Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists (Paperback)

by Gary McCord (Author) "There exists a place for the golfer that is a sanctuary for his soul to contemplate the very existence of his being..." (more)
Key Phrases: motor roller, sixteenth hole, seventeenth hole, Fairway Louie, Mad Max, Earl of Palmer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
In his 20-plus years as a touring pro, CBS golf commentator Gary McCord may never have won a tournament, but all those hours on the course obviously honed his skills as a raconteur. His memoir, filled with pithy observations of his fellow pros, is funny and self-effacing, enjoyable from tee to green. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
McCord injected new life into the pious world of professional golf commentating when he arrived in the CBS booth more than a decade ago. Whether unabashedly criticizing poor play or flamboyantly inventing his own language (in McCordspeak, "Grow hair, ball" means "Slow down"), McCord has managed to infuriate traditionalists and captivate the average fan. (His image as a maverick was only heightened when he was banned from Augusta National, home of the ever-so-stuffy Masters, for saying that the course's notoriously fast greens must have been "bikini-waxed.") Unfortunately, McCord's nineteenth-hole humor works much better delivered in short bursts on television than it does in print over a full-length book. His stories about his own mediocre career on the PGA Tour or about hanging with the boys at San Luis Rey Downs (his local course, sort of a Tin Cup, California style) are amusing enough, but extended to essay length, they often seem forced, the premises belabored and the punch lines flat. And when he tries to really extend himself--as in a mock Shakespearean version of the "The Globe Open" starring the earl of Palmer--the results are, to use one of McCord's favorite terms, roadkill. Still, as Putnam's 125,000 first printing indicates, there are plenty of golf fans out there, many of whom respond to McCord's irreverence. Expect demand, but most readers will quickly realize that McCord should stick to sound bites. Bill Ott --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425161641
• ISBN-13: 978-0425161647
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #645,115 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I thought it was decent, December 29, 2000

By	Randall Burgess (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

If you are familiar with Gary McCord then you should know that he is a little off the wall. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise that this book was off the wall. As a golfer, reading this book helped me to relax and enjoy the game more. It also helped in putting a smile on my face. This is not a book that should be taken seriously. Rather, it is a book that can help you find joy in the little things you do.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and peculiar, May 25, 2000

By	joe_n_bloe (Ester AK USA) - See all my reviews

This is an entertaining and somewhat peculiar collection of essays from Gary McCord. I say somewhat peculiar, because I'm never sure whether they are truthful or tall tales. Probably somewhere in between. But what does it matter whether they're literally true or not--it's not as if I have some kind of personal reference what life on the PGA TOUR is like.

McCord has been funnier and is funnier when he's speaking. This book has a weird, atmospheric style. More deadpan than you'd expect. It's as if he's speaking parables to you and you're never quite sure which parts are supposed to be funny. There's something else about the style ... as if he is trying to stay one notion ahead of the reader, which he accomplishes by leaving out a thought or two from time to time. I can't say it's bad, but it's not what one would expect.

I'd rate this 3-1/2 stars but I'm stuck with whole numbers. It's definitely better than average ... but not great. If you want side-splitting, colorful tales, you'll want to check out Peter Dobereiner's work. This book provides a stranger, more meditative experience.

4.0 out of 5 stars Are all Gary's stories true?, September 5, 2007

By	Kelvin Bruce Baldey (Darwin NT Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

McCord's story about the annual ex-wives' golf day at his home course is, by itself, worth the price of admission. It is the funniest, most wicked thing I have ever read.
I don't make a habit of reading Pro golfers' memoirs (except Jack's,big John's and, of course, our Greg's), but I am glad i made this book another exception to the rule. It is a collection of very short stories about his life on the Tour and his golfing adventures with his club mates. You couldn't invent the profiles of some of his mates. Birds of a feather....?
Gary throws a lot of adjectives and adverbs into some of his sentences and sometimes get tangled up amongst them. As you would expect he doesn't take himself too seriously and is often the butt of his own jokes. No doubt this is why we don't get his account of his famous conversation with Hogan, and the low down on his eviction from Augusta.
Buy, Buy, Buy.