Playing a Round with the Little Pro: A Life in the Game | Atria Books

Bridge the Golden Age and today with a golf memoir that feels like a well-tuned approach shot

In Playing a Round with the Little Pro, Eddie Merrins—known as The Little Pro and longtime head professional emeritus at Bel-Air Country Club—offers a warm, insightful window into a lifetime spent in the company of champions, coaches, Hollywood stars, and devoted fans. This memoir invites you to feel the cadence of a course, sense the satisfying weight of a well-handled club, and hear the quiet humor that characterizes Merrins’ storytelling. It’s not a grand promise of outcomes, but a thoughtful invitation to explore how a career in golf can shape perspective, skill, and character across decades.

What you’ll discover

• Mental focus, routines, and the subtle rituals that accompany a round from tee to green.
• Technical observations drawn from a lifetime on the practice range and fairways.
• A contemplative lens on golf’s quieter, spiritual side, conveyed with humility and heart.

• Colorful anecdotes featuring Hollywood stars, renowned coaches, and avid club members alike.
• A graceful bridge between golf’s Golden Age and today’s champions, with lessons that feel timely and relevant.

Who this is for

• Golf history buffs who love behind-the-scenes stories and enduring legends.
• Readers seeking mindset ideas and inspiration from a seasoned professional’s perspective.
• Fans of classic memoirs and accessible, human storytelling about the game we all know.

Format and condition

• Used Book in Good Condition

As you turn the pages, sensory details bring the course to life: the aroma of cut grass on a sun-warmed morning, the creak of a leather-bound club head, the hush before a crucial putt, and the glow of a well-timed anecdote after a long day at the club. The book offers possibilities rather than guarantees—a thoughtful reminder that the game can teach patience, focus, and camaraderie, both on and off the green.

Real-life moments you can relate to

The stories unfold with intimate moments—shared laughter, the pressure of a big match, and the small rituals that mark a golfer’s day. Merrins’ obvious respect for the sport shines through, inviting readers to reflect on their own practice, preparation, and approach to the game.

Why this book matters

More than a collection of anecdotes, this memoir celebrates golf as a lifelong pursuit that blends skill, discipline, and community. It presents golf as a sport of character—an invitation to imagine how a life spent near the links might influence one’s own journey, without promising dramatic changes.