George Peper

NATIONAL BESTSELLERFrom his work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era, golf superagent Hughes Norton presents a rollicking tell-all that “takes you inside the room with some of golf’s biggest personalities for some never-before-heard stories” (Chris Solomon, host of No Laying Up). When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton. At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends. Now, in Rainmaker, Norton offers “the most amazing ‘behind the curtain’ view ever written about the world of sports management” (Jim Nantz, CBS Sports). With exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.

A rollicking tell-all from golf super-agent, Hughes Norton, detailing everything from his life-changing work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era. The ultimate read for fans of Alan Shipnuck, Bob Harig, and Michael Bamberger. When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton. At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, in an effort to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends. Now, in Rainmaker, Norton draws back the curtain on his meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With never-before-told stories and exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.

A rollicking tell-all from golf super-agent, Hughes Norton, detailing everything from his life-changing work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era. The ultimate read for fans of Alan Shipnuck, Bob Harig, and Michael Bamberger. When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton. At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, in an effort to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends. Now, in Rainmaker, Norton draws back the curtain on his meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With never-before-told stories and exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.

A rollicking tell-all from golf's first super-agent, Hughes Norton, detailing everything from his life-changing work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf's current money-grab era. The ultimate read for fans of Alan Shipnuck, Bob Harig, and Michael Bamberger. When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton. At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure--both from his players and their corporate partners--took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, in an effort to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends. Now, in Rainmaker, Norton draws back the curtain on his meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With never-before-told stories and exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger's first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden--and controversial--ouster as the head of IMG's Golf Division--a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.

The most challenging, most invigorating holes a golfer can tackle. Playing on a links—which is golf the way it should be played—is every golfer’s dream. But among serious golfers, there is also controversy. What constitutes a true links course? How many of the world’s 30,000 golf courses are links? Which country has the most? Is it possible to build one today? In this beautiful book, George Peper and Malcolm Campbell, two writers who know golf inside and out, answer these questions and provide a concise and entertaining tour of the world’s best links courses. After profiling St. Andrews—the links that is the birthplace of the game—and 50 other classic links in the British Isles, the authors visit the courses in other parts of the world. They also examine how links design has become hot again, thanks to a revival of British-style course architecture and the fact that they’re more eco-friendly than traditional courses. Throughout, esteemed golf photographer Iain Lowe’s gorgeous images show the world’s best 246 links in all their glory.

The Old Course at St. Andrews is the great hallowed ground of golf, and it was there that George Peper was playing in 1983 when he hit a slice so hideous that he never found the ball. But in looking for it, he came across a for sale sign on a stone town house alongside the famed 18th hole. Two months later he and his wife, Libby, became the proud owners of 9A Gibson Place. The Old Course at St. Andrews is the great hallowed ground of golf, and it was there that George Peper was playing in 1983 when he hit a slice so hideous that he never found the ball. But in looking for it, he came across a for sale sign on a stone town house alongside the famed 18th hole. Two months later he and his wife, Libby, became the proud owners of 9A Gibson Place. Twenty years later, they moved in and settled in the "Auld Grey Toon," in the land of golf, single malt scotch, haggis, bagpipes, and television licenses, where the neighbors had accents thicker than a North Sea fog. When he isn't attempting to break par on the Old Course, Peper immerses himself in the local golf culture: He learns the rituals for ordering a drink at the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (est. 1754), where he becomes the first American elected to the Club Committee; endures homesickness (in the form of "Pre-Masters Post-Partum Syndrome"); and meets intriguing locals such as his neighbor Gordon Murray, quite possibly the only caddie to store his caddie bib in the trunk of a Mercedes, and Wee Raymond Gatherum, a magnificent shotmaker whose diminutive stature belies his skills. Wry, warm, and witty, St. Andrews Sojourn will delight anyone who has played--or dreamed of playing--the Old Course.

There are more than half a million golf holes in the world--and GOLF Magazine has picked the best, in The 500 World's Greatest Golf Holes. More than six hundred lavish photographs complement anecdotal "biographies" and vital statistics of the holes deemed the best in the world by the magazine's editors and their panel of international experts. Readers will find out if their favorite holes made the cut by first turning to The Eighteen, representing the most respected and challenging holes--holes like the thirteenth at Augusta National. Next, they discover which are considered the top one hundred (no surprise that the eleventh at St. Andrews Old Course and the fifth at Pinehurst are included here). Finally, there is an all-inclusive gazetteer of all five hundred. A special section offers the Best of the Best--lists of holes by category, such as the most scenic, longest, best in Europe, hardest-to-putt greens, and so on. This is the golf book for the passionate golfer and the armchair duffer alike.