Rating: 
Summary: Magical story of one man's redemption through golf.
Review: "The Legend of Bagger Vance" is a wonderful story of a damaged man's personal redemption through the magical game of golf. Rannulph Junah is a former golden boy who, in recent years, has been ravaged by demons that he cannot overcome. Junah was the pride of Savannah, Georgia. He was a good-looking young kid who was also a gifted golf player. He seemed to have every door open to him for his future. But, then he went off to fight during World War I. Apparently, he saw and experienced things during the war that left him shaken. When he returned to the states, he became a recluse who drowned his sorrows in alcohol. Fast-forwarding more than a decade shows Savannah as a thriving town with a brand new championship golf course. The denizens of Savannah desperately want to bring fame and notoriety to this new course. Therefore, they hatch a plan to have an exhibition tournament involving two of the biggest names in golf in that day, Bobby Jones (two years removed from golf's only grand slam and about to retire and go into practicing law... and building the Augusta National Golf Course) and Walter Hagen (a larger than life character who was always very engaging to the gallery). Because civic pride was on the line, the organizers wanted one of their own as a third member of this exhibition. After much debate, Junah was settled on as the most likely candidate to compete. Of course, Junah did not seek this 'honor', nor did he wish to endure the pressure that such a selection carried. Many of the townspeople were also concerned that Junah's erratic behavior over the previous decade could do more harm than good to the town's reputation.
Enter Bagger Vance, a mystical figure who seems be in Savannah for only one reason, to help Junah compete in this match and to help him overcome the demons that plague him. In a nod to Eastern philosophy, Vance helps Junah look within himself to find the answers and redemption he is looking for via 'the Authentic Swing'. The 'Authentic Swing' is both a metaphorical and a literal representation of a place in life that all men strive for where they are not burdened by demons and distractions and are able to achieve all it is that they seek. With Bagger Vance serving as his caddie, Junah embarks on the 36-hole odyssey of this golf match. Early on, every hole becomes a image of the demons that Junah battles and the hopes and disappointments of an entire town. As the match goes on, it becomes clear that each hole is not only a competition for the honor of Savannah, but also a deeply personal battle for Junah's soul. Does he win and find redemption? I dare not say in this review. If you have read the book, then you know the answer. For those of you who have not read this book, do so. It is not only the moving tale of Rannulph Junah, but also a metaphorical look at the battles all of us face.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Much Supernatural, Not Enough Story
Review: I suppose if you like golf and you understand Eastern philosphy, Bagger Vance will seem like a good read. I have played no golf other than miniature golf, and I'm not really up on Eastern mythology, so this book seemed very, very odd to me.I read it because I had nothing else to read and I liked "Gates of Fire" by Pressfield a lot, "Tides of War" was not nearly as good, and I hope to read "Last of the Amazons" soon. At any rate, I already knew the book was different from the movie (which I hadn't seen anyway), but I think I'll have to go rent the movie just to see if it sits better with me. The first problem, to me, was that this book needed to be longer. Readers never get to know Junah or any of the other characters all that intimately, nor do we get to know much about our narrator Hardy, or the mysterious Bagger Vance. I think if Pressfield had slowed the story down, spent more time developing it and the characters, then it would have been a little better. Still, unless you're an avid golfer, the idea that the Meaning of Life can be gleaned from golf seems just a tad overblown. Sure, games can teach important things about life, but I think Pressfield took things too far. If you love golf, and you have a strong understanding of Eastern mythology, then I recommend this book. If you don't, then I would caution you to avoid it, because you'll end up scratching your head and wondering "What the heck was that?" just like I did.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad First Names Prove Inconsequential to a Very Good Book
Review: Bagger Vance is one of the finest golf novels I have ever read, and I've read a bunch of 'em. The very concept of a golf novel based upon the structure of the Bhagavad-Gita is mind-boggling, and Pressfield executes with amazing humanity. The characters are a bit difficult to get to know, but become fully fleshed and tremendously insightful. Skip the movie -- read this book.
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