Tiger Woods: The Makings of a Champion [Hardcover]

Tim Rosaforte (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1997

Great competitor, top shotmaker, the only player to win the U.S. Amateur three times, a smashing first year on the pro tour at age 20-Tiger Woods is a sports phenomenon. Now discover how he did it and what it cost him in a riveting story that captures the heart and soul of a magnificent American athlete.

-The poignant love story behind his parents' marriage and a soldier's promise to name his son "Tiger"
-A son's talent, a father's ambitions, and the tough mental games geared to either break him or make him a champion
-The truth about college and his decision to go pro
-A revealing close-up of Tiger under pressure, his most dramatic play-offs, and his worst rookie-year mistake
-The big money: $40 million Nike deal and the hot Titleist contract
-The race card-who played it and why-and how Tiger changed the game forever...
-His journey to the 1997 Masters and a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team

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

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA. Writing about 21-year-old Tiger Woods is like writing about advances in computer design?the material is dated as soon as it is published. Written prior to his winning of the 1997 Masters tournament, this book tells about Woods's swing to success throughout his childhood and teen years. The young man's life is quite interesting in and of itself; Rosaforte, former golf reporter for Sports Illustrated, adds to the compelling story with his mix of play-by-play action and dramatic retelling of some of Woods's tough decisions. Readers will be fascinated throughout by the athlete's mental strength, intelligence, good nature, and his genius for the game. An inspiring story, not just for sports fans.?Rebecca Burgee, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Woods, the 20-year-old phenomenon selected as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, is examined by a sports writer.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1St Edition edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312156723
• ISBN-13: 978-0312156725
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,537,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Well Written Book, February 22, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Tiger Woods: The Makings of a Champion (Mass Market Paperback)

Although the story dragged in the beginning, I found the book Tiger Woods The Makings Of A Champion very interesting and entertaining. It was also a very well written book. It struck me with awe when I read that Tiger started swinging a golf club at 10 months. The book also shows people how hard Tiger's childhood was. That he couldn't even play at some golf courses because he was black. It showed how great a golfer Tiger Woods is, and how he could possibly be the player of the future.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A CHAMPION RISES, July 17, 2002

By 

Bonita L. Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiger Woods: The Makings of a Champion (Mass Market Paperback)

At age twenty-one, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods became the youngest individual to win the Masters Tournament. This young phenomena ushered in a new age for golf and sports fans all over wanted to know, who is this rising champion? Sports writer Tim Rosaforte provides that answer by penning one of the first biographies of Tiger.

Does a young man of twenty years of age deserve a 70,000 word biography is the question Rosaforte raises. His answer is a resounding yes as he presents before the phenomenal rise of golf's greatest champion of all time. He tracks the early career of Woods from his Junior Golf years all the way up to his 1997 victory at the Masters. Through his journalism you get a comprehensive overview of his career.

Rosaforte divides his book into three sections which entail a biographical sketch of Woods' parents and their impact on him. His second section is devoted to his wins in junior golf, high school and college. Finally we deal with Tiger coming out on his own by turning professional. As one of the first biographical books on Woods, the author does a decent job in giving us insight on this remarkable golfer.

I would caution readers to not look at this book as the "definitive" work about Woods. Rosaforte admits that he didn't have the help of the Woods family in compiling his work. In many instances the author's voice takes on a self-serving attitude as if his writing is responsible for taking Woods to greater heights. Although he shares with us little known facts about Woods such as his mugging at Stanford and problems with the NCAA regarding his eligibility, we are left without a clue about the young man himself. His golf achievements and statistical records are reported but what is absent is the inner life of Woods and little interpretation as to his importance for golf's future years. Perhaps Tiger and his family were wise not to work with the reporter.

Regardless of those faults Rosaforte's book is worth having in terms of getting some insight about Woods as a champion golfer. In this area the author does a great service but as a biographer he falls short of the task. Obtain this book as a collector's item on one of Golf's finest players.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars just outstanding, February 1, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiger Woods: The Makings of a Champion (Hardcover)

A very good book, it made me realize that having an education should always come first. This book obviously moved me. I loved it and I recommend it to all you Tiger Woods fans out there. It is a good book because it tells you the whole story from when he was born, to the skins game in which he participated in.