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

I am one of those people who have "fun" playing golf. I am married to a golfer like Mr. Hiaasen, who can't see the fun in it. I found his accounts of coming back to the game hilarious and insightful.

This is a great audio book - and I don't even play golf. Some of it is way over my head but the author is a wonderful writer, has a great sense of humor and is a most enjoyable narrator. I've read or listened to almost all of his books and he is one of favorites.

This is a great book - for golfers...It's amazing to me how much of what Carl Hiaasen writes in his book that I can relate to. I'm a 53 year old "lady" golfer who has only been playing a little over 3 years. I have thought and said some of the very same things Carl complains about. Very enjoyable and laugh out loud reading...

Thirty-two years after giving up the game of golf, Carl Hiaasen finds himself playing golf during his free time from writing an article for Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue. He plays well enough that when he returns home to Florida, he buys a set of second hand clubs. Thus begins a hilarious odyssey over 577 days. The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport, by Carl Hiaasen is an excellent book, whether you are familiar with Hiaasen's fiction or the game of golf. In any event, you will probably enjoy this book. I was disappointed by Hiaasen's last piece of fiction, Nature Girl. With this book, he redeems himself. He is self-effacing, neurotic, and willing to try anything that the Golf Channel or a golf magazine will pitch. That latter point brings some of the funniest parts of the book, as he tries relaxation pills, necklaces, and items to help your swing. Time and time again, he is told to stop reading golf magazines, only to fall for the lure of quick solutions to his never-ending problems within the pages of said magazines. Much like the rest of us. Hiaasen writes about his experiences with the World Golf Village and the Leadbetter Golf Academy. Both of those destinations are high on the list of training facilities for hackers and Hiaasen gets a lesson from each. The commentary is pure Hiaasen. This book restored my faith in Carl Hiaasen. On the surface, this book is about one man's return to golf. But throughout, you are presented with Hiaasen's trademark prose concerning Florida; the environment, rampant development, and politicians. There is also his need to reconnect with deceased father (an avid golfer). And as his golfing days march onward, his family starts to golf, which adds another layer of complexity to Carl's relationship with them, golf, and the reader. More than just a book on golf, this is Hiaasen at the top of his game. Even though his golf scores don't show it.

If you are an average golfer avoid this book like the plague. It is bad mojo, terrible karma, and a jinx. Hiaasen's efforts to take his game to the next level are hilarious and his usual observations on Florida politics and the environment just add to the fun. There is so much in the book that the hacker can relate to that it begins to work on your mind. After finishing the book I went out and shot eight strokes above my already feeble average following each occasional par with a triple bogey and adding new levels of frustration to my putrid game. I give Hiaasen credit for making me laugh, then ruining my day. It's the only golf instruction book or article that has ever affected my score.