Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #130889 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

A quick, easy to read and very entertaining novella.
I found this short book in the local library, and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. The principal character's midlife crisis, and his ensuing discovery that his golf has magically turned from Sunday-afternoon-ish to senior-tour-Jack-Nicklaus-eat-your-heart-out is magically funny, and thoroughly entertaining. Total different from what might be expected of James Patterson, I could not put this book down. I could imagine my golfing father dreaming the same dream, wishing himself post retirement on the senior tour, hitting everything straight down the fairway. I am not a golfer, and I don't think being a golfer is a prerequisite for enjoying this book, although an interest in the sport probably is. On second thoughts, probably and interest in mid-life crises is enough. This is only a very short book, in small format, but that's what makes it so enjoyable. You could probably read the whole thing in a reasonable length train commute to and from work. It left me with a chuckle in my heart, and a real gladness that I had discovered it. I'm sure it will do the same for you.

A nice read
`Miracle on the 17th Green' is very different from Patterson's usual crime thriller novels. It is about a 50 year old man named Travis who is a advertising copywriter who absolutely hates his job, his wife appears to not love him anymore and it seems that nothing really seems to be going his way. That is until one Christmas morning when Travis has a quick round of golf and plays his best game ever. He then returns to work after Christmas and is fired due to job cuts. With nothing to lose, Travis tries out for the Senior PGA Tour, something that he has been dreaming about his whole life.

Other than some crazy golf or a few goes at the driving range, I know nothing about golf whatsoever, so a lot of the golfing jargon is foreign to me. Luckily this book is very short, enjoyable and heart-warming but it just feels like with this kind of book there isn't enough tragedy to make the feel-good parts of seem worthwhile, as when reading this it just came across as a guy who was ok at golf, had a few problems at home then made it big in the pro tournaments. The end. It was a nice story with some likeable characters and it did keep me interested throughout (although I did skim-read most of the golf-talking bits), so much so that I finished it in just an hour and a half.

If you're after a happy and fast-paced short story, with hardly any depth, than this is a fairly decent read, but is very forgettable and not one that I'm likely to read again.

An uplifting read.
This is a heart warming, pleasant, even inspirational read which has transformed the dire reputation of golfers in my household! My copy has now passed through at least a dozen pairs of hands, including my wife and some of her friends. Everyone has enjoyed it greatly and subsequently suggested it to others. At 150 pages, it can be read in one sitting and, despite the subject matter, requires no prior knowledge of golf. The content, tone and pace of this novella may come as a surprise to hardened James Patterson fans and it should provide a gentle and enjoyable insight into the game for golf widows and widowers everywhere.