The Golfer's Carol

by Robert Bailey

An inspirational and heartwarming novel for lovers of Mitch Albom and Andy Andrews, blending elements of It's a Wonderful Life and Field of Dreams into a moving story all its own.Four rounds. Four heroes. Four life-changing lessons.On the morning of his fortieth birthday, Randy Clark believes the only way he can help his family is to end it all. Standing on the Tennessee River Bridge in Decatur, Alabama, with his dreams of a pro golf career long gone, his marriage struggling, and facing financial ruin, Randy sees no other alternative to help his wife and daughter but to jump, which he plans to do in the next twenty-four hours.But his plans are put on hold when the ghost of his best friend--who did live out the fantasy of playing the PGA tour--reveals to Randy that he will be given a wonderful four rounds of golf with his four heroes, the champions he's looked up to his whole life, each with a life-changing lesson to impart.For anyone who has ever dealt with tragedy, adversity, or failure, The Golfer's Carol will bring grace that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.

Genres: Fiction, Sports, Book Club, Drama, Christmas

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2020

About the author

Robert Bailey is the bestselling and award winning author of the McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers series, which includes The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor, as well as the Bocephus Haynes’ series, which debuted with Legacy of Lies. He is also the author of the inspirational novel, The Golfer’s Carol.

Robert was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of a builder and a schoolteacher. From the time he could walk, he’s loved stories, especially those about Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and his beloved Alabama Crimson Tide football team.

Robert obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from Davidson College in North Carolina. Law School at the University of Alabama followed, where Robert made Law Review, competed on the school’s trial team and managed to watch every home football game.

For the past twenty-one years, he’s been a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville. He and his wife, Dixie, have three kids.

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant mishmash of A Christmas Carol, Field of Dreams, and It’s a Wonderful Life. You don’t need to be a scratch golfer to enjoy it but a little bit of knowledge of the game and some of the game’s greats will certainly enhance the book for you.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I am not one to read about Golf as the sport doesn't interest me that much but because of my partner's love of golf. I was able to understand the book more with the terminology and some of the "golfing heroes" and moments in history. This book starts with the main character Randy Clark who is turning 40 and the day he turns 40, he realizes he is in mountains of debt and his life isn't worth living. So, he plans to kill himself by jumping off the local bridge. During this time, he sees his old buddy and is told that he will be visited by four heroes of his past and that each has a lesson for him to learn. As you can get the gist, The Golfer's Carol is a golfing version of A Christmas Carol with the ghosts of Christmas Past being his golfing heroes and each one he gets to play a round of golf with. By the end of the four ghosts, will Randy be given a brand-new perspective on his life? Will he remember that life is worth living and even rekindle his relationship with his wife and daughter and heal past wounds? Reading The Golfer's Carol by Robert Bailey impressed me at how much I enjoyed it and I could not put it down. This book reminded me of the writing styles with its life lessons and inspirational, powerful touching stories like Andy Andrews and Richard Paul Evans who are two authors I have always enjoyed. After finishing this book, I was also inspired to rewatch an amazing golf movie I always have enjoyed called The Legend of Bagger Vance which features Will Smith and Matt Damon.

[Paul Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story with great golf references. I am also from Huntsville, Al and the local references are fun. Highly recommend!

[Cory Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book I didn’t know what to expect. I loved the idea of learning 4 lessons in 4 rounds much like the professional golfers play four rounds of golf for each tournament! Self control, resiliency, believing in yourself, and forgiveness for your mistakes I believe are four things I’ll carry with me from now on both on and off the golf course!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read golfer take on A Christmas Carol. Inspirational life lessons

[Christopher Upton · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Four Heroes, Four Rounds, Four Lessons.” I don’t really know what to say lol. This book is kinda a remake of a Christmas Carol which I was like I’m not too sure how good this will be. Let’s just say this book was amazing. I just got taught lessons by some of golf’s greatest players. This book used the actual life stories of the GOATs to further teach the lesson that each golfer was trying to convey. I thought that was super interesting and truly shed light on the fact that no one’s life is perfect. You don’t have to play/know golf in order to understand the story and the lessons, however I think I appreciated this book so much more because of it. Plus Shoal Creek is in the book and that, by far, is my favorite golf course I have ever played. I also read the authors notes of this book, which I never do, and that also made me appreciate the book so much more. Everyone should read this book.

[Walter Montague · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are certain authors I just connect with, and Robert Bailey is one of them. Last year I read through most of his works and really enjoyed the fast-paced, energetic, and heartfelt stories he tells. Recently, I read Boomerang and liked it quite a bit, maybe not my favorite Bailey novel, but definitely up there. I realized the only one I hadn’t read was The Golfer’s Carol.

Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up on its own. The premise, a retelling of A Christmas Carol from a golfer’s perspective,sounded a little out there to me. I’m not much of a golfer myself (I only follow the majors), but I do know a fair bit about the history of the game and its legendary players, which turned out to be really helpful when reading this book.

Wow!! This novel truly surprised me. What I expected to be my least favorite Robert Bailey book ended up becoming one of my absolute favorites. It’s moving, heartfelt, and filled with the kind of spirit and inspiration that sticks with you long after you finish.

I don’t give books like this 5 stars very often, but this one earned it. I’m now officially a Robert Bailey completist and can’t wait to see what he publishes next.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational and uplifting. Yes I even cried! It was a quick read. Some knowledge about golf would help but not necessary.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Not being a golfer, there were golf terms I didn’t quite understand but it didn’t hinder in any way. I always enjoy reading books resembling A Christmas Carol.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very predictable. And I honestly doubt that anyone that isn't a golfer would ever pick this up as a fun read, so I found it a little annoying that the author kept explaining simple golf terms to the reader. I knew as soon as they said there would be 4 heroes that his dad would be the last round. This book was a knock off mix of A Christmas Carol, a field of dreams, and the 5 people you meet in heaven

[Isabella Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heartily recommend The Golfer's Carol, an amazing book written by a highly successful legal thriller author. This newly released book, however, is NOT a legal thriller!

Robert Bailey has penned a story that is both poignant and heartfelt. The Golfer's Carol is the story of a man who felt he had missed his shot. An aspiring golfer who pushed his pro tour dreams aside to do what was expected of him reflects on his life to date as he arrives at middle age. He feels he has come up short of his expectations. It is at this critical juncture that fate steps in.

The Golfer's Carol is a beautifully written, lovingly crafted journey of the soul. I recommend it to anyone who has ever wondered about their own journey--which, I believe--is all of us.

[Gary Krizic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching and beautiful read... Perfect for these trying times. Would have loved to have shared this book with my Dad. Sitting with my Dad and family members I remember Spring of 1986 so well. Will not say no more...

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

When circumstances make someone believe there is just no way to solve all their problems in any way aside from ending their life, there can be a miracle that will make that thought go away. That miracle occurred for a lawyer named Randy Clark in this excellent novel by Robert Bailey.

Randy, who was once an aspiring golfer, gave up that dream for a more stable family life with his wife Mary Alice, daughter Davis and son Graham. When young Graham lost his battle with cancer and the medical bills began piling up while his marriage was crumbling, Randy felt that the only way to make sure the future of his family was secure was to take his own life. Also having just lost his former golfing buddy Darby, Randy is in an emotional freefall. However, Darby’s ghost appears before Randy can complete his suicide and what follows is a wonderful, heart-tugging story of lessons that should be heard by all, not just golfers.

The ghosts of golf legends Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, with whom Randy shares words and golf shots, give the book a nice cross between “A Christmas Carol” and “Field of Dreams.” The last round Randy plays with a ghost is one I won’t give away but there are more “Field of Dreams” connections with that round as well.

Speaking of playing golf, the details for the game are wonderfully researched and written throughout the story. Between the descriptions of the tee shots with a fade or a draw or the wonderful descriptions of courses like Augusta National or Shoals Creek, golf enthusiasts will enjoy reading about the game and three of the sport’s most legendary names. Because the novel is set in 1986, there is also prominent mention of Jack Nicklaus and his legendary comeback victory in that year’s Masters tourney.

The types of lessons learned by Randy during these rounds and the manner in which he learns them is also reminiscent of another best-selling author, Mitch Albom. The characters, whether spiritual like the legendary golfers and Darby, or real life like Randy, Mary Alice and Davis, are well-developed and the reader will take a liking to all of them. If there is a downfall to the story, it is that the relationship between Mary Alice and Randy isn’t fully explained. The death of a child can test the strength of a relationship and it is implied that happened with Graham’s death, but the reader will have to draw his or her own conclusions as to why it became as such.

While the writing about golf is filled with great detail and will make this story one that golfers will thoroughly enjoy, one does not have to be a golfer or a fan to love this story of what can happen when one works to get through trying times.

https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in the Goodreads giveaway as a winner and was hesitant to start it since I did not know anything about gold.
It was an interesting twist on the Christmas classic beginning with the man's decision to end his life by jumping off the bridge in Wicklow, Alabama. On the same day his best friend dies and his decision is delayed.
A ghost like presentation of his friend who is a professional golfer appears and tells him that he will get to play with 4 of his personal heros. The man's golf career was stopped when he was in college and he and his wife were expecting their first child. He opted to go for a law degree on the encouragement of his father, who liked to tell him that he would never be Joe Nameth. His father was a bricklayer and had a harsh demeanor.
The man got to play golf with Bobby Jones and learn first hand the consequences of self control and not losing your temper which almost cost Bobby his career. But he was resilient and made changes to his behavior.
The second man was Ben Hogan who through flashbacks showed him the consequences of his father's suicide on him, since he was the first to find his father at a young age.
The third man was Arnold Palmer who fly him in his private plane and taught him to take the time to learn new things and conquer his fear.
The man thought his family would be better off without him since they were in medical debt after the death of his young son due to leukemia.
The last one was a huge surprise for him, but he got to meet his father who was not aware of the man, but was boasting how proud he was and the regrets that he never told him he was wrong about his son before his own death. It was very emotional
His best friend's death was a shock and his widow had asked him to clear out his locker at the country club. It was there that he realized the man's life was not as glamorous as he thought and the dead man was often envious of him.
There was also an extra author's note that this was going to be a dedication to his father who's passion was for golf and they wanted to play in the courses together. They only played at one course together before he died. He named the main character Randy after his father.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golfers are going to love this book! I’m not a Golfer, but I enjoyed this book as well.

Randy Clark is tormented by the fact that he didn’t pursue his dream of being a touring golfer. He feels he settled by staying home and getting a law degree and being safe at his employers firm. He turned down a great offer of joining this one persons firm, but he played it safe and said no. He is in debt up to his ears because of medical bills. His daughter is ready for college. His marriage has been a sham. He doesn’t think it can be saved.

He knows his life insurance policy is good so, he is going to jump off the bridge! His family will be saved and he finally will have done something good for once!
His best friend, Darby, just died. Car accident, he hit a tree. Apparently. They think there was alcohol involved in the accident. I can’t believe it. He was a great P.G.A Golfer. He had my dream of going to the greens and shooting with the best of the best.

Randy gets a visit from Darby’s ghost and he tells him that he was jealous of him. He had a family. He is the one who had it all. Kids that were there to call him dad.
Darby then told him I am going to give you something . 4 Gifts or People will come visit you and they are going to disclose words of wisdom you need to hear about life and choices!

The author does this kind of like the Ghosts of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The difference is in the characters and the way they approach Randy. The author has great continuity and that is what keeps the book together and you want to flip the pages to see what is happening next.

My only issue is that the interaction between the family dynamics should have been explored more and some other areas didn’t seem as cohesive and lacked dimension.
I know a lot of people will really appreciate and like this book.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

[Andrew Langert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the uplifting story of a man (Randy Clark) despondent enough about his life that he decides to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. He was an accomplished golfer, but was never good enough to pay on the PGA tour. He was a husband and father. His daughter is a teenager, a good golfer herself, with hopes of playing collegiately. But Randy is deep in debt because his other child, a son, went through some very expensive medical procedures when suffering from cancer. The boy died at age 5. Randy has a life insurance policy and considers himself worth more dead than alive. The insurance proceeds would take his wife out of debt and enable his daughter to afford college.
When Randy's best friend is killed in car accident, his friend's spirit visits Randy and guides him to four dream rounds of golf with four of Randy's heroes. Randy learns valuable lessons from these four experiences.
This book is a good reminder of why life should be treasured and that we all should be proactive in making the best of the gift of life.
A very nice story. Valuable lessons for anyone, golfer or not.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually bought this book for my husband. He is an avid reader and an avid golfer. He almost always reads mysteries so I thought this might get him out of his rut a little. He enjoyed it and told me he thought I would like it as well. (I golf, but it is not as important to me as it is to him.)

The book is about a down-on-his-luck husband. He and his wife have a teen aged daughter, but lost a son a few years ago. The shock of losing his son and then the enormous hospital bills he has to pay have left him depressed and thinking maybe his family would be better off without him.

I don't want to give too much a way but, when his best friend dies, he is offered the opportunity to play a round of golf with his 4 heroes. From each, he learns a life lesson that he would never have learned otherwise.

If you like golf, you will thoroughly enjoy reading about golfers, golf courses and golf tournaments that you are familiar with. Even if you are not a golfer, you will relate to the man, his wife and daughter and the gift the husband is given. This story definitely has a moral or two and it's totally satisfying.

[Sallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish to thank NetGalley and the Publishers G. P. Putman & Sons for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel begins when all in Jack’s life is hitting bottom. He is considering suicide as the only way out. When his best friend suddenly dies, Jack is led on a path of discovery. He encounters the ghosts of golfing legends Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer. Each one has a lesson for him. This fictional tale is a wonderful one about life, relationships and decisions one makes on their journey down life’s path.

I am not a golfer, yet this book spoke volumes to me. I can sincerely tell you that if you are a golfer you will consider this book to be a hole in one. It would make an outstanding Christmas gift for your family golfers and friends. This book is quite different from Robert Bailey’s other books which just shows you how very talented this author is. I have read all his books (so far) and anxiously await his future writings.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't worry if you don't play golf- I don't- you will still appreciate the life lessons imparted to Randy by four legends of the game. Randy's life is just rotten right now and he's contemplating suicide so that his insurance will relieve the financial pressure for his family (it won't btw- life insurance is generally negated by suicide). Then, his friend Darby, now deceased, appears to him and sends him off on a journey of self discovery guided by Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and....no spoilers. This will definitely remind you of other Christmas themed novels/movies such as It's a Wonderful Life and a Christmas Carol but it's updated and has a bit more bite. I found myself taking in some of the lessons (especially about resilience),. Golfers undoubtedly will have more insight into how Bailey has handled the various men but I thought they were nicely done. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a light - albeit starting at a dark place -but thoughtful read.

[ROBERT · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. This is an easy read that many people would enjoy and benefit from.

A 40 year old father is getting beaten down by life. He is a golfer and, like Dicken's Christmas Story, plays some holes with the ghosts of his idols that tell him motivational lessons they learned in life that transformed their spirit and allowed them to go on.

(SPOILER ALERT) He learned the values of Self control, resilience, believing in yourself, forgiving yourself and gratitude (end of APOILER ALERT). Good lessons. Felt like a YA novel in writing style but there were some heavy themes.

Nice fast read that I would put in the perspective book category. Just about anybody could benefit from it. I just glanced over a lot of the pages because i just wanted the punchline after picking up the setup.

[Denise Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I'm not a golfer - I'm a "golf widow" On the weekends, and whenever a tournament is televised, my husband is watching. So over the years I've picked up on golf lingo and know who the guys are. The title of the book sounded interesting, and reading the inside cover intrigued me enough to borrow it from the library. Don't tell my husband, but I understand more about golf than I'll admit (did I learn by osmosis?). Even as a non-golfer, I understood what was going on and absolutely loved the book. It's an awesome twist on "A Christmas Carol" with many wise words that we can take to heart, whether we swing a club or not. There are family and friend dynamics, dealing with grief, depression, and how we handle (or don't handle) the issues that arise in our lives. This book deserves a gold jacket.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A GOLFER’S CAROL by Robert Bailey was an uplifting take on two classic Christmas stories (It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol) that occur against the 1986 Masters. When Randy thinks the only way to save his family is to sacrifice himself, he is told he gets four rounds with four heroes with four lessons. There is a powerful take away for readers and a great key to a meaningful life to make sure we are passing on to our children. Bailey writes this book in honor of his father and it’s touching (and well written). I loved it and was excited to read something that the men in my life – my father and my husband – would really enjoy. Plus, no golf fan can resist a unique story that is set against the 1986 Masters. I am a golfer and could relate to the way Davis relates to her father but even if I wasn’t a fan of the sport, I would still thoroughly embrace and recommend this story. I finished it and immediately ordered the hard copy for my dad for Christmas.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Chris Christiansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short novel about a man contemplating suicide due to financial and emotional struggles. But a friend's own sudden death flips the script and changes everything for Randy Clark. It's a quick read. The writing is concise and very easy to follow. The pace is like a snowball rolling downhill gathering momentum. By the end I was having a hard time putting it down. Now, do you need to be a golfer or enjoy watching golf to like this? I'd say it most definitely would help. If you don't, the story is still worthwhile and valuable but the golfing aspects to it most certainly added to my enjoyment of it being an avid golfer. Overall, great read and I recommend it to everyone. Especially to my golfing counterparts.

[Diana Mack]

A Christmas Carol, sort of, except the main character, Randy, isnt a nasty Scrooge.
He really wanted to be a pro golfer but ended up being an attorney instead. His young son died from cancer. He is hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to the hospital. If he jumps off a bridge and dies, the bills will get paid and his daughter can go to college.
His dead best friend, Darby, a golf legend, visits him and tells him he will play golf with four golf legends. Each will have a life changing lesson to be learned.
I won this in a goodreads giveaway. Im not rating it because, while the life lessons and Randy's issues were interesting, there was sooo much golf and I'm not a golfer. All the details flew right over my head. Wouldn't be fair to slap a rating on it

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! I read it all in one sitting. Although I know nothing about golf, I still was able to read this book and get the overall message of what the book was conveying. The talk of mental health, in particular focusing on men's mental health, was very well done. It talked through some traumas of life that happened to the main character and why he thought jumping off the bridge was his best choice. Then he got to play four rounds with his heroes, who all came through with a lesson to help him. This was a very "cliche" Christmas Carol approach, but I love that type of thing. I did cry as some things hit close to home, as someone who struggles with mental health. Overall, a very good read and I would recommend this book to anyone.

[Gary Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

So first off I love to play golf. So I knew I was going to enjoy this book because of the topic. I’m a fan of Bailey’s writing. I enjoyed several of his other novels. I do like this particular book although it’s a very different style from what Bailey usually writes. If you’re a big fan of golf you’ll like this book. If you’re not a huge fan of golf there are good things in the book, however it might not be as enjoyable to you because you may not know who the key figures are. I do think there’s some great stuff in here about life and family and how we approach all of that together. So I recommend the book.

[Kelley Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me in tears. So many life lessons woven throughout. As a parent we often think about past “mistakes” when raising our children and how often times what we say leaves a lasting impact. Randy Clark is given a look at his life as he contemplates jumping off a bridge. In an effort to ease the pain thinking his family would be better off without him. Reminiscent of a Christmas Carol due to the fact he is visited by 4 heroes from the past.Men has looked up to in his life. As a golf aficionado Randy has an opportunity to play a round of golf with each hero and will learn a valuable lesson from each of them. You don’t have to be a golfer to read this story. Loved it.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent...

This is the sixth book that I've read by Robert Bailey and waiting on a pre-order that is due out this month and I've enjoyed them all. He's truly an excellent writer and I will always be watching for the next one. I don't know anything about golf and some of the details of it was more than I cared about, but it didn't take anything from the overall story for me. As an avid reader, I know first hand that there are an endless supply of good reads out there, but every now and again, you come across a really special writer that truly has the gift for writing and I think he's one. On to the next one...😋

[Jeff Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. The lessons learned on the golf course or on other athletic fields and how they translate to real life has never been wrote about before this book. I was totally immersed from the first page to the last. I finished in one read. Could not put it down. I started reading Robert's first novel due to the fact that he is a Davidson College grad and I always try to read any books written by my fellow alumni. Loved everyone of them to date but this one will stay with me for the rest of my days.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Mr. Bailey's books and am a big fan! After reading The Golfer's Carol I have to say he has taken his skills to an entirely different level and audience! The development of this story, it's characters and plot was masterfully created! His ability with words to totally help the reader actually feel like they are in the scene is fantastic. Great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys golf and frankly doesn't have to in order to just enjoy a rich novel with a great ending!