No collection of golf books is complete without one work of fiction. I do not know if there is an afterlife, but if one exists, Ben Hogan and Bobby Jones are sitting in a grill somewhere in heaven comparing notes about the various fictional tomes that feature the two golfing greats as mythical characters.

“The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hogan” by John Coyne is this summer's entry into the Jones/Hogan milieu. It is a great novel on the golf side but a little lacking in its non-golf plot. Jack Handley is the narrator of this saga, returning to the Midwest to speak at the anniversary of the Chicago Open. Handley recounts the story of meeting and caddying for golfing legend Ben Hogan. He passes on the opportunity to tote Hogan's bag during the Open because he has committed to carrying the bag of Matt Alexander, the young assistant pro at the site of the Open.

Young Handley meets Hogan, who is at the course for a practice round. Alexander joins them for the back nine of the practice round. Along the way Hogan shares some important lessons about both golf and life that Handley takes to heart.

Young Alexander has his golf life complicated by his romance with Sarah Dupree, the club president's daughter. Sarah's father, Dr. Dupree, views his daughter's romance with disapproval. Young Handley finds himself in the middle of the relationship when all he wants to do is tote a golf bag. THE CADDIE WHO KNEW BEN HOGAN is a birdie on the golf side but a bogey on the romantic subplot. Still, it is a pleasing novel for those who find golf fiction enjoyable.

Back