First published 1993
Kenji watches his father practice putting on the small green behind their house in suburban Tokyo. His father once played professionally in America before returning to Japan to teach at a local golf academy. Now Kenji dreams of making the same journey across the Pacific, but in reverse. He wants to succeed where his father fell short. Kenji spends hours perfecting his swing, studying English golf terminology, and imagining himself on American courses. His father remains supportive but cautious, knowing the challenges that await any foreign player trying to break into American professional golf. The cultural barriers seem as daunting as the athletic ones. Kenji must decide whether to pursue his father's unfulfilled dream or forge his own path. The story explores the weight of family expectations and the courage required to chase an ambitious goal across continents and cultures.
Genres: literary-fiction, family-life, coming-of-age, sports
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, pursuit-of-dreams
Setting: Tokyo, America, Japan
Period: 20th-century
50 pages · Hardcover · Pebble Beach Press