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Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul: 101 Stories of Insights, Inspiration and Laughter on the Links
Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul is a perfect gift for any golfing enthusiast, whether their drives land in the sand or on the green.This inspiring collection of stories from professionals, caddies and amateur golfers shares the memorable moments of the game - when, despite all odds, an impossible shot lands in the perfect position; when a simple game of golf becomes a lesson in life. Chapters sportsmanship, family, overcoming obstacles, perfecting the game and the nineteenth hole. This is a great read for any golfer, no matter what their handicap.
379 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 14, 2019
Not particularly funny at all and I found no little story that was any good for my soul. The average golfer and reader doesnt exactly shed tears for the problems of the country clubs upper crust.
Fortunately it only hit the ole pocket for a buck and a half at the thrift store.
Fortunately it only hit the ole pocket for a buck and a half at the thrift store.
February 5, 2022
I have always enjoyed several of the Chicken Soup series of books and this one was no exception. Because of heredity and example I have always been highly competitive, especially on the golf course. In reading several of these stories I hope they will inspire me to look at golf and all it brings to my life differently. This book had me laughing and crying and inspired by the golf recollections of pros and amateurs alike.
January 25, 2021
A heartwarming compilation of meaningful golf stories. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and the relationship to life's challenges. Having a tough day, on or off the links? Pick up your CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE GOLFER'S SOUL, randomly page through an inspirational story and get back on course, with a smile. Thanks to my daughter for gifting.
March 4, 2022
Fun beach read.
February 20, 2023
This is proof both that I have an alarming amount of stubbornness and that I am wildly cruel to myself, because I finished it. So there.
This is in my possession because once upon a time I was, in fact, a golfer. I had my own clubs. I understood the lingo. I almost tried out for a team, because I was 12 at the time. Now, I am angsty and old and can't be anywhere near golf without being wildly aware of how it is a classist, racist, economic disaster of a past time that continues weird gender stereotypes with a vengeance and also does silly things to pants. As an attempt to connect with that hobby, I was gifted this offshoot of the Chicken Soup sweep of the 90s, a vast array of essay collections designed to be heartwarming and soul-soothing.
They are not. Most specifically, they are not in the reality of the year of our Lord 2023 because the viewpoint is exactly that--the year of our Lord. One Lord, one type of woman, one type of man, one way to play the game. This is white Christianity with a club membership and buffed-clean cleats (quite possibly not by the owner). To an extent, that's fine; do your culture. But this is presented as the universal for golf as though the game is best when seen through this lens, and that's hella problematic.
I will freely admit that I am in no way the target audience for this book; I do not want heartwarming tales of miraculous last putts on the course where your father played before he died of cancer. I find these saccharine because I am, at heart, deeply unsentimental. Especially in a book about golf, I want the moments when everything went wrong; I want the rained-out games and the broken tees, the missing clubs and the completely botched water hazard. I want the story of getting up and playing again even though everything about the game sucks because you love it too much to walk away, and Chicken Soup doesn't give that. It gives me women who left the game so they could follow their husbands in the cart; it gives me men whose fathers were super obviously broken and stunted but played that one time that mattered and made everything else fine; it gives me adversity in the shape of a weird lay in the rough. (Nope, that's actually not a euphemism.)
This isn't chicken soup; it's toffee, sticky and far too sweet. And it never once acknowledges that golf courses are environmental nightmares. It does want you to pray to Jesus if you're in the running for par on the ninth, though.
This is in my possession because once upon a time I was, in fact, a golfer. I had my own clubs. I understood the lingo. I almost tried out for a team, because I was 12 at the time. Now, I am angsty and old and can't be anywhere near golf without being wildly aware of how it is a classist, racist, economic disaster of a past time that continues weird gender stereotypes with a vengeance and also does silly things to pants. As an attempt to connect with that hobby, I was gifted this offshoot of the Chicken Soup sweep of the 90s, a vast array of essay collections designed to be heartwarming and soul-soothing.
They are not. Most specifically, they are not in the reality of the year of our Lord 2023 because the viewpoint is exactly that--the year of our Lord. One Lord, one type of woman, one type of man, one way to play the game. This is white Christianity with a club membership and buffed-clean cleats (quite possibly not by the owner). To an extent, that's fine; do your culture. But this is presented as the universal for golf as though the game is best when seen through this lens, and that's hella problematic.
I will freely admit that I am in no way the target audience for this book; I do not want heartwarming tales of miraculous last putts on the course where your father played before he died of cancer. I find these saccharine because I am, at heart, deeply unsentimental. Especially in a book about golf, I want the moments when everything went wrong; I want the rained-out games and the broken tees, the missing clubs and the completely botched water hazard. I want the story of getting up and playing again even though everything about the game sucks because you love it too much to walk away, and Chicken Soup doesn't give that. It gives me women who left the game so they could follow their husbands in the cart; it gives me men whose fathers were super obviously broken and stunted but played that one time that mattered and made everything else fine; it gives me adversity in the shape of a weird lay in the rough. (Nope, that's actually not a euphemism.)
This isn't chicken soup; it's toffee, sticky and far too sweet. And it never once acknowledges that golf courses are environmental nightmares. It does want you to pray to Jesus if you're in the running for par on the ninth, though.
March 5, 2025
A peaceful read filled with lots of funny and heartwarming stories
May 23, 2020
I particularly like the story in which the guys wig os blown off by the wind..
March 6, 2017
Some great stories and as always, just what I needed!
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January 23, 2015There was one chapter i read over and over because it is true its called every golfers dream and it talks about how every golfer wants to win every tournament he plays but alot of the time that dosent happen but it makes you want to work and get better and try harder on and off the field and it talks about impossable round witch is shooting in 18 but that is a hole in one every hole that is impossable but they make it funny by say if they ever had a perfect round this is how it would go and they say things that would never happen like hitting a house and it going in like that would never happen. i really enjoyed it.
October 3, 2013
I enjoy all the Chicken Soup books, even those associated with things I'm not personally interested in. I chose this book because my dad was a golfer, so in a way it was in his honor that I read it. One of the best stories was near the end, about a golf-a-thon in Texas. I read it to my daughter as she fed her baby, and we both enjoyed it. If you golf, or know anyone who does, you will appreciate this book, I'm sure.
April 16, 2014
A couple of good stories interspersed with some filler...
November 24, 2015
very cute read and love all the stories from famous people
August 31, 2016
This is a lovely book at the inspirational stories are great
February 14, 2023
Great collection of stories; lots of laughter, tears, and inspiration.
August 22, 2014
Listened to this book: liked every short story but the first one; narrators were even good.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews