The Greatest Golfer Who Never Lived
Book Review

J. Michael Veron’s first golf novel is a timid exploration of golf history.  And really, that’s the main draw to this book.  Veron invents a fictional character named Beau Stedman who is a contemporary of Bobby Jones and shows promise to be the next great professional player.  Unfortunately, Beau gets caught up in a criminal investigation and as the primary suspect, must go underground.  Sixty years later, Charley Hunter, an intern at a southern law firm, discovers that not only did Bobby Jones work at that firm but that he kept secret records of Beau Stedman through the years.

The story follows Hunter as he learns more and more about the story surrounding Stedman and Jones in which Jones sets up secret matches with the great golfers of their time for Stedman.  Part golf novel, part John Grisham, the book climaxes with some intense courtroom drama.

Of course, this book comes with all of the stock scenes of any great golf novel.  There’s the unexplained miraculously great round of golf, there’s the conversation about the mental side of the game, and there are history lessons about Jones and his competitors.  The history lessons are very intriguing and are well worth the read.