He loves the game of golf but when an old homeless man disappears, he discovers the lure and passion of golf lies within. A young boy is practicing his golf swing with a few of his friends at the local golf course. The young boy is good at golf yet he wants to know more about the game. He wonders what makes the game so enticing, so addictive, that he strikes up conversations with staff and fellow golfers. It’s his conversations with and about Jimmy, a homeless man, that piques his interest the most. Jimmy, who resides near the 5th hole, is a wealth of golf knowledge and wisdom, but he hasn’t been seen for days. The boy goes in search of Jimmy yet discovers his own path to life and the magical walk of eighteen holes.

Sandman: A Golf Tale is an imaginative view on life, finding your own journey, and the game of golf. Some say golf is the most fulfilling and most frustrating sport in the world. Others say golf is exquisite and will test the patience of any person. For me, I see golf through the eyes of my grandfather. It’s mystical, poetic, and the greatest achievement among the human race. In Sandman: A Golf Tale, the reader gets a unique perspective through the eyes of a young boy. Throughout the story, his views on life and golf change which in turn makes the reader ponder many things. The plot moves at a slow, easy pace which subdued my mind and allowed me to immerse myself in the story. The narration has an almost poetic vibe, filled with nuances and a transcendent setting exclusive to the world of golf. While we never know the name of the young boy, his POV is expressive, emotional, and very deep. While you don’t need to know anything about golf to read Sandman: A Golf Tale, this book may lure you into the golfing world. A poignant treatise on golf, Sandman: A Golf Tale is a book that’ll make a great impact. It makes a great read for any golfer. Highly recommend!

My Rating: 5+ stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

Sandman follows a young golfer and a homeless man. We never find out what the young golfer is called, but the homeless man, Jimmy, has stories to tell about his past in the golfing world.

I was actually quite confused by the storyline. It ended up going nowhere where I thought that it was, and not in a good way. I thought I was getting a deep-dive into how golf has affect these people, and how golf has had an impact on their person. What I got was a weird self-analysis (for these two characters) of what golf is, and I found this to be very confusing and honesty not very enjoyable.

While well written, I found it boring and unexciting. Not the type of book that I enjoy.

Anyone who has played golf and feels there is more to the game than just their score, the clubs to use or their mechanics will be able to relate to the two protagonists in this wonderful short book. One of them, a boy whose name is never revealed, is an excellent golfer but feels there is more to the sport and feels unfulfilled. The other, a homeless man named Jimmy who hangs around the 5th green at the boy’s home course, also has a unique perspective, mainly gained during his time as a caddy at the most famous course, St. Andrews.

Their stories will be ones that anyone connected to the game, whether playing, looping, or just as a worker at a course (Nancy, the clubhouse cook, is a wonderful secondary character) can relate to the stories of the boy and Jimmy. Berner does a wonderful job of brining these characters to life for the reader in such a short amount of text. Readers who like stories that are short and to the point without a lot of fluff should pick this up. While it is helpful to know about golf, it is not necessary to connect with the boy and Jimmy and their dreams.

I wish to thank Roundfire Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.