The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf |  | Author: Mark Frost
Creator: Grover Gardner
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Category: Book
List Price: $120.00
Buy New: $75.60
You Save: $44.40 (37%)
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Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 1477736
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 6.1 x 2
ISBN: 0786181915
EAN: 9780786181919
ASIN: 0786181915
Publication Date: December 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New! UNABRIDGED audiobook on CD direct from the manufacturer. Sturdy vinyl case.
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| • | Hardcover - The Grand Slam | | • | Paperback - The Grand Slam | | • | Audio Cassette - The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones And The Story Of Golf ,library Edition | | • | Paperback - The Grand Slam : Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf | | • | Hardcover - Grand Slam, The: Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf | | • | Paperback - Grand Slam, The: Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf | | • | Audio Download - The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America, and the Story of Golf (Unabridged) | | • | Kindle Edition - Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America, And The Story Of Golf | | • | MP3 CD - The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones And The Story Of Golf ,library Edition |
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Product Description
Now in paperback, the Los Angeles Times bestseller that takes a riveting look at the life and times of golf legend Bobby Jones In the wake of the stock market crash and the dawn of the Great Depression, a ray of light emerged from the world of sports in the summer of 1930. Bobby Jones, a 28-year-old amateur golfer, mounted a campaign against the record books. In four months, he conquered the British Amateur Championship, the British Open, the United States Open, and finally the United States Amateur Championship, an achievement so extraordinary that writers dubbed it the Grand Slam. No one has ever repeated it. Mark Frost uses a wealth of original research to provide an unprecedented intimate portrait of golf great Bobby Jones. In the tradition of The Greatest Game Ever Played, The Grand Slam blends social history with sports biography, captivating the imagination and engaging the reader. The Grand Slam is a biography not to be missed.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Extreme Hagiography September 7, 2008
As an avid reader of biographies, I'm familiar with hagiography, the tendency of biographers to inflate the accomplishments of their subjects, but never in all my years have I ever encountered such an extreme case of it. It's a shame, too, as Jones's life needs no such embellishment.
Bobby Jones was, without question, the greatest golfer of his generation and one of the greatest that ever lived. However, to read Frost's account, every match he ever lost was due to illness, injury, extreme bad fortune or circumstances beyond his control. In every one of his victories, he overcame illness, injury, bad luck, dastardly opponents and extreme fatigue (which for some reason Frost insinuates his opponents, who played the same or significantly more rigorous schedules, never faced). Some of Frost's accounts border on the ludicrous.
He alleges that Walter Hagen recruited gallery memebers in an attempt to form windbreaks along the windswept fairways of the British Open. As a golfer, I can attest without question that human beings stationed along the edges of the fairway have absolutely no effect on the wind encountered by a golf ball, at any stage in its flight.
Despite playing a total of ten rounds of golf in the months leading up to one of his U. S. Open victories, Frost describes Jones as being so exhausted that his knees were buckling as he attempted to finish his final round. Again, as if his efforts were somehow more draining than those of his competitors, some of whom were forced to play tournaments every week in order to survive.
Sprinkled throughout the book are the author's attempts to add historical perspective. I actually think this could have been helpful if done well, however Frost, perhaps a frustrated historian, makes numerous absurd statements concerning the root causes of World War I, the Warren Harding administration, the Wall Street collapse of 1929. Set the stage, reference contemporanious historical events, but leave the political and social analysis to those who have a clue.
While I might reluctantly recommend the book to those who wish to learn of the life and accomplishments of Bobby Jones, I even question some of the facts contained in the book. Frost frequently cites astonishing feats performed by many of the players of the era. He tosses around 300-325 yard drives as though they were the norm for the era, even though players of the current era struggle to hit such shots with the aid of titanium, oversized drivers, fiberglass shafts and souped up golf balls. Shots of the type frequently described by Frost were simply impossible with hickory shafts and marshmellow golf balls (in the absence of asphalt or gale force winds).
He refers to 275 yard par 3s and 450+ yard par 4s, when courses of the era were actually significantly shorter than current tracts. In a disconnect, he describes very long iron and sometimes 3 wood shots into par 4s (which are probably accurate) despite the fact that his players are bombing 300+ yard drives. Something doesn't compute in his distance claims and club selections.
All in all, a very tiresome product by its conclusion. By the time he won the U.S. Amateur, securing the Grand Slam, I expected Jones to be carted up the 18th fairway in a hospital bed, on the verge of death, only to hole out a 300 yard seven iron to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat from an opponent that had cheated by 10 strokes. I've got to think that there are better, more objective books for those seeking to learn the story of Bobby Jones.
 Character Revealed April 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In The Grand Slam, Mark Frost tells the story of Bobby Jones and the way in which his inconceivable 1930 championship run changed the sport of golf forever, in such a lively and engaging way that readers will be on the edge of their seats even though the outcome has been assured for 75+ years. Each of Jones' Grand Slam wins is recounted in painstaking detail, giving Frost the opportunity to paint an illuminating portrait of the golf world of the 20's and to set Bob's accomplishments against the backdrop of the times in which he lived. He reached his athletic peak at a time when people were beginning to tire of the frenetic pace of the Jazz Age and longed for a simpler time. Bob Jones possessed all the qualities Americans appeared to be searching for, and so, like the other sports heroes of the Golden Age he was quickly elevated to demi-god status. Frost does a wonderful job of peeling back the layers of the legend to reveal the human being underneath. He has proven yet again why he is one of the best writers working today. This book is a must for all true students of the game, but should appeal to non-golf fans as well.
 2.5 stars at best April 13, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I had high hopes for this book. I read it in preparation to attend the Masters, which I got to do this year and it was amazing.
That said, this book was just average. I felt like the author added things to the book without a true need. I appreciate the fact that Frost was trying to explain the times that Mr. Jones was rooted in, but he seemed to stray from the main topic on numerous occassions.
There were points when he was talking about golf, Mr. Jones and the courses they played... then he would stray into international politics and not for a brief explanation but rather 2 to 3 pages on the industrial revolution or WWI or the Depression. I get that those are important subjects to mention but the explanations got in the way of the biography I thought.
In addition, the explanation of the golf read like a front page story or first-hand recap in the USA Today not a backstory of the event. I understand the need to recap key matches but Frost appeared to recap nearly every match and it got to be too much. I did appreciate the brief bios of other golfers of the period. That was interesting and necessary.
The bio was roughly 450 pages. The same story could have been told in 300 pages and included the same key points. I would have liked more anecdotes and interesting stories that described Jones the man not Jones the golfer and/or ball-striker etc.
I might recommend another book on Jones that doesn't detail things that really don't educate you that much about who he was and what he stood for.
A Grand Slam of a Bio March 14, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Purchasing this book I had expected nothing more than the chronicle of Bobby Jones' assualt on the 4 golf majors of 1930. I got so much more. This book is certainly one of the better biographies I've ever read. Though Frost never goes too in depth into the private life of Jones, the writing style is exceptional, the sports action is compelling, but the most amazing thing is how the entire thing is brought together and every new section begins with an exceptional framing of where the event stands within the confines of history. Truly an amazing first rate bio.
 Not as good as "Greatest Game," but still a worthwhile read July 22, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Frost's follow-up effort to the outstanding "The Greatest Game Ever Played" - the movie adaptation of which will be released by Disney this fall - this meandering tale tracks the career of Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all time, climaxing with his assault on the Grand Slam (back then, it was the US and British Open and Amateur titles) in 1930. After winning the Slam, Jones retired from tournament competition, at the age of 29. After reading Frost's harrowing account of his physical and mental anguish during the ordeal, you'll certain understand why.
Aesthetically, this book doesn't hold together nearly as well as "Greatest Game". Frost includes far too much "background" information (most of which is, quite honestly, common knowledge) about everything from the origins of World War I to the Scopes "Monkey Trial". The bits of early 20th-century lore than festooned the pages of "Greatest Game" were a welcome addition to the storyline, helping us to understand the time and place. Here, they are an annoying intrusion. Despite this unfortunate slip, Frost's prose is still enjoyable to read, and the story will be of interest to anyone who has an interest in the history of golf.
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