This clever insight into Trump mirrors sport with politics

WHEN YOU head into the Book Centre you will notice all the different sections clearly labelled, and as readers we tend to migrate to the areas of our interest to pick out appealing titles. However, some publications can comfortably sit in two sections of the shop.

‘Commander in Cheat: how Golf explains Trump’ is just one of those books. Unsurprisingly, those sections are ‘Sport’ and ‘Politics’. As the title suggests, this is Trump nonsense, mixed in with his relationship with golf.

When you straddle two sections of a book shop, the problem you have as an author is making the content appealing enough that it’s picked from both shelves. It’s easy to not hit that mark, making it irrelevant to both markers.

Rick Reilly, author of ‘Commander in Cheat’, is probably the best known sportswriter in American history. Voted National Sportswriter of the Year eleven times, he was also recognised with the ‘Damon Runyon Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism’.

Given the credentials of the author, it should be a strong book and Reilly doesn’t disappoint. It is an extremely well researched, cleverly put together piece of work.

Its premise is as simple as the title, since it examines Trump’s golf game and dealings in the sport, and pinpoints how it reflects the President as a person.

Right from page 1 the information grabs you, and in the brisk 244 pages there’s no dragging feeling. There’s one story in this book that encapsulates how superb it is, how crazy the American political system is, and how much of a repulsive human Donald Trump is.

It’s the tale of Juan Carlos Enriquez in

Chapter 10: ‘One Good Punch’.

Enriquez is the son of a Cuban immigrant, which is an important fact for later. He was employed by Trump to do the bulk of the re-painting of his Doral golf resort in Miami. When the work was completed, Juan Carlos was still owed $30,000.

So he badgered Trump to get his money (not settling bills, you will find out, is a common Trump tactic). Enriquez kept hounding him for the payment until, after two years, this little family business still hadn’t been paid.

Enriquez offered to settle for 26k, but Trump refused to settle, stating that he doesn’t settle. So Enriquez sued Trump for the money, the case dragged on, and the legal bills grew to $400,000.

Eventually the case was won by Enriquez, but only after Trump lost an appeal was Enriquez awarded over 300k, the vast majority of which went to the lawyers.

The zinger, while this was all going on, was that Enriquez - the son of a Cuban immigrant, remember - actually voted for Trump.

This publication if filled with stories, little and big. They aren’t all as jaw-dropping as the Enriquez tale but they all tell the story of exactly what Trump is.

They paint the picture that we have already seen played out; the only thing Trump cares about is Trump, and Reilly shows it.

‘Commander in Cheat’ is serious, of course it is, but Reilly’s quality at injecting humour throughout the publication is unparalleled, the vast majority of which is at Trump’s expense.

From a political point of view, this is a must-read. Anyone with a interest in the mess that is The White House needs to buy this.

For the sports book fan, unless you have no interest in American politics, this is a worthwhile read. It’s certainly not a book that chronicles sporting success but it does delve into the politics of sport and the purity of golf as a game.

DEAN GOODISON

Visit The Book Centre on Wexford’s Main Street for the very best selection of sports books.