The Old Man And the Tee: How I Took Ten Strokes Off My Game And Learned to Love Golf All over Again

The Old Man and the Tee presents one man’s hilarious and heartwarming quest to drop 10 strokes from his golf game in a year, using the top teachers, pros, and equipment money can buy.

As a kid caddying for his father on the sunburned links of West Texas, Turk Pipkin had dreamed of great achievements in golf. Unfortunately, life got in the way. A lack of talent didn’t help much either. It was not until his father passed away that Turk realized he’d forgotten his childhood dream and had lost the simple joy he’d once found in the game.

Deciding that the time for all his pitiful golf excuses was past, Turk embarked upon the golf quest of a lifetime. For twelve months, he’d ignore work and other distractions, and dedicate himself to the game. He’d seek instruction from golf’s greatest teachers, put the best equipment in his bag, and play the world’s finest courses. His seemingly impossible goal was to take ten strokes off his 16-handicap.

With lessons from David Leadbetter, Dave Pelz, and Ben Crenshaw, and with spiritual guidance from great old men like Willie Nelson, George Plimpton, and Byron Nelson, Turk’s epic journey carries him from Pebble Beach to Scotland and back again, where he risks everything on one final round for his father.

Follow Turk on the journey of a lifetime, and learn to love golf-and life- all over again.

Turk Pipkin has been a stand-up comedian and actor, appearing in Christopher Guest’s Waiting for Guffman, as well as The Sopranos, The Alamo, and Friday Night Lights. He is the author of the critically acclaimed novel Fast Greens and has written for CBS, NBC, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, Travel + Leisure Golf, Playboy, and Texas Monthly. He lives in Austin, Texas.