A Book Review of The Big Miss by Hank Haney

It turns out this is actually a compelling look at both Woods and Haney. Haney shows himself to be the kind of man who thought he could measure the relevance of his career by his association with one whom he believed embodied true greatness. If this definition includes the ability to sell swing aids on the Golf Channel, he may be proven right.

Haney confirms everything anyone who doesn't like Tiger Woods has always suspected. Earl Woods may have hoped Tiger was a better person than he was a golfer, but that was nothing but a father's fantasy. Haney's portrait of Woods is of an unhappy, endlessly insensitive and emotionally stunted person.

Haney comes across best when he speaks of his indefatigable pursuit of a plan for his students. I'd like to find a coach who would do that for my game. Haney also seems genuine in his unrequited desire to get to know Woods as a person. Haney comes across worse when he describes his work with Tiger Woods as a noble pursuit. The Big Miss is clearly the writing of a man still working on himself if Haney sees anything associated with teaching golf in such a light. Teaching the skills of a game may be entertaining, it may even be satisfying, but seeing it as noble is the worst and most self-aggrandizing kind of stretch.

It's the same kind of stretch that Tiger Woods applied to his life's singular goal. In striving so hard to become the perfect golfer he made himself into one of the most unpleasant and self-centered people imaginable.

Beyond this, two things I've not read much about elsewhere jumped out at me:

The first was TW's response to Haney's mention of the importance of breaking Jack's record.

Haney: "Don't you care about that?"

Haney quotes TW as saying, "No, i'm satisfied with what I've done in my career."

Tiger Woods, satisfied?

Haney's contention that Woods' long-stated raison d'être had become meaningless was the biggest swipe I could see at the Woods' legend.

If I were TW, that's the quote I would say was false if, in fact, it was.

The other item was a seemingly minor mention that Woods' now-infamous SEAL exercises were noted on his calendar, "but everyone knew not to talk about them to anyone." A lot has been made of whether Haney broke the so-called coach's code in writing his book. This is a rather naive complaint. The very best biographies of living people are done by writers with no permission or authorization. If you want to know the truth about someone, read books written by someone who knows the person and who doesn't mind making the subject mad.

In the case of Tiger Woods, that would be Hank Haney.

It's easy to ask why Haney was so willing to write a book like this about Woods, someone who he described as a friend. Only Haney can answer that question. It is interesting to note that early in the book Haney states his certainty that Woods would be the last pro he would ever work with.

I can't say if that's true or not. I also don't know if the proceeds (financial and otherwise) will prove to be worth it for Haney. It is clear Hank Haney's time coaching Tiger Woods truly changed his life. There's no denying The Big Miss is an entertaining account of that experience.

I can only hope both experiences are worthwhile for Hank Haney.