A Wickedly Good Read

The Wicked Game: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and the Story of Modern Golf is a must read for any golf fan. Wonderfully entertaining, author Howard Sounes chronicles the rise of golf through three of modern golf's most prominent players--Palmer Nicklaus and Woods--as well as their impact on the professional game as we know it today. From Palmer's humble beginnings as the son of a course superintendent in Western Pennsylvania, to Nicklaus' Country Club education, to the training of Woods by an overzealous father, the book gives some fascinating behind the scenes views of how these three have impacted the game, as well as their successes and shortcomings.

Palmer, who became the first truly marketed golf superstar by Mark McCormack, and was used Palmer to build International Management Group, perhaps the most influential agency in sports. Nicklaus, who, while surpassing Palmer on the golf course, remained envious of his success off the course and nearly went bankrupt trying to maintain a lifestyle similar to Palmer's. And of course Woods, who has become the most recognized golfer, and perhaps athlete, of all time, yet remains a mystery to most.

The book also looks at how racism has long been a hallmark of golf and how these three leading golfers have done little to open the top echelons of the sport to minorities and women. It also paints a very revealing portrait of Tiger's late father, Earl Woods, who long held that he was a constant victim of racism, abandoned his first wife and children for Tiger's mother and believes he was chosen by God to raise Tiger and nurture his special talent.

Although a short read at 260+ pages, it is well worth it and I highly recommend it if you want a better understanding of the figures who have shaped the game we love.