Golf’s Holy War: A Battle for the Soul of a Game in an Age of Science (Simon & Schuster, May 2020)
The world of golf is at a crossroads. As technological innovations displace traditional philosophies, the golfing community has splintered into two deeply combative factions: the old-school teachers and players who believe in feel, artistry, and imagination, and the technical-minded who want to remake the game around data—attack angles, spin rotation, ball speed, and more. In Golf’s Holy War, Brett Cyrgalis takes readers inside the heated clash playing out from weekend hackers to Tiger Woods.
Praise for Golf’s Holy War
“Brett Cyrgalis has written a highly entertaining, very smart book about a maddening, very stupid game. You should read it.” —James Patterson
“A sophisticated and timely state of the game. . . .Rarely has a golf writer been as illuminating.” —Jaime Diaz of Golf Channel
"This fascinating book is an obvious hole-in-one for golfers and their coaches." —Publishers Weekly
“Somehow, this guy gathered an all-world foursome—Sigmund Freud, Babe Ruth, William James, Ben Hogan—in one book. That alone makes it worth the price of admission. Along the way, he goes deep on golf’s most perplexing question: is the game an art, or a science? The answer is yes! Golf’s Holy War shows and tells how and why with rare, true depth.” —Michael Bamberger of GOLF Magazine
“Golf’s Holy War is a fascinating read for anyone who cares about the state of the contemporary game. A tidal wave of science has washed over the sport in recent years, threatening the foundations of the game’s traditions and the defenders of its more mystical qualities. Brett Cyrgalis investigates the ripples it has caused, from the teaching of the golf swing, and the fitness and strategy of the game’s best players, to the design and maintenance of golf courses.” —Tom Doak, golf course architect with four original designs ranked in Golf Magazine’s Top 100
“There is intellectual power in solitude, and yet PGA Tour practice facilities are crowded with theorists, pseudo-scientists, and teachers, making the practice ranges at Tour events not a place of discovery, but of danger. It’s there that athletes are trading their genius for the ideas of others and losing the intuition that made them great. Golf’s Holy War describes this battle like an entrenched journalist describing a war.”—Brandel Chamblee of Golf Channel
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About Brett Cyrgalis
Brett Cyrgalis is a veteran sports writer who worked for the New York Post for 14 years, covering almost all major sporting events from the Stanley Cup final to the U.S. Opens in golf and tennis. His work has also appeared in the New York Times and Golf Digest, among other publications. He is an accomplished golfer and lives on Long Island.