Golf's Majors: From Hagen and Hogan to a Bear and a Tiger, Inside the Game’s Most Unforgettable Performances―An Insider's Journey Through Golf's ... Iconic Moments, and Legendary Players

by Gary Player, Randy O. Williams

From golf legend and nine-time major champion Gary Player comes a riveting history of golf's pinnacle events, packed with dramatic moments and insider stories.

Genres: Sports

480 pages, Hardcover

Published May 14, 2024

About the author

Gary Player, The Black Knight

Gary Player has won 167 professional golf tournaments worldwide and is one of only five men to capture golf’s coveted career Grand Slam. He won nine Major championships on the PGA Tour and nine Major championships on the Senior Tour, and is the only player in history to complete the career Grand Slam on both Tours. Off the course, Player has raised more than $62 million for underprivileged children’s education globally through the efforts of The Player Foundation; he has designed nearly 400 golf courses worldwide; he has bred more than 2000 winning racehorses on the Gary Player Stud Farm in South Africa; and in recognition of his achievements in golf as well as his dedication to charity, Player has received many awards including the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award and the PGA Tour's Lifetime Achievement Award. He currently serves as the Global Ambassador to the World Golf Hall of Fame and has been dubbed the Black Knight, Mr. Fitness, and The World’s Most Traveled Athlete™ having travelled more than 25 million kilometers. In 2015, he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his career Grand Slam achievement and his 80th birthday. In 2016 he captained the South African Olympic Golf Team in Rio de Janeiro at the Summer Olympics.

Reviews

[Larry (LPosse1) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Golf’s Majors by Gary Player

Man, what a great golf book! I’ll admit right up front—I’m a bit biased when it comes to Gary Player, the legendary golfer from South Africa. Even approaching ninety, he remains a living example of grit, gratitude, and grace. Player grew up working class, with a fierce passion for golf and a will to succeed. One of my favorite stories from his early years: he left home with just $200 and an invitation to the 1955 British Open. Unable to find a cheap room, he famously slept in a bunker at St. Andrews! From those humble beginnings, he went on to carve out one of the most remarkable careers in golf history—and he continues to give back through his foundation supporting underprivileged youth.

This book, Golf’s Majors, is Player’s personal chronicle of more than sixty years of the sport’s greatest championships—the Masters, the U.S. and British Opens, and the PGA Championship. His memories are rich with insight and humanity. For a golf fan and amateur historian like me, it was pure gold. Some stories I knew, but many were brand new to me—and I can’t wait to share a few on the course with my own playing partners.

Reading this also brought back one of my fondest personal golf memories. In 2000, while living on the Big Island of Hawaii, I attended the 25th anniversary of the celebrated Senior Skins Game at Mauna Lani—featuring Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Jack Nicklaus. I walked the course with those four giants, all of them true gentlemen who took time to interact with the small crowd. I was even befriended by Gary’s son, Michael. After 18 holes, they were tied and headed for sudden death back at the iconic par-3 eighth—a shot over a small ocean cove to the green. I had birdied that very hole the week before and sent a few positive vibes to Team Player. Sure enough, he birdied the hole to win $250,000! That night was a celebration I’ll never forget, full of laughter and stories that still make me smile.

All of that makes Golf’s Majors feel deeply personal. It’s more than a collection of tournament recollections—it’s a reflection on endurance, character, and joy. Gary Player’s voice radiates warmth, wisdom, and love for the game. Whether you’re a casual fan or a lifelong golfer, this book is an absolute must-read.

[Jack Staley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but there were a lot of typos

[Tanner Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read that dove deep into the history of golf’s four biggest yearly tournaments. I really enjoyed this book! I wasn’t familiar with as much of the history from 100+ years ago but interesting nonetheless! Would definitely recommend to any golf fans!

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Was I on YouTube after each chapter? Yes. Did I play more as I was listening? Also yes. A good history as well and compelling stories of individual tournaments.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) This work is unique in the sense that it comes from one of the greats, a man who's done what only 4 others have to this point: A career Grand Slam. Thus, a survey of stories and accounts from all four of the majors (from Old Tom Morris at the 1st Open to Mickleson's surprise victory at the 2021 PGA. Of course, Player will add his own wins, but perhaps the most interesting are the events where he was in the hunt with Nicklaus and Palmer, along with some of the other greats, particularly from the 60s and 70s. This is more for the golf fan, and Player is not free from controversy, but from a golf history perspective, hard to find someone who can more expertly speak on the history and the feeling of actually being in the contests.

[Andrew Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gary Player was a really good golfer, as he routinely mentions throughout this book. There are a lot of odd ‘typos’ (otherwise known as mistakes) that appear to be to result if Player’s speaking into a mike and having someone else transcribe the text.

The parts where Player (or his co-author Randy Williams) writes of golf’s history, courses, or personalities are interesting; the stroke by stroke recaps of matches long gone get auld.

Would have rated it 2.5 stars: rounded up for a great game.

[David Pfanschmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great stories, but spellcheck must have been turned off by the editor. I’d give it 3.5 stars.