THE TEN-MILLION DOLLAR GOLF BALL

by Albert E. Killeen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 20, 1985

First-novelist Killeen, a former Vice-Chairman of the Coca-Cola Company, has written a mildly amusing little morality tale in which a businessman cheating at golf gets his comeuppance. At age 63, Hubert J. Carnes is all extremely wealthy self-made businessman, but to his fellow members at the exclusive Quincetree Golf Club he's just another Joe with a twenty handicap, given to the ""unnerving, shattering experience of shanking with his short irons."" Yet it's his secret and enduring dream to become Chairman of the Club and change its quiet, fussy, old-fashioned ways--he envisions condominiums and nationally televised golf tournaments with himself in a blazer presenting a winner's check as big as all outdoors. Standing in his way, however, is the present Chairman, suave, elegant, classier-than-you'll-ever be Charles Gano Twitchell III. According to the Club's eccentric bylaws, the only way to oust him is to beat him at golf, and Twitchell has been wiping up the fairways with Hubert for years. But not this year, Hubert decides. So he buys a company that makes high-tech toys and pours millions of dollars into developing a golf ball that won't let him lose. His experts come up with a truly marvelous ball--electromagnetic, computerized, assisted on its way by an infrared guidance system. But he still has to be able to hit it, and thus Hubert makes the mistake of hiring Scottish expert coach Hamish Taggert, a dour young Calvinist who believes Golf is Life. The day of the match arrives and after nine holes a jubilant Hubert is leading Twitchell by four strokes. But Taggart gets fed up with all this cheating; he takes away the special balls, informs Twitchell, and the jig is up: Hubert has to play on his own. After 18 holes, the match is tied. Twitchell tells Hubert that if he makes his last putt, all will be forgiven--but if he misses it, he will be drummed out of the Club in disgrace. The story ends teasingly just as Hubert lines up his putt. Less a novel than the kind of anecdote generally heard at prayer breakfasts; cute in its way, but strictly for golfing Rotarians.

Pub Date: Feb. 20, 1985

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1985

Categories: FICTION