A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life - The Legend of Bagger Vance

The book begins modern day with an old doctor reminiscing about a great golf tournament that happened years ago in depression era Savannah, Georgia. Pressfield does wonders to set up the town and it many machinations. He creates a wonderful fictitious golf course and gives it a great deal of personality. You're just dying to play there.
The old narrator was then a 10-year-old caddy assistant in that game for Rannulph Junah, the lesser known of three competitors. The other two were the golf legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. The tournament itself would be worth reading 500 pages for, but the real story is that of Junah's caddy Bagger Vance.
Bagger Vance teaches Junah and us about life as it relates to golf. He explains the beauty of the golf swing and why it mirrors the beauty of life. As the novel unfolds we learn more about Vance than Junah, but you'll have to see that part for yourself.
The nuances of golf are well-told. It obvious the author is an avid golfer himself. The conclusion of the golf tournament is also noteworthy in that it's surprising and yet reflects the inner meaning of the story as a whole.
I think avid golfers will love the book. Others will enjoy it, but maybe not with the same passion.

The Legend of Bagger Vance, an unbelievable historical fiction book by Steven Pressfield, is a mystical story that won't stop surprising you until the last word. It takes place in Savannah, Georgia in 1931, during the Great depression. The three main characters in the novel are Rannulph Junah, a troubled war hero and a hero to Savannah because of his golf, Hardy Greaves, the narrator of the story and a kid who is Junah's friend, and finally Bagger Vance, a mysterious fellow who always says unexplainable things.
There is to be a golf match between the two greatest golfers of the time: Bobby Jones and Walter Heagan, and also a local player, Rannulph Junah. Bagger Vance is Junah's caddie and he shows Hardy and Rannulph a secret that will change their lives forever. Readers will love this book because it is a fantasy as well as it is historical, and they can be reading and it is so suddenly so surprising that they lose their place in the book. This story is fantastic, suspenseful, serious, sad, and funny, so the readers will enjoy it very much no matter what style they like.

Bagger Vance, though seemingly a novel about a golf match, is actually an interpretation of the Indian classic, The Bhagavad Gita, which is essentially a long conversation between the warrior Arjuna and an avatar of the god Vishnu, masquerading as Arjuna's charioteer. Here, Bagger Vance is the unassuming deity masquerading as a caddy for the fallen golfer, R. Junah. Get it? R. Junah - Arjuna. It actually follows the Gita's story line fairly closely. Some chapters are virtually lifted right out of the Gita, such as when Bagger Vance reveals his cosmic self. The edition I read, a paperback, made no mention of this connection, which surprised me, but explains why most, if not all reviewers miss the obvious connection. The Gita is revered in India but is not exactly on the top ten list in America -- had I not had a coincidental attachment to it, I would never have seen the connection myself. An author by the name of Stephen J. Rosen has actually written a book about Bagger Vance, probably explaining in detail what I just touch upon here, although I have not read it, and can't recommend it.

Pressfield is a brilliant writer, who, I believe, had he written a half century ago, would be even more highly acclaimed. Nevertheless, although the Gita connection interested me, I have to admit little else in the book did, excepting the riveting golf matches.

I'd rather recommend "Gates of Fire," Pressfield's retelling of the battle of Thermopylae, and "The Last of the the stores," which may owe a small bit of gratitude to Xena (I can almost hear Mr. Pressfield screeching upon reading that remark), but is a wonderous rendition of the world when myth was fading and history was taking shape. If Herodotus had written a novel, this could be it. Killing Rommel, which I reviewed on the store too, is also a great book. Frankly, I cannot explain why I haven't read all his books. Going to order another one soon.

I was browsing the shelves of my local library and was surprised to see that "The Legend of Bagger Vance" was sitting next to "Gates of Fire", both written by Steven Pressfield. Since I was thoroughly captivated by "Gates..." I thought I'd give "...Bagger" a chance. Even though I'm not an active golfer, having golfed twice, several years ago, this story is relevant to anyone who is interested in learning and remembering life's lessons.
Initially, I wasn't quite sure what to expect but as the characters were brought to life and the basic storyline was established, I began to realize I was reading something special. For example, Pressfield gives a great description of being in the "Zone", that rare and special time when ability is maximized with fluid and natural effort resulting in optimal performance. Winning becomes a by-product; the act itself or the Authentic Swing as Bagger Vance identifies it is what's important. Life's lesson seems to be for us not to worry about the results of our behavior. Instead, each of us strives for being our Authentic Self, and the results will take care of itself. If, in our striving, we feel isolated, we also need to remember we are never alone but are accompanied by a Higher Power, however we choose to define it.
Obviously,"The Legend of Bagger Vance" has so much more to offer than can be explained in this short review. However, I'm here to tell you that by just reading it the lessons learned will take care of themselves.

While many books that touch on mysticism and sports are only appealing to enthusiasts, Bagger Vance actually manages to move beyond the links and say something interesting, if not entirely relevant. The book ends up being less about "The Zen of Golf" than it is about the individual characters, and that is a testament to Pressfield's story-telling.
Although I prefer Pressfield's later historical works--you can already see elements of the character development that flowers later in "Gates of Fire"--I was pleasantly suprised by the book. Pressfield manages to show us (rather than tell us--a danger in any flashback narration) what Rannulph Junah is experiencing and what Bagger Vance is trying to impart. Even the narrator's character comes through clearly in the course of the story. While it helps to be a golfing afficianado, you certainly don't need to be one in order to enjoy the journey and take part in the philosophical perspectives from Vance. At the end of the book, I found I wanted to read some of the background philosophy more than I wanted to play golf.
One other note--it helps to bring along your "willing suspension of disbelief" so that you can appreciate Pressfield's ride.

A couple of years ago, Steven Pressfield wrote a terrific novel about the Battle of Thermopylae, Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae () (read Orrin's review, Grade: A+), and followed it up with a pretty good novel about Alcibiades, Tides of War: A Novel of Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War (2000) (read Orrin's review, Grade: B+). Plus, I'm a golfer and a golf fan, so I was fully prepared to set aside my skepticism about another mystic golf book (having loathed Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy) and give this one a fair shot. I was still disappointed.
The story is set at a magnificent golf course on Krewe Island near Savannah, Georgia. In need of a big publicity stunt to offset the effects of the Depression, the owners decide to stage a $20,000, 36 hole match between golf legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. In order to appease locals who are upset about the tumult this will cause, a native Savannahian is added to the match, a war hero and storied athlete with the unlikely name of Rannulph Junnah. He is reluctant to take part but agrees at the behest of his mysterious black friend, Bagger Vance, who offers to caddie for him.
Junnah, badly out of practice and drinking too much, has been shattered by his wartime experiences. After the war he even visited the families of the eleven Germans he killed and married the sister of one, though she is now deceased, and their daughter lives in Germany with her grandmother. But Bagger Vance's motive is not necessarily for Junnah to win the match, or even to contend, rather, he wants to use it to teach him about life. Specifically, he wants to demonstrate the existence of what he refers to as the Authentic Swing and the importance of discovering it and trusting it....
Now, I'm as susceptible to a hokey sports story as anybody; put it in the VCR right now and I'll sit on the edge of my seat to see who wins the big game in Hoosiers. And I don't mind a little supernatural mumbo jumbo; give me Shoeless Joe or Damn Yankees or Angels in the Outfiield any day. Heck, I don't even mind a little Eastern Philosophy thrown in--Iron and Silk, Zen in the Art of Archery, etc. But put them all together, and offer us no surprises, and it gets a little tedious.
Pressfield's talent as a writer shines through--except when he slides into philosophical gobbledy gook--and the period setting in particular is handled deftly. But I have four very specific objections to the novel. First, Jones and Hagen are the two most interesting characters in the book; they're the ones we want to know more about. And it's simply implausible that even with God on his side some drunken yokel would beat these two guys.
Second, there's one golf moment in the book which really seems too violate the spirit of all that Pressfield has been saying about the beauty of the game and about sport in general. After he's gotten back into the match, Junnah's ball moves when he's addressing it and he's forced to take a penalty. Pressfield emphasizes the honor he demonstrates in that moment, but the obvious touch here, perfectly consistent with the sporty character he displays throughout, would be for Hagen to nudge his ball too to even things up, with Jones then following suit. Their willingness to take advantage of a purely flukish happenstance against this amateur just doesn't seem sporting.
Third, there's a completely insipid tone of pacifism and one-world twaddle underlying certain parts of the story. It reaches hilarious lengths when the black student tells about a family trip to New York City where :
My dad carried us up there on Amtrak, to see the Statue of Liberty and the U.N. He wanted to show us our legacy as Americans.
Huh? The U.N.? You show me the American who thinks of that bureaucratic den of thieves and blowhards as an integral part of our national legacy.
Finally though, what's most troubling is the antihuman nature of the Authentic Swing. I really hate the idea, common in Eastern Philosophy, that the things which we humans can achieve exist beyond ourselves, rather than being products of our ingenuity, effort and application of the will to succeed. We've all had those experiences when we're "in the groove" and something really difficult, like hitting a golf ball, comes almost effortlessly and seemingly without thought For that brief time, it is possible to believe that we've tapped into something external or something primordially internal. But to believe this seems to me to completely underestimate ourselves and our species and I find it repellent. The conceit here, that by tapping into the Authentic Swing this hack can beat two of the greatest golfers who ever lived, just seems silly. Even if such a thing existed, let's assume that Bobby Jones was nearly always utilizing it.
I honestly wish I liked the book more and I think the movie could be decent, especially if they whack the modern frame, emphasize the two real golf greats and minimize the philosophizing. And I suppose that if you haven't seen every old sports movie and read every classic sports book it might not seem quite so derivative (Junnah even has a hand carved driver, like Roy Hobbes's bat Wonder Boy in The Natural.) As is, I can only give it the most feeble of recommendations and most of that derives from the excellent old time atmosphere, the portrayals of Jones and Hagen and the inherent drama that even awful sports stories have built in by the dynamic of the games. Any time someone wins and someone loses, you've got drama. This particular drama just isn't all that compelling. I strongly recommend that you read Gates of Fire instead.
GRADE : C (a charitable C)

Rarely does a book come along that changes the way you look at life and more rarely does it do so for the better. I recommend this book for anyone who is going through major failures in their lives who are in need of encouragement to get back on track. This is not the typical self help like story, instead it offers a entertaining story with great wisdom that you will not forget if your mind is opened to the understanding of the trails and personal experiences that one may see in their own life. Read it for encouragement, read it for entertainment, read it for wisdom, read it for your own life. With an open mind into yourself and the life you live, you will not be disappointed.

Golf is the purest of sports because it requires even the weekend duffer to lose himself (and herself) in the "field." Golf cannot be successfully played by trying to do it. The golfer has to let go, surrender to the arising field of "world" and "mind." Pressfield has captured this most elusive of golf's mysteries in this marvelous little book.

The dedicated golfer will recognize the inherent truth in Bagger Vance's advice and counsel. The spiritual initiate will recognize the timeless "person" who is Bagger Vance. Golf and the Guru; what a combination.

The question I was left with was, Did Krishna play golf with Arjuna

Steven Pressfield has blended the historically unmixable- Eastern religions (the obvious Buddhism and Hinduism, mixed with the implicit Taoism), a Southern Baptist tragic WWI hero, and an African-American in the 1930's South with power - to create a wonderful tale of inter-generational friendship wrapped around the perfect swing, an item that we golfers will chase to the ends of the universe to find. Pressfield delivers this in a wonderful manner, using the story inside the story, to create this magical tale where if the listeners (the characters Junah and Michael)are not careful, history will repeat itself. As I read this I was reminded of two things - the television show "Quantum Leap" and the Michael Murphy novel "Golf in the Kingdom." Bagger Vance may be the closest parallel to Murphy's wonderful caddie, Shivas Irons. If Vance isn't, then young Hardy Greaves is, without the wisdom of knowing it. The match between the golfing gods Hagen and Jones, and the local hero Randolph Junah is great reading, reading that will capture the non-golfer. The golfer will read it because it is golf. I speak from experience. The God referred to in the title is probably who you think it is, but there's a twist. I'll let you discover it. It is a book that I devoured in the midst of my summer reading lists. It was a risk, but I have come to realize that sometimes you need to go for the par-5 in two, rather than play the safe shots. To rephrase, The Legend of Bagger Vance is the double eagle novel golfers have been seeking, but the non-golfer will realize this is a keeper.

Last winter in a philosophy class I was assigned to read a book called the Legend of Bagger Vance. At first, I rejected the entire idea of the book. Golf and philosophy? he had to be kidding right? And the main people in the book - Bagger, Junah, Hardy, Michael - how could they all take a silly game of golf so seriously? (I am not really much of a sports fan.)

It took a few class discussions, but I quickly realized my error. The Legend of Bagger Vance is a rare gem. Packed with religion (it is, after all, based on the Hindu text the Bhagavad-Gita), philosophy, and a rare kind of literary magic, Pressfield has rewritten and submitted a doctrine for the ages in the guise of a book about golf.

Most of the book focuses on a famous game played at Krewe Island between a local has been golf hero, Rannulph Junah and his caddie Bagger Vance, and the two best players of the day Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. (The latter two men did actually exist). The story is retold by Hardy as an old man, who was a young boy at the time of the game, to his young friend Michael. Michael recently quit med school, which Hardy can understand. He is a doctor himself and understands the stress and pressure of pursuing such a career. But when Hardy hears that Michael also quit golf - he decides to do something to bring his young friend back to the game. Through his retelling of the story, an excursion to a local friend, and a few other things I'm not mentioning, lest I spoil it for you, he tells us a magical story about duty, struggle and doing what you were meant to do.

I would suggest this book to anyone, but more specifically certainly any golfer (may you find your authentic swing), anyone who has an affinity for Eastern wisdom, and any person who is searching for meaning in this very confusing world. The movie, which I will not get into here, I would not suggest seeing, simply because it distorts a beautiful story. Main characters are deleted and romances are added - maybe you'd likeit, but I know I wouldn't.

But the book is marvelous. I'm what you could call a book worm, reading 10-20 books a month, but a semester has passed since I closed Bagger Vance, having read its final pages, and it still impacts me daily. The wisdom, philosophy and magic in this book are almost too powerful to convey on paper. But I have tried. Please, give this book a chance. It doesn't look like much, but it is.

I know myself and my friends have all enjoyed it immensely. Maybe it could change your life too.

When the knower beholds the field and sees mortal souls tormented by their own anguish and effort to reach the ultimate goal; to supersede the Authentic self, untouched by the centuries or the facts surrounding the lifetimes upon its shoulders...... A good written book, through the innocent eyes of a 10-year old boy that searches with his memory through the past, in order to help the future........ a good easy-to-read book that will create a lot of questions in the reader's head; don't let the story take you too fast and skip them; You should at least come out of it troublesome.........

Pressfield paints a magical tale woven around golf, timeless values, and the importance of ones heritage. Upon reading "Bagger Vance" I realized my own need to find my authentic "swing" and ironically sought (and found) a career in golf. This book, simply stated, changed my life and my golf game. It made my time on the course more meaningful and the time off the course more defined.I have given this book to numerous people to share my love of golf, and the important values inherent in the tradition of the game.

Great book. Pressfield captures the struggle between the ears perfectly in this novel. Not at all like the movie, better if you are looking for a story about over coming struggle, set on a golf course.

I agree with the reviewer who reccomends reading this book even if you've seen the movie. This is one of those rare cases where the movie and the book are both very different products but are strengthened by their differences.
This book is a must for anyone who plays golf with any amount of passion, especially if you saw and enjoyed the movie, because the two are so different. If you're not a golfer, after reading this book you may find yourself with a newfound appreciation for the game. Personally, after reading this book I can't wait for a chance to go to the driving range, and this would not be true if I had only watched the movie. Thankyou Steven Pressfield for writing this book.

I have just finished reading the book, and I cannot truly describe what I think to be one of the greatest books ever written. There is so much sage advice and lessons to be learned about life until it makes you wonder if you have to play golf in order to learn these lessons. However, one thing golf does is teach you the art of discipline. When Bagger Vance describes the "Authentic Swing" in Chapter 11, I, who have played the game of golf for 37 years, realized that in all this time, I never realized all that he was describing, but that was all so true. When my wife read the book, she called me on the phone at work and said, "You have always known the path. You just didn't know it was the path." Maybe we all know the path, but if you don't read this book, if you don't grasp the subtle meaning of life translated through a simple sport, then you are missing out on so much. This is truly a classic and the lessons learned from this book will last long after the book does become a classic. It is not just for those of us who hack it up out there on the course. It is also for those who watch us.

The book is much better than the movie. Movie adds things not in the book (as I recall-its been a while). It was apparently hard for the movie to portray the book esp. in some "mystical" areas. Many of the actors seemed miscast.

The story tees off with a golf caddy named Bagger Vance, a local hero and golfer named, Jonas and two world reknown golfers at a local country club in the deep humid south of the 1930's. The event of a fictional golf game is watched and recorded by a young boy who years later retells the story of the game to another young man. After the author takes us on a stroll through a southern golf course we come to the realization, God is every where, even on the links. The story is a metaphoric tale that puts the work of God into a human perspective. We also realize that we all possess inate abilities that often are lost by our earthly desire to conform with our environment. After reading the Legend of Bagger Vance you will want to begin working on "your" game and never again will you look at inane activities without considering the past. Great book should be read by anyone who loves the south, golf, history, and God.

This book was absolutely phenomenal. Never have I read a book, regardless of subject, that left me so simultaneously emotionally drained and spiritually uplifted. The author does a simply amazing job of leading the reader on a completely unpredictable journey of self discovery, personal enlightenment, and wonderous exploration of the "Authentic Swing". A must read!!

Bagger Vance, African-American, god-like guide to life and golf, challenges us to see God as black, life's challenges as musts, and golf as the analogy that links it all together. Golfers, like Tiger Woods, are judged on who they are, what they become, not their skin color. So it is with Bagger, who is the Lord of our lives, who loves us unconditionally, and who helps Rannulph Junah discover the secret of golf and the secret of life all at the same time. Soon to become a movie, this tale, that will star Robert Redford, is truly golf's "Natural." Golfers (like myself) and non golfers (like my wife)will be moved by the eternal teachings and truths taught by Bagger and Steven Pressfield's story. We should all be thankful to Steven Pressfield for his vision and caring.

This was an awesome book, a very clever fusion of everyday life mysticism and spirituality. If you are a golfer you will love this book. If you are not a golfer, I'm sure you will enjoy learning about some of the finer points of golf. In addition the book exposes raw elements of the human mind. If you ever read or saw the movie "The Green Mile" I am sure you will enjoy this, on a much gentler theme.
I was however disappointed that the movie did not remain completely true to the book. Obviously when making a movie certain parts need to be edited, but to change some of the story from the original book leads to disappointment and unfulfilled expectations.
I would recommend going to see the movie first, before reading this book, to avoid such disappointment.

My father, an avid golfer, recommended "The legend of Bagger Vance" to me. As I picked it up and began to read, I expected nothing more than a simple innocent story about the underdog holding steady with the favorites in the golf match of a lifetime.
Three and a half hours later, I set the book down, sweat pouring down my face, hands numbly releasing the pages. "The Legend of Bagger Vance" is the most daring book I have ever read. In it, the entire face of reality is questioned, and cataclysmic issues are reopened over what appears to be a simple game of golf.
The plot is unimportant. What matters is the tone of the book. And believe me, it has tone.

Bagger Vance, African-American, god-like guide to life and golf, challenges us to see God as black, life's challenges as musts, and golf as the analogy that links it all together. Golfers, like Tiger Woods, are judged on who they are, what they become, not their skin color. So it is with Bagger, who is the Lord of our lives, who loves us unconditionally, and who helps Rannulph Junah discover the secret of golf and the secret of life all at the same time. Soon to become a movie, this tale, that will star Robert Redford, is truly golf's "Natural." Golfers (like myself) and non golfers (like my wife)will be moved by the eternal teachings and truths taught by Bagger and Steven Pressfield's story. We should all be thankful to Steven Pressfield for his vision and caring.

This was an awesome book, a very clever fusion of everyday life mysticism and spirituality. If you are a golfer you will love this book. If you are not a golfer, I'm sure you will enjoy learning about some of the finer points of golf. In addition the book exposes raw elements of the human mind. If you ever read or saw the movie "The Green Mile" I am sure you will enjoy this, on a much gentler theme.
I was however disappointed that the movie did not remain completely true to the book. Obviously when making a movie certain parts need to be edited, but to change some of the story from the original book leads to disappointment and unfulfilled expectations.
I would recommend going to see the movie first, before reading this book, to avoid such disappointment.

My father, an avid golfer, recommended "The legend of Bagger Vance" to me. As I picked it up and began to read, I expected nothing more than a simple innocent story about the underdog holding steady with the favorites in the golf match of a lifetime.
Three and a half hours later, I set the book down, sweat pouring down my face, hands numbly releasing the pages. "The Legend of Bagger Vance" is the most daring book I have ever read. In it, the entire face of reality is questioned, and cataclysmic issues are reopened over what appears to be a simple game of golf.
The plot is unimportant. What matters is the tone of the book. And believe me, it has tone.

A brilliant retelling of the hindu classic The Bhagavad Gita in a historic golf motif. The storytelling is enchanting, the historical perspecitive wonderous. I would only complain that the mysticism grows increasingly heavyhanded as the book winds to its close.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance meets Field of Dreams. In this fantastical voyage, a local champion, along with his mystical caddie Bagger Vance, take on two of golf's giants for 36 holes. While the literal conflict occurs on the links, Pressfield delves deep into the psyche of Jonah (the local champ), a lost soul who has been teetering on the edge, struggling to find the purpose and meaning of the larger conflict that is human life itself. Pressfield has created a gem that reflects both the majestic soul of golf and the spritual journey of the human spirit.

I have always been a very philosophic person. However, after reading this book, it opened my eyes to a deeper meaning of life. If you are well-endowed with great thinking then I highly recommend this book for you because you will never find anything more original or earth-shattering. The philosophy is amazing, but we can't forget the beautiful game of golf played out underneath. If you are a golf lover, then you can't truely enjoy the game until you have read this story.

I read The Legend of Bagger Vance upon the recommendation of Rush Limbaugh on his radio program. The book is wonderful in describing the little parts of the game of golf that often go unnoticed (the smell of the cut grass, the feel of the clubs, etc.). However, the book was a little hard to follow in places and was a bit too much fantasy for me. This is a great book for the person who is a golf enthusiast and enjoys psychology.

A fascinating angle on the Bhagavad-gita and Mahabharata philosophy. If like me you found this book thought provoking then try reading 'Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time' by Krishna Dharma, available here on the store.

Very readable and exciting.
The essence of the Bhagavad Gita is contained within this book, but played out on a golf course and from a generation ago (Dr. Greave's story from his youth in the 30's.)
I recommend any of Steven Pressfield's books - great narrative, historical fiction or the books on creative advice.

This tale taught me something I wish I had learned twenty years ago, when I gave up the game. Having picked it up again, about a year ago, I longed to just enjoy. The wonderful history and "feel" for this most mental, physical and spiritual game came back, alive to me once more. Truly, the most intense and beautifully told story of the game of golf and our search for the "game of life" I have ever read. Five stars is not enough.

On the whole I throroughly enjoyed this book. It's not the strongest writing and I thought the ending was too unresolved, but it does get you thinking. The idea that we don't "learn" golf, but we "remember" it was very intriguing. Being an avid golfer I appreciate how the book brings out what a mental game it is, more than any other sport. You against you. As to whether it has significance to the meaning of life, well...

Although my book group had a great discussion about the themes in the book, I can not say I enjoyed reading it in the slightest. First, the golf scenes are long and extremely detailed. You need to have some basic understanding and appreciation for golf in able to digest much of the story. Second, I found the author's use of metaphors extremely heavy handed. The author not only alludes to certain things - he reiterates explicitly that he was in fact referring to those things (I won't say what and ruin the story). At least it was a quick read.

This book will remind golfers why we play, and it will helpthose that don't to better understand why the passion for the game canrun so deep. I have read it once a year since 1995 and everytime I am reminded that golf is more than just a game.

This may be the finest work of Steven Pressfield. Well written, captivating, as well as, a story that relates to all aspects of life. It is a shame that the feeling generated by this story fades as we get back to our life, grounded in the material world.

Bagger, Rannulph, and Harvey are some of the names in this book. Bagger is the obligatory God-like character, and if you like golf, you will love Rannulph Junah's attempts to follow Vance's guidance and reach the "Authentic Swing."
Read it.
Now.