Pulse of the Nation is a celebration of the GAA's 140 years at the centre of Irish life, from its foundation in November 1884 to the present-day institution that has expanded massively at home and abroad. It zones in on the greatest players in football and hurling, ranking them one-to-ten, accompanied by profiles, in each of the fifteen positions in both codes. The 'greatest day' for all 32 counties is explored, along with a trawl through the various competitions, from the All-Ireland championships with their 'Heartbeat of the Irish Summer' billing, to those that were once popular but are no longer in place.
Controversies are explored, the changed managerial environment is assessed - including the impact of some of the biggest names from Kevin Heffernan to Mick O'Dwyer, from Brian Cody to John Kiely - and the covers are lifted on the GAA's role in Ireland's social and cultural history, including the growth in popularity of camogie and ladies' football. Written by award-winning sports journalists Martin Breheny and Donal Keenan, this is the ultimate publication for the GAA's 140th anniversary.
One of golf's most popular and funny personalities reveals the ups and downs of a life playing the world's most infuriating sport.'Even professional golfers hit bad shots. I guess that's why it holds people like you and I in its grip. Because no matter how bad a day you've had out there, you always come back, don't you? You always want to be better next time'.Professional golfer Andrew 'Beef' Johnston has played in the world's biggest tournaments, won big money events, sunk monster putts, and been serenaded by fans from Kazakhstan to St Andrews, booming out his familiar nickname: 'BEEEEEEEEF!'.
On the downside, Beef has also duffed it, thinned it and shanked it like every single person who's ever played the game. Because no matter who you are, golf can make you look like an idiot...From reflecting on his early years at his local pitch and putt to his stellar career playing against the best of the best on the greatest courses on the planet, Golf is Hard takes you inside the world of professional golf like no book before it, sharing side-splitting and painfully honest stories of life behind the scenes as a tour pro. What is Tiger Woods really like in the locker room? How did it feel to hit one of the worst shots in golf history in front of millions of viewers during The Open? And just how many clubs has Beef broken through fits of rage and frustration during his illustrious career?This is a book for everyone who has ever loved and loathed the game in equal measure but managed to see the funny side.
After all, golf is really hard, so you might as well have a laugh about it along the way.