True to the title of the book, Drew Millard describes how golf very likely saved his life in the hopes that his story could have a similar impact on the lives of the reader.

I would always joke that I w0uld play golf when I could afford a full set of high-end clubs, but Millard makes it clear that the benefits of golf have nothing to do with the equipment. It is all about being in (highly manicured and maintained) nature and often in the company of others. In our post-pandemic (?) world, relearning how to co-exist with others is something I could see golf helping with to some extent, especially as it pertains to manners and decency. It is also something to do that involves being somewhat active without being strenuous, which is better than nothing.

The book doesn't ignore the many issues with golf courses, country clubs, etc., but it isn't the primary focus of the book.

I most appreciated the author's concluding sections about how to select the few items you need to start out with to play golf. It is so doable that I may just take up golf in the near future!

When I requested this book, I thought that there would be some significant insights into the correlation between golf and the mainstream golfer's life situation. Instead, I had to slog through several chapters of psychoanalysis of one individual who had no relation to the mainstream before I put the book down and decided I didn't need to waste my time on the drivel that was before me. I'm sure the author thinks his life was saved---and that's a good thing--but to think that his solution is applicable in a broader sense is a bit overstated and presumptuous. While his life may have been saved, his writing ability needs saving and if it is not corrected, he'll go through the rest of his life making double bogey after double bogey. Good Luck!

Drew Millard has written a deeply personal book on why playing golf is a great thing. It's not a book on how to play golf or to improve on your skill level. It's more of a philosophical look at life and golf as the thing that moved him from the brink of a breakdown to a place of better mental health. It reads like a diary on steroids with enough humor and stories to make it enjoyable rather than creepy! I would recommend this book to golfers for sure and to everyone who is looking for something to get them moving back into life again.

Read for a bit of history and a lot of truths about one of the greatest games that is seeing a resurgence since the pandemic! I feel similarly to Drew, loving golf as a kid and leaving it for a bit…I’m trying to get back into it, which is hard with two young kids. I appreciated his insight into various ways the game is beneficial to life (e.g., how to slow down).

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a book about how sports are not just a game. This book focuses on golf, but it’s applicable to any sport really. Maybe golf doesn’t do it for you, maybe it’s running, basketball, etc. Sport is spiritual, sport is healing, sport is more than the surface.

The author of this book has depression. Golf helped him out of that. The author acknowledges that golf isn’t for everyone but carries the message that there’s something out there for everyone. Find your something!

This is an enjoyable memoir about a golf lover. No one ever has a perfect score in golf, or in life. Thank you to netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.