Almost single-handedly, Ballesteros gave European golf credibility, and made the Ryder Cup one of the greatest contests in world sport. From humble beginnings up to the present day, here is the man behind the magic, in his own words.
Paperback
,
320 pages
Published
September 25th 2007
by Yellow Jersey Press
This is a decent, but not a great autobiography of a modern sporting icon.
The book was published before Seve's brain haemorrhage. I was hoping to read his thoughts on his subsequent recovery attempt and in particular the frustration that he must have felt, as he would be unable to control the situation in the manner he is used to. Perhaps that is the subject of a different book?
During the early chapters I found myself switching between admiration for an extremely dedicated and single minded spor
This is a decent, but not a great autobiography of a modern sporting icon.
The book was published before Seve's brain haemorrhage. I was hoping to read his thoughts on his subsequent recovery attempt and in particular the frustration that he must have felt, as he would be unable to control the situation in the manner he is used to. Perhaps that is the subject of a different book?
During the early chapters I found myself switching between admiration for an extremely dedicated and single minded sportsman and an element of loathing of a very arrogant man. It depends on your personal view (and maybe how competitive you are). Regardless, it is clear the he was his own man and didn't tolerate fools (or those that he saw as fools!). His many brushes with authority are well documented.
His self belief (or arrogance?) is incredible. For example, in Chapter 21 he explains what a great influence he is on other golfers and in Chapter 25 he describes an altercation with an official and the fact that he has the upper hand because "he is the star of the tournament".
I was slightly disappointed in his lack of respect for some other players, particularly some very experienced individuals. There is an interesting paragraph on page 87 where it looks suspiciously like someone has inserted some kind words on Tom Watson. They seem very out of place.
In my opinion, there are too many chapters on the Ryder Cup - including coverage of a few where Seve wasn't involved and too few on the latter part of his career.
It is very amusing that he refers to his practice as "training".
In summary, it's a very good insight into a player who climbed to the very top of his sport from very humble beginnings. It also captures the dedication and sacrifices and the frustration when the player is no longer able to compete at the top level.
1957 – 7 May 2011) was a Spanish professional golfer, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He gained attention in the golfing world in 1976, when at the age of 19 he finished second at the The Open Championship (British Open). A member of a gifted golfing family, Ballesteros won five major championships between 1979 and 1988, the Open Champi
1957 – 7 May 2011) was a Spanish professional golfer, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He gained attention in the golfing world in 1976, when at the age of 19 he finished second at the The Open Championship (British Open). A member of a gifted golfing family, Ballesteros won five major championships between 1979 and 1988, the Open Championship three times, and the Masters Tournament twice. He was also successful in the Ryder Cup, helping the European team to five wins both as a player and captain, and won the World Match Play Championship a record-tying five times. He is best known for his great short game, and his erratic driving of the golf ball. He is generally regarded as the greatest Spanish golfer of all time.
Because of back-related injuries, Ballesteros struggled with form during the 1990s. In spite of this, he continued to be involved in the game of golf, creating the Seve Trophy and running a golf course design business. Ballesteros eventually retired from competitive golf in 2007 because of continued poor form, and in 2008 was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. After reports that Ballesteros would make a return to the spotlight at the 2010 Open Championship, following the advice of doctors he did not travel to St Andrews in 2010 for the Open Championship.
Ballesteros was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for the second time at the BBC Sports Personality Awards 2009. He was presented with the award at his home in Spain by his friend, compatriot and former Ryder Cup team-mate José María Olazábal. Ballesteros died of brain cancer on 7 May 2011, aged 54.