Ray Blackston Par for the Course

Par for the Course

Ray Blackston

FaithWords, Feb 2008, $13.99

ISBN: 9780446178150

In Charleston, South Carolina, Chris Hackett owns Hackett's Golf Learning Center. His clients like him, but in spite of his skills on the links and his friendliness with people, he admits to himself that when it comes to scoring with women he has hit "a series of relational double bogeys".

One of his students, thirtyish Molly Cusack comes up with a gimmick to increase his customer base by having them swing their clubs so that they can "whack a liberal" or "whack a conservative", depending on their preference. As Chris finds his course is the in place for political hooks and shanks, he begins to have ethical concerns that golf should not become the new arena for improper partisan politicizing.

As is PAR FOR THE COURSE when it comes to a Ray Blackston amusing satire, a triple bogey hits the FLABBERGASTED star as he learns politics and golf don't mix very well. The prime story line on the Hack's Golf Learning Center Course works very well as the laughs keep on coming. However, some subplots feel as if they landed in a sand trap and are forced onto the green of the main theme. Still Mr. Blackston provides a jocular sports romance in which love, golf, and partisan politics make par.

Harriet Klausner