What golfer hasn't daydreamed about quitting his job, tossing his clubs in the trunk, and just taking off? Granted, most of us don't dream about taking off for Mongolia, but then again, Andre Tolme — the New York Times's Golfer of the Year — isn't like most of us. This is a book of gonzo golf writing that spans continents and cultures. It starts in 2004 when Tolme, a thirty-five-year-old civil engineer from New Hampshire and all-around ordinary guy, quits his job and travels to Mongolia with a 3-iron, a backpack full of golf balls, and a dream of golfing his way from one end of the country to the other. At 2,322,000 yards — more than 1,200 miles — the home course of Genghis Khan would be the longest ever played, and par would clock in at a daunting 11,880. In "I Golfed Across Mongolia," Tolme skillfully blends adventure and golf writing to create a wholly unique book that will delight all those united around one universal passion: golf.

"Too much golf, not enough Mongolia — that's the main problem with this intriguing though ultimately frustrating book. During a 2002 trip to Mongolia during a yearlong sabbatical from an engineering job, avid traveler and golfer Tolm had a not-so-transcendent vision while slightly drunk: 'This country is one giant golf course!' One year later, he began what is essentially a stunt — 'to whack a little white ball across the natural terrain of an entire country that's almost the size of California, New Mexico, and Texas combined' — that becomes the 'grandest adventure' of his life. Tolm clearly has affection for Mongolia and its people, and as he travels 1,300 miles of countryside, he presents just enough history to give a casual reader a good sense of what the country is like today. He also presents in his last chapters an all-too-brief exploration of how his golf adventure gave him 'an understanding of the interconnectedness of natural forces.' But most of the book details his golfing, which, while energetically described, unfortunately is not compelling. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)