Chasing the Dream - Softcover

Hurt 3rd, Harry

3.5

14 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0380787407 ISBN 13: 9780380787401

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 1998

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

CHASING THE DREAM is one reborn duffer's personal journey from amateur tournaments and mini-tours all the way to the PGA Tour Qualifying School and beyond. It is an incredible saga of missteps, mishaps, miracle putts and mid-life perseverance; of hard work, challenges met and mountains scaled. With a reporter's observant eye, a storyteller's skill, and a player's intimate knowledge of the game, Harry Hurt vividly re-creates his inspiring, sometimes outrageous and always determined quest to taste the thrill every true golf lover fantasizes about.

Spanning the nation's most diverse and treacherous courses--from Long Island's blue-collar Barcelona Neck to Dorel's "Blue Monster" in Florida--Harry's story includes a stellar cast of supporting characters: PGA Tour stars Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw, Tiger Woods and Bruce Lietzke; the colorful tennis great Ivan Lendl, pursuing a second stint in the spotlight as a golf pro; exciting up-and-comers such as PGA Tour rookie Shane Bertsch. Along the way, Harry takes lessons from legendary gurus such as the brothers Butch and Dick Harmon and sports psychologist Dr. Rob Rotella. He meets a host of "no namers," has-beens and never-weres driven by the same glorious obsession that has captured Harry Hurt. And by the time he nails his dramatic first pro victory, Harry has discovered exactly what all golfers need inside to succeed.

As riveting as a classic final round at the Masters, CHASING THE DREAM is an extraordinary memoir of an incomparable year on the links--a book for hackers and dreamers, scratch players and pros, and everyone who loves the game. It is a modern true fable of competition and commitment, fatherly guidance and familial love. It is the unforgettable story of one man's search for a better game and a better life...and the relentless pursuit of a glorious vision that took him further than anyone could have possibly dreamed.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:

At 18, Harry Hurt's goal was to become a pro golfer. At 19, he virtually gave up the game. Almost a quarter century later, now an accomplished journalist, he went out again on a quixotic quest to make the golf tour. He got his wish--on a secondary circuit for over-40s--but, as they say, be careful what you wish for. Hurt's recounting of his year is filled with frustration, a scorecard's worth of admitted self-deception, and just enough triumph to keep him going. His prose captures highs and lows well, and his narrative offers some engaging insight into the mindset of professional golf, and some of the teachers and players--including Greg Norman, Ben Crenshaw, and Fred Couples--he meets, and learns from, as he navigates his impracticable course.

About the Author:

Harry Hurt III is the bestselling author of Texas Rich, Lost Tycoon and For All Mankind. He is also contributor to Esquire, Fortune and Texas Monthly. A native of Houston, Texas, he now lives in Sag Harbor, New York, with his wife, Alison.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.