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The Green

by Troon McAllister
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Overview

The Ryder Cup.

A biennial tournament considered the premier event in the golfing world, pitting the twelve best players in the United States against the twelve best of Europe in a contest so pressure-filled it can paralyze even the most battle-scarred tour veterans.

United States captain Alan Bellamy, with one precious slot unfilled and none of the remaining top tour players willing to sign on against a clearly superior European squad, makes a desperate decision in his attempt to preserve America's golfing honor: he selects as his twelfth man one Eddie Caminetti, a low-life, two-bit hustler from a municipal course in South Florida.

The most prestigious tournament in golf will never be the same. As the unforeseen consequences of Caminetti's participation on the Ryder team unfold riotously, Troon McAllister takes us into the minds and souls of elite professional athletes and poses a question as old as golf itself: Why would God create a game even He can't play?

Synopsis

The Ryder Cup.

A biennial tournament considered the premier event in the golfing world, pitting the twelve best players in the United States against the twelve best of Europe in a contest so pressure-filled it can paralyze even the most battle-scarred tour veterans.

United States captain Alan Bellamy, with one precious slot unfilled and none of the remaining top tour players willing to sign on against a clearly superior European squad, makes a desperate decision in his attempt to preserve America's golfing honor: he selects as his twelfth man one Eddie Caminetti, a low-life, two-bit hustler from a municipal course in South Florida.

The most prestigious tournament in golf will never be the same. As the unforeseen consequences of Caminetti's participation on the Ryder team unfold riotously, Troon McAllister takes us into the minds and souls of elite professional athletes and poses a question as old as golf itself: Why would God create a game even He can't play?

The New York Times Book Review - Bill Vourvoulias

"The smaller the ball, the better the writing," the sports-writing bromide claims.

About the Author, Troon McAllister

Troon McAllister lives in Southern California. His handicap has been declared a federal disaster area.

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Editorials

Bill Vourvoulias

"The smaller the ball, the better the writing," the sports-writing bromide claims.
The New York Times Book Review

Library Journal

McAllister offers probably the best novel about golf since William Hallberg's The Rub of the Green. The narrator is team captain for America's Ryder Cup team, which has zero chance of winning against the European team until he chooses Eddie Caminetti, an unknown who prefers to make his living off the tour by snookering golfers who underestimate him. Eddie is not only a great golfer but a brilliant analyst of players and courses who shows his teammates how to exploit their European opponents' weaknesses. Eddie is an honest con who abides precisely by the terms of his contract. But when he doesn't get his money, it's unclear who is getting stiffed. Eddie is an unforgettable character, and the golf is vividly described. Golfers will love this book but so may non-golfers who have never understood how hard it is to play the game well. -- Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. Lib., Davenport, IA

Bill Vourvoulias

"The smaller the ball, the better the writing," the sports-writing bromide claims.
The New York Times Book Review

Kirkus Reviews

A laugh-out-loud take on big-time golfing, as a small-time hustler more than holds his own against the egos, bank balances, blood feuds, and beer guts of international pros. After seedy southern Florida golf hustler Eddie Caminetti uses his con-man skills, as well as his superbly controlled golfing technique, to pick the pocket of seasoned pro Al Bellamy, Bellamy invites him—begs him—and then bribes him (with $100,000) to join the 12-man all-star team representing the US against an elite troupe of Europeans for the Ryder Cup. Bellamy hopes that Caminetti's uncanny ability to read a player's weakness and play against it will give the Americans an edge in this biennial contest—which, unlike traditional competitions, in which players score against the course, forces some of the world's most fiercely independent, conceited, and downright crazy athletes to score as a team. Though narrator Bellamy is supposed to be in control, Caminetti, a street-smart Joe Pesci type, quickly takes over, besting whiz kid Derek Anouilh (a stand-in for Tiger Woods) in a qualifying match by flattering the boy. He also saves the team from the embarrassing entreaties of a drunken pro, plots group strategy, takes on an overweight L.A. ghetto kid as a caddy, and delivers numerous golf-is-life wisdom speeches when antagonisms between players bubble to a boil. Newcomer McAllister makes the intricacies of the game exciting, even thrilling, as he contrasts Caminetti's hardened pragmatism with the ridiculous behavior of the pros, asking whether, in this most tedious of sports, it's skill or personality that ultimately wins the game. When Caminetti apparently makes a lucrative side-bet with the Europeansthat might compel him to betray his team, Bellamy has to question the point of winning in pro sports: Is it about the money, the fame, or the quiet satisfaction of hoodwinking your opponent?

Book Details

Published
April 1, 2000
Publisher
Crown Publishing Group
Pages
304
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780385494601

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