Did you ever hear of golf professional J. Douglas Edgar? Well, neither had I until I stumbled upon a new book by Steve Eubanks call "To Win and Die in Dixie."
Douglas Edgar was an English golf professional who emigrated to Atlanta in 1919 and became a club professional where he crossed paths with, among other luminaries, the great Bob Jones. He discovered a technique in the golf swing that was radical back in the 1910's, but has since become the basis for what we all know today as the modern golf swing. He became a champion golfer - a two time winner of the Canadian Open - and established a scoring record that no one - not Sarazin, Hogan, Sneed, Palmer, Nicklaus, or Woods - has been able to best in over 90 years. He came to a mysterious death on the streets of Atlanta in 1921, a case that is still officially listed as "unsolved," and the whole thing would have been whitewashed but for the courage of a young Atlanta newspaperman.
All the stuff of a great story (this could be a hell of a movie), but who knew?
Well, Steve Eubanks has told this story in a very well-written book. I highly recommend that you check this one out. You don't have to be a golf fan to appreciate this terrific true story.
Sounds like a good book. I'm going to put in a request for it at the library.
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