The Ball in the Air

“I just finished this one from Michael Bamberger in a day, and it’s a work of art. My love for golf comes from the challenge of playing as an amateur, not from winning tournaments or collecting prize money. 99% of you have this same relationship with the game. That’s who this book is for.”
—Tom Brady on Instagram
“An excellent golf book that captured me because it’s about three average people—plus Bamberger—who are passionate about the sport and the purity of golf… . Bamberger writes artfully. That’s part of the joy of this book… . What a good read.”
—Peter King, NBC Sports
“The Ball in the Air tells the golf-related tales of three decidedly non-high-profile figures … Linking these tales is Mr. Bamberger’s own story and his conviction that golf has much to teach when we open ourselves to the game’s deepest, most subtle nature—the unexpected emotions, the ‘odd and beautiful playing fields,’ the intimate bonds that form among both friends and strangers. The pleasure of The Ball in the Air is like that of an ordinary golf round… . Mr. Bamberger’s abiding love is for golf as it is experienced by everyday people.”
—John Paul Newport, Wall Street Journal
“If there is a Charles Kuralt of golf writing, it is probably Michael Bamberger… . He ranks among the smartest and most observant writers I know and he uses those attributes skillfully in all of his books… . Photographers know that people’s faces make the most compelling pictures. Bamberger’s focus is similar except he tells their stories with expert reporting and words.”
—Gary Van Sickle, The First Call
“I’ve devoured most everything from award-winning golf writer Michael Bamberger, including his previous seven books, and his latest offering may be his finest yet. The Ball in the Air is an engrossing ode to the game of golf… . A true feast for any golf lover.”
—Les Schupak, The Met Golfer
“It’s a joy to read Michael Bamberger’s latest book, maybe because it was such an obvious joy for Bamberger to write it… . All his previous golf writings, which are flavored by his love and respect for the game, led him to this place. It’s the book he was meant to write.”
—David Westin, The Augusta Chronicle
“The Ball in the Air is not your typical golf book. It doesn’t revolve around tour players, exotic trips to majestic courses, or the majors. Instead, Michael Bamberger introduces us to three individuals who love playing golf for the joy it brings them… . You don’t need to love the sport to be drawn to the characters who come to life on the pages of this enthralling book.”
—Bookreporter
“Bamberger knits together his subjects’ golfing and life stories, showing how each found the game and their accomplishments and adventures… . Sparkling with details … The stories are heartwarming and affecting.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“As beautiful as golf is on the outside, it’s even better on the inside. In The Ball in the Air, Michael Bamberger intimately weaves four profoundly personal journeys with mesmerizing skill and leaves us with a deeper understanding of our own.”
—Jaime Diaz, Golf Channel commentator and #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor (with Hank Haney) of The Big Miss
“Bamberger has written countless great reports, features, columns, and books for numerous publications/publishers during his 40 years behind a keyboard, but he is at his most enjoyable when rooting out stories and characters we had no idea we wanted or needed to know but which become something special. Is there a golf writer whose words leave us quite so satisfied?”
—Links Magazine

Michael Bamberger was born in Patchogue, New York, in 1960. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982, he worked as a newspaper reporter, first for The Vineyard Gazette, later for The Philadelphia Inquirer. After twenty-two years at Sports Illustrated, he is now a senior writer at Golf.com. His books include To the Linksland, Men in Green, The Ball in the Air, and The Playing Lesson. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Christine.

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