Besides being an acclaimed"New York Times"bestselling author, James R. Hansenhas always been an avidgolfer and playsto a six handicap. Hansenhasplayed and studiedmore than six hundred courses around the world. He lives inAuburn, Alabama."
"If you have any passion for golf design, A Difficult Parshould be
the next book you read on the subject. It puts so much into
perspective."
GolfDigest.com
"This remarkable book is fitting tribute to a towering figure."
"Golf Course Architecture Magazine"
"4/5 Stars. Outstanding A tremendous addition to the study of the
history of golf course architecture. It is a detailed and
fascinating look into the life of a man who, it can be argued, did
more to shape the face of modern golf, both directly and by his
influence, than any other person in the game."
"San Francisco Examiner"
"This book is a defining moment in golf literature."
"The Met Golfer"
"An affecting family portrait. A prohibitive favorite for golf book
of the year."
"Departures Magazine"
"An expansive study of Jones' life and work authoritative and
meticulously researched. . . . for the course architecture
aficionado, it is a revelatory dissertation."
WorldGolf.com
"Superb For anyone serious about golf, the history of the game or
course design, this fine biography is a must. An in-depth biography
of one of the greatest golf course architects of all time."
Shelf Awareness for Readers
"Painstakingly researched, filled with kinds of fascinating
insights...Highly recommended."
Sportsology.info
"The most complete accounting to date of the evolution of Mr. Jones
Sr.'s design elements..."A Difficult Par" deserves to be, and has
now become, an important volume in the historical record of golf
course architecture and design."
"Golf Letter"
"Fascinating Every golfer who has ever wondered about the
philosophy behind course design will thoroughly enjoy this
biography."
GolfGurls.com
"Complicated narrative rich in detail.. Hansen ably shows us a life
filled with unrivaled success and deep end-of-life
disappointment."
Kirkus Reviews
"In this magisterial study of Robert Trent Jones, James R. Hansen
narrates the remarkable achievements of the world s most celebrated
golf course architect. Hansen not only delves deeply into Jones s
Walter Mitty-like personality, he sets Jones's achievements into
the context of America s reach as the world s leading economic and
cultural power. "A Difficult Par"is a rich three-dimensional
account of an extraordinary and uniquely American life."
John Strawn, author of "Driving The Green" and the former CEO of
Robert Trent Jones II
"Most of us in the golf world felt this was a book that could never
be written. It took a decade of dogged persistence on Hansen's part
to produce not just a candid and truthful biography of Trent Jones
but a veritable masterpiece in sport literature."
David Mackintosh, veteran international golf writer, "Buenos Aires
Herald "
"Robert Trent Jones was the most influential man in golf course
design since Old Tom Morris. This biography by James Hansen is
essential reading for all who love golf and golf courses. There is
no book like it, answering far more questions about the leading
personalities and practices of modern golf course design than any
author has ever achieved."
Dr. Michael C. Hurdzan, former president of the American Society of
Golf Course Architects
""A Difficult Par "is an American Dream saga the story of an
impoverished but ambitious young man without a high school diploma
who married the girl of his dreams and gained fame and fortune as
the world's premier golf architect. In this remarkable biography,
James R. Hansen combines an engrossing family saga of courtship,
romance, marital love, father-son tensions, and sibling rivalries
with a detailed chronicle of Jones's business practices and a
fascinating analysis of Jones's theory and practice of golf
architecture. Hansen skillfully describes dozens of Jones's most
celebrated courses, clearly demonstrating that Jones's genius lay
in his ability to design a course that would severely test the
world's premier golfers, but also provide an enjoyable round for
hackers and duffers who struggle to break 100."
George B. Kirsch, Professor Emeritus of History at Manhattan
College and author of "Golf in America"
""A Difficult Par"paints a memorable portrait of the life and works
of the father of modern golf architecture, and depicts his
remarkable succession from immigrant to immortal. A must read for
students of the game and its most noble names."
Warner Bott Berry, author of "Scotsman s Dream"
"By a long way the best golf biography I have ever read, the first
time, to my knowledge, that a historian of such eminence has shone
the light of his professional skills on one of the game's major
figures."
Adam Lawrence, editor, "Golf Course Architecture"
"As a historian and simple lover of classic golf course
architecture, I've been waiting a long time for a comprehensive
biography of the man who shaped the landscape of the modern game.
With "A Difficult Par," James Hansen has done the game of golf a
great service by delivering a beautifully written and defining
examination of the complicated life and legacy of Robert Trent
Jones, including the dynastic succession that continues to shape
the game we know today. This wonderful book is an easy birdie and
difficult to put down. A well-worn copy deserves to be on every
true golf lover's bookshelf."
James Dodson, author of "Final Rounds "and "Ben Hogan: An American
Life"
Praise for "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong"
Even if you think you know everything about Neil Armstrong and
America s historic mission to be the first to land men on the Moon,
this remarkable book by Dr. James Hansen contributes a host of
fascinating new insights into not only the character of Apollo 11 s
enigmatic commander but also into the nature of the spacefaring
enterprise itself. It is a book for all time. Walter Cronkite A
powerful, unrelenting biography of a man who stands as a living
testimony to everyday grit and determination. . . . Hansen has
achieved something quite remarkable.... A magnificent panorama of
the second half of the American twentieth century. . . . A must for
astronaut buffs and history readers alike. "Publishers Weekly,
"Starred Review Let it be said at once that his book is an
outstanding success.... Immaculately researched and packed with
detail, but written in a way that will appeal to readers of all
kinds.... This is an important book, and should be in every
scientific library. Sir Patrick Moore, "London Times Educational
Supplement" A fine authorized biography brimming with
groundbreaking research, fresh anecdotes and fair-minded analysis.
. . . Hansen should be commended for decoding the enigmatic
Armstrong: a space hero short on words but sky-high on Midwestern
integrity. Douglas Brinkley, "New York Times Book Review""" [Hansen
s] mastery of detail is put to splendid use. The narrative of the
moon mission is crisp and dramatic, the science clear. He deftly
takes us back into those few days of global fascination with the
adventure of the three distant voyagers, and the tense uncertainty
about how it would turn out. The moon landing is old mental
furniture for everyone of Baby Boom age and older .I finished
Hansen s Apollo story with a wholly fresh sense of awe at the
magnitude of NASA s achievement . a compelling and nuanced portrait
of the astronaut . to understand Armstrong on his own terms is to
see a large truth of our time. James Tobin, "Chicago Tribune" A
riveting chronicle . [T]he book is a work of a true scholar . The
dramatic description of the actual landing actually makes one s
heart pound, and one feels like going through it again and again .A
must book not only for space buffs but for the general reader as
well. Srinivas Laxman, "The Times of India" [A] taut, well-told
tale of our nation's race to the moon and the man who took the
first step. Doug Allyn, "The Flint Journal" A great read. "The
Kansas City Star," Noteworthy Book of 2005
Praise forFirst Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong"Even if you
think you know everything about Neil Armstrong and America s
historic mission to be the first to land men on the Moon, this
remarkable book by Dr. James Hansen contributes a host of
fascinating new insights into not only the character of Apollo 11 s
enigmatic commander but also into the nature of the spacefaring
enterprise itself. It is a book for all time."
Walter Cronkite"
"A prohibitive favorite for golf book of the year."
--Departures.com
"This remarkable book is fitting tribute to a towering figure."
--"Golf Course Architecture Magazine"
"An expansive study of Jones' life and work...authoritative and
meticulously researched. . . . for the course architecture
aficionado, it is a revelatory dissertation."
--WorldGolf.com
"Fascinating...Every golfer who has ever wondered about the
philosophy behind course design will thoroughly enjoy this
biography."
--GolfGurls.com
"Complicated...narrative rich in detail.. Hansen ably shows us a
life filled with unrivaled success and deep end-of-life
disappointment."
--"Kirkus Reviews"
"In this magisterial study of Robert Trent Jones, James R. Hansen
narrates the remarkable achievements of the world's most celebrated
golf course architect. Hansen not only delves deeply into Jones's
Walter Mitty-like personality, he sets Jones's achievements into
the context of America's reach as the world's leading economic and
cultural power. "A Difficult Par" is a rich three-dimensional
account of an extraordinary and uniquely American life."
--John Strawn, author of "Driving The Green" and the former CEO of
Robert Trent Jones II
"Most of us in the golf world felt this was a book that could never
be written. It took a decade of dogged persistence on Hansen's part
to produce not just a candid and truthful biography of Trent Jones
but a veritable masterpiece in sport literature."
--David Mackintosh, veteran international golf writer, "Buenos
Aires Herald "
"Robert Trent Jones was the most influential man in golf course
design since Old Tom Morris. This biography by James Hansen is
essential reading for all who love golf and golf courses. There is
no book like it, answering far more questions about the leading
personalities and practices of modern golf course design than any
author has ever achieved."
--Dr. Michael C. Hurdzan, f
"This remarkable book is fitting tribute to a towering figure."
--"Golf Course Architecture Magazine"
"An expansive study of Jones' life and work...authoritative and
meticulously researched. . . . for the course architecture
aficionado, it is a revelatory dissertation."
--WorldGolf.com
"Fascinating...Every golfer who has ever wondered about the
philosophy behind course design will thoroughly enjoy this
biography."
--GolfGurls.com
"Complicated...narrative rich in detail.. Hansen ably shows us a
life filled with unrivaled success and deep end-of-life
disappointment."
--"Kirkus Reviews"
"In this magisterial study of Robert Trent Jones, James R. Hansen
narrates the remarkable achievements of the world's most celebrated
golf course architect. Hansen not only delves deeply into Jones's
Walter Mitty-like personality, he sets Jones's achievements into
the context of America's reach as the world's leading economic and
cultural power. "A Difficult Par" is a rich three-dimensional
account of an extraordinary and uniquely American life."
--John Strawn, author of "Driving The Green" and the former CEO of
Robert Trent Jones II
"Most of us in the golf world felt this was a book that could never
be written. It took a decade of dogged persistence on Hansen's part
to produce not just a candid and truthful biography of Trent Jones
but a veritable masterpiece in sport literature."
--David Mackintosh, veteran international golf writer, "Buenos
Aires Herald "
"Robert Trent Jones was the most influential man in golf course
design since Old Tom Morris. This biography by James Hansen is
essential reading for all who love golf and golf courses. There is
no book like it, answering far more questions about the leading
personalities and practices of modern golf course design than any
author has ever achieved."
--Dr. Michael C. Hurdzan, former president of the American Society
of Golf Course Architects
""
Praise for "A Difficult Par"
"In this magisterial study of Robert Trent Jones, James R. Hansen
narrates the remarkable achievements of the world's most celebrated
golf course architect. Hansen not only delves deeply into Jones's
Walter Mitty-like personality, he sets Jones's achievements into
the context of America's reach as the world's leading economic and
cultural power. "A Difficult Par" is a rich three-dimensional
account of an extraordinary and uniquely American life."
--John Strawn, author of "Driving The Green" and the former CEO of
Robert Trent Jones II
"Most of us in the golf world felt this was a book that could never
be written. It took a decade of dogged persistence on Hansen's part
to produce not just a candid and truthful biography of Trent Jones
but a veritable masterpiece in sport literature."
--David Mackintosh, veteran international golf writer, "Buenos
Aires Herald "
"Robert Trent Jones was the most influential man in golf course
design since Old Tom Morris. This biography by James Hansen is
essential reading for all who love golf and golf courses. There is
no book like it, answering far more questions about the leading
personalities and practices of modern golf course design than any
author has ever achieved."
--Dr. Michael C. Hurdzan, former president of the American Society
of Golf Course Architects
""A Difficult Par "is an American Dream saga--the story of an
impoverished but ambitious young man without a high school diploma
who married the girl of his dreams and gained fame and fortune as
the world's premier golf architect. In this remarkable biography,
James R. Hansen combines an engrossing family saga of courtship,
romance, marital love, father-son tensions, and sibling rivalries
with a detailed chronicle of Jones's business practices and a
fascinating analysis of Jones's theory and practice of golf
architecture. Hansen skillfully describes dozens of Jones's most
celebrated courses, clearly d
Praise for First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong" "Even if you
think you know everything about Neil Armstrong and America's
historic mission to be the first to land men on the Moon, this
remarkable book by Dr. James Hansen contributes a host of
fascinating new insights into not only the character of Apollo 11's
enigmatic commander but also into the nature of the spacefaring
enterprise itself. It is a book for all time."
--Walter Cronkite
"As a historian and simple lover of classic golf course
architecture, I've been waiting a long time for a comprehensive
biography of the man who shaped the landscape of the modern game.
With "A Difficult Par", James Hansen has done the game of golf a
great service by delivering a beautifully written and defining
examination of the complicated life and legacy of Robert Trent
Jones, including the dynastic succession that continues to shape
the game we know today. This wonderful book is an easy birdie and
difficult to put down. A well-worn copy deserves to be on every
true golf lover's bookshelf."
--James Dodson, author of "Final Rounds" and "Ben Hogan: An
American Life"
""A Difficult Par" is comfortably the best golf biography I have
read, the first time, to my knowledge, that a historian of such
eminence has shone the light of his professional skills on one of
the game's major figures. Jones emerges from Hansen's scrutiny as a
deeply flawed individual, but in many ways a classic American rags
to riches (and almost back to rags again!) story, his impact on
golf enormous, though not always wholly positive. Kudos is due to
all concerned: the Jones family for authorising the book, though it
does not paint them in the most forgiving colours, but mostly to
the author for navigating a minefield and producing a work of such
stature."
--Adam Lawrence, editor, "Golf Course Architecture"
""A Difficult Par" paints a memorable portrait of the life and
works of the father of modern golf architecture, and depicts his
remarkable succession from immigrant to immortal. A must read for
students of the game and its most noble names."
--Warner Bott Berry, author of "Scotsman's Dream"
Praise for "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong"
"Even if you think you know everything about Neil Armstrong and
America's historic mission to be the first to land men on the Moon,
this remarkable book by Dr. James Hansen contributes a host of
fascinating new insights into not only the character of Apollo 11's
enigmatic commander but also into the nature of the spacefaring
enterprise itself. It is a book for all time."--Walter Cronkite
"A powerful, unrelenting biography of a man who stands as a living
testimony to everyday grit and determination. . . . Hansen has
achieved something quite remarkable.... A magnificent panorama of
the second half of the American twentieth century. . . . A must for
astronaut buffs and history readers alike."--"Publishers Weekly,
"Starred Review
"Let it be said at once that his book is an outstanding success....
Immaculately researched and packed with detail, but written in a
way that will appeal to readers of all kinds.... This is an
important book, and should be in every scientific library."--Sir
Patrick Moore, "London Times Educational Supplement"
"A fine authorized biography brimming with groundbreaking research,
fresh anecdotes and fair-minded analysis. . . . Hansen should be
commended for decoding the enigmatic Armstrong: a space hero short
on words but sky-high on Midwestern integrity."--Douglas Brinkley,
"New York Times Book Review"
" "
"[Hansen's] mastery of detail is put to splendid use. The narrative
of the moon mission is crisp and dramatic, the science clear. He
deftly takes us back into those few days of global fascination with
the adventure of the three distant voyagers, and the tense
uncertainty about how it would turn out. The moon landing is old
mental furniture for everyone of Baby Boom age and older....I
finished Hansen's Apollo story with a wholly fresh sense of awe at
the magnitude of NASA's achievement.... a compelling and nuanced
portrait of the astronaut.... to under
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