LETTERS TO A FUTURE CHAMPION
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Narrated By: Dottie Pepper, Bob Souer, Mike Lenz | Duration: 5 hours, 54 minutes
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COME SHARE MY TIME WITH MR. PULVER
Dottie Pepper’s Letters to a Future Champion: My Time with Mr. Pulver is a loving tribute to the power a mentor can have on an athlete’s career.
George J. Pulver, Sr., was a golf great in his own right – as a golfer, as a course designer, and as an advocate for golfing throughout the Northeast. But he took on the mantle of mentor when he and a young Dottie, age 15, began a teacher-student relationship that would stretch into Dottie’s college years.
In this beautifully crafted book, Dottie traces the influence “Mr. Pulver” had on her skills as well as her character both on the practice range – where Mr. Pulver dutifully watched every detail of her swing – and in the letters the two exchanged after. Mr. Pulver would sit down at his typewriter and carefully tap out a critique, or a technique, or advice on life lessons Dottie would need to rise to the top.
Dottie compiled those letters into a binder and referenced them often … her bible, of sorts, on her path to a future as a multiple winner and two-time major champion on the LPGA Tour.
“Filled with years of his mostly typewritten letters, it was my reference book for all things golf,” writes Dottie. “But as time has gone on, I’ve come to realize the binder is much more. It is a blueprint for honoring the history and traditions of the game of golf; it also is about mentorship, fundamental beliefs, curiosity, grit, grace, dreams, disappointment, success, and the value of education.”
Examples of his how-tos:
Addressing the ball in the same manner each time
Keeping a steady head on short putts
Being a masterful lag putter
Practicing unusual shots like the long bunker shot
Arriving at the first tee unhurried
Being prepared for all sorts of weather
Having a balance in life - knowing when it is time to take a break from the game so that you return eager to practice, improve, and win
YOU’LL HELP A VITAL NEED WITH YOUR PURCHASE
10% of the proceeds of all books will go to the Saratoga WarHorse mission to improve the physical, mental, and emotional health of veterans with post-traumatic stress. The group does this by providing a healing, equine-assisted experience using off-the-track Thoroughbreds.
WHAT READERS SAY
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
“This is more than "just" a golf book. It is a portrayal of the bond that existed between a student and her mentor; a relationship of understanding, hope, faith and trust. It is a narrative of humility and generosity. It is a chronicle of aspiration, doubt, disappointment, reassurance, encouragement and success. And it is an account of mutual admiration, respect and friendship. All of these characteristics combine to form the human spirit, which is very much in evidence in these chapters.”
— Ian Pattinson
Chairman - The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St.Andrews; Chairman - The R&A, St. Andrews, Scotland
“Dottie’s sharing of Mr. Pulver’s wise teachings about golf and life in Letters to a Future Champion allows Dottie and Mr. Pulver to give us the best of their collective wisdom. This book is a gift to cherish.”
“I absolutely loved this heartwarming book. Dottie Pepper is an American original and revered for her decades of insightful coverage as a broadcasting giant. Now, she presents a must-read for anyone who loves the game of golf. We learn the encouragement and endless search for excellence it takes to be a champion.”
— Norah O’Donnell
CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor
“This book easily could have been called Letters from the Heart. As with her illustrious golf career, Dottie has poured her all — and especially her heart — into this poignant memoir of the timeless lessons that Mr. Pulver gave her. Lessons that hold true today. Most important, she has shared with the reader her love of the game and of life. Read this book! It’s a rare chance to see what gives a champion her toughness and compassion.”
“I don’t know too many people who work harder – at anything – than does Dottie Pepper. I also don’t know too many people with a bigger heart. Now a window into where it all comes from opens in the beautifully told story of a remarkable man and Dottie and the relationship that helped forge it all. Letters to a Future Champion is one-part diary, one-part instruction manual, all wrapped up in a page-turning scrapbook come to life.”
— Jimmy Roberts
NBC Sports
“Golf being among the loneliest sports, Dottie Pepper gives us a beautiful reminder that no one does it alone. More than sharing the growth and development and success and setbacks of her game, she shares a selfless professional named George Pulver. Most remarkable about this book is how the voice and character of Mr. Pulver come to life in letters, most of which end with “no reply expected.” It’s all about giving.”