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| The Pro: Lessons About Golf and Life from My Father, Claude Harmon, Sr. | 
 enlarge | Author: Butch Harmon
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $6.72
You Save: $8.23 (55%)
New (23) Used (13) from $3.71
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 283504
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 0307338045
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.352092
EAN: 9780307338044
ASIN: 0307338045
Publication Date: May 22, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Expedited shipping is not available for this item. Items are mailed via USPS media mail within 2 business days and should arrive 4-14 business days later.
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Product Description
Butch Harmon is the world’s number one golf coach. He taught Tiger Woods through one of the greatest stretches of victories in golf history (and, perhaps even more conspicuously, did not teach Tiger Woods following his unprecedented run), as well as superstars like Greg Norman, Adam Scott, Fred Couples, Darren Clarke, Natalie Gulbis, and Davis Love III. How did he become such a legendary teacher and mentor? The answer is simple: He learned from watching his father.
The Harmons are the First Family of golf, and Claude Harmon, Sr., was the greatest of them all. His skill as a player, an innovator, a teacher, a devoted father, a loyal friend, and a peer of giants such as Ben Hogan has gone largely unappreciated by all but those who knew him best. In this book by his son, he finally gets his due. In The Pro, Butch Harmon paints a compelling portrait of an era in sports before the emergence of big media and bigger money, and shows how the lessons he learned about life and golf at his father’s knee made him the man he is today.
The Pro is both a family and a golf memoir, as well as an inside look at what it takes to teach the Tigers of the world. It describes how Butch and his brothers, who are also teachers, transfer their father’s unique wit, wisdom, and philosophy to the next generation of golfers. Sometimes their advice relates to the game, sometimes they simply offer words of encouragement and motivation, sometimes they make pointed criticisms intended to shock their students into focus, and sometimes they try to impart simple advice about “walking around through life.” The Harmon brothers are teachers who share a special quality: All of their lessons are passed down from their father.
Millions of golf fans know Butch Harmon; many are even familiar with his father and brothers. But never before have we been given such an intimate look at life among the legends of golf. The Pro is the story of an extraordinary father and son that will resonate with anyone who has ever looked back on life and recognized the wisdom of their parents’ teachings.
"Golf's hard," Dad would say, pointing a meaty finger at me as if he were about to reveal the secret of the Rosetta Stone. “Good golf is damn hard, and championship golf is something only a few will ever see. But that’s how it should be. If it were easy, everybody would do it. And where’s the fun in that?”
From Butch Harmon, the world’s number one golf coach, comes the inside story of how he learned everything he knows about golf and life from his father, Claude Harmon, Sr. Both a family memoir and a reminiscence of growing up among the legends of sport, The Pro is a portrait of one extraordinary family and the game that will carry their legacy for years to come.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 My First Negative Review -- Ever December 21, 2008
Others may like this book but I did not.
For me, "The Pro: Lessons About Golf and Life from My Father, Claude Harmon, Sr." was a huge disappointment and may be the worst book I have ever read.
I kept trying to like this book, but the writing and the message kept getting in the way. Self-promotion is hard to pull off, and for me the author did not successfully pull it off. Reading this book was similar to being on the receiving end of a self-absorbed bore's monologue at a cocktail party, absent the cocktails and the party.
The book is less about Claude Harmon, Sr. and more about Butch Harmon, Jr. and how he "got his life together." From cover to cover it rings with false modesty, and rationalization of a self-righteous, bullying bravado.
My brand new copy did not find its place on the bookshelf with Bobby Jones, Dave Pelz, Jack Nicklaus, and many others. Rather, it has been donated to the recycle bin because we do not want it in our house for any youngster to read.
 Golf and Father-Son Relationships July 27, 2008
I have two sons so I was very interested in hearing how Claude Harmon raised his four boys. It seemed he was very harsh with them, encouraging competition between them and at times belittling them. I've worried sometimes about being too demanding with my sons. But after reading this book I began to feel that, in the long run, it is a good thing. Some of the Harmon boys went through intense periods of rebellion but they all seemed to honor family above all else.
Now, about golf. A book like this made me realize all I have to learn in playing golf. I'm a 9 handicap but this showed me that there is a world of knowledge to learn about this sport. And yet, Claude Harmon would also continually return to the basics of grip, allignment and balance. I think I will play better golf and enjoy it more after reading this.
One note: this is Butch Harmon's point of view and, as such, many might claim it leaves out a lot. That's to be expected. I'm sure that Butch is no saint, and he's made a bundle playing and teaching golf. But it's still a good book that you'll enjoy.
 More About Tiger than Claude October 21, 2007
There is way too much information about Tiger Woods in this book and not enough about Claude Harmon. Who cares whether Tiger did his first long TV interview on Oprah? So what if people clapped for Tiger in a restaurant in Vegas? Most people who haven't been living in a cave for the last ten years are aware of how great Tiger is and what a record he has amassed. I understand that a teacher is proud of his student, but I can read that stuff in Tiger's book. And Butch goes on far too long about how important it is for people to learn from as many sources as possible. It really sounds like Butch is mad or insecure about Tiger leaving him.
On the positive side, there are a few good stories about Claude Harmon and some of the greats from his era.
 Life Lessons For Everyone February 26, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
You don't need to be a golfer to enjoy this book. I'd been playing golf all of three weeks when this book was loaned to me. The title of the book is apt. The lessons indeed apply both to life and golf. A thoroughly enjoyable read!
Well Done! January 7, 2007
Excellent copy arrived in a timely fashion. A pleasure to do business with.
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