Customer Reviews

Missing Links

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Think you play good golf? Try hitting a 3 iron "...while keeping one foot on a sprinkler head that never goes off..." Welcome to Ponkaquogue Municipal Golf Course! Named by Golf Illustrated as 'possibly the worst golf course in America', Ponky, as the course is called, is the setting for Rick Reilly's incredibly funny novel, Missing Links. The story-teller and main character of this off-the-wall saga is Raymond Lee Hart. Anxious to go on the tour, his dreams are put on the line when he plays the match of his life with his father. "...my father hasn't talked to me in 5 years..." Raymond says, "...but that's o.k., I haven't listened in 10." You'll also meet Hoover, "an irredeemable hack," Crowbar; Thud; and Two-down, so named because he always says, "Boys, the bets don't start until I'm two-down." Then, after playing "...like a diseased yak on the first four holes...he comes barreling back making pars from behind dumpsters and bottoms of lakes." Rick Reilly has written a fast-paced,riveting story. The knock-out one-liners will get you going and the all-or-nothing finishing game will keep you hooked until the last page. Read Missing Links and you'll never see golf in quite the same way again.

Let me start out by saying that this is the best book I have read since the last Reilly book I picked up (Who's your Caddy?). I'm sure everyone know who Rick Reilly is, he is the ONLY reason to read Sports Illustrated. This novel is no exception to the Reilly Rule (Read anything he writes). I would read the phone-book cover to cover if he wrote it. Missing Links is the story of a group of "chops" that play on the worst muni in the country (Ponky). When I started reading it I was hooked right away, the characters are original and pretty funny as well. The writing is pure Reilly at his best, witty as well as poignant. I found myself laughing out loud on the NYC subway,which got me a few looks from the other passengers. I figured that the book would be just one big laugh. I was wrong there was actually a part or two that got you all misty! Still the events of the book are so funny don't be surprised if you miss your stop on the train or stay up all night to finish the book. My favorite part was how Two-Down got the Lexus! Pure Genius! Just take my word for it and buy it. You will NOT be sorry.

The book Missing Links by Rick Reilly is a book about a group of low class friends who play at the worst golf course in America called Ponky. The group of friends, called Chops, loves their golf course even though it is inhabited by a sewage treatment plant and run down billboards, and where the cups are pulled out of the ground like volcanoes. Other than the Chops unstable jobs, Ponky is their life.
One day while the Chops were playing a game with another frivolous bet on the line Crowbar, a fat chop who never plays golf, said something to disturb Hoover, a 120 pound die hard golfer. Hoover got so mad he took out his 16 foot ball retriever and swung it at Crowbar. Hoover missed and ended up making a large hole in a hedge through which they could see the Mayflower Country Club, the snootiest most exclusive club in America, right next to the worst course in the world.
The Chops were mesmerized by the beauty of the Mayflower and Two Down made a bet where everyone put in [money]whoever played the Mayflower without any other Chops with them got the money. Everyone tried hard to get into the Mayflower, but the Mayflower only invites people with [money]who are the descendants of the people who came to America on the Mayflower. To find out what happens you will have to read the rest of the book.
I recommend Missing Links to any golfer that has a good sense of humor. Reading this book will make any day better and give you something to think about when you are sad. The characters in the novel are simply hilarious and unforgettable. The book makes you feel like your life is a little better and it adds a smile to your face.

This is a fun book to read. It centers around a group of friends(the chops) who play at Ponkaquogue Municipal Golf Course(known as Ponky) and Deli, the single worst golf course in America. One day they discover that Ponky is next to the Mayflower, an exclusive upper-class golf club, They make a bet to see who will be the first to play at the Mayflower. The bet ends up affecting their friendship and their lives. After many (often hilarious) schemes, things work out for our heroes. Reilly is best known as a columnist for Sports Illutrated and this is his first novel.. As such it is a great effort. He creates a memorable group of characters and while the plot is often predictable, there are some great one-liners and very funny conversations..

A nice fun read - ideal for a flightor trip.

Missing Links is a highly entertaining golf novel that stands up well with those of Troon Mcallister, Dan Jenkins and others. Although the characters and the situations are exaggerated, the story is good, funny and even has some moral value to it.

I had two complaints that kept me from rating this book a "5." First, the author tries way too hard to be constantly funny. Even though typical for this genre of writing, the non-stop wisecracks, witticisms and one-liners were, in my opinion, overdone.

My second complaint was the extensive use of the word "frik" and its variations. I know very few golfers who use that word regularly. They either use the real word, or they use this polite variation on rare occasions. In this book, everyone uses the polite variation(s) all the time. Very annoying and very out of character-especially for the "chops"!!!

Having aired these two grievances, I now suggest that, if you like golf novels, go get this one right now. Reading it will be time well spent.

If you like golf or just a good funny read, this is the one for you. You'll soon find yourself lost in the fictional world of Stick and Two Down and the other chops. Also, if you are just a fan of Rick Reilly, imagine 275 pages of his wit instead of having to settle for his usual one page column. This book will have you rereading it again and again.

I've been around golf most of my life. This is by far the most humorous book I have ever read regarding golf. If it were a movie, and it should be,it would rank up with Caddyshack.

Rick Reilly is able to capture all the little aspects of golfing with your buddies that make golf so great. There are SO many neat little sayings in this book that have wound up being used in our regular golf games. "I shot a radio station", "He pays out like an ATM", etc. etc. You won't be able to put this book down.

After reading what I can only describe as the best golf fiction ever, I bought copies for friends. Then my husband & I along with another couple went to play golf in AZ. During the long drives to golf courses, we took turns reading MISSING LINKS out loud. Probably, because know people like the chops we laughed until we cried at the antics of Two Down, Thud the almost human, Cementhead and Hoover with all of his golf gadgets and ideas. We even have a "Stone Concorde" at our club--ALWAYS manages to find his ball and we believe he has a magnetic ball marker on his putter. If he ever reads this book, I am sure he will start watering the putting surfaces at night. We were so involved with the book that we would drive slowly so we could continue reading. My friend's husband is not much of a bookworm but he would complain the loudest when it was time to stop reading. MISSING LINKS--8 thumbs up! Thanks Rick Reilly! We look forward to your next novel. Lookout for your shadow!

After reading Rick Reilly's Missing Links for the third time I wanted to add my comments and recommendation. If you have ever played golf and had a real gambler in your foursome then this book is for you. Reading this book on an airplane is difficult because people stare as you laugh out loud at the zanny adventures or the development of the characters. I have given this book as a present probably 20 times and have always gotten rave reviews from the recipient. So take my word, that if you enjoy golf and have a sense of humor you will love (and I mean love) this book.