I don't know how many of you guys have read the book The Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost or seen the Bill Paxton/Disney movie about it. However, if you haven't I'd strongly urge you to. The movie is a fairly good adaptation of the book, it stays pretty true for the most part. The acting is good and it's a great movie for the whole family, not just golf fans.

The book is a very compelling read about the lives of the Harry Vardon and Francis Ouimet. Who are two very fascinating characters. The book also gives a great peek into the blossoming of Walter Hagen, Ted Ray, and the sport of golf as a whole.

Vardon in particular has a very inspiring story which tends to be glossed over by many golf enthusiasts. People all know the Vardon Trophy and the Vardon overlap grip, but few people know the story behind him. My blood always boils a little when I hear people say that Moe Norman and Ben Hogan were the only two people to ever own their swing, since Vardon was the first golfer to truly own his swing. Vardon and Hogan led very similar lives, both coming from poverty and working tooth and nail to rise to be great golfers only to lose it all again (Hogan in his car accident and Vardon to tuberculosis). Yet both persevered, working extremely hard and fighting their way back to the top. Ironically, despite their full swing genius both also struggled with putting near the end of their careers; although Hogan's was more out of bitterness and Vardon's was brought on by tuberculosis.

Again, if you haven't seen the movie or read the book, I can't reccomend it enough. It will inspire you to play better golf and show you how great golf as a sport truly is. You'll also learn where this picture came from:

Hey Taylormade...after seeing what you said about the movie and the fact it just came out on DVD yesterday I had to go pick it up. I haven't watched it yet but by the sounds of things I'm sure I will like it. Thanks for the heads up on the movie and a lil of the background info on Mr. Vardon.

Yooper

I just got it also but havn't seen it yet. I'll probably watch it a lot sooner now after that review.

I actually just finished the book a couple of weeks ago. Fascinating story. As you mentioned, I never really knew any details about Varden either. From the sounds of it, if it wasn't for tuberculosis and WWI, he probably would have gone down as the greatest golfer ever.
Can you imagine spending a couple of years getting "over" tuberculosis, getting healthy enough to go back to the one thing you've known and been good at your entire life to find out you couldn't hold a putter steady because of a shaky right hand?? And then still go out and win Opens!
Got a kick out of reading that Varden was so popular and had such a good swing that they paid him to go into sporting goods and department stores to hit balls into a net for hours so people could watch him.
I agree it's a great book and definitely worth picking up. I didn't know they made a movie of the book, I'll have to get that.


Frost also wrote, Grand Slam, which I'm about 1/2 way through. It kind of picks up where The Greatest Game Ever Played stopped, time frame wise, and tells the story of Bobby Jones.

The tuberculosis part of Vardon's story is one I wish the movie had highlighted, although it would have been a little tough to do so. One of my favorite parts of the book is where Frost discusses Vardon's stay at Mundseley Sanatorium:



Vardon did a lot for the other patients, at christmas time ordering cases of champagne for them to enjoy and taking those who were well enough to go on trips to nearby towns to raise their spirits. Vardon was someone who not only worked tirelessly towards his own goals, but cared profoundly for those around him.

The Grand Slam is next on my list of books to read, I thoroughly enjoyed Mark Frost's writing.

These are both very good books! Frost really knows how to spin a yarn! Taking what would seem to be a simple dry historical event and creating a compelling page turner. I have seldom come across an author whose greatness illuminates his subject so strikingly as occurs in The Greatest Game Ever Played. Highly recommended reading.

Haven't read the Greatest Game (yet), but I have read The Grand Slam. It was excellent. I'd highly recommend it.

Great movie that I saw in theatres! I gotta read the book

same here, great movie

Read the book when it came out. It was great! Waiting on Blockbuster online to send me my copy.

Saw the movie the first week out. Even though it was a true story, the circumstances and turn of events seem so unlikely...all the more reason those of us addicted to this great game can appreciate the story. Those that have only read the book will be surprised at the unlikely charactor that almost steals the movie!

bought the movie last week..great movie!!

Here's that thread! Good call on the movie TMfan. I actually got it because of this thread. The last time I bought the movie after reading the book I was thoroughly disappointed (that's more Robert Redford's fault though--Bagger Vance could have been great! ). Obviously the book goes into more depth with character development, but I liked the Disney people enough.

beruo