Sometimes you buy a book with great expectations, and it doesn’t deliver. That doesn’t always mean it’s a bad book. It may just mean that your own prediction about its worth was a bit off.

I felt this way about Gary McCord’s collection of pieces that make up Range Ball. I really enjoy his work during the CBS golf telecasts. His interplay with David Feherty typically produces out-loud laughter. He also takes the time to develop entertaining ways to describe the players and their struggle to win. I just wish he had taken a bit more time in the editing process for this book.

Many of these articles were originally published elsewhere, either in magazines or on the Web at the iGolf site.

Some are far better than others. The Ex-Wives Conflict tournament story is very good. It reminded me of Rick Reilly’s Missing Links. In fact, his public course golfing buddies seemed like the California versions of the Massachusetts bunch Reilly described in his book. There may be some universal truths, after all.

The Glossary of Terms that start the book is also a nice touch. Those of us who watch far too much golf should be fairly familiar with these "McCordisms," but it’s nice to see them all in one place for easy reference.

"Cholesterol and Demon" is an enjoyable recounting of one of McCord’s attempts to qualify for the U.S. Open. He didn’t qualify that year, and at least this time his failure was understandable.

On the other hand, some pieces needed work. A poem finishes the collection, and shouldn’t. It’s just not very good. A cautionary tale about a fictional tour pro’s fateful first year read more like an outline for a TV movie for a cable outfit (and I don’t mean The Golf Channel).

This is an uneven collection. It would have helped if the editing process eliminated some of the repetition that happens when articles are put together in a book after their original publication as single pieces.

It’s worth buying Range Ball for the good parts. Just don’t look for consistency. It’s as elusive as McCord says his game is.

Review Date November 1, 1998

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