The Secret of Golf: The Story of Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus

As Posnanski (Paterno; The Soul of Baseball) notes, for golfers of a certain age, Tom Watson is an intriguing player, as he represents the generational gap between Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples, Davis Love and others currently making their start on the Senior Tour. Focusing on Watson, this book also discusses his lifelong friendship with Nicklaus. Posnanski aligns the background of Nicklaus and Watson, though the emphasis is mostly on the latter player. In contrast to many of the luminaries on today's PGA Tour, for Watson the decision to compete at the highest levels came relatively late. While anyone who makes the tour has talent, few have worked as hard or seem to love the game as much as Watson. The narrative has two distinct thrusts: the first is largely biographical, the second is instructive. What comes through distinctly is Watson's dedication, principles (most notably loyalty and conviction), and the will to compete.