Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer's Quest to Play with the Pros
Jun 2006 · Sold by Penguin
star
17 reviews
Ebook
336
Pages
Tools
info
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
A fascinating memoir of an amateur golfer’s yearlong quest to elevate his game
“A breezy, poignant read . . . Hilarious.”—Philadelphia Inquirer
“Think country-club clinic meets Navy SEALs training. I will pay any price, bear any burden, leave my home to follow the seasons, build my own swing studio in the basement, construct a practice green in my backyard. . . . Everything the big boys have access to, I want double.”
Like most amateur golfers, Tom Coyne had often wondered whether the pros won because they were more talented or because they were more obsessed. Overweight and burdened by a 14 handicap, he decided to find out for himself what it takes to play like a pro.
In Paper Tiger, he charts every step of his journey, which included sessions with top golf gurus such as Dr. Jim Suttie, the Michelob tournament (a win for Tom), and the Australian Tour—where forty-mile-per-hour winds and a driving rain scare off his Japanese partners. With each chapter, he tracks his weight alongside his handicap, pursuing his dream with a reckless abandon that comes to involve hardcore diets, pricey technology, even psychologists.
With echoes of Dead Solid Perfect and Who's Your Caddy? Tom brings his uniquely edgy, deeply human perspective to a game that can simultaneously bring out the best and the worst in everyone who tries to master it.
“A breezy, poignant read . . . Hilarious.”—Philadelphia Inquirer
“Think country-club clinic meets Navy SEALs training. I will pay any price, bear any burden, leave my home to follow the seasons, build my own swing studio in the basement, construct a practice green in my backyard. . . . Everything the big boys have access to, I want double.”
Like most amateur golfers, Tom Coyne had often wondered whether the pros won because they were more talented or because they were more obsessed. Overweight and burdened by a 14 handicap, he decided to find out for himself what it takes to play like a pro.
In Paper Tiger, he charts every step of his journey, which included sessions with top golf gurus such as Dr. Jim Suttie, the Michelob tournament (a win for Tom), and the Australian Tour—where forty-mile-per-hour winds and a driving rain scare off his Japanese partners. With each chapter, he tracks his weight alongside his handicap, pursuing his dream with a reckless abandon that comes to involve hardcore diets, pricey technology, even psychologists.
With echoes of Dead Solid Perfect and Who's Your Caddy? Tom brings his uniquely edgy, deeply human perspective to a game that can simultaneously bring out the best and the worst in everyone who tries to master it.
A fascinating memoir of an amateur golfer’s yearlong quest to elevate his game
“A breezy, poignant read . . . Hilarious.”—Philadelphia Inquirer
“Think country-club clinic meets Navy SEALs training. I will pay any price, bear any burden, leave my home to follow the seasons, build my own swing st...
Discover more
Ratings and reviews
17 reviews
Russ Krengel
- Flag inappropriate
June 3, 2026
A wonderful tale of golf that we can all relate to with laughs and surprises along the way. If you love golf, you will love this book.
Clayton McGratty
- Flag inappropriate
March 15, 2021
A fantastically entertaining read that every golfer can relate to. Highly recommend!
Matt Andersen
- Flag inappropriate
May 10, 2017
Great book if you really love golf.
About the author
Tom Coyne is the author of the novel A Gentleman’s Game and cowriter of the screenplay for the novel’s film version, which starred Dylan Baker and Gary Sinise. He is a contributor to Golf Magazine and teaches creative writing at St. Joseph’s University.
Tom Coyne is the author of the novel A Gentleman’s Game and cowriter of the screenplay for the novel’s film version, which starred Dylan Baker and Gary Sinise. He is a contributor to Golf Magazine and teaches creative writing at St. Joseph’s University.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
