Open: Inside the Ropes at Bethpage Black

Overview

obody writes about golf better than John Feinstein, and now he's found the perfect subject to cover. In June 2002, the world watched a U.S. Open like no other. The most prestigious golf championship was played, for the first time in history, on a public golf course. With unprecedented access, Feinstein takes us through every step of the event, from how the players qualified to how pairings were made, from preparing the course to the heated negotiations between the USGA and NBC. Listeners will meet golf's biggest stars and get to know them with eye-opening intimacy--and ultimately come to understand why playing in the Open at Bethpage meant so much to so many.

Editorial Reviews

Feinstein (A Good Walk Spoiled) chronicles the years spent renovating "chewed-up" Bethpage (N.Y.) Black for the first-ever U.S. Open held on a municipal course-and the biggest ever net profit, at $13 million. Many of the behind-the-scenes people he describes (such as former U.S.G.A. president David Fay), though colorful-and colorfully drawn-don't quite pull readers into the 2002 event. Feinstein swings for significance, too, complete with references to September 11, which seldom land near the flag of portent. But unlike his earlier golf bestseller, crossover appeal fades fast. His account is impeccably researched and written with you-are-there clarity, yet the buildup stretches over three-quarters of the text, leaving the best for last but not rewarding readers' patience. Successive chapters-"Countdown," "Last Rehearsal," "Final Preparations," "D-Day"-keep putting off the moment until late in the book when Feinstein writes, "It was time to start playing golf." The skirmishes over which network gets broadcast rights or how 42,000 spectators can be accommodated just don't excite the way a neck-and-neck round does. With so many anecdotes devoted to politics and economics, even devotees may skip ahead to the later chapters centering on Tiger Woods, as the narrative fails to generate much game of its own.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

-- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY.

Author Information

Bio of John Feinstein

John Feinstein spent years on the staff at the Washington Post, as well as writing for Sports Illustrated and the National Sports Daily. He is a commentator on NPR's "Morning Edition," a regular on ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" and a visiting professor of journalism at Duke University. His first book, A Season on the Brink, is the bestselling sports book of all time. His first book for younger readers, Last Shot, was a bestseller. His current book for younger readers is Vanishing Act.

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Additional Info

Imprint

Hachette Book Group USA

Filesize

1.15 MB

Number of Pages

368

eBook ISBN

9780316019187