Pin High

From across the pond comes a gripping mystery thriller with a creditable golf-based theme sure to register with those who fancy twists and turns coming virtually every other chapter.  "Pin High" (Upfront Publishing UK, $11.99; also available on Amazon), written by English author Graham Jones, captures the reader's attention from the get-go.

The plot centers on a secret liquid potion that offers exceptional and consistent muscle memory -- and as a side-effect, daunting sexual potency.   Conjuring up images of an Ian Fleming or Robert Ludlum bestseller, two multi-national pharma companies compete to obtain and control the formula from the deceased inventor's widow, while a secret UK government agency works to ensure it lands in safe hands. 

The widow, recognizing a moneymaking opportunity, enlists a team of journeymen golfers toiling on the European Tour to be her guinea pigs.  The CEO of the European Tour becomes suspicious;  as he investigates, he becomes embroiled with a number of ruthless and merciless characters.  There is much double-dealing, treachery, and betrayal, and some vividly described sex scenes and brutality as well.  The author deftly builds the suspense to a point where the game's integrity is in question, and the book's characters must make serious ethical and moral decisions. 

The golf backdrop has substantial accuracy, and provides a glimpse into the idiosyncrasies and culture of the European Tour and its tournament practices and procedures.  The author based the story on an idea presented to him by a friend, David Croxton, an English golf course owner and manager, and has crafted an impressive read for golfers on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

Golf From Point A

"Golf From Point A" by Susie Meyers and Valerie Lazar (Point of View Productions, LLC, $29.99) is the product of two Met Area golfing friends -- one a student, the other her instructor. Meyers, a PGA and LPGA member, was on the teaching staff at Ridgeway Country Club in White Plains, NY, when she met Lazar, a golfer with a great deal of determination and talent.  She ultimately won the club's women's championship multiple times, and served as president of the Women's Metropolitan Golf Association from 1995-96.

Without a single illustration or photograph to depict the proper grip, alignment, set-up, or other part of the golf swing, the authors focus on a golfer's mind and how it can be used to control the swing, to play only the shot in front of you.  The key is to play every shot from "Point A."

The concept is similar to "playing one shot at a time," although Meyers in her 30 years of teaching in New York, Miami, Dallas, and Tucson has refined the technique.   "Point A" encompasses the power of positive thinking and keeps negative thoughts from entering the mind. The methodology has certainly worked for Lazar who recently won the Women's Tri-County Super Senior and Legends Tournaments. 

 

-By Les Schupak