His dad abandons the family when Johnny is 14. At 17 Johnny takes a job as professional golfer and chooses to work on Sunday rather than go to church. His mother pleads with him to no avail. He begins drinking and drinks too much. He marries Dorothy and they build a country club. When World War II comes, he converts the club into an officer’s club. He’s drafted but the army has him teach golf rather than go overseas. He continues drinking to excess, tries rehab, spurns his mother’s prayers and pleading. Dottie stays with him. The first part ends when he’s drunk and crashes his car into a truck.