Bud, Sweat, & Tees: Rich Beem's Walk on the Wild Side of the PGA Tour

by Alan Shipnuck

Rich Beem became an overnight folk hero with his victory at the 2002 PGA Championship, where he dazzled fans with fearless shotmaking and glib one-liners. By the time Beem had stared down Tiger Woods in an epic back nine and then danced a goofy jig on the final green, the sports world was clamoring to know, “Who is this guy, anyway?”

That question is answered in Bud, Sweat, & Tees, Alan Shipnuck's no-holds-barred look at modern professional golf. Shipnuck began tracking Beem during his rookie year in 1999, when he was a logo-free rube only a couple of years removed from a seven-dollar-an-hour job hawking cell phones. Beem and his hard-living caddie, Steve Duplantis, would find sudden fame and fortune, and Shipnuck enjoyed unparalleled access in chronicling their wild ride—sharing endless drives across the desert and eventful nights at strip clubs, cutthroat golf matches and late-night confessionals at assorted watering holes.

The result is an intimate portrait of two exceedingly colorful characters. Beem and Duplantis invite us deep into the world of the PGA Tour, exposing the rowdy, randy reality of the most interesting subculture in sports, which has always been a well-protected secret—until now. Sometimes bawdy, often hilarious, and always unpredictable, Bud, Sweat, & Tees stands as the finest insider sports book since Ball Four.

Genres: Sports, Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2001

Reviews

[Sheena Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two reasons you might want to read this book.
1. You are a golf lover. You play the game, watch the tournaments, wear the clothes. If this is you, you will really enjoy this insider's view on the world of the PGA life and lifestyle, and the politics of professional golf and caddying.
2. You are going out with/TRYING to go out with someone described in #1 above. This is me. I read this book to impress my husband (he might have been just boyfriend then, can't remember now, it's been a few years - Tiger was still a Tiger when I read this). Anyway, it worked. And as a happy aside, it was a great read, even if you couldn't care less about golf and think tee times involve cream buns. It might not exactly be Penny Vincenzi, but it's got its fair share of drama and soap opera.

So forget the "Men are from Mars...." how-to books. If you want to woo a golfer, read a book like Bud, Sweat and Tees.

[Dakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Shipnuck’s writing. A lot of cool insight on some lesser-known guys in golf.

[Antonio Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-3.75. I haven’t read a lot of books about golf, but I found this story compelling enough to give it a try. Alan Shipnuck does a great work in explaining how the grind of the professional tour usually takes a toll on the performance of the players, but I think that the colourful player-caddie relationship between Rich Beem and Steve Duplantis is the essence of this book, and what makes it worth it.

[Randy Wojtasiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is only the second book that I’ve re-read. Golf can be a tough subject but this book is very entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading more of Alan Shipnucks books. Pace was steady, never boring and he chose very entertaining subjects to follow.

Great look behind the curtain of what can be the less than glamorous life of PGA professionals.

[a.t.m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book about the realities of pro golf

Painful book to read and absorb all the lost talent that comes with lost opportunities in the world of pro golf. On the other hand, those who make it big are disciplined, very talented, and learn from their experiences. Helps to have a little luck, I recommend this book.

[Josh Bokor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
"Bud, Sweat, and Tees" does a great job detailing the struggle from being a nobody golfer to a PGA Tournament champ, the tightly knit relationship between golfer and caddie, and the many trials and tribulations professional golfers (and imperfect, flawed humans) face. Even nearly 25 years ago, Shipnuck was a well versed, solid sports writer like he is today.

[Harrison Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beem and I got paid the same amount for this book

A great intro to the pga tour. An incredible story of two colorful characters. Shipnuck’s analogies are sometimes wtf level but he knew his audience.

[Martin McGovern · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty average. A bit of fun, plenty of romps, and bad behaviour, but I have to admit I skipped a few chapters to get to the 2001 PGA victory.

[Matthew Limoges · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read about a crazy side of the golf world. Worth a quick read, good for giving your mind a break between other books.

[Andrew McLellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book at least 3 times. Best golf book I've ever read perhaps the best sports book also.

[Lietke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Claimed to be the best inside sports biography since Ball Four. Crazy stories... Hijinks. Stories were so tame it really wasn't the debauched life retelling promised.

[Elijah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book while I was in high school and it was a very abrupt awakening into the world of professional golf (and pro sports in general). I have always admired Rich Beem after reading this book, because of the adversity he faced on his path onto the PGA tour, but this book is meant to provide some perspective on all golfers, and all sport. It's an excellent view on the backroom under the skin hidden effects of pro sports life on its athletes and the people around them. The modern reader must keep in mind this is all before twitter and much of the instant media we see today.

[Robert Thacker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The true story of the rookie season of a professional golfer. Interesting, inside looks a few of the greats and not so greats, but incredibly the book dissolves into the story of the caddies. Could have been and should have been really funny, but it didn't happen.

[Allan Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book. Entertaining as it talks about the party side of golf

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must have for sports / golf fans. Very enjoyable, quick read.

[Benny]

loved it

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining "Inside Baseball" survey on the lives of a journeyman golfer and caddie.

[Kyle Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it because Shipnuck is probably the most talented current golf writer. It was lively and certainly broadened my knowledge and understanding of how the PGA Tour works.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kevin's book, I read it where he kept it... no a great golf story but a peek at the lifestyle.