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Tales from Q School (Abridged): Inside Golf's Fifth Major Audiobook
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(3.03) - 698 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From the author of Raise a Fist, Take a Knee and A Good Walk Spoiled, this "must-read" national bestseller takes you inside the dramatic world of the highest-pressure golf tournament in the world (Tampa Tribune).
It is the tournament that separates champions from mortals. It is the starting point for the careers of future legends and can be the final stop on the down escalator for fading stars. The annual PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament is one of the most grueling competitions in any sport. Every fall, veterans and talented hopefuls sweat through six rounds of hell at Q school, as the tournament is universally known, to get a shot at the PGA Tour, vying for the 30 slots available.
The grim reality: If you don't make it through Q school, you're not on the PGA tour. You're out. And those who make it to the six-day finals are the lucky ones: hundreds more players fail to get through the equally grueling first two stages of the event. John Feinstein tells the story of the players who compete for these coveted positions in the 2005 Q school as only he can. With arresting accounts from the players, established winners, rising stars, the defeated, and the endlessly hopeful, America's favorite sportswriter unearths the inside story behind the PGA Tour's brutal all-or-nothing competition.
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"I've read most, if not all of John Feinstein's golf books - A Good Walk Spoiled, The Majors, Open. Really enjoy his writing style - he gets into players heads and their lives, and give a well-rounded and in-depth picture of what he's writing about. This book is about Q School, the fall tournament that is the main entry point into the PGA Tour for most of the players who are headed there. It's a strange tournament in a lot of ways, most notably the pressure that players in it feel. Feinstein does a great job of chronicling it. This book, though, more than previous ones, feels like it is a series of magazine columns that was hammered into book form - there are strange repetitions of phrases and facts from chapter to chapter. Still enjoyed it very much, and can't wait to see what Feinstein does next in the golf world."
— Turi (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Revealing insights…it will certainly make you laugh.
— Irish Times -
“This book has a brilliant beermat proposition at its core: what is it like to have your financial future entirely dependent on hitting a ball into a hole with a stick from three feet away. That is what faces those participating in Q School.”
— Daily Telegraph -
“What makes this account so compelling is the way Feinstein drives home the point recreational golfers know all too well: golf is, above all, a humbling, even humiliating, game.”
— Booklist
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
Tales from Q School Listener Reviews
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" It sucks to read a book about golf in the middle of winter. This was a pretty good look at Q School, how it works, and what the pressure is like. "
— Ryan, 2/20/2014 -
" Not so bad, unless you've already read Q School Confidential by Dave Gould (pub in 1999) where John Feinstein seems to have plucked all of his anecdotes. Hasn't anything happened differently to anyone new at Q School in the past 7 years? "
— Melissa, 2/13/2014 -
" I love golf and have read several books in the past including Feinstein's "A Good Walk Spoiled". I couldn't put my finger on it but just couldn't finish this book. Perhaps it was the way he went back and forth between the lives of so many golfers and keeping them all straight. In fact their stories seemed repetitive and frequently all too similar. "
— Dale, 2/13/2014 -
" This book is surprisingly entertaining, although a little scattered. The constant barrage of stories about tragic collapses and miracle comebacks is draining. If you have any interest in professional golf, this is worth reading, but otherwise don't even think about it. "
— Noah, 2/6/2014 -
" This book I really like because it shows how Pro golf is unlike other sports. The pro golfer is under a great deal of pressure because they have no support like other athlete's. Each time they play they are under preesure but they have no support like team players. They have no one to pass to, no coach helping them, all they have is their own abilities. This story is real life it is not about winning golf tournaments it is about the stress of just getting to play. "
— Dick, 1/31/2014 -
" Like all of the other John Feinstein books I have read, this one was a quick read, and introduced me to interesting people. "
— Ron, 1/19/2014 -
" Another Feinstein gem about the world's most frustrating game. Imagine if your livelihood depended on making a five foot putt. "
— Phil, 1/17/2014 -
" If you're a golf nut, you'll appreciate this book. Otherwise, you'll be bored stiff. "
— Andy, 1/16/2014 -
" A good description of what players who aren't quite the Tigers or Phils of the world actually have to go through. A bit repetitive at times, but interesting and well-written nonetheless. "
— Jake, 1/4/2014 -
" If you are a fan of pro golf, or just a weekend player, you owe it to yourself to read this great book. I learned more about about what it takes to be a pro player, of how the PGA Tour is organized, and the game of golf from this book than I even realized I was missing. "
— Brett, 1/2/2014 -
" Excellent book for anyone who plays golf or has even a passing interest in the PGA. "
— Todd, 12/11/2013 -
" ...average Feinstein...not bad... not great... "
— Barry, 12/6/2013 -
" This book was actually painful to read - one heartbreaking story after another. I know that golf is a tough sport to master, but never knew how difficult it is for golf pros to make the tour and actually be able to stay on the tour. "
— Debbie, 11/20/2013 -
" This is a good read for anyone who can really get into golf. It's typical Feinstein, but it gives insight into just how difficult it is to become and stay an even partial-pro golfer. "
— Blake, 11/24/2012 -
" Just because you parred four of the first five holes last Saturday doesn't mean you're ready for Q School. This is why. "
— Doug, 8/27/2012 -
" I am not a huge golf fan but I like the author so I gave it a try. I enjoyed the book, I had never heard of the Q school and I found it interesting. The Q School decides who can play on the PGA Tour, for many golfers this is the difference between employment and unemployment. "
— Aaron, 8/20/2012 -
" Pretty good - what these guys have to go through to make it to the show is unreal. Not as good as either a good walk spoiled or the majors though. "
— Markgianetto, 12/21/2011 -
" This book has some crazy stories from Q school. "
— Rob, 10/13/2011 -
" Feinstein is fantastic "
— Jack, 9/3/2011 -
" I suck at golf and don't follow it that closely, but this a great account of what it takes to be successful in professional golf. "
— Daniel, 3/22/2011 -
" ...compelling insider look into the rigours of golfers trying for The Show and fantastic wealth...not pretty most of the time... "
— Rey, 2/17/2011 -
" Even if you can't stand golf this book is a great read. Love Feinstein. Q School has to one of the most interesting competitions in sports. "
— Jstrick, 1/26/2011 -
" A good description of what players who aren't quite the Tigers or Phils of the world actually have to go through. A bit repetitive at times, but interesting and well-written nonetheless. "
— Jake, 7/17/2010 -
" I am not a huge golf fan but I like the author so I gave it a try. I enjoyed the book, I had never heard of the Q school and I found it interesting. The Q School decides who can play on the PGA Tour, for many golfers this is the difference between employment and unemployment. "
— Aaron, 7/7/2010 -
" Another Feinstein gem about the world's most frustrating game. Imagine if your livelihood depended on making a five foot putt. "
— Phil, 1/24/2010 -
" This book was actually painful to read - one heartbreaking story after another. I know that golf is a tough sport to master, but never knew how difficult it is for golf pros to make the tour and actually be able to stay on the tour. "
— Debbie, 12/1/2009 -
" Pretty good - what these guys have to go through to make it to the show is unreal. Not as good as either a good walk spoiled or the majors though. "
— Markgianetto, 8/13/2009 -
" If you are a fan of pro golf, or just a weekend player, you owe it to yourself to read this great book. I learned more about about what it takes to be a pro player, of how the PGA Tour is organized, and the game of golf from this book than I even realized I was missing. "
— Brett, 6/25/2009 -
" Totally entertaining! I couldn't put it down, and I don't even like golf! "
— Todd, 3/20/2009 -
" This book is surprisingly entertaining, although a little scattered. The constant barrage of stories about tragic collapses and miracle comebacks is draining. If you have any interest in professional golf, this is worth reading, but otherwise don't even think about it. "
— Noah, 2/27/2009 -
" Just because you parred four of the first five holes last Saturday doesn't mean you're ready for Q School. This is why. "
— doug, 9/13/2008
About John Feinstein
John Feinstein is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous works of nonfiction, including Moment of Glory, Are You Kidding Me?, Living on the Black, Let Me Tell You a Story, Caddy for Life, A Season on the Brink, Play Ball, and others. He has also written sports-mystery novels for young readers. He writes for the Washington Post, Golf Digest, Inside Sports, Golf, Tennis magazine, Basketball America, and is a regular commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition.