The Gods of Golf [Paperback]

John P. Holms (Author), David L. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1997

Hoping to score points with his boss when he is drafted into a foursome at the Pine Valley Golf Club, Tom Cruickshank plays poorly and fears for his job, until he is assisted by a mysterious player who introduces him to the great golf gods. Reprint."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Like their Olympian cousins, the gods of golf are a high-strung, ribald lot, not the sort of deities you'd want to offend. But young Tom Cruickshank can't seem to avoid doing just that when he's transported to the celestial greens on Mount Augustus in this loopily outrageous golf fantasy from first novelists Smith and Holms. When narrator Tom makes a fool of himself while trying to impress his boss on New Jersey's famed Pine Valley links, he and a mysterious guide, Harry Brady, are transported to the Country Club of the Gods. There, Tom and Harry play golf, all the while encountering the imposing immortals who have much to say, some of it amusing, about slices, excuses, bad lies, divots and cruelty. The verbal underbrush is thick, full of fables, lessons, laws, anecdotes and unexpected twists and turns. Many golf lovers traipsing through it will find much to cheer about, but non-golfers may discover the story to be one big sand trap. Others, meanwhile, will note that the humor, though breezy, sometimes brassy, is aimed at a distinctly male readership (as in the discussion of "Heidi, Goddess of Hookers"). But, then, so was the humor in two other recent golf novels, Rick Reilly's Missing Links and Turk Pipkin's Fast Greens (Forecasts, May 13). Those in search of more universal golf writing may want to wait for John Updike's Golf Dreams, due out from Knopf in September.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Two golf-lovers team up for a comic first novel. Our hero and narrator, Tom Cruickshank, is playing perhaps his worst round of golf ever at Pine Valley, and since his boss has a deal riding on Tom's performance, he may lose his job. Then Tom is whisked away by an elderly golfer named Harry Brady, magically transported to the greens of Mount Augustus, the most difficult course in the universe because it's ruled by Scottish gods every bit as capricious as those in the Greek pantheon. If Tom plays a great round, Harry assures him, he'll enjoy a reward from the Great God MacKenzie himself--and, since time doesn't exist on Mount Augustus, Tom can return to his earthly match only moments after leaving. In fact, Tom is, without his knowledge, being auditioned as Harry's replacement as the gopher for the gods: In exchange for certain favors, Harry long ago agreed to keep the immortals supplied with Cuban cigars, fancy perfumes, and vintage liquor from the mortal world. Smith and Holms have a lot of fun with this, using holes one through eighteen to portray the various lesser gods of golf such as Mulligan, god of excuses; Divot, god of bad lies; Twitch, god of putting; and Lorena, a foul-smelling harpy who presides over the wicked slice. Best of all are Wendell and Ruppert, hucksters who talk like siding salesmen, the gods of winter rules; and the hated MacTavish, the legalistic, entirely unreasonable god of all rules. Days pass, Harry disappears, and Tom even falls in love before he's brought to trial in the clubhouse, accused of cheating. Threatened with spending eternity in the celestial foundry, Tom negotiates a clever deal and marches back to the next hole at Pine Valley with every confidence he'll win the round. Aimed at the country club set, and very funny. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Reprint edition (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671547747
• ISBN-13: 978-0671547745
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,715,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Gods of Golf, March 13, 2009

By 

M. Wallace (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The GODS OF GOLF (Hardcover)

This is a great fantasy/comedy story tailor made for anyone who has ever played the game of golf. Tom Cruickshank is looking to climb the corporate ladder at Hartless and Craven using his inconsistent golf game as a vehicle to get him there. After overstating his abilities and coming up way short in the execution of his skills by causing his boss and him to lose a Nassau on a weekend golfing outing at Pine Valley Golf Club, Tom meets up with Harry Brady, a member of Pine Valley Golf Club and a golfer who makes par look easy. Harry leads Tom on a very eventful journey (with the pretense of fixing Tom's game) to Mount Augustus, the home of the game of golf and the gods who control the game itself. There Tom meets the Great MacKenzie, the creator of the game, as well as Shank, Mulligan, and several other minor gods of golf. Tom learns a lot about himself and rekindles his pure love for the game along the way. But the path to enlightenment at Mount Augustus is not always sweet and rosy (not unlike the game of golf itself!) If you love golf and a good fantasy story, this is a can't miss for you!

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, well written, funny..., September 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Gods of Golf (Paperback)

Excellent book. It was funny, and had a great story. Even if you are not a golfer you can enjoy it. If you are a golfer you will enjoy it even more. The group of gods are excellent. I loved the book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book., June 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Gods of Golf (Paperback)

All 'hackers' should read this book