'The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever' by Mark Frost chronicles a historic round of golf between legendary professional golfers Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan, and young amateurs Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward. Set at the Cypress Point Golf Club, the match was arranged by Eddie Lowery and played before the 1956 Crosby Clambake. Frost delves into the backstory of the players, detailing their lives and how they came to be part of this significant event. The book provides a gripping account of the match play, where neither team led by more than one hole, keeping readers on edge until the end.
Frost's writing style brings the characters and the golf course to life, painting a vivid picture of the tension and excitement of The Match. Through meticulous research and interviews, Frost captures the essence of the players' experiences, making readers feel as if they were witnessing the match firsthand. The book not only focuses on the game but also explores the personal journeys of the golfers, highlighting their struggles, successes, and the impact of this historic event on the future of golf.
From The Publisher:
In 1956, a casual bet between two millionaires eventually pitted two of the greatest golfers of the era - Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan - against top amateurs Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi.
The year: 1956. Decades have passed since Eddie Lowery came to fame as the ten-year-old caddie to U.S. Open Champion Francis Ouimet. Now a wealthy car dealer and avid supporter of amateur golf, Lowery has just made a bet with fellow millionaire George Coleman. Lowery claims that two of his employees, amateur golfers Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi, cannot be beaten in a best-ball match, and challenges Coleman to bring any two golfers of his choice to the course at 10 a.m. the next day to settle the issue. Coleman accepts the challenge and shows up with his own power team: Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, the game's greatest living professionals, with fourteen major championships between them.
In Mark Frost's peerless hands, complete with the recollections of all the participants, the story of this immortal foursome and the game they played that day-legendarily known in golf circles as the greatest private match ever played-comes to life with powerful, emotional impact and edge-of-your-seat suspense.
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