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Summary: Missing Links
Review: The book Missing Links by Rick Reilly is a book about a group of low class friends who play at the worst golf course in America called Ponky. The group of friends, called Chops, loves their golf course even though it is inhabited by a sewage treatment plant and run down billboards, and where the cups are pulled out of the ground like volcanoes. Other than the Chops unstable jobs, Ponky is their life.
One day while the Chops were playing a game with another frivolous bet on the line Crowbar, a fat chop who never plays golf, said something to disturb Hoover, a 120 pound die hard golfer. Hoover got so mad he took out his 16 foot ball retriever and swung it at Crowbar. Hoover missed and ended up making a large hole in a hedge through which they could see the Mayflower Country Club, the snootiest most exclusive club in America, right next to the worst course in the world.
The Chops were mesmerized by the beauty of the Mayflower and Two Down made a bet where everyone put in [money]whoever played the Mayflower without any other Chops with them got the money. Everyone tried hard to get into the Mayflower, but the Mayflower only invites people with [money]who are the descendants of the people who came to America on the Mayflower. To find out what happens you will have to read the rest of the book.
I recommend Missing Links to any golfer that has a good sense of humor. Reading this book will make any day better and give you something to think about when you are sad. The characters in the novel are simply hilarious and unforgettable. The book makes you feel like your life is a little better and it adds a smile to your face.
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Summary: My foursome laughed until we cried.
Review: After reading what I can only describe as the best golf fiction ever, I bought copies for friends. Then my husband & I along with another couple went to play golf in AZ. During the long drives to golf courses, we took turns reading MISSING LINKS out loud. Probably, because know people like the chops we laughed until we cried at the antics of Two Down, Thud the almost human, Cementhead and Hoover with all of his golf gadgets and ideas. We even have a "Stone Concorde" at our club--ALWAYS manages to find his ball and we believe he has a magnetic ball marker on his putter. If he ever reads this book, I am sure he will start watering the putting surfaces at night. We were so involved with the book that we would drive slowly so we could continue reading. My friend's husband is not much of a bookworm but he would complain the loudest when it was time to stop reading. MISSING LINKS--8 thumbs up! Thanks Rick Reilly! We look forward to your next novel. Lookout for your shadow!
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Summary: Gollf nuts will love this book
Review: Good book about the kind of golf most people play- not the exclusive country clubs we see featured in golf magazines, but the run down muni's who could use a few extra groundskeepers, a little more grass on the fairways, and a ball washer or two. Reilly does a first rate job of describing the world of a bunch of blue collar hackers, with all their foibles and eccentricities. The plot is well crafted, too, although maybe a little storybook in the end.The one criticism I have of the book is that while he does a good job of including women and ethnic minorities among the regulars at the muni, he resorts to every cheap stereotype imaginable when it comes to describing a couple of homesexual characters. While a writer wouldn't dare use cliches about women, african-americans, or the disabled for cheap laughs or as plot devices anymore, apparently Mr. Reilly sees nothing harmful in portraying gays as sexually deviant, deceitful, lisping caricatures.
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Summary: Missing Links -- A Novel by Rick Reilly,
Review: Think you play good golf? Try hitting a 3 iron "...while keeping one foot on a sprinkler head that never goes off..." Welcome to Ponkaquogue Municipal Golf Course! Named by Golf Illustrated as 'possibly the worst golf course in America', Ponky, as the course is called, is the setting for Rick Reilly's incredibly funny novel, Missing Links. The story-teller and main character of this off-the-wall saga is Raymond Lee Hart. Anxious to go on the tour, his dreams are put on the line when he plays the match of his life with his father. "...my father hasn't talked to me in 5 years..." Raymond says, "...but that's o.k., I haven't listened in 10." You'll also meet Hoover, "an irredeemable hack," Crowbar; Thud; and Two-down, so named because he always says, "Boys, the bets don't start until I'm two-down." Then, after playing "...like a diseased yak on the first four holes...he comes barreling back making pars from behind dumpsters and bottoms of lakes." Rick Reilly has written a fast-paced,riveting story. The knock-out one-liners will get you going and the all-or-nothing finishing game will keep you hooked until the last page. Read Missing Links and you'll never see golf in quite the same way again.
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Summary: Revenge of the Chops!
Review: Without exception, the funniest and most entertaining book on golf I've ever read. If you can read more than 5 pages without doubling over you have not an ounce of Chop in you. I've read it a second time in an attempt to dog-ear all the pages with a memorable line -- and it's nearly every page! Already bought 10 copies for friends -- Hoover, 2 Down, Thud and the gang -- which has reinvigorated our regular game. This book "very much does not suck." Thanks Rick. Looking forward to another 18 at Ponky
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Summary: FANTASTIC!!!!! A GREAT READ
Review: Let me start out by saying that this is the best book I have read since the last Reilly book I picked up (Who's your Caddy?). I'm sure everyone know who Rick Reilly is, he is the ONLY reason to read Sports Illustrated. This novel is no exception to the Reilly Rule (Read anything he writes). I would read the phone-book cover to cover if he wrote it. Missing Links is the story of a group of "chops" that play on the worst muni in the country (Ponky). When I started reading it I was hooked right away, the characters are original and pretty funny as well. The writing is pure Reilly at his best, witty as well as poignant. I found myself laughing out loud on the NYC subway,which got me a few looks from the other passengers. I figured that the book would be just one big laugh. I was wrong there was actually a part or two that got you all misty! Still the events of the book are so funny don't be surprised if you miss your stop on the train or stay up all night to finish the book. My favorite part was how Two-Down got the Lexus! Pure Genius! Just take my word for it and buy it. You will NOT be sorry.
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Summary: An absolute READ THIS BOOK NOW!
Review: I read this book on a long flight back after burying my mother (an avid golfer) and I laughed the whole way. My trip was the typical international flight of bad food, layovers of epic proportions, seat-mates from hell, bumped seating etc. but didn't care. I laughed from page one, sobbed when I started to run out of pages, and laughed/cried (not a pretty sight) at the end and promptly went straight back to page one while driving frantically to the library to see if he'd written any more books. I've always enjoyed Mr. Reilly's articles in Sports Illustrated and this book is a testament oh his abilities (yes, that's a compliment...no I'm not his wife) as an accomplished writer. I just wish he's write more books!
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Summary: Mixed Feelings . . .
Review: I loved this book, and I hated it. I'm not a golfer, but Reilly manages to communicate the spirit of the game in such a way that even somebody who doesn't know what a "balata" is can understand why people love it. It took me awhile to figure out that this book is not about golf. It's about the importance of relationships and family over the things money can buy. He is really an excellent writer with something to say, and golf is merely his vehicle for doing so. Why did I hate this book? The foul language and crude sexual references were really unnecessary. I found myself wanting to read passages to my wife and children, except I couldn't because of the language. I think the story could have been told just as effectively without it. YMMV.
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Summary: FICTION AT IT'S FINEST
Review: I'm not much of a fiction reader. I only read this because I enjoyed Mr. Reilly's recent works -- Who's Your Caddy? Missing Links is an entertaining novel about six golfing buddies, all with distinct personalities. The character development done by Mr. Reilly is nothing short of spectacular. There are enough twists and turns in the book to keep the reader turning the pages. At the same time, there aren't so many characters that you're wondering who is who. It's a shame the book had to end, rather abruptly I might add. You don't have to like golf to enjoy this book. Highly Recommended for Everybody!!!!!!!
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Summary: Just Buy It
Review: I won't bore you with a preview of the book...Just take my advice, buy the damn book, even if you are not a golf nut you'll love it.
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