In Search of the Greatest Golf Swing : Chasing the Legend of Mike Austin, the Man Who Launched the World's Longest Drive, and Taught Me to Hit Like a Pro

by Reed, Philip

• ISBN13: 9780786716241
• ISBN10: 078671624X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-10-20
• Publisher: Perseus Books Group
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Summary

When author Philip Reed met ninety-year-old Mike Austin, he knew that Austin held the record for the longest drive everan awesome 515-yard shot during a Senior PGA event. What he didn't know was that he was forging a bond with a man whose amazing life he chronicles in a book that is charming, funny, and wise, and cherished by amateur and pro golfers alike. In their sessions together, Austin spins yarns about winning wagers on trick shots, sharing a Hollywood apartment with Errol Flynn; giving secret lessons to Howard Hughes; and matching shots against Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. And Reed records them all while carefully transcribing the secrets of the most powerful swing in the history of golf. Through Austin's wavering health and implausible storytelling, Reed has written a book that has the golf world buzzing and readers who savor heartwarming stories of unexpected friendships smiling.

Author Biography

Philip Reed’s article on Mike Austin, “Cracking the Golf Code,” ran in the Los Angeles Times in 2001. Reed’s first novel, Bird Dog, was nominated for the Edgar and Anthony Awards. His book Free Throw: Seven Steps to Success on the Free Throw Line, was co-written with Dr. Tom Amberry, who now advises the Chicago Bulls. Reed has also worked as an undercover car salesman and written “Confessions of a Car Salesman,” for Strategies for Smart Car Buyers, published in 2003. He lives in Santa Monica, California.