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Rainmaker: Superagent Hughes Norton and the Money-Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond
A rollicking tell-all from golf’s first super-agent, Hughes Norton, detailing everything from his life-changing work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era. The ultimate read for fans of Alan Shipnuck, Bob Harig, and Michael Bamberger.
When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton.
At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, in an effort to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Now, in Rainmaker , Norton draws back the curtain on his meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With never-before-told stories and exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.
When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton.
At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, in an effort to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Now, in Rainmaker , Norton draws back the curtain on his meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With never-before-told stories and exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published March 26, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 3, 2024
For me, this was a moment of nostalgia. Not only do I know every person in this book except Hughes Norton’s ex wife and the guy he beat in his club championship in Maine, many of the characters were and are good friends, which makes this review tough.
Mark McCormack, the founder and former CEO of IMG, was a dear friend, a man more than 30 years my senior who saw something in me and brought me into his universe even though I could do nothing for him. Because of Mark, I became friends with Arnold Palmer and wrote two of his books. I met almost every famous athlete and entertainer you can imagine and walked away with thousands of wonderful, funny, insightful and life-shaping stories - I went out of my way to force Diane Von Furstenberg to shake my hand on numerous occasions because I could tell she thought I was beneath her, for example, and I met Tom Cruise with Mark at Wimbledon and didn’t recognize him.
Mark’s widow Betsy and I are still close and speak often. And my best friend is Paul Azinger, in a circuitous way, because of Mark.
All that preamble is to say, this book lays out the business of agenting from the perspective of one man who did it exceptionally well, if you define the job as getting good deals for your clients. It’s a great read, especially if you want some insight into how the deals are made and what some of the players are like.
Hughes admits that he had a wealth of acquaintances but no real friends, no lasting relationships, no one, save his children, who will grieve when he’s gone. My heart breaks for him, especially since he still seems to harbor resentment and bitterness to former colleagues and clients from a quarter century ago.
His biggest nemesis in these pages is Alastair Johnston who replaced Hughes as the head of IMG Golf. Again I’ve known Alastair for decades. He severed my relationship with IMG not long after Mark died, which cut me deeply. And I know that Alastair used me on more than one occasion to get a story out, including Tiger’s firing of Hughes.
We were in London at the World Match Play Championship just a day after the fateful event Hughes describes in these pages. Alastair stopped me in the clubhouse at Wentworth to share the news. Tiger gave a press conference an hour later, so, of course, I asked about him firing Hughes. It wasn’t the last time Tiger looked like he wanted to throttle me. Within a couple of hours (this was before high-speed internet), the news was around the world.
Still, if I ran into Alastair tomorrow I’d buy him a cup of coffee and reminisce. We’re old men now. Time to toss aside the slights of the past, no matter how hurtful.
That’s the chip I fear Hughes is still missing. He believes he treated everyone fairly and honorably, or at least that’s what he portrays in these pages. But that’s different than building a bond, forging a friendship, loving a person like family. Hughes didn’t get that. After finishing this book, I fear he still doesn’t.
Mark McCormack, the founder and former CEO of IMG, was a dear friend, a man more than 30 years my senior who saw something in me and brought me into his universe even though I could do nothing for him. Because of Mark, I became friends with Arnold Palmer and wrote two of his books. I met almost every famous athlete and entertainer you can imagine and walked away with thousands of wonderful, funny, insightful and life-shaping stories - I went out of my way to force Diane Von Furstenberg to shake my hand on numerous occasions because I could tell she thought I was beneath her, for example, and I met Tom Cruise with Mark at Wimbledon and didn’t recognize him.
Mark’s widow Betsy and I are still close and speak often. And my best friend is Paul Azinger, in a circuitous way, because of Mark.
All that preamble is to say, this book lays out the business of agenting from the perspective of one man who did it exceptionally well, if you define the job as getting good deals for your clients. It’s a great read, especially if you want some insight into how the deals are made and what some of the players are like.
Hughes admits that he had a wealth of acquaintances but no real friends, no lasting relationships, no one, save his children, who will grieve when he’s gone. My heart breaks for him, especially since he still seems to harbor resentment and bitterness to former colleagues and clients from a quarter century ago.
His biggest nemesis in these pages is Alastair Johnston who replaced Hughes as the head of IMG Golf. Again I’ve known Alastair for decades. He severed my relationship with IMG not long after Mark died, which cut me deeply. And I know that Alastair used me on more than one occasion to get a story out, including Tiger’s firing of Hughes.
We were in London at the World Match Play Championship just a day after the fateful event Hughes describes in these pages. Alastair stopped me in the clubhouse at Wentworth to share the news. Tiger gave a press conference an hour later, so, of course, I asked about him firing Hughes. It wasn’t the last time Tiger looked like he wanted to throttle me. Within a couple of hours (this was before high-speed internet), the news was around the world.
Still, if I ran into Alastair tomorrow I’d buy him a cup of coffee and reminisce. We’re old men now. Time to toss aside the slights of the past, no matter how hurtful.
That’s the chip I fear Hughes is still missing. He believes he treated everyone fairly and honorably, or at least that’s what he portrays in these pages. But that’s different than building a bond, forging a friendship, loving a person like family. Hughes didn’t get that. After finishing this book, I fear he still doesn’t.
February 20, 2025
Hughes Norton is pretty legendary in golf circles, especially because of his association with Tiger Woods. I especially liked the parts about Tiger (who is my all time favorite), as well as the parts with Greg Norman. However, the first half of this felt more like random name dropping and less like actual stories about golf. I also appreciated the stories about possible breakaway tours like LIV and how IMG was behind the original ideas (which is so on brand when you consider how much they’ve been behind the business of youth sports). Great second half, but the first half brings it down for me.
August 3, 2024
Interesting story. Feels a little like Forest Gump in that a behind the scenes sport agent was part of some historical moments in golf
May 28, 2024
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a fascinating look behind the scenes of the golf world from one of the biggest golf agents, Hughes Norton. The last half of the book is definitely where the meat is, if youre looking for the juicy stuff about when he was Tiger Woods agent. (he was also Tom Watson's agent, and Greg Norman too!).
It was really interesting to see how much golf has changed since the 80s and 90s through today. He even gets in to some of the LIV controversy as well.
I think you definitely need to be a golf fan or a hardcore sports fan to really enjoy the aspects of this book. 4/5 stars.
This is a fascinating look behind the scenes of the golf world from one of the biggest golf agents, Hughes Norton. The last half of the book is definitely where the meat is, if youre looking for the juicy stuff about when he was Tiger Woods agent. (he was also Tom Watson's agent, and Greg Norman too!).
It was really interesting to see how much golf has changed since the 80s and 90s through today. He even gets in to some of the LIV controversy as well.
I think you definitely need to be a golf fan or a hardcore sports fan to really enjoy the aspects of this book. 4/5 stars.
April 4, 2025
Hughes Norton is kind of a terrible person but the man can write a good memoir
May 27, 2024
Loved the book. I am a golf fan and being a golf fan really helps with this book. The more recent Tiger parts may resonate with non golf fans but doubt the older stuff will. Fun look “behind the curtain” about how much of their off the course money is made. LIV Golf plays such a minor role in this book. If you didn’t know what is was before reading you would wonder what the author is talking about but I loved the comparison to previous ideas on the tour.
Highly recommend for those who know golf. Others might need an “interpreter” to fully understand the significance of some of the stories.
Highly recommend for those who know golf. Others might need an “interpreter” to fully understand the significance of some of the stories.
July 18, 2024
All I can say is WOW. Norton doesn't pull punches both with those he worked with/for and about himself, especially at the end when he puts himself down tremendously. But at least he comes across honest. And someone who loves Professional Golf (the only professional sport I care about) I loved reading about these last 30 years. And I remember respecting IMG, even when I met a IMG agent in my MBA class long ago. What an amazing read and what an amazing look at the backside of golf and agents.
From his work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf's current money-grab era, golf superagent Hughes Norton presents a rollicking tell-all that "takes you inside the room with some of golf's biggest personalities for some never-before-heard stories" (Chris Solomon, host of No Laying Up).
When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton.
At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure--both from his players and their corporate partners--took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Now, in Rainmaker, Norton offers "the most amazing 'behind the curtain' view ever written about the world of sports management" (Jim Nantz, CBS Sports). With exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger's first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden--and controversial--ouster as the head of IMG's Golf Division--a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.
From his work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf's current money-grab era, golf superagent Hughes Norton presents a rollicking tell-all that "takes you inside the room with some of golf's biggest personalities for some never-before-heard stories" (Chris Solomon, host of No Laying Up).
When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton.
At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure--both from his players and their corporate partners--took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Now, in Rainmaker, Norton offers "the most amazing 'behind the curtain' view ever written about the world of sports management" (Jim Nantz, CBS Sports). With exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger's first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden--and controversial--ouster as the head of IMG's Golf Division--a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.
January 10, 2024
Hughes Norton presents an understandably biased but also fascinating view into recent golf history in this memoir cum business guidance text. His background knowledge of the golf goings-on sheds light on current changes, especially in relationship to LIV and the PGA. I look forward to sharing this one with my partner, who is a golfer, and will likely get even more of the references and insider knowledge than I did.
Rounding 3.5 to 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Rounding 3.5 to 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
December 18, 2024
Rainmaker: Superagent Hughes Norton and the Money-Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond by Hughes Norton is an extraordinary read that ultimately left me deeply reflective. Initially, I was put off by the characters and the way Mr. Norton navigated relationships. However, as I read further, I was struck by the depth of his reflections and the candid honesty he brings to his life’s story. By the end, I found myself admiring Norton’s ability to take a hard look at his mistakes and offer invaluable lessons from his journey.
This memoir stands apart from typical personal development books. While those books focus on tactics, Rainmaker offers a broader, more complex view of ambition, success, and their inherent costs. Norton doesn’t shy away from revealing the toll his career took on his personal life, particularly his family and friendships. His transparency about these sacrifices is one of the most powerful aspects of the book, urging readers to think about their own paths and decisions.
One of the most compelling elements of Rainmaker is how Norton’s failures stem from a lack of mindfulness about his stakeholders' deeper values and life intentions. It challenges the assumption that success is always intentional. For instance, Norton took a gamble by joining Mark McCormack’s agency, which paid off in the long run, though he did not recognize the relationship was always utilitarian. this led to his firing decades later. He intentionally studied McCormack’s biography to learn the ropes of sports management which helped set him off to becoming the best agent in the world. Yet, at crucial moments, he wasn’t aligned with his own values. He almost cheated on his wife and witnessed a golfer using his phone to cheat on his spouse. These episodes expose how even a superagent can miss the mark on life’s most important decisions. On the other hand, Norton was highly intentional when securing financial support for Tiger Woods’ family before even becoming his agent. Yet, he failed to recognize Tiger’s need for life balance, revealing a blind spot in his approach to personal relationships.
I recently learned a theory that you never want to multiply by 0. It suggests that sometimes in life, it's better not to do something that could undo all the progress you've made. Norton’s story serves as a powerful reminder that the things we aren’t intentional about—whether in our personal relationships or our professional decisions—can undermine the very things we’ve worked so hard to achieve. This lesson is deeply woven throughout Norton’s reflections in Rainmaker.
Norton’s experiences with Tiger Woods, his work with other golf legends, and his time at IMG provide a behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes world of sports management. The book’s slow start is quickly compensated by the insightful final third, particularly when it shifts to Tiger Woods’ rise and Norton’s perspective on the world of LIV Golf.
In the end, Rainmaker is much more than a book about golf or sports management. It’s a profound meditation on life’s ambition, the compromises it demands, and the personal lessons we all can learn from others’ mistakes. I highly recommend this memoir for anyone reflecting on their own journey and the values that drive them. It’s a window not only into the world of a successful agent but into what truly matters in life.
This memoir stands apart from typical personal development books. While those books focus on tactics, Rainmaker offers a broader, more complex view of ambition, success, and their inherent costs. Norton doesn’t shy away from revealing the toll his career took on his personal life, particularly his family and friendships. His transparency about these sacrifices is one of the most powerful aspects of the book, urging readers to think about their own paths and decisions.
One of the most compelling elements of Rainmaker is how Norton’s failures stem from a lack of mindfulness about his stakeholders' deeper values and life intentions. It challenges the assumption that success is always intentional. For instance, Norton took a gamble by joining Mark McCormack’s agency, which paid off in the long run, though he did not recognize the relationship was always utilitarian. this led to his firing decades later. He intentionally studied McCormack’s biography to learn the ropes of sports management which helped set him off to becoming the best agent in the world. Yet, at crucial moments, he wasn’t aligned with his own values. He almost cheated on his wife and witnessed a golfer using his phone to cheat on his spouse. These episodes expose how even a superagent can miss the mark on life’s most important decisions. On the other hand, Norton was highly intentional when securing financial support for Tiger Woods’ family before even becoming his agent. Yet, he failed to recognize Tiger’s need for life balance, revealing a blind spot in his approach to personal relationships.
I recently learned a theory that you never want to multiply by 0. It suggests that sometimes in life, it's better not to do something that could undo all the progress you've made. Norton’s story serves as a powerful reminder that the things we aren’t intentional about—whether in our personal relationships or our professional decisions—can undermine the very things we’ve worked so hard to achieve. This lesson is deeply woven throughout Norton’s reflections in Rainmaker.
Norton’s experiences with Tiger Woods, his work with other golf legends, and his time at IMG provide a behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes world of sports management. The book’s slow start is quickly compensated by the insightful final third, particularly when it shifts to Tiger Woods’ rise and Norton’s perspective on the world of LIV Golf.
In the end, Rainmaker is much more than a book about golf or sports management. It’s a profound meditation on life’s ambition, the compromises it demands, and the personal lessons we all can learn from others’ mistakes. I highly recommend this memoir for anyone reflecting on their own journey and the values that drive them. It’s a window not only into the world of a successful agent but into what truly matters in life.
April 25, 2024
Fast, entertaining read about a golf super agent, written by that super agent, Hughes Norton.
Norton relates the history of professional golf and the PGA tour from no money to obscene amounts of money. For years he was the agent for Tom Watson (8 majors), Greg Norman (2 majors) and Tiger Woods (15 majors). All of them fired him, and part of this book is Norton settling scores with those that done him wrong. Along for the ride is the history of his company, IMG or International Management Group led by the Mark McCormack. IMG started out with Arnold Palmer who at the time was winning golf tournaments but making no money. McCormack turned Arnold Palmer into a money making machine off the course with endorsements. Hughes took over the golf division and made millionaires out of all of his players with endorsements from bag, golf club and ball manufacturers. Don't forget the shoes too. At the end Tiger fired Norton. I saw Norton speak and someone asked him why he fired Norton. Norton replied, "I have no idea. I made him 60 million before he turned pro. If you see him, please ask him." Guess what? After Tiger fired him, IMG fired him too.
Norton relates the history of professional golf and the PGA tour from no money to obscene amounts of money. For years he was the agent for Tom Watson (8 majors), Greg Norman (2 majors) and Tiger Woods (15 majors). All of them fired him, and part of this book is Norton settling scores with those that done him wrong. Along for the ride is the history of his company, IMG or International Management Group led by the Mark McCormack. IMG started out with Arnold Palmer who at the time was winning golf tournaments but making no money. McCormack turned Arnold Palmer into a money making machine off the course with endorsements. Hughes took over the golf division and made millionaires out of all of his players with endorsements from bag, golf club and ball manufacturers. Don't forget the shoes too. At the end Tiger fired Norton. I saw Norton speak and someone asked him why he fired Norton. Norton replied, "I have no idea. I made him 60 million before he turned pro. If you see him, please ask him." Guess what? After Tiger fired him, IMG fired him too.
January 11, 2024
Rainmaker was an introspective look into the life of IMG agent Hughes Norton and mainly his work representing multiple golfers across the 1970s, 80s, and 90s including his groundbreaking deals with golf’s biggest star Tiger Woods.
Coming into this book be mostly unaware of who Hughes Norton and IMG were, the beginning background information was helpful in building up the story, but I found that in the middle it got a bit slow paced at times. I really enjoyed the last 30% regarding Tiger Woods and Hughes’ career thoughts on the LIV and made the slow build absolutely worth it.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest and fair opinion. Being a golf fan, this was a fun and interesting read that I would recommend.
Coming into this book be mostly unaware of who Hughes Norton and IMG were, the beginning background information was helpful in building up the story, but I found that in the middle it got a bit slow paced at times. I really enjoyed the last 30% regarding Tiger Woods and Hughes’ career thoughts on the LIV and made the slow build absolutely worth it.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest and fair opinion. Being a golf fan, this was a fun and interesting read that I would recommend.
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May 14, 2024I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to write a review. Rainmaker by Hughes Norton talks about the history of agents in sports management, especially in the golf world. This is a behind the scenes look at the most famous people in golf and their behavior—good and bad. Find out the juicy details behind the lucrative endorsement deals. What were Arnild Palmer and Tiger Woods really like? Towards the end, it was sad to read about how much Norton gave up in his own life only to be treated indifferently by clients and the agency he helped build.
Rainmaker is currently for sale at your favorite bookstore. #goodreads @atriabooks
Rainmaker is currently for sale at your favorite bookstore. #goodreads @atriabooks
June 6, 2024
(2 1/2). I always wondered what had happened to Hughes Norton. He was such a public figure in all the Tiger Woods dealings, plus, I was aware of some of his prior life at IMG (I had some business dealing with the company at one point). The first 1/4 or so of this book is a little dry, but once his career gets moving, from his relationship with Greg Norman on, it is pretty cool to a golf fan. Getting a picture of the behind the scenes operation of how a sports agent works is something I have always been interested in, so this was on my hot list ever since the book was released. Reasonable stuff.
May 6, 2025
As a part of my golf kick to start of 2025 I wanted to understand the agent’s role within the golf world. The materials expanded well beyond the silo of a golf agent and explored the intertwined histories of IMG’s rise and the growth of golf, more specifically the business (money infusion) of golf. This book must be read with a grain of salt as the author is quite vain and pompous of his own activity at times. The interesting nuggets around Tiger, Arnold Palmer, Jack, the PGA, and other golf executives that shaped today’s game for better or worse make this one worth reading for any dimple heads out there interested about the business of golf.
May 22, 2024
Hughes Norton reviews his career at IMG.
How, as an agent, you sign up young talent and work them like a pony, making millions for the pro, the agency, and corporations that want to be part of the dog and pony show.
Interesting insight into players like Palmer, Snead, Norman, Watson, Woods, and many more.
Interesting insight how the PGA has grown and its current interaction with LIV.
As with any book like this, the author provides his own interpretation of his career and all surrounding activity.
The overall message - It’s all about the money baby.
How, as an agent, you sign up young talent and work them like a pony, making millions for the pro, the agency, and corporations that want to be part of the dog and pony show.
Interesting insight into players like Palmer, Snead, Norman, Watson, Woods, and many more.
Interesting insight how the PGA has grown and its current interaction with LIV.
As with any book like this, the author provides his own interpretation of his career and all surrounding activity.
The overall message - It’s all about the money baby.
August 6, 2024
This book is more a 3.5 stars to me but I’ll round up to 4.
It’s interesting if you’re a lover of golf and the rise of business, corporate interests, and agents/managers in sports and specifically golf.
IMG was a powerhouse in that and Hughes Norton had a unique place in it.
However, the man was still an agent so some of the bitterness, personality differences, and judgment shows through. It’s inside stuff and attitude that as a reader I don’t care for, but that’s the glitzy and drama crap probably looked for in memoirs today.
It’s interesting if you’re a lover of golf and the rise of business, corporate interests, and agents/managers in sports and specifically golf.
IMG was a powerhouse in that and Hughes Norton had a unique place in it.
However, the man was still an agent so some of the bitterness, personality differences, and judgment shows through. It’s inside stuff and attitude that as a reader I don’t care for, but that’s the glitzy and drama crap probably looked for in memoirs today.
April 16, 2025
Every golf fan should read this
Working for Arnold Palmer from 1991 to 2003 as Director of Golf at the Bay Hill Club, I knew many of the people in this book. Bev Norwood came every year to the tournament in March. He loved playing solo on the Charger nine holes, usually absent of golfers. Of course Alistair Johnston was there often.
Mark McCormick was a frequent visitor. McCormick was eternally grateful for the loyalty and friendship from Arnold Palmer.
It dismayed Mr. Palmer when he died unexpectedly.
A great read. George Pepper knows how to intrigue the reader.
Working for Arnold Palmer from 1991 to 2003 as Director of Golf at the Bay Hill Club, I knew many of the people in this book. Bev Norwood came every year to the tournament in March. He loved playing solo on the Charger nine holes, usually absent of golfers. Of course Alistair Johnston was there often.
Mark McCormick was a frequent visitor. McCormick was eternally grateful for the loyalty and friendship from Arnold Palmer.
It dismayed Mr. Palmer when he died unexpectedly.
A great read. George Pepper knows how to intrigue the reader.
September 2, 2024
Great life long perspective into a segment of golf and sports management. Sad as I came to the conclusion the author stated early on. Hughes Norton was extremely successful at his trade forgetting the more important successes of helping his clients reach their trades. He never realized his success was money but that was secondary to his clients that he never realized. This was his failing thinking that if he’s successful everyone is successful.
October 24, 2024
As a golf fan growing up in the 50's and 60's, this was a nostalgic read of the early days of popularized golf, with Pakmer, Nicklaus and Player as "The Big Three".
Although it was a let down for Hughes when he lost Tiger, and then his job, he experienced what a lot of us have also experienced inor careers - although most with a severance not nearly as good.
The author's ego withstanding, it was an enjoyable read.
Although it was a let down for Hughes when he lost Tiger, and then his job, he experienced what a lot of us have also experienced inor careers - although most with a severance not nearly as good.
The author's ego withstanding, it was an enjoyable read.
December 12, 2025
I'll say a few words about this. The book will certainly be of interest to fans who enjoy sports predictions. It very clearly demonstrates the management mechanisms of professional sports. This is useful to understand so you can take all the nuances into account. This helps a lot with regular use of 1xbetapp.live. It seems to me that you need to increase your chances of winning in any case.
April 1, 2024
I really liked the book since I grew up in Palm Springs California and every year I went to the Bob Hope Classic and the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Golf tournament. Both my hubby and my dad played golf. This is written by Hughes Norton and he was the super agent for representing sports giants of golf. it is not an easy job and he traveled all the world for his players. It is a very interesting book.
April 4, 2024
This book is shocking, honest, insightful, and very entertaining! I don't know much about golf, but I have noticed the way it has changed over the years. This book did a fantastic job of explaining golf then and now. The author was incredibly honest which I adored! Overall, this book kept me engaged and taught me a lot!
July 31, 2024
This was an interesting read to get some insights into how the world of golf agents works. I realize you're getting a one-sided view of things, but it's still stuff I hadn't heard before. I found it very interesting that the author spent time being critical of himself and talked about things he did wrong. It's not often that you will read an author doing this. The book is worth the read.
April 10, 2024
I’m not a golf fan, but was intrigued to hear about the agent side of the sport and I’m happy to say I really enjoyed it! A fascinating look at the business side of golf and the author definitely doesn’t hold back on what he thinks of both events and people. Some things felt a bit vindictive and bitter vs informative but it was an entertaining look at what goes on in the world of golf. I split time between audio (narrated by the author) and physical and while it’s obvious he is not a trained narrator, I enjoyed both formats. Would absolutely recommend this to fans of golf, or anyone who is interested in a peek behind the curtain of a sports agent.
Thanks Atria Books for the gifted copy!
Thanks Atria Books for the gifted copy!
April 14, 2024
Even as a non-golfer I found the book to be a great read full of details about the behind the scenes world of golf. Growing up during Tigermania I found that section to be fascinating. I definitely recommend for any golfers or fans of watching golf!
did-not-finish
May 22, 2024Thought I would enjoy this, as I have been intrigued by golf lately. But a lot of the book thus far has been about things I don't totally understand (which is not the book's fault! If you really love golf, you will like this). I think I will just stick to watching golf on TV!
February 8, 2025
Interesting story about not just the start of Tigers career, but an interesting history about the growth of the PGA tour to what we know it as today, and the journey of IMG as a company and it's impact on the sports industry.
April 1, 2024
The husband really liked this book!
April 4, 2024
Great book and interesting subject.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews