I first read an excerpt of this book in Sports Illustrated in December 2000. I knew from those few pages that I was going to really enjoy the book. Alan Shipnuck jumps on board the lives of a PGA Tour Rookie (Rich Beem) and a veteran caddie (Steve Duplantis) for a year and tells all about their lives before the tour and chronicles the year they had together in 1999. A very eye-opening book into the lifestyle of both player and caddie and the different kinds of struggles each face week in and week out. In some parts of the book you really look up to both guys and then in others you feel very sorry for them.

Beem was an amazing story who, encouraged by the success of longtime friends and PGA Tour professionals J.P Hayes and Paul Stankowski, entered Q-school in 1998 and made it through. He went on tour with the backing of friends from El Paso Country Club, of which he still plays out of and has emblazoned on his bag. The magic all came together the week of the Kemper Open under the guidance of veteran caddie Duplantis. Duplantis had spent a couple of prosperous years with Jim Furyk but had been fired by Furyk earlier in the year because of unwelcome tardiness. He literally led Beem around the Kemper doing everything but swinging the club as they walked away PGA Tournament Champions.

I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they have what it takes to become a PGA Tour Member. It will highlight the glamorous and the not so glamorous aspects of being a full time PGA Touring Professional.