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All Carry: A Novel
“This wonderful tale is for all lovers of golf, especially the weekend hackers with embarrassing handicaps (like me). Now we have hope. If we can just find the magic clubs.”—John Grisham
A recently laid-off golf reporter. A down-on-his-luck caddie. And a magical set of clubs once owned by Jack Nicklaus. In this funny, feel-good novel, New York Times bestselling author and former ESPN reporter Gene Wojciechowski gives us a pair of unlikely champions unlike any other.
Joe is a golf reporter. He’s missed more Father’s Days than he cares to count because that’s when he has to cover the US Open. But his son Buddy has counted every single one.
Joe and Buddy’s relationship is fractured at best. Then one day at a garage sale Buddy finds a woefully obsolete set of golf clubs that supposedly belonged to Jack Nicklaus and decides to give them to his father as an olive branch. When Joe takes the clubs out on a whim, he discovers something he’s hitting 400 yards. No one hits the ball that far, not Tiger, not Nicklaus.
Max “Hard Way” Mitchell knows golf perhaps better than anyone. He used to be one of the best caddies on the PGA Tour. But he was run out of town after sleeping with a golf pro’s wife. Now he’s the owner of a run-down driving range, his glory days slipping away.
When Joe is laid-off, and Hardway realizes that with this magical set of golf clubs he is better than anyone on the tour, he convinces Joe to do the seemingly impossible—win the Masters as an amateur. And to do this they'll need each other. Told with a specificity that only comes from years of covering the sport, Gene Wojciechowski’s fiction debut, All Carry, is a father/son/unlikely friendship/comeback story that will no doubt be a new classic.
A recently laid-off golf reporter. A down-on-his-luck caddie. And a magical set of clubs once owned by Jack Nicklaus. In this funny, feel-good novel, New York Times bestselling author and former ESPN reporter Gene Wojciechowski gives us a pair of unlikely champions unlike any other.
Joe is a golf reporter. He’s missed more Father’s Days than he cares to count because that’s when he has to cover the US Open. But his son Buddy has counted every single one.
Joe and Buddy’s relationship is fractured at best. Then one day at a garage sale Buddy finds a woefully obsolete set of golf clubs that supposedly belonged to Jack Nicklaus and decides to give them to his father as an olive branch. When Joe takes the clubs out on a whim, he discovers something he’s hitting 400 yards. No one hits the ball that far, not Tiger, not Nicklaus.
Max “Hard Way” Mitchell knows golf perhaps better than anyone. He used to be one of the best caddies on the PGA Tour. But he was run out of town after sleeping with a golf pro’s wife. Now he’s the owner of a run-down driving range, his glory days slipping away.
When Joe is laid-off, and Hardway realizes that with this magical set of golf clubs he is better than anyone on the tour, he convinces Joe to do the seemingly impossible—win the Masters as an amateur. And to do this they'll need each other. Told with a specificity that only comes from years of covering the sport, Gene Wojciechowski’s fiction debut, All Carry, is a father/son/unlikely friendship/comeback story that will no doubt be a new classic.
425 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
April 19, 2026
A fun ready for golf enthusiasts.
November 22, 2025
I had no idea I would love a book with a golf story, but I absolutely do! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys watching and/or playing the game. Great story!
April 28, 2026
Well - too long, but entertaining for the golf geeks!
May 30, 2026
Admittedly, I play golf. This is a novel about golf.....lots of golf.....hole by hole at the Masters. The relationship between a professional golfer and their caddy. But it is also a story about family, respect, loyalty, and how a father and son can walk on the fairway together again and enjoy the singular experience of playing 18 holes.
The author knows what he is talking about. He has covered an impressive myriad of golf tournaments and been up close and personal with the pros and everyone else who supports and attends these events. I really enjoyed all the golf...the history, the backstories, and most of all the heart of the story of Joe Riley and Max. Their vision wasn't easy, in fact, it was "All Carry", and it was great to follow along with them.
The author knows what he is talking about. He has covered an impressive myriad of golf tournaments and been up close and personal with the pros and everyone else who supports and attends these events. I really enjoyed all the golf...the history, the backstories, and most of all the heart of the story of Joe Riley and Max. Their vision wasn't easy, in fact, it was "All Carry", and it was great to follow along with them.
May 22, 2026
Being a golf lover, I really enjoyed this fictional book about a magic set of golf clubs. The author is a sportswriter who has been to many events and captured the golf world and lingo. Book was funny and heartwarming, great parts about the Masters
May 26, 2026
The Natural meets Tin Cup. All Carry is a super enjoyable read. A former sports reporter and a former caddie team up to take on Augusta National with a legendary set of golf clubs, reminiscent of Wonderboy or Mjölnir.
The highest compliment I can give sports writing is that it reminded me of the long-form stories at the back of Sports Illustrated. I adored those features where the writer had more space to tell a story. Wojciechowski strikes the perfect balance between inside the ropes golf knowledge and the personal relationships—especially between father and son. This book has so much heart. I was rooting so hard during the Sunday final and got a little misty with the final chapters.
Highly recommend for any golf fan.
The highest compliment I can give sports writing is that it reminded me of the long-form stories at the back of Sports Illustrated. I adored those features where the writer had more space to tell a story. Wojciechowski strikes the perfect balance between inside the ropes golf knowledge and the personal relationships—especially between father and son. This book has so much heart. I was rooting so hard during the Sunday final and got a little misty with the final chapters.
Highly recommend for any golf fan.
May 13, 2026
It's fiction, but fans of golf history will love this. I sure did. It helps that I live in the Wheaton, Illinois, area, so some of the places mentioned are very familiar. Those local name drops added to the fun for me. If my dad were still alive I'd be giving him this book on Father's Day next month!
April 10, 2026
A laid off sports reporter and a shamed caddie go on on a tour of redemption, with an assist from a set of magical golf clubs, in All Carry, a feel good novel by former ESPN reporter Gene Wojciechowski that reads like one of those cozy movies a dad might watch on cable any given Saturday afternoon. As such, there are times when the book feels like it’s adhering to a checklist of tropes and comes off as a bit overstuffed. The Hard Way sections could have been a compelling story on its own, but it’s grafted onto the less developed, less interesting Joe Riley plot line; one that’s built around a frayed father-son relationship that sort of gets forgotten for most of the book until the very end. I also thought that some of the stakes tend to get lost in golf trivia, though that thankfully is pulled back when it comes time to the Masters. But it all ends in a very warmhearted manner that most will see coming from a mile away, but is satisfying regardless.
May 1, 2026
A sweet story focusing on forgiveness, trust, second chances and family with A LOT of golf (duh). As someone who watches golf, plays a little golf, and knows a tiny bit about golf, I found it enjoyable. Think Caddy Shack without the over-the-top craziness, but retaining some of the magic.
It's an engaging story as Joe Riley finds himself unemployed and distanced from his older son. The timely gift of a set of vintage golf clubs changes everything. It's heartwarming and funny as Joe struggles to turn things around. However, the golf terminology, the goofy nicknames, and golf tournament history were a little overdone. Some of it added to the story, but some of it interrupted the flow. Still, I was rooting for Joe, enjoyed the magical aspect of his quest to figure it all out, and loved the satisfying ending. Sigh - wouldn't we all love to play just once with a magical set of clubs??
It's an engaging story as Joe Riley finds himself unemployed and distanced from his older son. The timely gift of a set of vintage golf clubs changes everything. It's heartwarming and funny as Joe struggles to turn things around. However, the golf terminology, the goofy nicknames, and golf tournament history were a little overdone. Some of it added to the story, but some of it interrupted the flow. Still, I was rooting for Joe, enjoyed the magical aspect of his quest to figure it all out, and loved the satisfying ending. Sigh - wouldn't we all love to play just once with a magical set of clubs??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2026
It’s a golf book, you can tell by the golf reference in every other sentence
May 27, 2026
Listened to this one so I’ll remove it from my reading goal. Fun book - ‘Like Mike’ but for golf. Good mix of history and fiction and I look forward to the eventual movie I’m sure will come.
May 14, 2026
Interesting book because I know so little about professional golf. I especially didn’t know anything about caddies. Kept my interest because I wanted to know what happened at the end!
May 21, 2026
Disclaimer: I do not play golf, but my husband is an avid player and loves the Masters. I've also spent enough time in Georgia that I have dim knowledge of some of the Masters lore. My preferred way to golf is to drive the cart and read while my husband plays. Not to brag, but, I'm pretty good at it.
For a first attempt at fiction, this was extremely well-done! The audiobook was quite long, but the pacing was perfectly executed. I never felt it dragged or thought, "where is this going?" The plot structure was pretty easy to predict, but it's a feel-good golf story, so I don't necessarily count that against it.
As a non-golfer, the highest praise I can give this book is that it stayed out of the weeds about golf shots and club construction as much as a book about magic golf clubs can. My eyes glazed over a couple of times, but it never lasted very long and I'm sure for someone more directly in the audience for this book, it's not enough!
My main beef is, I wish Buddy’s character development had been sprinkled more throughout. It was quite present at the beginning and end, but I could've done with a few interstitial scenes to build tension in their relationship. As a reader, I had to go from disdain for Joe's treatment of his son to rooting for him, and the transition was a bit rocky. That was a problem with this book - so many rich characters that it was tough to fully develop them all. I could've spent a lot more time with Laurel, too.
I loved all the caddies, and could feel the respect for them oozing out of every page. It was easy to see some of Gene's self-inserts (he is a golf reporter for ESPN) but he stayed away from being self-indulgent or engaging in grudge matches against any particular players or people. Also, for a book written about sports from the perspective of a white man, there was precious little objectification or racism.
In general, this is a great book in that it's well-written enough to engage non-golfers, and an easy enough read to engage the non-reading golfer in your life. I can imagine a reading golfer would love it.
For a first attempt at fiction, this was extremely well-done! The audiobook was quite long, but the pacing was perfectly executed. I never felt it dragged or thought, "where is this going?" The plot structure was pretty easy to predict, but it's a feel-good golf story, so I don't necessarily count that against it.
As a non-golfer, the highest praise I can give this book is that it stayed out of the weeds about golf shots and club construction as much as a book about magic golf clubs can. My eyes glazed over a couple of times, but it never lasted very long and I'm sure for someone more directly in the audience for this book, it's not enough!
My main beef is, I wish Buddy’s character development had been sprinkled more throughout. It was quite present at the beginning and end, but I could've done with a few interstitial scenes to build tension in their relationship. As a reader, I had to go from disdain for Joe's treatment of his son to rooting for him, and the transition was a bit rocky. That was a problem with this book - so many rich characters that it was tough to fully develop them all. I could've spent a lot more time with Laurel, too.
I loved all the caddies, and could feel the respect for them oozing out of every page. It was easy to see some of Gene's self-inserts (he is a golf reporter for ESPN) but he stayed away from being self-indulgent or engaging in grudge matches against any particular players or people. Also, for a book written about sports from the perspective of a white man, there was precious little objectification or racism.
In general, this is a great book in that it's well-written enough to engage non-golfers, and an easy enough read to engage the non-reading golfer in your life. I can imagine a reading golfer would love it.
June 20, 2026
Sportswriter Gene Wojciechowski writes about what he knows; showing the behind the ropes version of Augusta National, and the #Masters with humor, emotion, irony, and magic. His long career spans coverage of numerous sports, all over the country; but his heart is with the wonderful but challenging game of golf.
This book is an enormous story, twisting and turning, like a difficult putt, until the very end! You’ll be riveted to the amateur golfer “Joe Riley,” of Wheaton, Illinois, who like Wojciechowski was a laid off sports reporter who gets a hold of some magic golf clubs, at just the right time in the lovely azalea springtime.
Many opportunities for spoilers in any review herein, and there may be others who read deeply into some of the side themes of “All Carry,” but let me say, that you could give this book to any of your golfing friends, and it would be a big hit as a golfers dream tale.
The author has won numerous peer awards in journalism, and over an extremely long writing career, he’s learned how to play with realism, pull on your heart strings, and write a simple, good story that flows authentically from his pen, down the narrow green fairways of a mystical Augusta National.
85% of the ratings on Goodreads® are four- or five-star ratings here, and I cannot disagree. This novel was published by New York’s Crown in March 2026, and I will give it a rare ****-stars!
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This book is an enormous story, twisting and turning, like a difficult putt, until the very end! You’ll be riveted to the amateur golfer “Joe Riley,” of Wheaton, Illinois, who like Wojciechowski was a laid off sports reporter who gets a hold of some magic golf clubs, at just the right time in the lovely azalea springtime.
Many opportunities for spoilers in any review herein, and there may be others who read deeply into some of the side themes of “All Carry,” but let me say, that you could give this book to any of your golfing friends, and it would be a big hit as a golfers dream tale.
The author has won numerous peer awards in journalism, and over an extremely long writing career, he’s learned how to play with realism, pull on your heart strings, and write a simple, good story that flows authentically from his pen, down the narrow green fairways of a mystical Augusta National.
85% of the ratings on Goodreads® are four- or five-star ratings here, and I cannot disagree. This novel was published by New York’s Crown in March 2026, and I will give it a rare ****-stars!
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Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I won’t claim to be that kind of person with eyes and ears everywhere but I have heard almost zero about this book, and that’s too bad. All Carry should have been on every “Most Anticipated” list because I had a hell of a great time reading it this week. It is a buddy comedy with a big-hearted narrative about father/son relationships built on top of a golfing underdog story. Yeah, I couldn’t believe I liked it either.
Max “Hard Way” Mitchell is an excellent pro caddy whose best shot at really becoming one of the best in the sport is with his current guy — a two-faced, petty piece of excrement who is making his way back up the rankings. Across town we have Joe, a middle aged man whose mistake years ago damaged his bond with his son, and whose job as a golf channel reporter keeps him on the road often enough to use as an excuse for why he hasn’t repaired their relationship. When Joe’s son picks up a set of golf clubs with a fantastical backstory from a garage sale for Joe’s birthday present, and a few other balls fall into place shortly after, Joe and Hard Way become partners in one of the wildest plans imaginable that will affect everyone involved, and I do mean everyone.
I don’t love golf, and I’m not a father or son, but I will always cheer for an underdog in a well-written story. This one made me cheer, laugh, and cry just a little when it hit me in my soft spot. Go buy this for your dad, or your son, or that person who never gets recognized for their work behind the scenes, or anyone who needs a reminder of how the human spirit can be an amazingly magical thing sometimes. 4.5 stars
Thank you to Crown, Gene Wojciechowski (author), and Edelweiss for a digital review copy of All Carry. Their generosity did not influence my review in any way.
Max “Hard Way” Mitchell is an excellent pro caddy whose best shot at really becoming one of the best in the sport is with his current guy — a two-faced, petty piece of excrement who is making his way back up the rankings. Across town we have Joe, a middle aged man whose mistake years ago damaged his bond with his son, and whose job as a golf channel reporter keeps him on the road often enough to use as an excuse for why he hasn’t repaired their relationship. When Joe’s son picks up a set of golf clubs with a fantastical backstory from a garage sale for Joe’s birthday present, and a few other balls fall into place shortly after, Joe and Hard Way become partners in one of the wildest plans imaginable that will affect everyone involved, and I do mean everyone.
I don’t love golf, and I’m not a father or son, but I will always cheer for an underdog in a well-written story. This one made me cheer, laugh, and cry just a little when it hit me in my soft spot. Go buy this for your dad, or your son, or that person who never gets recognized for their work behind the scenes, or anyone who needs a reminder of how the human spirit can be an amazingly magical thing sometimes. 4.5 stars
Thank you to Crown, Gene Wojciechowski (author), and Edelweiss for a digital review copy of All Carry. Their generosity did not influence my review in any way.
June 5, 2026
I really enjoy reading a good book, and I really enjoy golf. It is truly rare to find a work of fiction that seamlessly blends the two, especially with a beautifully plausible dash of the supernatural. I grabbed this book on a whim from my local library - it was the Masters font - and I am very glad I did.
This work hit literally and figuratively close to home. I caddied at Glen Echo in St. Louis before I would have been permitted to be a member. I am now a working class mom keeping order at a local bar in Wisconsin; I’m probably going to adore anything that mentions cheese curds and Jeopardy!
This book acknowledges a lot of the problems with the toxic masculinity aspect of golf, but then thankfully encourages appropriate respect (and extremely good tipping) for service industry folks. I cried a few times, but in a happily sentimental way. In general it was charming, and romantic, and freaking hilarious.
Here is best endorsement I can provide: I enjoyed it so much that if my dad was still with us - he was also an avid reader and golfer - he would be receiving this as the perfect Father’s Day gift.
This work hit literally and figuratively close to home. I caddied at Glen Echo in St. Louis before I would have been permitted to be a member. I am now a working class mom keeping order at a local bar in Wisconsin; I’m probably going to adore anything that mentions cheese curds and Jeopardy!
This book acknowledges a lot of the problems with the toxic masculinity aspect of golf, but then thankfully encourages appropriate respect (and extremely good tipping) for service industry folks. I cried a few times, but in a happily sentimental way. In general it was charming, and romantic, and freaking hilarious.
Here is best endorsement I can provide: I enjoyed it so much that if my dad was still with us - he was also an avid reader and golfer - he would be receiving this as the perfect Father’s Day gift.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC of this fun novel through NetGalley.
This is a highly entertaining, enjoyable and uplifting story about a TV golf reporter, Joe Riley, and a scorned golf caddie, known simply as Hard Way. Joe loses his TV gig, a victim of a layoff, and Hard Way is fired from his job as a professional caddie when things go sideways between him and his golf pro. Both try to see if there is truth to the saying, a favorite of mine: Out of adversity comes opportunity.
The story requires the reader to accept a certain amount of unreality involving a set of magical golf clubs. But, as the author put it: This novel is “built around a fantastical premise, but covered, I hope, in layers of golf authenticity.” The author is a well-respected sportswriter who has covered golf heavily, among other sports. He made all the details about the golf events and characters seem very realistic, even though the magic golf clubs were pure fantasy.
Highly recommended, even to men and women not deeply into golf.
This is a highly entertaining, enjoyable and uplifting story about a TV golf reporter, Joe Riley, and a scorned golf caddie, known simply as Hard Way. Joe loses his TV gig, a victim of a layoff, and Hard Way is fired from his job as a professional caddie when things go sideways between him and his golf pro. Both try to see if there is truth to the saying, a favorite of mine: Out of adversity comes opportunity.
The story requires the reader to accept a certain amount of unreality involving a set of magical golf clubs. But, as the author put it: This novel is “built around a fantastical premise, but covered, I hope, in layers of golf authenticity.” The author is a well-respected sportswriter who has covered golf heavily, among other sports. He made all the details about the golf events and characters seem very realistic, even though the magic golf clubs were pure fantasy.
Highly recommended, even to men and women not deeply into golf.
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May 26, 2026All Carry by Gene Wojciechowski
All Carry is a novel about golf, and its audience is adults and young adults interested in golf. One of the main themes in All Carry is that everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what. In the story, there are multiple instances where someone receives a second chance and makes the most of their circumstances. The author supports his points very well by making the characters seem real and providing an attachment between the reader and the characters. He also makes it easy for us to relate to the characters in the book. In the book, the author successfully reaches his goals of making us feel connected to the characters. This book is similar to other sports books I have read, which focus on an underdog story and an unlikely winner. I really enjoyed this book because it was on a topic I am interested in, and it focuses on an underdog. Also, I can relate to the story easily because of the level of golf that is played.
5/5 stars
All Carry is a novel about golf, and its audience is adults and young adults interested in golf. One of the main themes in All Carry is that everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what. In the story, there are multiple instances where someone receives a second chance and makes the most of their circumstances. The author supports his points very well by making the characters seem real and providing an attachment between the reader and the characters. He also makes it easy for us to relate to the characters in the book. In the book, the author successfully reaches his goals of making us feel connected to the characters. This book is similar to other sports books I have read, which focus on an underdog story and an unlikely winner. I really enjoyed this book because it was on a topic I am interested in, and it focuses on an underdog. Also, I can relate to the story easily because of the level of golf that is played.
5/5 stars
May 17, 2026
All Cary is an extremely enjoyable golf-based novel that any golf enthusiast, or even those who occasionally hit the links will enjoy. Joe Riley A down on his luck ex-golf reporter meets Max “Hard Way” Miller, a similarly placed ex-caddy who are brought together by the former’s acquisition of a discarded set of Nicklaus golf clubs that are capable of miraculous distances for the right golfer, namely Riley. Riley and Miller work together to reach the pinnacle of golf and self-discovery in this highly entertaining novel.
All Carry gets four stars from me due to a it being a highly enjoyable story with great characters. It is occasionally bogged down in the details of minor details which slow the pace of the book. That being said, on the whole, it’s a highly enjoyable book that I certainly recommend to all my golfing buddies!
All Carry gets four stars from me due to a it being a highly enjoyable story with great characters. It is occasionally bogged down in the details of minor details which slow the pace of the book. That being said, on the whole, it’s a highly enjoyable book that I certainly recommend to all my golfing buddies!
May 19, 2026
Opinions on this novel will probably vary depending on what the reader thinks of magical realism. It's not my favorite literary genre, so I wasn't thrilled with a plot that revolved around some vintage golf clubs, obtained at a garage sale, that bestow amazing ball-striking skills on a middle-aged hack. But the author definitely knows golf, and has done a great job at capturing the world of PGA golfers and their caddies. The best part of the book may be humor and wit in the conversations between the three caddies - Hard Way, Sandman, and Bang Bang. The plot ends up being a little outlandish (for the golf aspects) and overly Hallmark-ish (for the relationships), but golf fans should enjoy this if they can swallow the main conceit of some magic golf clubs.
May 2, 2026
I don't follow it as closely these days, but once upon a time I was a pretty big golf fan. I've been to the US Open and Muirfield. I've stood just a few feet from Tiger as he tees off and the ball zips along like it has a jet engine attached to it. It's a pretty sport, it's peaceful to watch on TV, and it has some interesting personalities attached to it (looking at you, John Daly). So this book should have been right up my alley. And in some ways, it was. But good lord, there's a lot of minutiae here. And unless you are a diehard fan, it's too much.
Wojciechowski is a former ESPN golf reporter, and he treats this book like it's his only chance to prove how much he knows about golf. So. Much. Trivia. We get it, Gene. This book could have been 100 pages shorter without losing a thing. The story is far-fetched but not bad, but the characters are pretty two-dimensional, and the stroke-by-stroke description of Riley's game at the Masters is mind-numbing after awhile. I would have liked more characterization and less golf strategy.
With that said, I still read to the end, and I cared what happened to Buddy, Riley and Hard Way. So in spite of the trivia avalanche, it's not a bad book. Especially if you like golf. Bonus points for quoting That Thing Ypu Do!
Wojciechowski is a former ESPN golf reporter, and he treats this book like it's his only chance to prove how much he knows about golf. So. Much. Trivia. We get it, Gene. This book could have been 100 pages shorter without losing a thing. The story is far-fetched but not bad, but the characters are pretty two-dimensional, and the stroke-by-stroke description of Riley's game at the Masters is mind-numbing after awhile. I would have liked more characterization and less golf strategy.
With that said, I still read to the end, and I cared what happened to Buddy, Riley and Hard Way. So in spite of the trivia avalanche, it's not a bad book. Especially if you like golf. Bonus points for quoting That Thing Ypu Do!
June 21, 2026
I recently picked up golf after being away for 15 years (I was never good to begin with) and I thought it would be fun to read a couple of golf books. I thought the premise of this book was a bit silly but it was well reviewed so I thought I would give it a try.
I finished it so I cannot say it was terrible but the book reads like an amateur golfers fantasy - what could I do with a magic set of clubs. Once you get over the premise the book does have some interesting insights in to the game and it is captivating enough to keep going but long slow parts and unless you love the game I would not recommend.
I finished it so I cannot say it was terrible but the book reads like an amateur golfers fantasy - what could I do with a magic set of clubs. Once you get over the premise the book does have some interesting insights in to the game and it is captivating enough to keep going but long slow parts and unless you love the game I would not recommend.
May 15, 2026
(2 1/2). If you are a golf nut, this might be a 4 star book, but in reality, it is silly, sappy, and a whole bunch of fun. A touch of Dan Jenkins, a dash of golf in the kingdom, and a fair amount of fairy tale made this easy for me to read. Wojciechowski is a well know sportswriter, so this was an easy pick up for me. We have lots of great characters, lots of unbelievable situations and heartwarming moments galore. Not much in the way of literature, but high in low level entertainment. Pretty good stuff.
May 28, 2026
Great story for golf lovers!
Gene does a great job of weaving a story that tugs at your heart strings about the relational struggles between a Dad and his son, with the backdrop of a supernatural rise of an average golfer who makes it to the most legendary tournament in the game of golf. His attention to detail pulls you into the inner workings of tournament play and the bond between the caddie and the player. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know and my wife loved it!
Gene does a great job of weaving a story that tugs at your heart strings about the relational struggles between a Dad and his son, with the backdrop of a supernatural rise of an average golfer who makes it to the most legendary tournament in the game of golf. His attention to detail pulls you into the inner workings of tournament play and the bond between the caddie and the player. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know and my wife loved it!
June 6, 2026
Loved this book! As someone who used to love playing golf, it really did get me to want to get back into it.
Even though the book was a little long, I loved reading about the history of the Masters; Chicago Golf Club and so many famous names throughout golf. This mixed in with a a true underdog story of Jim Riley and his Caddie, Max was just so much fun to read.
The last couple chapters were so exciting and I felt like I was actually in Augusta watching the final round of the Masters.
Even though the book was a little long, I loved reading about the history of the Masters; Chicago Golf Club and so many famous names throughout golf. This mixed in with a a true underdog story of Jim Riley and his Caddie, Max was just so much fun to read.
The last couple chapters were so exciting and I felt like I was actually in Augusta watching the final round of the Masters.
April 4, 2026
3.5⭐️ I love sports stories and loved the premise of this one, but it took 50% before that story actually had momentum. Once it did, I’d rate the second half of this book a 4⭐️ — I loved it— but the first half just a 3⭐️. I also enjoy watching and following golf but this was a bit too much inside baseball,or golf, if you will. If you love golf or enjoyed the Apple TV series Stick (which we did), you’ll enjoy this one.
May 13, 2026
Rounded down 3.5. I love reading, listening, and talking all things golf. The history is rich, the experience is unique, and the characters of the sport are endlessly fascinating to me. This was a well-researched book in the field populated with pretty dull characters. Pretty atrocious prose didn’t help either. I hope this book does great work of piquing interest in golf, but I would have preferred a publication of the notes rather than the book.
May 5, 2026
If you like golf, you'll love this is a lovely fantastical romp through the life of Joe Riley and the magical clubs he was gifted. I learned more about the life and importance of the caddy and the ins and outs of the pro golf word and tournaments. Got me itching to pick up my clubs and head to the links
June 29, 2026
3.5 stars. Did I read the description of this book? Nope. Did I assume this would be a non fiction book about golf and I would learn somethings about something I know nothing about? Yes. Definitely not nonfiction and definitely a magical realism book about golf. I did still learn somethings and enjoyed it.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Another awesome win from Goodreads. And call me a new golf fan. The writing was quick and easy. The characters were lovable and you were rooting for them right away. Hard Way was my favorite. This would make a wonderful movie!! Great work.
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