Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul

Stories of Insight Inspiration and Laughter on the Links

Billed as musings on the “mystery and wonder of the game” of golf, this tape offers sometimes poignant, sometimes sentimental tales from the Great Game.

There are at least eighteen stories, none more than ten minutes long. A sampling: a reminiscence of Babe Ruth golfing; a well-told parable about a golfer who cheated once during a game with a friend and the consequences that follow; a story about a man dying of pancreatic cancer who exemplified the best the game offers.

Each story is introduced with a brief insightful statement or two about golf. One involved the notion that golf is a lot like life, only golf is more complicated. This was confusing at first because the maxim was followed by the author’s name, leading the listener to think that all of the tape would only be short, pithy bursts about golf.

Sprinkled with the often Paul Harveyesque style of storytelling about the nobility of the rules of golf are some funny stories. Especially well done is the story of a “Golf Maniac” who relates all aspects of life—from war to weather —to the sacred game. Another is an especially well-crafted piece written but not read by President George Bush about his long-running battle of loving and hating the game at the same time.

One can imagine this tape being savored and passed along to most anyone who enjoys the sport. The intimate first-person accounts bring the game close, even when the listener is far from a tee box.

Reviewed by Carol Hopkins

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Load Next Review