Fred Couples [Paperback]

Kathlene Bissell (Author), Jim Nantz (Author), Paul Marchand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 11, 2000

From the Foreword by Paul Marchand: "Finally! A book to help illuminate the Fred fascination. On the following pages you can enjoy some insight into all those qualities that make Fred Couples such a compelling sports star. His humor and humility have been his ever-present personality traits, and there has always been a real sincerity in Fred's uncomplicated and unaffected nature. While looking so calm and relaxed, Fred performs his skills 'right out of his soul.'" With his fluid swing and soft touch, Fred Couples has won thirteen times on the PGA Tour, including the Masters in 1992. And Freddie is clearly a favorite among the fans and players. His appeal lies not in the number of tournaments he has won but in his endearing nonchalance about his star golfer status. Fred Couples: Golf's Reluctant Superstar is an illuminating look inside the life of a man who rarely bares his soul. Author Kathlene Bissell recounts stories of his days at the University of Houston with future CBS golf announcer Jim Nantz, of his turning pro on a whim and the ensuing struggle to break through on the tour, of his fulfilling a lifelong dream of a Masters victory and the emotional aftermath, and of his role in helping launch the current look in golf clothing. He hides behind a casual demeanor, but his career has revealed a raw determination to make it through the down times to remain at the top of his field. Fred Couples is an inspiring story for golfers and sports fans alike. Kathlene Bissell has worked in the golf industry since 1984. She has written for Golf Illustrated, Golf for Women, and Private Clubs magazines and formerly was media director for the Skins Game and the World Cup of Golf. She is a media consultant to golf businesses and founder of thegolfshow.net, a website devoted to various aspects of the game. She lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly once compared Fred Couples's appeal to chocolate's: "Nearly everybody likes him, and most people like him a lot." One of the game's true talents, Couples is also one of its real enigmas; what you see--the languid swing, the untroubled walk, the easy attitude--seems to be what you get, and what you seem to get is pretty appealing. But that's only part of the story. He's not nearly as carefree and lackadaisical as he'd have us believe. Crushed by his meltdown in the 1989 Ryder Cup when he lost the final match for the U.S. and the cup went back to Europe, much of his great run of the early '90s--including the 1992 Masters title--grew out of the resolve, rededication, and refocusing Ray Floyd helped him draw out of that experience. Similarly, much of his falloff in the late '90s can be traced to family illnesses and the emotional toll they took.

A dogged researcher and interviewer, Bissell does her share of mucking around in the rough to find the complex competitor--and ultimately the decent human being--at Couples's core. Her exploration of his relationship with his parents at the end of their lives is quite moving, and the breakup of his first marriage makes for pleasurably guilty reading. Interestingly, it's Couples's polo-obsessed first wife who offers the most stunning insight into his essence: "To Fred, nothing is worth the sacrifice of losing your peace of mind." --Jeff Silverman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (March 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809224852
• ISBN-13: 978-0809224852
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,386,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and must read for the golf fan, September 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fred Couples: Golf's Reluctant Superstar (Hardcover)

Fred Couples is by far my favorite golfer so I've followed his career very closely since the late 80's. Kathleen gives the most accurate account of a golfers career that I've ever read and covers the tough subjects (i.e. his divorce from Deborah) extremely well. Through all of Couples up's and down's Kathlene gets you inside his head so you know what he was going through at each tournament. One account comes to mind. When Freddie holed the bunker shot in the 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah and Deborah comes running out of the crowd his reaction was priceless and really gave away that there were problems in the marriage. Kathlene covers this and many other accounts superbly. I recommend highly!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Missed Birdie of a Book!, November 30, 2000

By 

rodboomboom (Dearborn, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Fred Couples: Golf's Reluctant Superstar (Hardcover)

This book was similar to any par four played: average drive down the middle, with an average approach shot thirty feet from the pin. The birdie putt slid by two inches on the left. Putted in for par. An adamant Couples fan, I probably had higher expectations about a really good read about my favorite player. Learned alot about him, but style left me weary. Shot after shot description of each tournament left me tired. Not bad though overall. Anything on Freddie is appreciated!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well documented, August 1, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (united states) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fred Couples: Golf's Reluctant Superstar (Hardcover)

Watching Fred over the years has brought me alot of respect for the game. This book brings me more respect for him as a person. We all wonder what it takes to be a superstar, this book details that very thing. I am proud to see a writer who can step inside and describe a person like kathlene bissle did. Fred touches so many people in our precious game of golf. We Fred thank you and your author for allowing us to step inside of your life an explore.