Customer Reviews

Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer's Quest to Play with the Pros

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a casual golfer who enjoys the time spent on the course with friends, and more comfortably, in the club house over a few beers. Often times when discussing the round just played, the converstaion comes around to how much better we would all be if we could quit our jobs and just focus on golf.

Paper Tiger puts that theory to the test. Tom Coyne's tale is one we could all only hope to one day (or one year) experience. The hilarious ups and downs Tom faces kept me turning the pages and often reading passages aloud to my wife.

I'm not the biggest reader, so the fact that I finished this book in 3 weeks will tell you that it was great. I recommend this to all golf lovers, and golf "widows" alike.

Intrigued by the books premise and impressed by the esteemed critical acclaim on the cover, I picked up this book on a recent trip to the United States. I laughed, I cried, and I cried laughing as I read the book cover to cover on the 7 hour plane ride back to England. My only regret is that I didn't buy more than one copy, as my friends and the the friends of my friends are now waiting eagerly to read the book which (as yet) doesn't have a UK relese date!

Tom's self disciplined, determined quest to fulfil his dream, is the keystone of the book. However, it is the obstacles he encountered and his responses to them that provide the comedy, the tragedy and ultimately a love story about golf and a girl.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who has ever tried to play golf; the husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends of anyone who plays golf; and to anyone who had a dream and motivated themselves to do something about it.

If you golf and entertain fantasies of going pro, read this book. It will plant you firmly in reality, yet give you enough instruction incidentally to improve your game.

The book will give you hope -- if you survive the bare-fisted reality-check. (You probably will not.)

This is also the story about how professional golf works -- and how many ways there are to do professional golf -- but mostly it's about how really hard it is and how very, very good you have to be.

This is a very well-written book, well paced, fun to read, full of memorable characters, salted with the vernacular, and full of food for thought about the game and about going for it.

If you have been playing golf for any length of time you probably understand the love/hate relationship that develops between you and the game, the agony and ecstasy of thrilling shots and pull-hooked drives. This book captures one man's adventure incredibly well. He is a top tier golfer, rusty from years of less than top tier golfing, and he dedicates a year to trying to compete on the main stage again. His tale is eloquent and funny, heartbreaking and endearing. Great stuff. If Tom Coyne's golf was on the level of his writing he would be Tiger Woods.

Tom Coyne has a wonderful book here. I ended up laughing more times then I can count reading it. He has such a smooth style about his writing that it will wrap you up and make you want to keep reading. Reading this book you will laugh, be shocked, and amazed at what is going on. I highly recommend this book to any golfers out there or any one who has dared to follow their dreams.

Golf junkies will love this quest for Q-school and the hilarity the author finds in day-to-day situations. You'll find a new respect for professional golfers.

A great read for anyone who has dreamed of a tour career or thought about turning pro in this crazy sport. You'll laugh out loud as Tom Coyne takes you through a wild year in his quest to get a tour card. Great job Tom!!

Not recommended for non-golfers, but a great read for anyone who thinks they've got a game. After reading it, I have a newfound appreciation for the guys in the final pairings on Sunday. Most memorable line of the book: "The PGA tagline 'These Guys are Good' should be appended to read 'These Guys are Good. How Good? You Have No F'ing Idea.'"

A good book for golf junkies. Very funny and yet with some real insights into why those of us who love the game keep playing despite the frustrations. It also makes we "amateurs" realize how good the really good players are and how many good players there are who are not quite good enough to "make it".

Anyone who has ever made a birdie, won a tournament, played on a team or thought he/she could play good golf fantasizes about playing "the tour." Tom Coyne tells a humorous, graphic story of living out his fantasy trying to qualify for the PGA Tour. There's some good golf tips, some real life drama, some harsh reality about this greatest game of all. A quick read, well written story, even non-golfer should enjoy this book.