A Mulligan for Bobby Jobe: A Novel [Paperback]

Robert Cullen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 7, 2002

Bobby Jobe is a pro golfer whose swing is better than his attitude. When he bogies the last four holes and blows his lead in a major tournament -- again -- he berates his caddy, Henry "Greyhound" Mote. Jobe loses both Greyhound, who walks off the course, and the game. And before the day is out, he'll lose his eyesight to a lightning strike and his future in golf -- unless he can do what no one has ever done blind: make a comeback. Bob Cullen's funny and wise story, full of PGA lore, perfectly captures the mysterious and irresistible nature of the game of golf, not to mention, love, friendship, and life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Few sports inspire more preposterous fictional premises than golf, and the one that drives Cullen's first golf novel is a real beauty. Bobby Jobe is an arrogant pro golfer who fights with his caddy, chokes down the stretch in the PGA championship, then gets blinded by a bolt of lightning while hitting practice balls in a thunderstorm after the tournament. Caddy and narrator Henry Mote storms off the course thinking his career is over, only to be reunited with Jobe by the golfer's sexy rehab therapist, Angela Murphy, who convinces the pair that Jobe can make a comeback using Mote as his eyes. Their initial efforts are a comedy of errors, but Jobe eventually improves enough to enter an obscure tournament where he plays well before his personality gets the best of him. Mote returns to the family golf course and homestead in the Allegheny mountains, which he struggles to save from ruin until the relentless Murphy engineers another reunion with Jobe, who completes his comeback in the PGA championship at a treacherous course in Atlantic City. Cullen, a former Newsweek correspondent who has written four thrillers and coauthored several books on golf, including Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect, has a fine ear for dialogue and a knack for writing wise, warm scenes although the treacle quotient of several sections is high. His knowledge of golf is vast, and he handles the romantic subplot between Murphy and Mote well. The result is a winning story that pulls all the right heartstrings in a genre where tall tales abound.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Thoroughly entertaining . . . a cleverly told story about second chances." (Houston Chronicle )

“A wonderfully entertaining tale … warm, funny, poignant … full of people to like and aspirations to admire.” (Kirkus (Starred Review) )

"A winning story . . . Cullen has a fine ear for dialogue and a knack for writing wise, warm scenes." (Publishers Weekly )

"Authentic . . . Entertaining, quirky . . . always fun." (Four golf balls out of five) (Golf magazine )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; First Edition edition (May 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060933526
• ISBN-13: 978-0060933524
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,016,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You don't need to know golf to love this story..., April 9, 2002

By 

Betti Trapp - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Mulligan for Bobby Jobe: A Novel (Hardcover)

I hesitated to begin this book, since I know nothing of golf and suspected it would be full of golf jargon I would have a difficult time deciphering. I was right, but the author so splendidly weaves a touching tale around the golf, that I fell in love with the story almost right away. Bobby Jobe is a professional golf player, playing the PGA tournament one day and being a pompous jerk to his caddie as usual, when suddenly a tragedy turns Bobby completely around. It doesn't help his caddie however, whom he calls "Greyhound" and whom he initially blames for the tragedy. "Greyhound" is actually our hero in this book and he is a figure to be reckoned with. He is as real and as life-like as an author can make a character, and he is also lovable and a great golf caddie. His real name is Henry Mote, he initially caddies for the arrogant and abrasive Bobby Jobe, until that one moment in time when a tragedy changes them both forever. The tides get reversed, and Henry finds himself in an awkward situation when he is asked to once again caddie for Bobby Jobe, but in a very different capacity. This book has everything you need for a great escape, buy it today!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "HOGAN KNOWS" -- THIS BOOK IS A WINNER!!!, February 4, 2002

By 

L. Charles Wimer III (Coatesville, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Mulligan for Bobby Jobe: A Novel (Hardcover)

I'll be honest, I don't like fiction books. But I've got to tell you, A Mulligan for Bobby Jobe has changed my mind. Mr. Cullen adds so much detail that the reader comes away with a sense of actually being in touch with the cast of limited characters and the events taking place. The twists and unpredictable turns make the book a truly unforgettable experience. You don't need to be a golfer or a fan of golf to enjoy this novel. Can lightning strike twice? Absolutely!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No "Mullicants" needed with this story..., July 20, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: A Mulligan for Bobby Jobe: A Novel (Hardcover)

This book is extremely well written and provides amazingly vivid descriptions allowing the reader to picture everything in their mind. Whether you are an avid golfer or the weekend hacker, this story will keep you entertained from beginning to end. It touches your golfing funny bone and is a compelling HUMAN story as well.

Not just for golfers, it is for fathers, sons, mothers, girlfriends and anyone else who can pick up a book and read. The book reminds you that sometimes you can take a mulligan in life and get things right eventually!

It will make you laugh, cheer, get angry, maybe even bring a tear to your eye...and will definitely make you want to hit the links!