Book excerpt: Set against the background of the Great Depression, this book presents the life of Ralph Guldahl, who for a brief period in the 1930s was widely recognized as the best golfer in the world. From 1936 to 1940, he won two successive U.S. Opens, one Masters title and three successive Western Opens, held the best scoring average award and was a Ryder Cup player with a 100 percent record. After this memorable run, he "lost his game" and almost disappeared from view. This biography is the first to trace the rise and decline of his career and answer the question: "What happened to Ralph Guldahl?"