[close] The great Ben Hogan cast a long and complex shadow. A complicated and misunderstood man, he was so consumed with the solitary pursuit of excellence that the camaraderie of his game passed him by. Yet, he was utterly revered--for his consistency, his perseverance, his dedication, his mystery, and his courage. He was the one golfer his fellow golfers held in awe. Curt Sampson does a fine job of hacking through the rough of the Hogan mystique in search of the enigma who held the world at arm's length. His biography of Bantam Ben is as probing as it is solid; it aims for the man, and finds the bottom of the cup. [close]