Review of Hank Haney's "The Big Miss"

[Jim Nugent]

Tom MacWood asked a good question.  Have you guys who are putting down Haney (and by extension the book) read the book?  I'm guessing you haven't, but I'll be glad to hear your review of it if you have. 

[JESII]

Jim (and Tom),

Am I allowed to comment on the excerpts if I've read them but not the whole book?

How is putting down Haney putting down his book?

[mike_beene]

In poor taste and not surprising.Nobody made Hank take the job and he has profited many times over.This book means it is open season.Name one player who has come up through Haney and succeeded for any length of time.A lot of first rate players have come from Dallas,but where are Haneys share?There are more moving parts in that system than any I know and yes I have taken a lesson from him.We all wondered how wild Tiger would get when he went there and my impression is he got wild off the tee.All this is just my opinion and is probably based on my own misperception.

[Jim Nelson]

In poor taste and not surprising.Nobody made Hank take the job and he has profited many times over.This book means it is open season.Name one player who has come up through Haney and succeeded for any length of time.A lot of first rate players have come from Dallas,but where are Haneys share?There are more moving parts in that system than any I know and yes I have taken a lesson from him.We all wondered how wild Tiger would get when he went there and my impression is he got wild off the tee.All this is just my opinion and is probably based on my own misperception.

I think there are some people out there that would like to talk to you about your punctuation.   

[Harris Nepon]

I can't imagine how many gofl pros out there would love to work 100 days a year for $50 000. Maybe Tiger didn't pay him more cause Haney was scared to offer advice. And if it was such a bad gig, why didn't Haney quit?

How much does his other students pay him?

Don't forsee myself reading this book. Seems like a bunch of dribble. Tiger likes the Navy SEALS. So what? You think he's the only guy on tour who has other interests outside golf? 

[Joel Zuckerman]

Very surprised about the 50k revelation as the payscale.  Didn't I hear/read/dream that Butch was on a million dollar retainer prior to Hank?  (Or was that just Stevie??)

[PCCraig]

Nice review Brad.

I'm too curious not to read it, so I'll probably pick up a copy when it comes out next week.

[jeffwarne]

I can't imagine how many gofl pros out there would love to work 100 days a year for $50 000. Maybe Tiger didn't pay him more cause Haney was scared to offer advice. And if it was such a bad gig, why didn't Haney quit?

How much does his other students pay him?

Don't forsee myself reading this book. Seems like a bunch of dribble. Tiger likes the Navy SEALS. So what? You think he's the only guy on tour who has other interests outside golf? 

Let's not pretend $50,000 is a lot of money for being married to Tiger. (when his caddie was getting 7 figures )
How many NBA or major college coaches would work for $50,000 yearly.(regardless of how much attention/potential clients that might get them) Just because a PE coach would kill for same gig doesn't mean the NBA coach would accept it.
Even preTiger Haney would command $5000-20000 DAILY for a corporate outing.
Heck you've never heard of me and I used to get $1500-3000 daily for corporate outings

As you say, Haney could've walked away at any time.(and IMHO opinion should never have taken such a time sucking,poorly compensated,fast food getting, deal in the first place-As I stated before, I was embarrassed for him on the few occasions I witnessed his cult like following of him around)

For the record, Haney does not complain in the book about the amount he was paid. (that's more Brad's take on Tiger's cheapness)

Obviously the reward was association with potentially the greatest player ever, and Haney, if not making a deal with the devil then, has certainly now.
Lots of people could write sellable books about the inner workings/dirty laundry of a celebrity,player, club, or client.
The book may be a compelling addition to someone's "library", but I'd keep it near the Charmin.
If it was written by one of his mistresses or low profile exemployee, I'd have far less of a problem with it.
A well known teacher who was a willing/wanting participant should be above such behavior.
Haney deserves whatever attention/criticism. this brings him.

[Stuart Goldstein]

Have not read the book and will not.  The excerpts covers it for me.  Where would Hank be without Tiger?  At his ranch teaching local dentists.  Now he has his endorsement deals, TV shows etc.  While I am in favor of freedom of speeach this book to me is a classless piece of journalism.  I expect to see it at the checkout line at the local supermarket.  Poor job by Hank-he should know better.

[Brent Hutto]

I admire Brad for having a gig where he gets paid to read such drivel.  Why anyone else is interested, I can't imagine. People who buy the book are worse than those who profit from it.

My take, exactly.

Although Jeff's quote from "Charles Barkley" was spot-on.

Why anyone would care at this point to hear or read anything about Tiger other than whether he wins a major this year is quite beyond me.

[jeffwarne]

I admire Brad for having a gig where he gets paid to read such drivel.  Why anyone else is interested, I can't imagine. People who buy the book are worse than those who profit from it.

My take, exactly.

Although Jeff's quote from "Charles Barkley" was spot-on.

Why anyone would care at this point to hear or read anything about Tiger other than whether he wins a major this year is quite beyond me.

Brent,
I was afraid the grammar police might get me.

Anthony

[bstark]

"If it was written by one of his mistresses or low profile exemployee, I'd have far less of a problem with it.
A well known teacher who was a willing/wanting participant should be above such behavior.
Haney deserves whatever attention/criticism. this brings him. "

I agree Jeff. Haney wants to be called a "professional" yet comes off as a hanger on dishing some dirt.
Kinda like some teachers I know. They want to be called professionals yet when it comes to contract time they wear orange shirts in the classroom and walk a picket line like longshoremen on the wharf after punching the clock.....

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

The morals of the book aside...
Haney is one of the most selfish, self promoting sob's on the damn planet.
The rub in this area..which is where he started.. is that he has turned more scratch players into 8 handicappers than anybody ever.
His teaching"prowess" has always left me stunned...where is the evidence?
Anybody who knows anything about teaching was stunned when Tiger employed him...and the outcome was rather predictable..
A story..
HANK ..employs an ex caddie of Mark O'Meara's to be his go to guy on building a new course on a shoestring budget..
This guy works his tail off, driving the dozer, downing trees, claering bush etc..using only his son to get the basiv outline of the golf course.
His"promise" is a portion of the course and the pro job at opening.
This guy works through all weathers including the boiling hot summer in a humid enviroment clearing shaping with only one helper.

Well you know where this is going...thanks for all the hard work now F$#% OFF... we dont need you....real scum bag stuff.
i know of no one who has anything positive to say about any dealings with Hank...so as far as I am concerned more of the same from Mr HANEY...NO CLASS...which only puts him in the SAME category as the book's content and main character.

[George Pazin]

Why would I believe what he wrote? I believe he believes it, but that does not make it the truth.

Plenty of people spend a lot of time with someone and don't really get to know that person, and their take is usually more than a little influenced by outside factors. I've sat in many meeting where others and I came out with completely different takes on what actually happened. People see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. Haney and Diaz appear no different in this regard. I'm sure many of us have opinions of other posters on here that are not even remotely accurate.

I haven't read the book and won't.

[Mark Pearce]

I agree that Haney hasn't covered himself in glory writing the book.  I understand that the authors have a prejudiced position and that the book won't be properly objective.  I know it will need to be read with that in mind.

BUT

It's a book about a crucial period in the career (and life) of one of the best golfers ever to live, written by someone with inside knowledge.

So yes, I'm going to read it.  I'm also going to read Rubinstein's book about Moe Norman.  I'll read Rubinstein's book second, to make me feel cleaner.

[Dan_Callahan]

I don't mean to suggest it's the same people who are on both side now. But as a writer and journalist and golf fan I am certainly grateful that someone with insider information had the courage to step forth and write this, all along knowing that it came at considerable professional risk and questioning of his motives and even of his character.

It would have taken courage for Hank to come forward and write this book if he had done so while still employed by Tiger. Doing so after he was fired is called cashing in. Certainly his right to do so. Seems like it happens all the time in politics. But that doesn't make it any less distasteful.

[Kalen Braley]

Put me in the minority group with Brad and Tom as Brads words in Reply 17 hit the nail on the head.

Tiger has been cashing in his entire career by trying to sell us an image of something he never was.  Along comes Haney who is trying to cash in too,  for a mere handful of peanuts compared to what Tiger has amassed in his career,  and now Haney is the scumbag?

How is Haney taking advantage of his situation, any different than Tiger who took advantage of his situation.....or any of use who have used an edge in a business situation, or with a business contact, or with a favorable law, to make a buck in our careers?

I suppose the members of this DG never look for loopholes in the tax code to see how you can take advantage of them to pay the least amount possible?

[George Pazin]

Tiger has been cashing in his entire career by trying to sell us an image of something he never was.

When has Tiger tried to sell himself as anything other than a great golfer?

[Kalen Braley]

Tiger has been cashing in his entire career by trying to sell us an image of something he never was.

When has Tiger tried to sell himself as anything other than a great golfer?

George,

Do you think Tiger's demographic was young, carousing, single playboys when he was pimping for Buick all those years?

Or was his demographic, older and stable married/family guys who were looking to buy a new car when they shipped their old car with their kid off to college?

[Ken Moum]

Tiger has been cashing in his entire career by trying to sell us an image of something he never was.

When has Tiger tried to sell himself as anything other than a great golfer?

Oh, I don't know, maybe when he pretended to be a devoted family man?

[Craig Van Egmond]

 Love this quote at the bottom of Brad's article..

""a day-to-day existence of profound superficiality"? Really, Bradley Klein? He's a human being that just so happens to have an extreme talent, nothing more. How "profound" are you? Moron."


Nice... classy.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Just posted my review on Golfweek.com. The book is a great piece of golf literature, with amazing insights into Tiger's character (much of it, I assume, courtesy of Haney's writing collaborator, Jaime Diaz). Some will find fault with Haney simply for writing the book at all; at moments he starts to sound a bit like the Diva. But he's modest and low key compared to the profoundly shallow, temperamental and heavily defended cheapskate he worked for. Tiger might be a golf genius, but he's paid a terrible price, as have too many people around him.

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/mar/20/review-behind-scenes-tiger-inc/

 

I've don't have any opinion on Haney & Woods, but I just thought I let you know there's a typo error in the 3rd paragraph; "wiling"

[George Pazin]

Tiger has been cashing in his entire career by trying to sell us an image of something he never was.

When has Tiger tried to sell himself as anything other than a great golfer?

Oh, I don't know, maybe when he pretended to be a devoted family man?

What ad is that in? I don't remember seeing it anywhere.

[Jud_T]

Couple of points:

1.  Haney can't complain about his compensation.  He's made a ton from his association with Tiger.  He got 2 series on the Golf channel and God knows how many academy students paying top dollar, not to mention the advance for this illustrious addition to the literary canon.

2.  For someone who drove it all over creation when under Haney, Tiger's been driving it on a string since working with Foley.

3.  I have zero interest in reading this book.

[John Kavanaugh]

If any of you ever catch yourself in bed reading this book while your wife is watching the latest episode of Housewives of New Jersey, please lay face down on your pillows and press firmly against each others skull.  Society can not afford to continue to feed your depravity.

Every since Tiger hit that hydrant many a self respecting golf journalist has rushed to become the Andy Cohen of golf.  They can't help themselves and we need to cease our enabling ways.