As soon as I began reading 'The Big Miss' I thought, "This is professional quality prose. Either golf teacher Hank Haney is a natural born writer or he's got a ghost writer backing him up."
As it turns out, Jaime Diaz, who has recently been appointed as Editor-In-Chief of Golf World Magazine, did all the writing. Haney dictated his memories plus any notes that he might have made following his resignation after 6 years as Tiger Woods swing coach.
Haney has been blistered - rightfully so - in his revelations both personal and professional of his time spent with Woods, in which he revealed virtually everything that could be utilized either by Tiger's enemies or the competition. For example, Tiger fears the driver as it might create the so-called Big Miss, where the ball flies off the course into surroundings that probably make it unplayable. With Tiger's macho inclinations, it would not take much for a competitor to goad him into using it, even if it threatens his competitiveness.
He also revealed personal stuff such as his dislike of Phil Mickelson and certain other pros. Woods' ruthless dismissal of caddie Steve Williams after 13 years is given as an example of his being cold hearted and tightfisted, devoid of empathy and utterly selfish in his pursuits - be they golf, women or Navy Seals.
I feel that Diaz controlled and created the tone of this book. He knew full well as a professional writer, the boundaries of due fairness and respect. He surely knew that many of the Haney's statements crossed the line, were defamatory and out of bounds.
Like any professional relationship- a designation Haney seems to feel applies to himself - there is surely a teacher-student confidentiality that has been violated.
Should Tiger, with money to burn, take this twosome to court, highlighting supposed friend Haney's duplicity and Diaz' sensationalist writing and sue for defamation of character it should make for an interesting trial!
The Big Miss is a gossipy tell-all, and when not getting up close and too personal, a book with some good golf tips. Kitchener's Moe Norman, with all of his idiosycracies brought on by his autism, gets a top billing.
Nevertheless, technical expertise is outshone by personal vindictiveness, perhaps a reaction by Haney of not being taken into Tiger's inner circle in the grandiose manner that he thought he deserved.
Regardless, it strikes me that Tiger gets the benefit of the doubt and the sympathy vote of golf fans throughout all of this, and Haney-Diaz are not perceived as the heroes of the unvarnished written word as they may have hoped, but simply as two hangers-on living off the avails.
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