The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport

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Ever wonder how to retrieve a sunken golf cart from a snake-infested lake? Or which club in your bag is best suited for combat against a horde of rats? If these and other sporting questions are gnawing at you, The Downhill Lie, Carl Hiaasen’s hilarious confessional about returning to the fairways after a thirty-two-year absence, is definitely the book for you.

Originally drawn to the game by his father, Carl wisely quit golfing in 1973, when “Richard Nixon was hunkered down like a meth-crazed badger in the White House, Hank Aaron was one dinger shy of Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, and The Who had just released Quadrophenia.” But some ambitions refuse to die, and as the years—and memories of shanked 7-irons—faded, it dawned on Carl that there might be one thing in life he could do better in middle age than he could as a youth. So gradually he ventured back to the dreaded driving range, this time as the father of a five-year-old son—and also as a grandfather.

“What possesses a man to return in midlife to a game at which he’d never excelled in his prime, and which in fact had dealt him mostly failure, angst and exasperation? Here’s why I did it: I’m one sick bastard.”

And thus we have Carl’s foray into a world of baffling titanium technology, high-priced golf gurus, bizarre infomercial gimmicks and the mind-bending phenomenon of Tiger Woods; a maddening universe of hooks and slices where Carl ultimately—and foolishly—agrees to compete in a country-club tournament against players who can actually hit the ball. “That’s the secret of the sport’s infernal seduction,” he writes. “It surrenders just enough good shots to let you talk yourself out of quitting.”

Hiaasen’s chronicle of his shaky return to this bedeviling pastime and the ensuing demolition of his self-esteem—culminating with the savage 45-hole tournament—will have you rolling with laughter. Yet the bittersweet memories of playing with his own father and the glow he feels when watching his own young son belt the ball down the fairway will also touch your heart. Forget Tiger, Phil and Ernie. If you want to understand the true lure of golf, turn to Carl Hiaasen, who has written an extraordinary book for the ordinary hacker.

What Customers Say About The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport:

If you love golf you will love this story. Full of good humor and full of golf.

He's never read Carl Hiasson, before, but he is one of our favorite authors. I got this book for my Dad for Christmas. He picked up the game of golf soon after he retired. I love his quirky style. My Dad enjoyed the book, and sent it on to share with his twin brother.

Despite being a golfer and a big Hiaasen fan, this book starts with promise, but quickly grows dull.

This guy Hiaasen thinks that making you feel sorry for his lousy golf game and his addictions to purchasing foolish gimmicks to fix it are actually funny. David Sedaris you are not. I think instead Hiaasen ought to write about a truly scintillating game like croquet where readers wouldn't mind being bored.

Would I recommend this book to any respectable golfer. This guy doesn't need Strunk & White, he needs a shrink for his neuroses. In fact, neither are.

Yes, now that would be a challenge for him, because The Downhill LIe is truly worse than a sticky wicket -- like having a perfect drive end up in a deep, unplayable fairway divot -- leaving the reader frustrated, disappointed and finally just annoyed.How does one label a book written on the glorious subject of golf that offers nothing more than a plodding diary of how a 20 handicapper desperately fails at every level -- instruction, a sense of feel for the game, anecdotes that lead nowhere, and last of all, precious little humor. In short, no. I suppose some folks can relate to a high handicap golfer's desires to improve his/her game.

Yes, several more chapters on the art of choking are really what are needed here Carl.And I think yoou ought to pick better friends or else get to know fellow Floridian Dave Barry who really is funny. Stick to your novels Carl.Paul in Potsdam

Some clever analogies and a few linguistic witticisms, but nothing worthy of the Hiaasen acclaim.

The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport

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