Out of all the characters the game of golf has produced, few are as vitriolic or misunderstood as John Daly. Many have compared the man to a car wreck, it's simply impossible to want to turn away. Luckily, his book has the same effect on the reader and this is an incredibly engaging look into the mind of a man that man have called crazy, wild, disturbed and odd. At the end of the day, Daly is just a man, but he definitely does have some quirks that make him unique.
Although most of us became familiar with Daly when he was in his early twenties, he actually was a rising star far before that. His teens were riddled with victories and disqualifications, much like his later career. This is an interesting look at the childhood and formation of this player and what made him become the man he is today. If you're interested in golf or in pop psychology, this is a literal study in how a golfer thinks - even if it is at the extreme end of the spectrum.
The read is entertaining at times and heartbreaking at most junctures. It is sad to see someone with this kind of talent have such a self destructive streak. At times, the reader wonders whether Daly revels in this. It's certainly not a book about apologies. Daly is who he is and the chances of him changing are pretty small. He's an interesting man that is certainly plagued by his own demons, but none of them are as powerful as what he ends up doing to himself.
When you step back, you can actually learn quite a lot about the mental game of golf when you read this book. Daly is a textbook case of what you shouldn't do, even though those brief shining moments of triumph break up the heartbreak. He's a trainwreck plain and simple, but you're left wondering if that doesn't please him.
This is an interesting read, but it's not very inspirational. If you're a fan of Daly's or you just want to understand the man better, it's certainly a good read. By the end however, you'll probably end up not understanding the man completely and it's clear that he really doesn't understand himself.
This is a great book for young golfers on what they need to avoid on their path towards becoming a professional. If for no other reason, this book can serve a great purpose in this vein. Daly has so much potential and it's a shame to see him wallowing in his past and present when he could be putting it behind him and reaching for the future. It's a good book that is puzzling at times and will most likely leave you wanting to slap Daly and tell him to snap out of it, take control and achieve his true purpose.
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