Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods won their first majors at the age of 21. Jack Nicklaus and Jordan Spieth claimed their first majors at the age of 22. By the time he was 21, Gene Sarazen had won three. Considered one of the top golfers in the 1920s and ’30s, he is one of only a handful of golfers to win all the major championships—the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Open Championship, and the Masters Tournament.
Sarazen: The Story of a Golfing Legend and His Epic Moment details Sarazen’s life and storied career, from his days sweeping floors in a pro shop through his rise in the golfing world to become one of the country’s foremost players. Central to the story is Sarazen’s iconic moment in the sport, a long shot from 235 yards that somehow found the bottom of the cup at Augusta National—perhaps fitting for a man whose golfing career was once considered a long shot itself. It became the greatest shot in golf history and put the Augusta National Golf Club on the map.
Sarazen offers an in-depth look at a golfing legend and provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of golf during a time when the game was still rising in prominence. Rich in detail and including many little-known anecdotes, this book will be enjoyed by golfing enthusiasts and historians across generations.
David Sowell is a freelance writer specializing in sports history. In addition to writing for magazines, newspapers, and broadcast outlets, Sowell is the author of The Masters: A Hole-by-Hole History of America’s Golf Classic (2003) and Ike, Golf, and Augusta (2012).
Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
Chapter 2: Driver off the Deck
Chapter 3: One of a Kind
Chapter 4: Beware of What You Pray For
Chapter 5: The Ball with Spaghetti Sauce on It
Chapter 6: A Honeymoon at the Open Championship
Chapter 7: Walter’s Gift
Chapter 8: Just South of the Border
Chapter 9: Reunited
Chapter 10: The Big Cup
Chapter 11: In the Sand at St. Andrews
Chapter 12: “Has Anybody Been Bothering the Lambs?”
Chapter 13: Jones’ Final Flurry
Chapter 14: The Shot
Chapter 15: Post-shot
Chapter 16: Golf’s Ambassador
Chapter 17: Finishing as a Starter
Bibliography
Index
About the Author
Sowell, a sports historian, presents a fascinating exploration of the rising world of golf in the early decades of the 20th century. While he focuses on Gene Sarazen, in particular his memorable Masters Tournament win in 1935, Sowell provides details on the other golfers of the day. Readers will learn about the careers of Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen as well as highlights of various American and British Opens. Sowell provides the context for the rising competition between British and American golfers. Sarazens "shot heard round the world" is the centerpiece of this work, but it would not be as significant without all the supporting stories and details. Powell provides a variety of anecdotes to keep the story lively for both the casual golfer and the historian. Sowells book has something for every level of reader, lending insight into the complexity of the early 1900s...Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. — Choice Reviews
I vividly remember playing with Gene Sarazen in England in the early days of my career. Simply a superb player to watch and learn from, and thank goodness he invented the sand wedge! He set the bar for all golfers to follow, as he was the first Grand Slam Champion. Gene Sarazen’s life has been very well chronicled in Sarazen: The Story of a Golfing Legend and His Epic Moment by David Sowell. I hope you enjoy learning more about the man who was an inspiration to so many. — Gary Player, golfing legend and winner of nine major championships
