golf

The year: 1956. Four decades have passed since Eddie Lowery came to fame as the ten-year-old caddie to U.S. Open Champion Francis Ouimet. Now a wealthy car dealer and avid supporter of amateur golf, Lowery has just made a bet with fellow millionaire George Coleman. Lowery claims that two of his employees, amateur golfers Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi, cannot be beaten in a best-ball match. Lowery challenges Coleman to bring any two golfers of his choice to the course at 10 a.m. the next day to settle the issue. Coleman accepts the challenge and shows up with his own power team: Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, the game's greatest living professionals, with fourteen major championships between them.

The television writer and ESPN.com contributor describes his experiences as he followed Tiger Woods through his 2008 season, discussing the places they went, the games played, and what he learned from Woods along the way.

Recounts the author's return to golf after quitting the game in college, describing how he purchased a set of clubs, practiced for eighteen long months, and agreed to compete in a tournament against much more talented players.