The Pro

Lessons About Golf and Life from My Father, Claude Harmon, Sr.

By: Claude Harmon

Narrated by: Joseph Buttler

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Butch Harmon is the world’s number one golf coach. He taught Tiger Woods through one of the greatest stretches of victories in golf history (and, perhaps even more conspicuously, did not teach Tiger Woods following his unprecedented run), as well as superstars like Greg Norman, Adam Scott, Fred Couples, Darren Clarke, Natalie Gulbis, and Davis Love III. How did he become such a legendary teacher and mentor? The answer is simple: He learned from watching his father.

The Harmons are the First Family of golf, and Claude Harmon, Sr., was the greatest of them all. His skill as a player, an innovator, a teacher, a devoted father, a loyal friend, and a peer of giants such as Ben Hogan has gone largely unappreciated by all but those who knew him best. In this book by his son, he finally gets his due. In The Pro, Butch Harmon paints a compelling portrait of an era in sports before the emergence of big media and bigger money, and shows how the lessons he learned about life and golf at his father’s knee made him the man he is today.

The Pro is both a family and a golf memoir, as well as an inside look at what it takes to teach the Tigers of the world. It describes how Butch and his brothers, who are also teachers, transfer their father’s unique wit, wisdom, and philosophy to the next generation of golfers. Sometimes their advice relates to the game, sometimes they simply offer words of encouragement and motivation, sometimes they make pointed criticisms intended to shock their students into focus, and sometimes they try to impart simple advice about “walking around through life.” The Harmon brothers are teachers who share a special quality: All of their lessons are passed down from their father.

Millions of golf fans know Butch Harmon; many are even familiar with his father and brothers. But never before have we been given such an intimate look at life among the legends of golf. The Pro is the story of an extraordinary father and son that will resonate with anyone who has ever looked back on life and recognized the wisdom of their parents’ teachings."Golf's hard," Dad would say, pointing a meaty finger at me as if he were about to reveal the secret of the Rosetta Stone. “Good golf is damn hard, and championship golf is something only a few will ever see. But that’s how it should be. If it were easy, everybody would do it. And where’s the fun in that?”

From Butch Harmon, the world’s number one golf coach, comes the inside story of how he learned everything he knows about golf and life from his father, Claude Harmon, Sr. Both a family memoir and a reminiscence of growing up among the legends of sport, The Pro is a portrait of one extraordinary family and the game that will carry their legacy for years to come.

©2006 Claude Harmon (P)2006 Books on Tape

A great read for any golf fan

I loved this book- wish it had been longer. The stories and antidotes were informative as a student of the game, inspiring as a person, and funny as a person with a dry sense of humor.

well worth a listen

great open honest story about the ups and downs of harmon family. this is well worth a listen to for any golf fan that knows the harmon name is legendary in the golf world

Great story. Too bad Butch did not narrate!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes

What other book might you compare The Pro to and why?

The Match

Any additional comments?

Come on Butch....you need to take the time to narrate your own book. Not cool. Butler did an OK job but really....Your Dad would have narrate his book....why leave us short on this?

Great lessons for life and golf

Story was well written and the narrators voice was perfect for this audiobook. Will probably give this another listen.

Great book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Pro to be better than the print version?

Good book for the golfing fan. Learned a lot about a golf era and players from that era that I ,as a relative new golf fan, did not know about. I was not a big fan of Butch Harmon before listening to the book (not sure why) but I am now.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Pro?

Worth listening to just to hear Claude's Pearls.

Which scene was your favorite?

Chats with Hogan.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me think long and hard about my own actions on the golf course.

Must read for avid golfers

It's not about Butch, it's about his father, his "pearls" of wisdom. Very insightful history of those professionals I never knew much about. Butch also shares his first-hand experience with Tiger and others.

Great Book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I recommend this book to anyone, golfers and non

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mr. Claude Harmon Senior

Which scene was your favorite?

The advise given by Mr Hogan to his friend on how to win the US Open

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Harmon's

Any additional comments?

Expecting to get instruction of one of the best Teachers in the game, the book give you more than that.

A story well written

What did you love best about The Pro?

Butch is as great an author as he is a golf coach

What did you like best about this story?

The entire package

What does Joseph Buttler bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Joseph is born to narrate stories, he brings this story into real time space by expressing every emotion as if he is an extension of the the Harmon family experience.

Was there a moment in the book that particular moved you?

This book is so fully packed with life that even non-golfers would enjoy it save for golf lingo that one can learn as s/he goes along.

Any additional comments?

I think Butch has a gift for writing and should look for more opportunities to do so; if only for the ever growing golf enthusiasts - but I believe his gift transcends golf courses.

Good read/listen

Great book. Good perspectives on the game of golf, and life. Would recommend to any golf fan looking for something beyond an instruction manual.

Masterfully done!

The collective effort the went into sharing the "pearls of Claude Harmon" is to be applauded. Great work and much appreciation...