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Rainmaker
Superagent Hughes Norton and the Money-Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond
By Hughes Norton and George Peper
Table of Contents
About The Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From his work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era, golf superagent Hughes Norton presents a rollicking tell-all that “takes you inside the room with some of golf’s biggest personalities for some never-before-heard stories” (Chris Solomon, host of No Laying Up).
When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton.
At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Now, in Rainmaker, Norton offers “the most amazing ‘behind the curtain’ view ever written about the world of sports management” (Jim Nantz, CBS Sports). With exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.
From his work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era, golf superagent Hughes Norton presents a rollicking tell-all that “takes you inside the room with some of golf’s biggest personalities for some never-before-heard stories” (Chris Solomon, host of No Laying Up).
When twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing twelve strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his father, his mother, and Hughes Norton.
At the peak of his career, agent Norton earned a million-dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a high price. The seventy-hour work weeks, constant travel, and intense pressure—both from his players and their corporate partners—took Norton away from his family and ultimately led to divorce. At the same time, to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Now, in Rainmaker, Norton offers “the most amazing ‘behind the curtain’ view ever written about the world of sports management” (Jim Nantz, CBS Sports). With exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent, his time representing the narcissistic Greg Norman, and shining a bright light on his sudden—and controversial—ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division—a juggernaut he helped build. This is an engaging and unforgettable memoir that explores golf as never before.
About The Authors
Photograph by Mal McCrea
Hughes Norton is best known as golf’s superagent for his work representing giants of the sport such as Tiger Woods and Greg Norman. Twice named one of the “Most Powerful 36 People in Golf” by Golf Digest, he lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
Photograph by George Peper
George Peper, the editor of Links magazine, was editor-in-chief of Golf Magazine for twenty-five years and is the bestselling author of nineteen books. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (March 26, 2024)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668045282
Raves and Reviews
“Rich with detail and fascinating asides, [Norton] describes what went on behind the scenes as pro golf transformed itself from the sleepy niche sport it had been into a global megabusiness.” —The Wall Street Journal
“One of the best golf books I've read in a long time. Norton takes us inside the world of being a golf agent to the stars. . . and gives what reads like an authentic account of his life, the highs and lows, both a colorful and critical account as much of himself as the business he was in.”
—USA Today
“[An] insightful look at the dollars-and-cents work of sports agents…essential reading for the future Jerry Maguires in the audience.”
—Kirkus
“This is the most amazing ‘behind the curtain’ view ever written about the world of sports management. Hughes was the guru to some of the greatest golfers in the world—it wasn’t by accident.”
—Jim Nantz, CBS Sports
“Wow, what a read—an inside look at pro golf and the players who have dominated it, from Palmer and Nicklaus to Norman and Tiger and everyone in between. No one knows better than Hughes Norton how golf evolved from a mom-and-pop operation to the behemoth it is today, and he spares no one in telling his story, including himself. This book may rankle a few people, but it’s all the truth.”
—Curtis Strange
“This book really hacks me off. This is all the delicious, inside Tiger Woods stuff that writers like me were dying for. Thanks for nothing, Hughes.”
—Rick Reilly
"Hughes Norton ushered in an unprecedented era of monetary growth in the golf world, and isn’t shy about telling tales along the way! Rainmaker takes you inside the room with some of golf's biggest personalities for some never heard before stories. It's such a breeze to read, you'll want to start the whole thing over again as soon as you're done."
—Chris Solomon, host of No Laying Up podcast
“In the 1980's and 1990's, Hughes Norton was golf's ‘Jerry Maguire’. Hughes and I were adversaries as he was committed to maximizing his client's value and I was committed to controlling company costs. There was no brighter light bulb in the room than Hughes Norton — intelligent, tenacious, and always well prepared. Hughes was "the man" and with this came a bullseye on his back. Rainmaker is a compelling read: the agent who for over two decades in the golf industry made it rain for his clients, his firm and for himself.”
—Wally Uihlein, retired CEO of the Acushnet Company (Titleist & Footjoy)
“Norton’s very engaging memoir provides a revealing glimpse into the cutthroat world of a sports agent, an insider’s perspective on the evolution of professional golf, and colorful anecdotes about the personalities he met throughout his storied career.”
—Booklist
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Rainmaker eBook 9781668045282
- Author Photo (jpg): Hughes Norton Photograph by Mal McCrea(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
- Author Photo (jpg): George Peper Photograph by George Peper(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
