Never Lived" to write a sequel called, "The Greatest Course that Never Was". It continues the story of Charley Hunter, now a full-time associate at Butler & Yates and a well regarded for his efforts in bringing the Beau Stedman story to life. As Charley is getting his feet wet in the judicial process, he starts receiving mysterious letters containing obituaries of men he had never heard of with a cryptic notes included. When he receives a letter containing a mysterious golf scorecard, Charley begins the smell another mystery that requires his investigation. Charley discovers that this mystery also has a connection with Bobby Jones and Augusta National. His travels take him to the home of one Moonlight McIntyre, an 80+ year old man who had caddied at Augusta National and been a friend of Mr. Jones' from the earliest days. Moonlight has the secret of another golf course, as amazing as Augusta, that no one knows about except Jones, Augusta co-founder, Clifford Roberts, and any one they deemed worthy to play that course. Moonlight knows his life has reached its twilight and he wants the story and knowledge of this course to be passed on. Wanting to find the right man to trust this information to, Moonlight contacts Charley because of the latter's efforts on behalf of Beau Stedman (who was a friend of Moonlight's). For Charley, this launches another journey of uncovering the mysteries of Moonlight and this course, seeing and playing the course for himself, and also finding away to preserve the course from those who would do it harm while also honoring its history.

"The Greatest Course that Never Was" has the unfortunate task of being the sequel to the amazing piece of work that was "The Greatest Player Who Never Lived". It's a quick read and succeeds in uncovering another mystery while educating readers about even more golf history. One of the weaknesses of this book's is that this mystery just doesn't have the same resonance that the Beau Stedman story did. The descriptions of the course are fabulous and the interplay between Charley and Moonlight is quite amusing, but the reader will not find the same emotional investment in this story. After, the story of a piece of land really can't compare with the gripping tale on one man's life. This book also suffers from not producing a terribly satisfactory conclusion to this mystery. A twist is introduced in the final few chapters that, while intriguing, undermines the mission of these men up to this point. There is not the same kind of payoff was in this book's predecessor when Beau Stedman's tale came to light and he was afforded the honors and recognition that he had been unfairly denied his whole life. Complaints aside, though, there's still nothing too wrong with a book that is a fast read and continues to honor the rich history of golf.

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Story
Review: Charley Hunter, who uncovered Beau Stedman in "The Greatest Player Who Never Lived" is back and this time he hooks up with Moonlight McIntyre, an old caddie from Augusta National so Charley can tell the story of a secret golf course that was built by none other than the legendary golfer Bobby Jones. This book is fascinating in that you virtually go with Charley and Moonlight to find this golf course and experience the magic of the course as if you were there. It has mystery, intrigue, legal encounters, is loaded with golf history and has stories within the story. It even has a secret within the golf course! Even if you don't play golf, this book is so well written and the golf history blended in so well with the story that it becomes a believeable story that's almost real and thoroughly enjoyable. You can lose yourself in this story and when you get through reading it you feel like you've been a part of it. What an incredible story. Keep them coming!

Rating:
Summary: Ace in the hole
Review: From the time that I received this book (it was a gift from a fellow hack), I was skeptical as to whether or not Vernon could actually pull of a book entitled, "The Greatest Golf Course that Never Was" in a convincing fashion. To my satisfaction, Vernon succeeded in surprising me. Vernon tells a story that is enjoyable and, given the title and subject matter, not entirely implausible (despite being a work of fiction).

Vernon writes to the reader, providing him with set-ups, without entirely giving the story away during the first half of the book. One of Vernon's strengths, in my opinion, is that he writes to his audience-golfers-well. I particularly enjoyed his periodic references to Tour professionals and history, both of the current and the not-so-current variety, such as a golfer nearly pulling a "Van de Velde." During the read I felt that Vernon might have overplayed the mystic element of the course for my taste, but found that the resolution of the book even softened that minor critique.

I have recommended this book, as well as Vernon's "The Greatest Player Who Never Lived," to all of my golf buddies.

Michael, may you find success in your quest to find a cure for the yips. I know many who suffer!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed after reading 'The Greatest Player'
Review: This review may be a bit unfair because I so thoroughly enjoyed Veron's first work. But, I simply felt that for most of 'The Greatest Course' Veron wasn't going anywhere. This book lacked the great balance between suspense and golf history that made the first work so enjoyable. Veron spent most of his time rehashing the same Bobby Jones and Augusta type stories from the first book. The book read more like a narrative history, which would have been alright if the book was not fiction.