Dodson discovers the group of guys that become The Dewseppers when he is enveigled to travel to Syracuse to speak at a charity fund raiser. The fellow doing the inviting had read his previous book "Final Rounds" and thought the author might have something worth listening to about golf forging lasting relationships. One thing leads to another and the antics and follys of The Dewsweepers become a thread which runs through the book, but the story is about much more than them.

It is about relationships of all kinds. A son and his mother. A boy and his father. A lovely lady named Wendy. Arnold Palmer. Aging friends. A chance meeting on a magical golf course. Brotherly love gone sour. And so many more.

Dodson has the most interesting way of making how we relate to each other, the humor, the sorrow, the mundane and the magificent all come alive in a very real way. I found the book enthralling.

Those who have reviewed this book and sniffed about some of the name dropping that occurs in it are missing the point entirely. People like Arnold Palmer just happen to be a real part of Dodson's life. To leave out the "names" is to fail to tell the story to it's fullest.

In the end he finds that the joy he had gotten from golf during his life was not lost. As he puts it, it was "merely waiting for me to catch up..."

There is a lot to learn about life and relationships in this book and I doubt there are any of us who could not benefit from that.


Discover what golf is all about   June 26, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Dodson conveys the true feelings of playing golf with people who you can come to love almost as much as your family. I truely felt like buying copies for the other 3 guys in my foursome after I was done with it. Just like Final Rounds which I bought for my father. Not for the hard hearted it can bring tears to your eyes at times and cause outrageous laughter at others.


I agree...pretentious and name dropping...   February 26, 2003
 0 out of 4 found this review helpful

In reading the reviews of the book it describes a bunch of "electic" old men golfers...I don't find an eclectic thing about them...they're a bunch of old, privileged rich guys, who have the time and money for taking golf trips...pretty boring read.

It's basically Dodson whining about a rough period in his life...something that we all face, but for some reason it seemed a little unexpected to him. Get over it and get in the real world.

Don't waste your dollars on this one.


A little too pretentious   September 6, 2002
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

The fundamental flaw of this book is that the author tries to pass himself off as everyman. We are supposed to be able to identify with his golf buddies and feel a kinship with the friendship he feels with his fellow Dewsweepers (the guys he golfs with). The problem is that most of us don't get to golf all over the world and at the most prestigious golf courses in our own country. He continually name drops throughout the book. He golfs with his buddy Arnold Palmer and seems to know many of the influential names in the world of golf. If his intention was to show us an example of golf friendships that we could identify with, he fell short.

I golf with my golf buddies every Sunday at a course where we pay ($$$) to play eighteen holes. We only dream of being able to hop on a plane and fly to Europe or Pebble Beach at the drop of a hat (like the author does with his fellow Dewsweepers). For most of us, a round at Pebble Beach is a lifelong dream that will probably go unfulfilled. For the author of this book, it is just an average day and a prelude to better rounds to come.

If you are a wealthy country club member and enjoy reading about the lifestyle that you are currently enjoying, this is the book for you. If you aren't, skip this book, call three of your buddies, and head out to the nearest public course. It will be a better way to spend your afternoon.