Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul [Paperback]

Jack Canfield (Author), Mark Victor Hansen (Author), Jeff Aubery (Author), Mark Donnelly (Author), Chrissy Donnelly (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chicken Soup for the Soul | Publication Date: May 13, 1999

Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul is a perfect gift for any golfing enthusiast, whether their drives land in the sand or on the green. This inspiring collection of stories from professionals, caddies and amateur golfers shares the memorable moments of the game - when, despite all odds, an impossible shot lands in the perfect position; when a simple game of golf becomes a lesson in life. Chapters include: sportsmanship, family, overcoming obstacles, perfecting the game and the nineteenth hole. This is a great read for any golfer, no matter what their handicap.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, are joined by Jeff Aubery, Chrissy Donnelly and Mark Donnelly.

Jeff Aubery is an avid golfer who has been involved in the golfing industry for over two decades. For seven years he worked as a distributor of golfing equipment for Northwestern & Pro Select Golf Company. In 1985, he founded and is now the president of Tornado Golf, a company that manufactures golf bags for companies and major chains including K-Mart, Walmart and Costco.

The Donnellys coauthored Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Maybe I Need a Crystal Ball

Until I started playing golf, I thought that wine tasting had to be the most confusing thing I'd ever done. People with names like Higgins rambling on about residual sugar and tannin, describing each quarter-ounce sample in terms like "full-bodied, yet unpretentious." And I could never remember whether I was supposed to age it, chill it or drink it with fresh fish during a full moon. Just when I thought I was a genius for knowing the difference between a cabernet and cabaret, I went to the pro shop for golf balls.

"What kind?" the pro asked.

"I dunno, white, I guess.ö

He rubbed his hands together as he scanned the tri-level ball display. "Do you want a two-piece ball?" I though this was a joke, of course. "No," I said. "I like to start off with them whole. They'll break when I wallop them with my driver.ö

"Oh," he said without as much as a smile. "A big hitter. Then you want distance.ö

He handed me a shiny box with gold lettering. The price tag on the end was more than I'd paid for dinner for my wife and I the previous evening.

"These have computer-generated dimple patterns and use a complex two-piece injection molding system. They offer blistering distance.ö

"Perfect," I said. "Course I'll probably overshoot the green now on any hole less than four hundred yards.ö

He still didn't laugh. He just removed the box of balls from my hand and said, "Aahhh ... stopping power.ö

He slid another brightly colored box across the counter, looked me in the eye and said, "Lithium Surlyn.ö

I offered my hand. "Emie Witham," I said.

"No," he said. "The cover. It's made of Lithium Surlyn. You know what that means."

"It's radioactive?"

"It's soft. And it's been reformulated for more feel. Plus the aerodynamics have been modified for lower trajectory.... Did you want lower trajectory?"

"Well, sure. I guess. If that means it'll go straighter.ö

"Oh, oh. Accuracy problem, huh? Slice? Hook?"

"Yes. Yes.ö

He walked down to the end of the ball display and came back with yet another package.

"These offer less sidespin. Plus they're 2 percent larger than a regular ball."

"Wow. Two percent. Guess I'11 need a bigger bag." I looked at my watch. "Oh, oh. Tee-time.ö

He apparently didn't hear me. He grabbed more boxes from the shelf. "How about a balata ball? This one spins at more than eleven thousand RPMs and maintains consistent compressions. This other balata carries 266 yards and is an evolutionary achievement in balata ball performance.ö

"I—aahhh—ö

"Don't want a balata? This brand precisely blends five different dimple depths for raw length and pinpoint control. Or one designed for swing speeds in excess of ninety-five miles per hour."

"I—aahhh—"

"And here we have one that rockets off the club face, with an earlier peak and shallow descent.... This one penetrates the wind.... This one rolls longer.... This one has Trilyn....This one has Zylin....This one ..."

"I—aahhh ... I think I'11 just take a few of these." I picked two yellow balls and one orange one from the used ball jar and threw a five-dollar bill on the counter. I felt bad, but my foursome had already finished the first hole.

He sighed, took a deep breath and started putting all the bright shiny boxes away. Then the little bell above the door jingled.

"I need some golf balls," the young woman said. "But I'm not sure what kind. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Do you want a two-piece ball?" I heard him ask, as I ran for the second tee.

—Ernie Witham

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(c)1999. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the GolferÆs Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jeff Aubery, Mark & Chrissy Donnelly. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: HCI (May 13, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558746587
• ISBN-13: 978-1558746589
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #466,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jack Canfield, America's Success Coach, is the cocreator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, which includes 40 New York Times bestsellers, and coauthor with Gay Hendricks of You've GOT to Read This Book! An internationally renowned corporate trainer, keynote speaker, and popular radio and TV talk show guest, he lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love golf, this is for you....., June 15, 1999

By 

Bruce B. Svare (Albany, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul (Paperback)

I have read many of the books in the Chicken Soup Series but this one really hits home! I am a golfer and everyone who plays the game will tell you that golf is a metaphor for life. These short essays really capture the essence of the game. I suggest that everybody start with the essay entitled "A Wing Grew Back" written by Jay Gearan. It is skillfully crafted and immediately draws the reader into the inspiring story of the challenges confronting a handicapped golfer. I certainly hope there will be a second helping of Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul and hope to see more work done by Gearan. Kudos for a job well done!!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of A Kind!, June 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul (Paperback)

Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. Some of the stories made me cry, and some made me laugh. It was a very inspirational and uplifting book. I recommend this book to anyone even if you are not a golfer. A Great Buy!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Something to offer even the non-golfer, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul (Paperback)

I expected this book to only be of interest to the golfer. But reading a friend's copy on a plane convinced me to pick it up for myself; there are great stories in here, that apply the lessons of golf to life. And, frankly, the "no name" contributors are often more touching than their more famous peers. Good stuff.