The Majors: In Pursuit of Golf's Holy Grail

'Four days a year, golfers go out to play for Forever. Those are the four Sundays at the major championships. They all know what is at stake. They all know that winning will change their lives, and in some cases define their lives. They also know that losing can do those things too.' Each of the four major gold tournaments - the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA - has its own personality, level of competition, and drama. Here, John Feinstein follows such top stars as Mark O'Meara, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, and David Duval - together with lesser-known contenders - through the four tournaments. Readers are treated to a behind-the-scenes look at how big-name players orchestrate their seasons to be at peak form for these intense events. At the same time, Feinstein gives us the history and lore of the tournaments, showing how they became and remain the Majors.

About the Author :
John Feinstein is a regular commentator on NPR and writes for the Washington Post Sunday Magazine and Golf Magazine.

Review :
As holiday reading for the serious sports fan, it has not been bettered this year - Sunday Times As much a force of nature in sporting pursuits as John Grisham is on lawyers or Steven King is on the weird, the dauntingly prolific John Feinstein once again steps up to take a swing at golf. While A Good Walk Spoiled chronicles the pressures and tensions of a full season on the PGA Tour, The Majors narrows the vista, and expands the importance, to the chase for the four prestigious titles--the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the PGA--that separate the great careers from the pretenders. That the chase occurred in 1998 turns The Majors from a compelling chronicle into a thrilling one. A thorough reporter, Feinstein does the necessary homework both inside and beyond the ropes. He dusts off history and anecdote to provide perspective and explore how and why these four particular tournaments sprouted such regal fur around their collars. Still, perspective is just background if there's no focus to give it meaning, and he finds a bagful of it in the individual quests and the public and private dramas of, most notably, Fred Couples, Lee Janzen, Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Phil Mickelson, and David Duval. All entered the season with much to prove--to themselves and posterity, and the latter is what the Majors are so imposingly about. As Feinstein observes, "Four days a year,