The War by the Shore: The Incomparable Drama of the 1991 Ryder Cup

A greater game was never played. The true story of the legendary 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island that changed golf forever. Almost since its inception in 1927, the Ryder Cup was more ceremonial exhibition than actual competition, with Team USA winning so consistently that interest in the biennial all-star match waned. That all changed in 1985, when the Europeans wrested the Cup away and went on to win again in 1987, and in 1989 it ended in a draw.  By the time the 1991 Ryder Cup arrived, the American team had vengeance on their minds. Against the backdrop of the Persian Gulf War, a strange athletic patriotism infected the US players and fans.  Those on the sidelines and in the game forgot golf's gentlemanly code.  It quickly became evident that this match was about more than just golf.The War by the Shore is a hypnotic and deeply entertaining retelling of that long weekend in South Carolina when golf lost its manners, emotions redlined, and character was revealed.  No other golf tournament - and few events in the history of sport - have approached the incredible theater of the war by the shore. 'A superb and insightful portrait of the most elusive and complex champion in golf history . . . worth every damn cent you're asked to pay for it.' Guy Yocom, Golf Digest Connect online www.curtsampson.com  www.twitter.com/CURTsBEAT