Sunday, November 23, 2008

Tiger Woods Played 604 Holes in 2008 - Be There.

Follow The Roar
By: Bob Smiley

Average Golfer Book Review


I first became acquainted with Bob Smiley's work by reading an article he published on ESPN.com. Anything that makes me chuckle out loud, while reading alone, is worthy of investigation. That led me to Bob's website, forerightbob.com, and another window into this man's singular take on the golf world.
I've mentioned that he's the funniest golf guy in cyberspace, a claim I still stand by.

In his fir
st attempt as a book author he took on the Herculean task of following Tiger Woods for all 604 holes of his now legendary 2008 season. The logistics involved in this quest are such that if you examined them in hindsight, you'd never attempt it. The beauty is Bob did it the way the common fellow, you or me, would have been forced to do. No private jets, no chauffeurs, an accidental press pass, and the wile and guile needed to just gain access to some events. Bob tells you exactly what it would have been like if you'd have tried the same itinerary. From Torrey Pines to Dubai and back again, Smiley truly gives you the sensations of witnessing every single solitary stroke that the icon Woods took in 2008. Most will be familiar with the headlines of Tiger's year, but witnessing the dissection of it just adds to the appreciation of his exploits.

The book has a secondary theme that I enjoyed immensely. Smiley is particularly adept at observing the people around him. His riotous and dead- on descriptions of the characters he encountered during his journey were a welcome surprise that kept me page turning to see how the relationships played out. This makes it sort of a book within a book. This read will grab you from the get go and you'll find it difficult to bookmark, instead plowing onward as to not break the mood.

In case you hadn't guessed, Average Golfer gives Follow The Roar an unqualified thumbs up. Take the time from your busy life to escape into the world of Woods via Smiley. You'll wished you'd done it sooner. Here's an exclusive excerpt from Follow The Roar as released by the publisher, HarperCollins. Buy It Now At..... Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders.


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