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A fiction book about golf? A funny fiction book about golf? Where do I sign up? Well, sign up I did. After signing up (a.k.a. reading), I discovered a heartfelt novel about a middle-aged man struggling with loss, addiction, and a general lack of interest in anything. Then he stumbles across his dad’s old set of irons and decides to play a round at the local course. What starts as a distraction becomes a new addiction (yes, to golf), leading to unexpected friendships, and possibly a long-lost son.
Most importantly for me, I have (almost) the same set of irons that kicked off everything in this book! The protagonist plays with beryllium-copper PING EYE 2s. Mine are just the regular PING EYE 2s—but close enough.
The Turn by Christopher Ransom Book Review
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Thank you, Blackstone Publishing and Christopher Ransom for providing this book for review via NetGalley! All the stuff I say here is MY opinion. I mean, of course it is, but I feel like I should say it here anyway.
The Turn Book Summary
The Turn by Christopher Ransom is a heartfelt and humorous novel that follows Casey Sweet, a middle-aged man grappling with personal loss and seeking redemption. After enduring a divorce and the death of his father, Casey finds himself battling alcoholism and anxiety, leading to a forced mental health sabbatical from his job. While sorting through his father’s belongings, he discovers a set of rare vintage golf clubs (PING EYE 2 beryllium-copper irons!), prompting him to take up golf and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
At the local golf course, Twin Peaks, Casey forms bonds with a diverse group of regulars, including Josh Parker. Josh is a 22-year-old golf prodigy who may be Casey’s long-lost son from a past college romance. (OOOH, scandalous!) Casey gets more involved in Josh’s life. He also tries to reconnect with Josh’s mother, Damaris. In the process, he deals with the challenges of fatherhood, love, and personal growth. (While simutaneously attempting to lower his golf handicap.)
Set against the backdrop of the golf course, the novel digs into themes of redemption, the healing power of sport, and the importance of human connection. The Turn mixes humor and emotion. It tells a story about facing life’s challenges (the BIG ones) and finding meaning in unexpected places.
Who is Christopher Ransom?
Christopher Ransom made his name writing psychological horror. His new comedic sports novel is, obviously, a whole different ballgame.
Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, he studied literature at Colorado State University and worked at Entertainment Weekly in New York before pursuing writing full-time. His debut novel, The Birthing House (2009), became a London Times Top 10 bestseller. He followed with horror titles including The Haunting of James Hastings (also published as Killing Ghost), The People Next Door, The Fading, The Orphan, and Beneath the Lake.
After a long hiatus from publishing, Ransom returned to writing with The Turn. The novel draws from his personal experiences. He (re)discovered a love golf, lost weight, and ended a 30-year run with alcohol during his time writing the book.
Learn more about Christopher Ransom here: HOME | Christopher Ransom author
Now onto the rating! The Turn Book Review:
My innovative system for rating humor books is explained here
Wholesomeness Score: 2/5
I gave this a 2 out of 5 for Wholesomeness. There’s plenty of drinking, swearing, sex, and gambling — pretty much a checklist of non-wholesome behavior. But at its core, it’s a story of redemption, hope, and the wholesome game of golf. So The Turn earns more than a 1 on my Wholesomeness scale!
Hilarity Score: 3/5
It’s not a slapstick golf comedy, but there’s plenty of sharp banter and dry quips between characters that keep things funny throughout. It’s not Happy Gilmore or Caddyshack, but it’s not trying to be.
Ransom describes the comedy in The Turn:
“What I set out to do with The Turn, the tone I felt more appropriate for the subject matter, was more about finding very real and painful situations in life, the hard awakenings some of us go through around our 40s and 50s, and then confront them in ways that highlighted how the awkward and absurd, the disturbing and delightful, can and do coexist, even during dark days.” – Christopher Ransom
Overall Book Awesomeness Score: 5/5
I loved the story – especially its focus on the love of the game of golf! It captures what makes golf so addictive: the quiet moments, the personal challenges, and the weirdly deep emotional stuff that happens somewhere between the tee box and the 18th green. The authenticity stands out – it’s obvious the author is a golfer.
But even if you’re not a golfer, there’s something here for you — redemption, connection, and a few emotional gut punches that might surprise you. But if you are a golfer? You’ll probably want to hug this book.
Things I liked:
- A vivid love scene, described entirely through golf terms and metaphors. (funny!)
- Golf
- Golf
- Golf
- A wide range of themes and emotions – golf, addiction, mental health struggles, autism (possibly?), redemption, grit, finding peace
Things I didn’t like:
- A vivid love scene, described entirely through golf terms and metaphors. (funny, but ew!)
- It was a bit more “unwholesome” of a book than I typically enjoy. But I’m a big boy – I can handle the language and mature content.
Got any good GOLF BOOK suggestions for me? Throw them in the comments!
Scott Johnson is a Midwestern humorist, author of Essays Out of Left Field, and the mind behind scottjohnsonauthor.com. He’s also a husband, dad of three, and Data Systems Administrator (whatever that is). Scott is on a mission to find and read all the funny books. He shares his thoughts on those books, author life, and other delightful randomness with his readers on his website.
