The Long and the Short of It

Rating:
Summary: Keep talking, Andy, don't write another book!
Review: I wasn't expecting brilliant journalism from Andy North, but even with low expectations I got a lot less. North confesses that he was urged to do the book by his co-author, young attorney Burton Rocks. Well, let's put it this way: one plays golf and one practices law -- NEITHER can write! This book is filled with stories of minimal interest, but it's the lame and lackluster way they're told that loses the reader. It's obvious there was no EDITOR even remotely connected with this attempt. The writers do try to make their efforts stand out, however, by liberal use of exclamation points! Nearly every story (no matter how mundane) ends with an exciting piece of punctuation! It gets real old, real fast!!

Rating:
Summary: AS DULL AS DITCH WATER!
Review: Please don't get me wrong on this one. While the ability of a golfer to win not one but two US Opens is remarkable it doesn't necessarily translate into the ability to put down on paper an interesting book on golf. That seems to be what we have here.

During his career on the PGA Tour Andy North was not known for his on-course flash and pizzazz. At his best he was a steady albeit ho-hum golfer. Still he had the right game at the right time to win US Open Championships in 1978 and 1985.

But that's really where the interest ends in THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT. The chapters in this book about North's being introduced to golf, his learning the game, his college golf and his days on tour are, to borrow an appropriate clich?, "as dull as ditch water." No fireworks. No destiny! No come-from-behind drama. Nothing.

With all due respect, North is necessarily relegated to that long list of golfers about whom we are left to scratch our heads. How did they pull it off? But, hey, such head scratching is one of the great things about golf. On any given Sunday the generic golfer might emerge, garner his fifteen minutes of Warholic fame as a major championship winner--even a double winner--and appropriately fade away. Sadly there will inevitably be those like North who, apparently unable to accept their unadulterated luck, write books and drag all of us through the abject lackluster of their mediocre careers.

Regarding this one, it's time to pick up your ball and move on to the next hole.

THE HORSEMAN

Rating:
Summary: AS DULL AS DITCH WATER!
Review: Please don't get me wrong on this one. While the ability of a golfer to win not one but two US Opens is remarkable it doesn't necessarily translate into the ability to put down on paper an interesting book on golf. That seems to be what we have here.

During his career on the PGA Tour Andy North was not known for his on-course flash and pizzazz. At his best he was a steady albeit ho-hum golfer. Still he had the right game at the right time to win US Open Championships in 1978 and 1985.

But that's really where the interest ends in THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT. The chapters in this book about North's being introduced to golf, his learning the game, his college golf and his days on tour are, to borrow an appropriate cliché, "as dull as ditch water." No fireworks. No destiny! No come-from-behind drama. Nothing.

With all due respect, North is necessarily relegated to that long list of golfers about whom we are left to scratch our heads. How did they pull it off? But, hey, such head scratching is one of the great things about golf. On any given Sunday the generic golfer might emerge, garner his fifteen minutes of Warholic fame as a major championship winner--even a double winner--and appropriately fade away. Sadly there will inevitably be those like North who, apparently unable to accept their unadulterated luck, write books and drag all of us through the abject lackluster of their mediocre careers.

Regarding this one, it's time to pick up your ball and move on to the next hole.

THE HORSEMAN

Rating:
Summary: Recommended reading for all golfing enthusiasts
Review: Two-time United States Open champion and ESPN commentator Andy Roth pre-sents The Long And The Short Of It, a candidly personal memoir in which Andy shares his memories of growing up in general and his fond reminiscences on the great sport of golf in particular. Packed with insights to becoming a better golfer, as well as speculations on challenges facing the sport of golfing in the future, The Long And The Short Of It offers insightful commentary on multiple levels and is very highly recommended reading for all golfing enthusiasts from country club duffers to professional tour aspirants.