The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport

Originally drawn to the game by his father, Carl Hiaasen wisely quit golfing in 1973. But some ambitions refuse to die, and as the years-and memories of shanked 7-irons faded, it dawned on Carl that there might be one thing in life he could do better in middle age than he could as a youth. So gradually he ventured back to the dreaded driving range, this time as the father of a five-year-old son-and also as a grandfather.

“What possesses a man to return in midlife to a game at which he'd nev...