How does this book compare to buying a young golfer another piece of gear?

A storybook and a piece of gear serve two different purposes, and a First Tee chapter deciding between them is really choosing between a tool and a keepsake. Gear, a new grip, a junior driver, a rangefinder, helps a child play better right now. It does its job well and then gets replaced as the child grows, which is exactly what gear is supposed to do. *Once Upon a Golf Swing* does something different. The 62-page illustrated hardcover tells the story of Ace, a brand-new golf ball lost on his first swing at Whispering Pines, and it is meant to be reread, not replaced. Where gear disappears into a bag, a book with a child’s name inside sits on a shelf and gets pulled down years later. The two are not really competing for the same purpose. A chapter that wants a participant to play better chooses gear. A chapter that wants a moment to be remembered, a graduation, a first season, a coach’s thank-you, chooses a book. Cost also plays a role. Quality junior gear can run well past the price of this book’s $29.97 hardcover or $14.97 softcover, and there is an audiobook at $9.97 plus read-along and listen-along editions for families who want more than one way to enjoy it. Written by F.C. Salas and illustrated by Cristina C. Cortes, the book carries an original theme song, "Swing Away," and works for ages three to six. Chapters do not need to pick one type of gift forever. They need the right gift for the right moment, and a keepsake moment calls for a keepsake.