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Billy Boy: A Novel
Not since Larry McMurtry's The Last Picture Show has a novelist captured the poignant contradictions of young manhood in the American West the way Bud Shrake does in Billy Boy. And no novel has ever combined history, spirituality and golf into so potent a triumph of the human spirit. There are tough times ahead for sixteen-year-old Billy. He's just come to Fort Worth with his father, Troy, after the death of his mother back in Albuquerque. Troy's drinking and gambling will leave them all but penniless, and he'll soon move on and abandon Billy in this strange town to fend for himself. With only a vague idea of how he's going to live, Billy heads over to Colonial Country Club, where he hopes he can get work as a caddie and where he just might see his hero, Ben Hogan. What he finds there, under the watchful eye of his guardian spirit, teaches him unforgettable lessons about golf, life, love and honor. In Billy Boy, longtime novelist and screenwriter Bud Shrake takes us back to the early 1950s, in a story thick with the Texas dust. Hardscrabble Billy, tough as he thinks he is and smarter than he knows, makes a place for himself behind the walls of privilege at Colonial. He first draws the approval, then the ire, of the club's most eccentric millionaire member, while his looks and manner draw the attention of the millionaire's beautiful granddaughter -- to the displeasure of her boyfriend, the club champion. Billy survives a fierce initiation and a dreadful scene with his drunken father -- but most important, he comes in contact with two of the greatest figures in the history of golf in Texas, Ben Hogan and John Bredemus, each of whom takes Billy under his wing for different reasons and with different results. Shrake skillfully weaves these historical figures and his richly drawn characters into the fabric of the town and the tenor of the time. Billy must face down his fears and doubts, and he does so in a climactic confrontation that combines the yearnings of youth with the redemption of the spirit. Billy Boy is an unforgettable novel of coming of age in a time and a place filled with mythic echoes and frontier dreams.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 31, 2015
“Billy Boy” is my new and current “best book I’ve read this year”. If you love golf as I do, you’ll find this a can’t-put-down page-turner as I did. “Billy Boy” is truly 5-star, and once again, a great read for anyone interested in golf, in adolescents’ coming of age, in family, and certainly in golf and its history.
OK, but hang onto the best-book-ever bandwagon just a minute, because some disclaimers should be made, or perhaps better called “confessions”: (1) this book is set in my hometown, Fort Worth, Texas. The main character pre-dates me by 20 years, but I frequently caught myself smiling affectionately because I know every single actual place the author mentioned. Even the church I grew up in, University Christian Church (also alleged to be Ben Hogan’s church), is mentioned a couple of times near the end. As kids, we romped around often in Forest Park, and came to know downtown and the stockyards district as well as anyone. Hometown pride aside, Fort Worth has a rightful place in American golf history for a handful of reasons, Colonial Country Club and Mr. Hogan among those.
Perhaps most of all, (2) the main setting of the novel is my personal favorite golf course on earth, the one at Colonial Country Club, site of the annual PGA tournament, and often known as “Hogan’s Alley”. As noted in a posting on my website titled “Memories of Colonial in Fort Worth”, it’s a course I never played, nor have I even set foot on it in 40 years. Yet I know this timeless track well enough to mentally play it start to finish in my sleep. Let’s say walking the course so many times in my youth while attending the golf tournament made an impression, complemented by years of TV watching since. It surely has nothing to do with the top player of my high school golf team having been the son of Colonial’s golf professional of the time. I doubt he knew my name while we were on the team, much less now, but that’s another story. Still, similar to how many golf fans know Augusta National and the Masters without playing it, I know Colonial, and I love it.
(3) Harvey Penick makes appearances in the book, he of the “Little Red Book”, teacher of Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite from their teens on up, and long-time resident of Austin, Texas, my number two Texas home. I should have expected this; the author is Bud Shrake, himself a long-time Austinite, and “co-author” with Mr. Penick of his book series. As I understand it, that job was a transcription and organization of a lifetime of notes in Harvey’s spiral notebooks. Having read all these wonderful books, I would have tipped my hat to Mr. Shrake before now, when I’ve added to my experience his prowess as a novelist.
I wish I’d written “Billy Boy”, but I did not. Honestly, I’d never heard of it until stumbling upon its simple but attractive cover in a local library’s “Five bucks for a bag” book sale. Seeing quotes on the back from some Texas folk I respect, I threw it in my sack. What a find! With not so many Goodreads reviews and far fewer Amazon reviews (still more than for “Gabriel’s Creek”), I feel like I’m turning anyone who reads this onto a treasure.
Cowtown and a dad and son moving there from New Mexico; good food and great golf; hot girls and pompous country-club jackasses; caddies and true professionals; I loved it all. This is the best golf book I’ve read since “Final Rounds”, and the second best golf novel I know of – shameless plug for my own “Gabriel’s Creek” acknowledged.
OK, but hang onto the best-book-ever bandwagon just a minute, because some disclaimers should be made, or perhaps better called “confessions”: (1) this book is set in my hometown, Fort Worth, Texas. The main character pre-dates me by 20 years, but I frequently caught myself smiling affectionately because I know every single actual place the author mentioned. Even the church I grew up in, University Christian Church (also alleged to be Ben Hogan’s church), is mentioned a couple of times near the end. As kids, we romped around often in Forest Park, and came to know downtown and the stockyards district as well as anyone. Hometown pride aside, Fort Worth has a rightful place in American golf history for a handful of reasons, Colonial Country Club and Mr. Hogan among those.
Perhaps most of all, (2) the main setting of the novel is my personal favorite golf course on earth, the one at Colonial Country Club, site of the annual PGA tournament, and often known as “Hogan’s Alley”. As noted in a posting on my website titled “Memories of Colonial in Fort Worth”, it’s a course I never played, nor have I even set foot on it in 40 years. Yet I know this timeless track well enough to mentally play it start to finish in my sleep. Let’s say walking the course so many times in my youth while attending the golf tournament made an impression, complemented by years of TV watching since. It surely has nothing to do with the top player of my high school golf team having been the son of Colonial’s golf professional of the time. I doubt he knew my name while we were on the team, much less now, but that’s another story. Still, similar to how many golf fans know Augusta National and the Masters without playing it, I know Colonial, and I love it.
(3) Harvey Penick makes appearances in the book, he of the “Little Red Book”, teacher of Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite from their teens on up, and long-time resident of Austin, Texas, my number two Texas home. I should have expected this; the author is Bud Shrake, himself a long-time Austinite, and “co-author” with Mr. Penick of his book series. As I understand it, that job was a transcription and organization of a lifetime of notes in Harvey’s spiral notebooks. Having read all these wonderful books, I would have tipped my hat to Mr. Shrake before now, when I’ve added to my experience his prowess as a novelist.
I wish I’d written “Billy Boy”, but I did not. Honestly, I’d never heard of it until stumbling upon its simple but attractive cover in a local library’s “Five bucks for a bag” book sale. Seeing quotes on the back from some Texas folk I respect, I threw it in my sack. What a find! With not so many Goodreads reviews and far fewer Amazon reviews (still more than for “Gabriel’s Creek”), I feel like I’m turning anyone who reads this onto a treasure.
Cowtown and a dad and son moving there from New Mexico; good food and great golf; hot girls and pompous country-club jackasses; caddies and true professionals; I loved it all. This is the best golf book I’ve read since “Final Rounds”, and the second best golf novel I know of – shameless plug for my own “Gabriel’s Creek” acknowledged.
June 11, 2011
Billy is a 16 year old who's come to Forth Worth with his dad after the death of his mother.
His dad's a gambler, and a golfer, and a cowboy and a ladies-man also he's ex GI and the Korean war is going strong. But this is Texas and its summer and Billy has hopes of becoming a caddy at the prestiguous Colonial Coutry club and possibly meeting Ben Hogan local legend in residence.
When Billy's dad loses all their money gambling then re-enlists in the service leaving Billy at the local YMCA fending for himself, this book portends to be bleak but this was a simpler time, when presidents still had time to play golf and times were good. Billy concentrates on the positive and there's plenty of that. Particularly the attractive grand daughter of one of the clubs more affluent and eccentric members.
If this book were a movie it would be The Flamingo Kid meets Legend of Bagger Vance with a little of the Bishop's Wife thrown in.
The perspective of a poor boy among the wealthy in Eisenhower era America. With legends such as Ben Hogan and John Bedemus haunting the pages amid lush green manicured fairways, stately pecan tree hazards and lucky golf clubs found in mysterious circumstances makes this a meditation on the Zen of Golf and now-gone way of life. Add in angels or are they ghosts or are they imaginary golfing buddies?
Anyone familiar with the era or with the game of golf will find this one appealing and those that appreciate a good coming of age story will appreciate it all the more.
His dad's a gambler, and a golfer, and a cowboy and a ladies-man also he's ex GI and the Korean war is going strong. But this is Texas and its summer and Billy has hopes of becoming a caddy at the prestiguous Colonial Coutry club and possibly meeting Ben Hogan local legend in residence.
When Billy's dad loses all their money gambling then re-enlists in the service leaving Billy at the local YMCA fending for himself, this book portends to be bleak but this was a simpler time, when presidents still had time to play golf and times were good. Billy concentrates on the positive and there's plenty of that. Particularly the attractive grand daughter of one of the clubs more affluent and eccentric members.
If this book were a movie it would be The Flamingo Kid meets Legend of Bagger Vance with a little of the Bishop's Wife thrown in.
The perspective of a poor boy among the wealthy in Eisenhower era America. With legends such as Ben Hogan and John Bedemus haunting the pages amid lush green manicured fairways, stately pecan tree hazards and lucky golf clubs found in mysterious circumstances makes this a meditation on the Zen of Golf and now-gone way of life. Add in angels or are they ghosts or are they imaginary golfing buddies?
Anyone familiar with the era or with the game of golf will find this one appealing and those that appreciate a good coming of age story will appreciate it all the more.
October 12, 2020
Take equal parts of the practical mysticism in The Legend of Bagger Vance, the humanity and poignancy in any of Larry McMurtry’s Texas-based novels, and the rollicking, golf-infused tales of Dan Jenkins and you have some idea of what Bud Shrake was trying to accomplish when he penned Billy Boy. Sadly, this book is not as original as Bagger Vance, nor does it rise to the level of craftsmanship and insight of McMurtry at his best. And it certainly has none of the humor that Jenkins brings to everything he writes. Still, Billy Boy is a modestly affecting coming-of-age story and one that was, on the whole, pleasant to read.
Set in Fort Worth during the early 1950s, in this novel we spend a few months with 16-year old Billy, who is orphaned and left to provide for himself as a caddie at Colonial Country Club, where Ben Hogan still roams the fairways. Assisted by Hogan and two other legendary figures in Texas golf history—John Bredemus (who reportedly died five years before) and Harvey Penick—Billy confronts his rich, arrogant arch-rival in a four-hole match for honor, a girl, a lot of cash, and the right to remain at the club. Of course, all of this is fairly standard “haves vs. have nots” stuff based on class and social conflicts. Nevertheless, the ending, while both predictable and a little contrived, is sweet and satisfying enough to redeem the reader’s effort.
Set in Fort Worth during the early 1950s, in this novel we spend a few months with 16-year old Billy, who is orphaned and left to provide for himself as a caddie at Colonial Country Club, where Ben Hogan still roams the fairways. Assisted by Hogan and two other legendary figures in Texas golf history—John Bredemus (who reportedly died five years before) and Harvey Penick—Billy confronts his rich, arrogant arch-rival in a four-hole match for honor, a girl, a lot of cash, and the right to remain at the club. Of course, all of this is fairly standard “haves vs. have nots” stuff based on class and social conflicts. Nevertheless, the ending, while both predictable and a little contrived, is sweet and satisfying enough to redeem the reader’s effort.
August 8, 2019
A really easy read, and I don’t say that in a patronizing way— truly a story that was easy to WANT to keep reading. I kept thinking of how great this book would be to unpack in a course: there are so many layers to the characters and story lines. Kept me captivated through and through which was quite enjoyable.
It’s written by an author who also writes screenplays— that’s easy to understand as the writing was well thought out and the story & characters were quick to picture.
It’s written by an author who also writes screenplays— that’s easy to understand as the writing was well thought out and the story & characters were quick to picture.
August 28, 2017
Ordinarily, I'm not much of a fan of fairy-tales, but with Bud Shrake as the author I make an exception. This coming-of-age story has its roots in the world of golf with some giants of the game making significant appearance. Nice bit of historical fiction is worked into the story as well with an impressive description of post war America. Good Read.
December 2, 2023
great book
A wonderful story about life with a lot of good golf included. I didn’t really know what to expect when I started the book as Billy had a rough start in life, but he took lemons and made lemonade. Worth your time and money.
A wonderful story about life with a lot of good golf included. I didn’t really know what to expect when I started the book as Billy had a rough start in life, but he took lemons and made lemonade. Worth your time and money.
September 3, 2025
I liked the fact that it's about golf since my daughter is an avid golfer. I also like the historical aspect of the book and learning about people who played a prominent role in golf such as John Bredemus.
June 23, 2025
You can’t make up names like chili and booger mcwillie
November 16, 2015
This was an enjoyable story of a young man whose life would have been very difficult had it not been for the mediation of a mysterious figure. To say more would be an ultimate spoiler. Because this story takes place mostly at the well-known Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, it has a great appeal to any golfer. The presence of some of the great names in golf adds to the enjoyment of the story. The dream of every country club caddie is to someday get the chance to play against the members and show them how it should be done. Billy Boy fulfills that dream for all of us who toted bags at some point on our lives.
June 27, 2011
Hits a number of predictable narrative beats, but that doesn't stop this book from being a fleet and thoroughly satisfying entertainment. Also did the rare thing of making me care, briefly, about golf.
March 5, 2008
Excellent and heartwarming story about a young boy coming of age in 1950's Texas - Billy learns from 2 golf legends in Texas but whether or not you play golf, it's a great read.
Currently reading
August 2, 2008not that well written, but enjoyable. makes me want to play golf.
December 3, 2012
Excellent book
December 8, 2013
Fun quick read about golf and coming of age.
May 23, 2015
Loved it. Great story. Easy to read. Lots of Fort Worth history.
November 28, 2014
Piss off, dad.
May 10, 2015
when it ended up being about an angel, that was pretty cheesy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2015
even though I don't understand a lot about golf, just enjoyed the little bit of Fort Worth mentions
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews