It's Only a Game: Words of Wisdom from a Lifetime in Golf

by Jackie Burke Jr., Guy Yocom

Legendary player and teacher Jackie Burke is the preeminent elder statesman of American golf. A PGA Champion, a Masters Champion, a Vardon Trophy winner, and a PGA Player of the Year, he won four consecutive tournaments in 1952; and is a winner of seventeen events on the PGA Tour, a five-time Ryder Cup member (twice as captain), and a member of the PGA, Texas Golf, and World Golf Halls of Fame. Before leaving the PGA Tour he cofounded (with Jimmy Demaret) the world-famous Champions Golf Club (host of the Ryder Cup, U.S. Amateur, and five PGA Tour Championships) and has instructed students including Phil Mickelson, Hal Sutton, Steve Elkington, Ben Crenshaw, and many other PGA Tour pros in a career that has spanned seven decades. Reverberating with the straight-talking Texas wisdom that could only come from Jackie Burke, It’s Only a Game will bring the words of this venerable sage to everyone who loves the links. Spiced with anecdotes from a long and illustrious career, this stirring book features pithy insights on the nature of competition and the erosion of amateur play. Burke goes on the record about profit-minded equipment manufacturers and self-promoting golf gurus. His provocative topics include insight into why the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup team suffered its worst defeat ever (Burke was a cocaptain), the alarmingly high cost of playing public and resort courses, country clubs that stress cosmetic appearances over the playing of the game, and a host of other topics. He also provides no-nonsense, time-tested secrets for improving anyone’s golf game, based not on shallow “tips” but on a well-rounded, sensible approach to the game that he began developing before the Great Depression.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 2006

Reviews

[Jack Kristensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I bought this book after viewing a You Tube video on putting. I did not realize how good Jackie Burke was. I now employ his words of wisdom to my own game.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good account of the golf game from one who was raised around the professional side of the game. From the greats of the game from the 1930's thru present day.