LET GO, LET GOLF

Emmy Award–winning sports producer Rota crafts a golfing how-to that aims to make life on and off the course a whole lot more enjoyable.

It might not seem possible to seamlessly amalgamate the stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius with the easy wisdom of an amiable golf pro, but Rota appealingly manages to do so. Virtually every other line of his concise, energetic prose in these pages contains a memorable aphorism. However, no matter how lofty the observations get, they always land firmly on the green: “Who gives a crap what your final score is? Remember what you did well and build on it for next time” is just one example out of many. Getting a tiny, dimpled ball to sink into a cup hundreds of yards away is one of the most challenging feats in all of sports, and countless instruction manuals have been written to school developing players in the proper way to do it. Rota’s particular genius, though, lies in his ability to deliver real-world golf instruction without the slightest hint of technical jargon. He also points out that understanding fundamental golfing etiquette will not only help one better navigate a golf course but navigate life, as well. Rota’s work is an undeniable pleasure to read and absorb, no matter which way one slices it—golf pun intended. Indeed, many readers will no doubt approach Rota’s golf instruction simply as a vehicle to absorb its low-key wisdom; still others will simply enjoy teeing up the easy, free-flowing prose: “Finish with a few drives on the range,” Rota writes, “release your hands, and turn through the ball. Swing with swagger. Find your tee shot tempo and walk to that tee box with a confident glide in your stride.”

An enjoyable read, even for readers who never plan to hit the links.