Deane Beman: Golf's Driving Force
The Inside Story of the Man Who Transformed Professional Golf Into a Billion-Dollar Business
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4.9 • 9 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Once called the most powerful person in golf, former PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman transformed a loosely-knit association of tournaments into the envy of the sports world. Discover how Beman survived a coup led by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, purchases 415 acres of Florida swampland for $1 and transforms it into one of golf's most famous cathedrals, and orchestrates deals that made the Tour one of the most successful enterprises in sports.
Customer Reviews
An intimate portrait of "The Czar of Golf"
Memo to golf fans: the game existed before Tiger Woods. Ever wonder how the PGA Tour became a big success? "Golf's Driving Force" is your answer. Former PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman is the subject of this page-turner, packed with plenty of drama and controversy. Who knew that Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer attempted to oust Beman as Commissioner? Or that he clashed with the PGA of America and endured a bitter lawsuit with golf equipment manufacturer, Ping?
My takeaway: Beman was a visionary, who has lived a fascinating life in golf -- as an amateur champion, a Tour winner, and then Tour commissioner for 20 years. As the book says, it's this third phase of his golf life that elevated him to one of golf's icons. This is the story of the man who changed the trajectory of the Tour in a way no one ever has. I like that this book doesn't numb you with numbers, but here's a telling one: Tour assets rose from $400,000 when he inherited the job to $260 million when Beman retired. That's change we can all believe in!
If you haven't read Adam Schupak before, he is a storyteller in the truest sense and he has great material to weave his narrative -- stories involving Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Nicklaus, Palmer, and many more. At last we have an intimate portrait of the man they called "The Czar of Golf."