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John Riley’s latest book, A Will to Win (Riley Publications LLC, 300 pages), chronicles the life of Bill Hyndman, one of the most successful and revered amateur golfers to call the Philadelphia region home. The Wilmington-based author’s meticulous research and detailed storytelling capture the Glenside native’s on-course triumphs, personal tragedies and quest for perfection during the nearly 50-year arc of his career. It’s the retired PR executive’s second golf book. His first, How He Played the Game, was a finalist for the United States Golf Association’s 2022 Herbert Warren Wind Award.
MLT: What drew you to Bill Hyndman?
JR: I had a wonderful experience with him when I was 29 and he was 59. I never forgot it, and it became the prologue of the book. It was as if it was just sitting there for the past 49 years waiting to be put into print. Writing biographies has moved me to look past the scores, courses and tournaments to examine both the people and the times that shaped them. And the more I learned about Bill Hyndman, the more I admired him.
MLT: A Will to Win is rich in golf history, as Hyndman’s career intersects with the likes of Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan. What moments stand out for you?
JR: At the World Amateur Team Championship at St. Andrews in 1958, Hyndman hit a shot on the famous “Road Hole” that Bobby Jones called the greatest clutch shot he’d ever seen. Through my research, I learned there was a great deal more color and drama to the story than had ever been told. I also love the story of Hyndman’s match against Nicklaus in the 1959 British Amateur. Jack lost his only match all year to a man old enough to be his father. His reaction when I interviewed him was priceless: “He beat me pretty good, and I usually only remember the ones I won.”
MLT: What other Hyndman storylines will readers enjoy?
JR: First, the book is the story of amateur golf in the mid-20th century. These were the decades when the great amateurs captured all the attention. Second, the book explores the connection between Hyndman and Jay Sigel, including the year when Jay surpassed Bill for the first time in the national standings. Over the six decades Golf Digest ranked the country’s top amateurs, these two Philadelphia products were ranked in the Top 10 more than any other amateurs in the game.
Visit awilltowin.com.
Find the book on Amazon.
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