Golf Books

[Ty Webb]

Can anyone recommend a good golf book? If so, please indicate why.

Cheers

Ty

[Kilroy]

Dave Peltz's Putting Bible.
Most people don't studdy putting like a NASA engineer.

[jeffc]

and also his short game bible as well.

As to why? He boils it down to a science, and uses logic and statistics to show what is important and why it is important.

[Rough Stuff]

I preferred the short game bible to the putting bible...many more good tips. The putting bible was complicated (needlessly).

[Kilroy]

I am about half way through the putting bible and I do not think it is complicated. It is scientific. When many people claim putting is all feel, Dave shows you that that is just not the case. He has his theory and proves it through scientific experimentation. He does not just say "use a pendilum stroke" he writes a whole chapter on WHY the prendilum stroke is best and compares it to other methods. I am learning a lot.

I also just got a copy of 18 Ways to Play Better Golf - get the mental edge By Antoine Nguyen, who played in the OttawaGolf Open in my group. (shameless plug) I am looking forward to it, but have not read it yet.

After that, The Short Game Bible is next on my list.

[LobWedge]

Any book by Harvey Penick. The instruction is in layman's terms. Very easy to apply, and some great stories too.

Eg. His description of how to draw the ball.

Picture you're on a baseball diamond and you're standing at home plate. Your target line is down the middle over the pitchers mound.

Align up your stance so that you're aimed at the 2nd baseman (right). Then make your swing and try to hit the ball over the head of the Shortstop (left).

As a natural fader of the ball, I've picked up an extra 5-10 yards with my irons. The visual simplicity is stunning.

[Bill M]

My regular game was cancelled Saturday am so I decided to spend an hour with a golf pro to see if I could fix my gawdawful putting stats. I had never had a lesson on putting before and felt I was a pretty good putter all last year after buying some high technology. When the glow of new equipment wore off this season and my putting per round soared over 30 strokes I figured it was time.

The result you ask? Best $60 odd bucks I have ever spent. Bar none!

I discovered I was swaying, had an improper alaignment and was moving my wrists. I took my new knowledge and rather awkward new grip out on the course for a twilight game and was mightily impressed. Kudos to Kevin Haime and boos to me for delaying that lesson so long.

I believe once I have developed a better feel incorporating the new stroke, that my putting stats will help me break through to the next level (into the 80's). And the best part you ask - a lesson is a lot cheaper than new technology.

[Andy4Par]

I like Ben Hogans 5 Fundamentals of Golf....excellent view of the 5 basic must knows of golf; grip, ball position, stance, backswing plane, foreswing plane. A must read!

[stanley]

I think I mentioned this book in another thread:

Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game

Dr.Joseph Parent (Vijay's teacher)

easy read, some cool stuff.

[Terry Clarke]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading and following the training programs in Dave Peltz's
Putting Bible and Short Game Bible and would recommend them to anyone.

You have no idea how many guys ask me to play on their teams in best ball
tournaments just for my 100 yards in. I always respond "If I play you pay".
I get more free rounds of golf that way. (And don't forget the meals that
always accompany these events)

[Powerdraw]

and drinks

[sweeper]

Four Magic Moves to Winning Golf - Joe Dante

Why??? Check the reviews at Amazon...

[Rapture Man]

"Practical Golf" by John Jacobs (1972) Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods have quoted and cited John Jacobs as the guru of fundamentals

Pelz Short Game Bible - best book on the short game bar none. As a weekend amateur, I swear by this technique and so do quite a long list of pros.

Tom Watson's Strategic Golf - not very many books on this topic but this is by far the best.

[Powerdraw]

e-book: clearkeygolf

[Rapture Man]

For the mind game:

Classic: "Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella
Also by Rotella: "Golf is a Game of Confidence" if you want to get your putting back on track.

If you want to find out how Annika does it, I highly recommend:
"Every Shot Must Have a Purpose" by Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott creators of VISION54 and now GOLF54.

I am a golf book nuts. I must have well over 100 golf books all over the house. If anyone needs a recommendation, let me know. I base the best on how well they can help an amateur take the ideas to the course on weekends.

[BullDog]

"The Natural Way to Better Golf" by Jack Burke

This should not be confused with "natural golf" as taught by Moe Norman. Jack Burke writes about how to use your own swing to improve accuracy and increase distance. He goes through the five key shots of golf (putt, chip, pitch, full iron and drive) taught in what he says is their natural sequence - from the putt to the drive.

It made me think and made me think lots. He goes through some mental aspects of the game that I had never really contemplated in my 25 years of playing. It's an old book - written in 1954 - but I think it has done more for me mentally (and I think physically, but I've only played once since reading it twice) than anything else that I have read so far. My uncle bought if for me (used) from that major US book sales web site whose name I can't remember for the life of me.......

Aside from a short game lesson last year, it seems that this book will pay off in more ways than one once I really get going in 2007!

Mike

[albatrossman]

I strongly recommend that anyone who wants to improve their game should read (and reread) "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose" by Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott. It is the best book that I have read on the mental game - especially the sections on pre-shot routine and practicing. I like the book because it gives you practical advice on how to approach golf shots. I have applied the preshot routine diligently to my putting and have lowered my putts per round by an average of 2 so far this year. (I have played my home course 7 times so far; the greens are in very good shape.) I am stroking the ball much, much better because I follow the same routine and am now 100% committed to every putt when I step up to the ball. After struggling with my putting consistency all last season, a change in approach was what I needed.

I also read Bob Rotella (Golf is Not a Game of Perfect - pretty good) and Gio Valiante (Fearless Golf - okay) during the past winter. Bob's book is a good read, but I know that the advice in Pia and Lynn's book worked for me.

[albatrossman]

I strongly recommend that anyone who wants to improve their game should read (and reread) "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose" by Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott. It is the best book that I have read on the mental game - especially the sections on pre-shot routine and practicing. I like the book because it gives you practical advice on how to approach golf shots. I have applied the preshot routine diligently to my putting and have lowered my putts per round by an average of 2 so far this year. (I have played my home course 7 times so far.) I am stroking the ball much, much better because I follow the same routine and am now 100% committed to every putt when I step up to the ball. After struggling with my putting consistency all last season, a change in approach was what I needed.

I also read Bob Rotella (Golf is Not a Game of Perfect - pretty good) and Gio Valiante (Fearless Golf - okay) during the past winter. Bob's book is a good read, but I know that the advice in Pia and Lynn's book worked for me.

[Rapture Man]

albatrossman you are right on the mark. I have read both Rotella and Gio Valiante 2 or 3 times and went back to reading Pia Nilsson & Lynn Mariott's book a second time in the past month and agree that Pia's concept are very practical and very much applicable to the weekend golfer. By applying the concept of routine back in my game, which has gone south in the past couple of years (handicap went from 11 to 19) I was able to shoot a 40 on the back nine of the Nation with a triple on the tenth hole and to score an 82 at Casselview last weekend - my best round since September 2004 when I could shoot consistently in the high 70s, low 80s. There were a number of other factors at play over the past two years to affect my game but by applying Pia & Lynn's concept I believe I will be able to put back the mental game back in shape and start getting decent scores.