What happens when Jack “The Golden Bear” In 1997, Nicklaus challenges Tiger Woods, a rising golf star, to a private match?
This idea is investigated by author Colin Koenig in his most recent book, Major Wager: The Pure Round of Golf Jack Challenged Tiger To.
One hot, muggy morning in the late 1990s, the two men arrive at a golf course very early. Even their families are in the dark about their participation in this round. There are no fans, cameras, or crowds around them; they are by themselves. Only two men are engaged in a round of golf. However, it develops into much more.
Nicklaus doubts Tiger’s ability to surpass his record of 18 major victories. Young but competent, the child. Tiger is curious to see how the round will go and is thrilled to be playing with such a young golf prodigy.
With witty dialogue and inside looks into the characters’ thoughts, Koenig brings these two men to life on the page: “Jack prefers to outwit young Mr. By performing admirably on his own, Woods avoided relying on Tiger to perform poorly. The best offense is the best defense, and this is true of all sports, including golf.”
Stripped of their entourage, carrying their own golf clubs, and alone, they are suddenly just two guys playing golf: “Both Jack and Tiger made the decision to take a brief break on the split-back wooden bench that was available at the tee box. Nicklaus began to smoke. Tiger bounced the ball off the face of his driver club repeatedly.”
The entire book is an 18-hole round of golf by Koenig. He answers questions most golf fans would want to know:
What would they talk about?
What thoughts do they have as they play?
This match’s secrecy can two top professionals really maintain?
This book’s premise intrigued me, and I liked learning what Koenig thinks the characters are thinking while they play. He adds a very human touch to two characters who we have all only ever seen in the media. To fix some of the typos that annoyed me, I do believe this book could use a round of editing. Additionally, I would like to see a forward from the author outlining the research he did on golf as well as how the idea for this story came about.
In conclusion, I think this tale would make a great read for golfers and other sports enthusiasts who are curious about what would happen if two great athletes competed against one another.