The Scorecard Always Lies: A Year Behind the Scenes on the PGA Tour

I normally yawn after a chapter or two of these "behind the scenes on the PGA Tour" books, throwing them on the pile for re-gifting. That's not a critique of John Feinstein (A Good Walk Spoiled) or his imitators - it's just an acknowledgment that my own work as a golf writer robs these books of the ability to surprise me. "I know this," I say, flipping through the pages. "I was there for that. Here's a good story - it's still funny a year after I wrote about it for Sports Illustrated." So the best tribute I can pay to Chris Lewis is to say that I read every single word of The Scorecard Always Lies. Lewis's book is unquestionably the best of the year-on-tour genre, and it's only partly because he has a keen analytical eye and a lively prose style. Mostly it's because he worked his butt off, spending 30 weeks of the 2006 PGA Tour season on the road. And Lewis didn't spend that time clipping and filing stories by the local beat writers. He rose early and stayed up late to follow every lead, whether it led up the stairs of a private jet or into the back rooms of a New Orleans tattoo parlor. Fifty years from now, golf historians researching the Tiger Woods era will treat The Scorecard Always Lies as a primary source. I promise you, they won't yawn over it.

Chris Lewis does exactly what he sets out to do in his introduction. He gives flesh and blood--personality--to PGA Tour players, and he does it very well...very, very well. In an age where members of the media have become personalities themselves, often making their "names" at the expense of the people they cover, Lewis' book is a welcome addition to golf writing and publications... It's nice to know who these guys are away from the light and glare of public view and to learn about their relationships with other golfers. A very fine book. Highly recommended.

I never miss the majors or the Ryder Cup. I rarely watch any other golf on TV aside from a minute or two of channel surfing when an imminent major has me in the mood. I loved this book. A good mix of the story (2006 season), backstories on some players, and behind the scenes stuff. Maybe if I read golf magzines, this would be old hat...and maybe if you read a golf pub regularly this book isn't for you. But otherwise, this book is a great sequel to John Feinstein's excellent "A Good Walk Spoiled". One thing that did leave me a little confused if not wanting: the book goes into much less detail for the non-majors as the season wears on. As the end of the season is so important as to who lands where on the money list, and gets their card for the next season, there should've been more coverage of this aspect. But overall I cannot complain; I highly recommend this book.

Don't know what that other reviewer was reading but I subscribe to all the golf magazines and there was tons of stuff in this book that I'd never read before, like about Tiger's father's funeral and Mickelson hanging out with Mack Brown and the guys from REM and even a guy playing high on the Nationwide tour. Truly behind the scenes stuff. The stuff we knew about reads like a novel. Tore through it in two days-- great read, and very funny. Like the Feinstein book (A Good Walk Spoiled) but with Tiger and Phil and Vijay instead of the older players.

Still waiting for my copy to arrive, but there's another excerpt from the book, on Mickelson's '06 Masters win, on the author's website, [...]