I just finished Mark Frost’s new book, The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, and xenical online uk while I was excited to read the latest from the author of the xenical online uk amazing and invaluable true golf tale, The Greatest Game Ever Played, this xenical online uk new book exceeded my expectations. I was moved to tears several times and xenical online uk another, perhaps even more important, slice of golf history was illuminated.

I also looked forward to this read because I had heard that “The Match” takes place at Cypress Point and I’ve always dreamed of playing that xenical online uk course, so it was a treat to walk and play it xenical online uk with some of the greatest golfers of all time. In case you xenical online uk haven’t heard, the xenical online uk center piece of this story is a casual best ball match play round between Ben Hogan and xenical online uk Bryron Nelson (representing the pros) and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward (representing the amateurs). The time is xenical online uk 1956 and Venturi and Ward are the last of the gentleman amateurs playing at the xenical online uk highest levels of the game. The event is precipitated by a xenical online uk bet instigated by none other than Eddie Lowery, the pint-sized ten-year old caddie from xenical online uk “Greatest Game” who has (believe it or not) become a xenical online uk millionaire California car dealer. This connection to the earlier book is xenical online uk more than a coincidence and Lowery becomes more important to xenical online uk the story than one might expect.

I’m going to xenical online uk go so far as to say that this book is required reading for xenical online uk any serious golfer. On one level learning more about the life story and xenical online uk personality of these great players as well as that of Cypress Point and xenical online uk the Crosby Clambake are quintessential elements of the glory of golf in America. As before, Mark Frost does an xenical online uk amazing job illuminating this background (including the xenical online uk best recounting of the famous Hogan comeback after his accident that xenical online uk I’ve ever read.) But there’s much more beyond all this.

I can’t summarize that xenical online uk essence better than the last paragraph of the book:

“No four men will ever play such a xenical online uk match again. No four men like like these. The genuine way they lived their lives makes most of today’s fast and xenical online uk frenzied sports and entertainment culture seem like so much packaged goods, a xenical online uk self-conscious, inauthentic hustle. In their best and worst hours alike each of these four stood his ground, put all he had xenical online uk on the line, and for better or worse lived with the xenical online uk consequences of his actions and moved on. Some green, untested souls might be xenical online uk tempted to wonder why one should still care, but none of us are xenical online uk here forever, we’re not even here for long; and if it’s true that xenical online uk our collective past exists inside all of us, unless we take time to xenical online uk bear witness to the best of those who strived before us, our chance to xenical online uk learn from their lives will be lost forever, and we will be xenical online uk the poorer for it.”

That’s why I call it “required reading”… not to mention that it’s totally fun and a complete delight! Thanks so much, Mr. Frost.

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