A Fairway to Heaven: My Lessons From Harvey Penick On Golf And Life

Most golfers know the great teacher Harvey Penick, longtime pro at the Austin Country Club in Texas, through the lovely epigrammatic writings of his Little Red Book and the sequels it spawned. Tom Kite, the former U.S. Open champion who captained the 1997 American Ryder Cup team, knew Penick more intimately. He was Kite's instructor, coach, confidante, and touchstone for three decades. His memoir of life with the master is warm and touching, an engaging tribute to a man whose life was the game and whose devotion to the game absolute. Kite also tees up a moving examination of his longtime friendship and rivalry with Ben Crenshaw, Penick's other star pupil. Ultimately, writes Kite, "Penick wasn't meant to be explained or analyzed. He was meant to be enjoyed." In Fairway to Heaven, Kite "takes dead aim"--as Penick always counseled--and the enjoyment is contagious. (Penick fans take note: The Wisdom of Harvey Penick: Lessons and Thoughts from the Collected Writings of Golf's Best-Loved Teacher is also available.)