Nancy Lopez: Golf Hall of Famer

by Anne Wallace Sharp

While many people may think of golf as a way to unwind, Nancy Lopez has used her success in golf to serve her causes, which includes holding events to raise money for Albany Community Hospice, and events to support impaired, physically handicapped, and other children and adults with special needs. Inspire your readers to learn how a hobby or sport can guide a person to great heights and accomplishments, in and outside of it.

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1420500600
• ISBN13: 9781420500608
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Lucent Press
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.3" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 11 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 9

Customer Reviews

This a a fully documented biography of Nancy Lopez, a trailblazer for women and minorities

When Nancy was eight-years-old, her mother was diagnosed with a serious lung ailment and one of the suggested recommendations was that she exercise to help the condition. Nancy's father, Domingo, decided that golfing would be a way to get her out of the house and moving. They had little money for child care so decided to take little Nancy right along with them. Most likely to keep her out of mischief and to keep her from getting bored, Domingo said to her, after handing her a 4-wood, "Hit it. You just keep hitting it until you get that ball into the hole." Surprise! She was a natural and would eventually outpace her parents and, in latter years, became an inductee in the Golf Hall of Fame. In the 1970s discrimination was still rampant and Hispanic peoples were not welcome at many of the golf courses so they had to travel to one that was open to them. It wasn't long before Nancy became good enough to start winning tournaments. Every time she won a tournament her father gave her a new Barbie doll. Needless to say, her collection became quite large! Her first year as a pro was stupendous. "Long ball Lopez," as she was called when she grew up, had a winsome personality and drew people to her. She loved her fans and said "I feel them pulling for me." Later, when she married and had children, she put her game on the back burner as she felt being a wife and mother came first. Nancy Lopez was a trailblazer for women and minorities in her sport. This fully documented biography was a pleasure to read. The text was well written, making it an informative page turner. The earlier career pictures are in black and white, the rest in color. There are several interesting full page sidebars that are well placed and don't detract from the storyline. In the back there are important dates, additional recommended resources and an excellent index. No sand trap book here, this one is a winner!