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How Golf Can Save Your Life
Golf saved Drew Millard’s life, and he wants it to save yours, too.
“Drew Millard’s How Golf Can Save Your Life is a lot of things—smart, insightful, funny, moving, in-the-know enough for serious golfers but accessible enough for newbies—but I think its most impressive quality is that it always manages to cut left when you expect it to cut right. Much like a golf shot, I suppose.”
—SHEA SERRANO, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“ How Golf Can Save Your Life is a humble, honest, and frequently hilarious book that demystifies—and transcends—its subject. I’m not a golfer. But after reading it, I can say for sure that there’s nobody I’d rather suck with for eighteen holes than Drew Millard.”
—ERIC NUSBAUM, author of Stealing Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between
“With ceaseless humor and unyielding honesty, Drew Millard has created a unique look at the power a game can have on life. By tapping the vein of his own personal pain, Millard found that golf can be as fulfilling as frustrating. And by embracing the struggle, success can be measured in incremental increases in happiness, not in strokes.”
—BRETT CYRGALIS, author of Golf’s Holy The Battle for the Soul of a Game in an Age of Science
Drew Millard loves golf. We’re talking climbing a mountain, jumping over the moon, standing outside golf’s window holding a boom box levels of love. As a kid, he’d enjoyed the game, but since college, his clubs had been gathering dust in his parents’ basement. And then, a bout with depression led him back home to haul them out of the unfinished storage area under the stairs.
It was what the doctor had ordered. In addition to medication and therapy, Drew needed to exercise. Exercise was not something he did. But golf? Sure, why not? As Drew fumbled his way through his first round in years, he discovered that sucking at golf was his new calling, one that helped him find a sense of balance and rhythm—both on the course and in his own mind.
Drew’s deep emotional connection to the game inspired him to write this book, and his passion is infectious. Combining great storytelling with fascinating historical tidbits and moving personal insights, he writes about everything from how golf taught him to be a better listener, son, and friend, to how to slow down, appreciate what he has, and keep fighting the good fight. Along the way, he demystifies the customs, history, and rules of the game.
Brimming with personality, accessibility, and a freewheeling spirit, How Golf Can Save Your Life is a celebration of the sport and an examination of all it offers. Read it and fall in love with golf—for the first time or all over again.
“Drew Millard’s How Golf Can Save Your Life is a lot of things—smart, insightful, funny, moving, in-the-know enough for serious golfers but accessible enough for newbies—but I think its most impressive quality is that it always manages to cut left when you expect it to cut right. Much like a golf shot, I suppose.”
—SHEA SERRANO, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“ How Golf Can Save Your Life is a humble, honest, and frequently hilarious book that demystifies—and transcends—its subject. I’m not a golfer. But after reading it, I can say for sure that there’s nobody I’d rather suck with for eighteen holes than Drew Millard.”
—ERIC NUSBAUM, author of Stealing Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between
“With ceaseless humor and unyielding honesty, Drew Millard has created a unique look at the power a game can have on life. By tapping the vein of his own personal pain, Millard found that golf can be as fulfilling as frustrating. And by embracing the struggle, success can be measured in incremental increases in happiness, not in strokes.”
—BRETT CYRGALIS, author of Golf’s Holy The Battle for the Soul of a Game in an Age of Science
Drew Millard loves golf. We’re talking climbing a mountain, jumping over the moon, standing outside golf’s window holding a boom box levels of love. As a kid, he’d enjoyed the game, but since college, his clubs had been gathering dust in his parents’ basement. And then, a bout with depression led him back home to haul them out of the unfinished storage area under the stairs.
It was what the doctor had ordered. In addition to medication and therapy, Drew needed to exercise. Exercise was not something he did. But golf? Sure, why not? As Drew fumbled his way through his first round in years, he discovered that sucking at golf was his new calling, one that helped him find a sense of balance and rhythm—both on the course and in his own mind.
Drew’s deep emotional connection to the game inspired him to write this book, and his passion is infectious. Combining great storytelling with fascinating historical tidbits and moving personal insights, he writes about everything from how golf taught him to be a better listener, son, and friend, to how to slow down, appreciate what he has, and keep fighting the good fight. Along the way, he demystifies the customs, history, and rules of the game.
Brimming with personality, accessibility, and a freewheeling spirit, How Golf Can Save Your Life is a celebration of the sport and an examination of all it offers. Read it and fall in love with golf—for the first time or all over again.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published May 9, 2023
19 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 26, 2023
I must admit this review is biased but nevertheless, honest. I grew up with Drew and I consider him to be not only one of my favorite writers, but also, one of my favorite humans. His ability to reveal his most inner-thoughts while discussing how he embraced this historic and complicated sport with humility, curiosity, and love enraptured me. A lot of his high school memories were some of my high school memories. His college stories were some of my college stories. But this memoir-of-sorts is entirely and wholeheartedly his. And it was beautiful. My dear friend has accepted all of his good days and bad days while finding ways to still get better every day. Golf is his outlet to do so. And we're the lucky ones who get to read (and learn) about it. Every chapter, he taught me something new about him and about me along the way and for that, I thank him. It's nice to see lifelong friends adapt and grow, but it's even nicer to know that these same friends can push you to do so, as well. Cheers, Drew. #pcwhatwhat
December 16, 2023
True to the title of the book, Drew Millard describes how golf very likely saved his life in the hopes that his story could have a similar impact on the lives of the reader.
I would always joke that I w0uld play golf when I could afford a full set of high-end clubs, but Millard makes it clear that the benefits of golf have nothing to do with the equipment. It is all about being in (highly manicured and maintained) nature and often in the company of others. In our post-pandemic (?) world, relearning how to co-exist with others is something I could see golf helping with to some extent, especially as it pertains to manners and decency. It is also something to do that involves being somewhat active without being strenuous, which is better than nothing.
The book doesn't ignore the many issues with golf courses, country clubs, etc., but it isn't the primary focus of the book.
I most appreciated the author's concluding sections about how to select the few items you need to start out with to play golf. It is so doable that I may just take up golf in the near future!
I would always joke that I w0uld play golf when I could afford a full set of high-end clubs, but Millard makes it clear that the benefits of golf have nothing to do with the equipment. It is all about being in (highly manicured and maintained) nature and often in the company of others. In our post-pandemic (?) world, relearning how to co-exist with others is something I could see golf helping with to some extent, especially as it pertains to manners and decency. It is also something to do that involves being somewhat active without being strenuous, which is better than nothing.
The book doesn't ignore the many issues with golf courses, country clubs, etc., but it isn't the primary focus of the book.
I most appreciated the author's concluding sections about how to select the few items you need to start out with to play golf. It is so doable that I may just take up golf in the near future!
June 27, 2023
Millard is a wonderful writer. I'd hire him. He's a young man (early 30s) who loves to play golf. The book itself is really a memoir of the author's short life so far, with an emphasis on his experience playing golf. On its face, the text is directed to the nongolfer who might want to play golf, but it's light, sometimes humorous, and a little quirky. His kind of golf is noncompetitive. He just goes out and sees how low a score he can make. That's what lots of "golfers" do. More serious golfers love the competitive aspect of it, particularly two-ball and four-ball match play and other games golfers play against each other. Millard doesn't get into that. Neither does he get into the rules or the etiquette of golf, both subjects it would have been fun to hear his take on. I'd also like to read a follow up on his further golf experiences in another 30 years, but unfortunately I will no longer be around.
May 5, 2025
An incredibly well written and heartfelt look into the life of a remarkably well spoken and thoughtful man. Millard does wonders equating golf to the larger game we all play–life. His experience and stories about his journey in golf and early adulthood really stuck with me, as someone who also enjoys golf and has turned towards it in times of turmoil, both in the world and in my own life.
But this book is not limited to only those who enjoy the sport. It has spoils more to offer in the realm of personal insight and the challenge we all face as we mature and enter the big world out there. wDrew’s story acting as an example of how anyone can find their place in the world when they find something they love doing. Often times, that’s what leads us in the right direction, or puts us back on track when we fall off.
It’s easily my favorite book. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good, heartfelt story about life’s most important virtues!
But this book is not limited to only those who enjoy the sport. It has spoils more to offer in the realm of personal insight and the challenge we all face as we mature and enter the big world out there. wDrew’s story acting as an example of how anyone can find their place in the world when they find something they love doing. Often times, that’s what leads us in the right direction, or puts us back on track when we fall off.
It’s easily my favorite book. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good, heartfelt story about life’s most important virtues!
July 4, 2023
When I requested this book, I thought that there would be some significant insights into the correlation between golf and the mainstream golfer's life situation. Instead, I had to slog through several chapters of psychoanalysis of one individual who had no relation to the mainstream before I put the book down and decided I didn't need to waste my time on the drivel that was before me. I'm sure the author thinks his life was saved---and that's a good thing--but to think that his solution is applicable in a broader sense is a bit overstated and presumptuous. While his life may have been saved, his writing ability needs saving and if it is not corrected, he'll go through the rest of his life making double bogey after double bogey. Good Luck!
August 16, 2024
I wanted to like this one. Decent tidbits about the game and why it’s important to remember that it’s just a game, time outside, and that you really shouldn’t care what other people think of your game.
However, not sure why the author found it necessary to inject his socialist politics into every chapter. Always ironic that the ones espousing “equality” hate people for simply existing (meaning - white people assumes are rich because they just look that way).
He passes judgement on country club people in the south, but not the north, I guess because they aren’t southern and he assumes all southern country club people are racist assholes? I don’t know.
Calls for true socialism. Shits on people who he assumes vote a certain way. Not a lot of “saved my life” in this.
However, not sure why the author found it necessary to inject his socialist politics into every chapter. Always ironic that the ones espousing “equality” hate people for simply existing (meaning - white people assumes are rich because they just look that way).
He passes judgement on country club people in the south, but not the north, I guess because they aren’t southern and he assumes all southern country club people are racist assholes? I don’t know.
Calls for true socialism. Shits on people who he assumes vote a certain way. Not a lot of “saved my life” in this.
June 4, 2023
"How Golf Can Save Your Life" is a masterfully-written title from someone well-trained in the art of internet journalism. Unfortunately, Millard's book turns out to be 200 pages of click bait.
The construction of the book is odd to say the least. Ground down by the early stretches of adult life Millard returns home to life with his parents and is told by a therapist to get some exercise to help with his depression. He picks up golf. Fairly quickly he decides to write about about his return to the game but structures it as a guide to the lessons that golf can teach you. Golf memoirs tend to be a pretty easy crowd pleaser. Long stretches of time inevitably lead to some pretty good stories. But instead of that, this book turns into a self-help book of life advice from a guy who admittedly is not doing very well at life. There isn't enough wisdom accumulated to make this approach work.
The writing occasionally sparkles and there are a couple interesting tangents but there just isn't enough here to make this worth the time. It's possible than someone in his twenties who has just taken up golf might resonate with this book, but even then there are much better golf books I would recommend. Sadly, this book just doesn't offer enough for me to recommend it.
The construction of the book is odd to say the least. Ground down by the early stretches of adult life Millard returns home to life with his parents and is told by a therapist to get some exercise to help with his depression. He picks up golf. Fairly quickly he decides to write about about his return to the game but structures it as a guide to the lessons that golf can teach you. Golf memoirs tend to be a pretty easy crowd pleaser. Long stretches of time inevitably lead to some pretty good stories. But instead of that, this book turns into a self-help book of life advice from a guy who admittedly is not doing very well at life. There isn't enough wisdom accumulated to make this approach work.
The writing occasionally sparkles and there are a couple interesting tangents but there just isn't enough here to make this worth the time. It's possible than someone in his twenties who has just taken up golf might resonate with this book, but even then there are much better golf books I would recommend. Sadly, this book just doesn't offer enough for me to recommend it.
July 30, 2023
The book is good and relatable for anyone who found golf during the pandemic, returned to the sport after a rough patch, or just generally sees what golf really is beyond the many common misconceptions. The writing moves quickly and is engaging throughout. A fun and enjoyable read!
August 12, 2023
Fun easy read.
February 13, 2024
Barreled through this this snowy afternoon and actually teared up a bit. Wonderful stuff
April 1, 2024
yes! nicely done!
no errors.
no errors.
November 9, 2024
Not what I expected. The more I read it the more I disliked it.
June 20, 2023
Read for a bit of history and a lot of truths about one of the greatest games that is seeing a resurgence since the pandemic! I feel similarly to Drew, loving golf as a kid and leaving it for a bit…I’m trying to get back into it, which is hard with two young kids. I appreciated his insight into various ways the game is beneficial to life (e.g., how to slow down).
December 4, 2024
First 4 chapters are great.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews