Editorial Review

Charles Lindsay's photographs offer a humorous and inquisitive foray into the hazards where golf balls are lost--rough, woods, bunkers, and wetlands--as well as unexpected encounters with wildlife on and off the green. An avid golfer with plenty of experience losing balls, Lindsay photographs his way to the heart of the game with a light touch and an eye for telling details. In the process, he discovers balls ravaged by golfers, gators, and foxes--and lost for over a century.

Lindsay even encounters what is believed to be the world's oldest golf ball--unearthed in a cellar in the Netherlands alongside a primitive club.

The photographs were taken at celebrated courses in North America, England, Scotland, and Ireland: Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Bethpage, Fossil Trace, Troon, St. Andrews, Royal St. Georges, Ballybunion, Old Head, and many others.

The foreword by John Updike is a celebration of golf and nature and where the two meet. A humorous story by golf giant Greg Norman rounds out the book. ... Read more

Reviews

Lost Balls and Other Bad Lies, October 1, 2005
WONDERFUL book for golfers... or as a gift to golfers. Photos are crisp and lovely, lies are unimaginable and even inconceivable! Makes those of us who do NOT play golf wonder why others do, and should make golfers offer prayers of thanks that they have never, never had shots to play like these...

Wonderfully fast shipment of pristine condition books!

Better than "How To Line Up Your 4th Putt", April 16, 2005
Charlie Lindsay is an irreverant guy with an unfailing eye. He sees what others don't and makes you grin for the joy of discovery he has had with his camera out in nature searching for the bizarre and wonderful on and around the golf course.

Be it a golf ball tucked neatly under a "meadow muffin" or a pair of golf shoes hanging from a tombstone, be prepared for a visual feast where golf and golf courses are the metaphor.

What a treat. What a great gift!! I've sent a dozen already and it's early in the day.

Lost Balls- a great photgraphic journey, May 2, 2005
Charles Lindsay has captured the true soul of golf with this photographic journey through some of the most interesting places in the world. This book is perfect for the person who truely loves and understands the game of golf. His combination of humor and photographic genius make this a wonderfully entaining book for anyone who has ever played the game. I hope there is a sequel.

A book for every golfer, March 19, 2007
I bought one for a friend and another for myself. If you play
golf, you think that maybe the results of some of your own
golf shots may not be so bad. Even if you don't play golf,
the pictures are funny and interesting (as long as it is someone
else's ball). Well worth the money.

great photos, January 14, 2006
I purchased this as a gift for my dad, an avid golfer. When I got it, I was a little disappointed at the sparse text....but the photos are great. My dad LOVED the book....

The best coffee table book in the house, July 12, 2007
This book's photographs are absolutely brilliant! I first saw the book walking through a store and picked it up only to open up to a page where a golf ball was stuck in a pile of poo. I was flipping pages before you knew it and every shot had me smiling, laughing, reminiscing and just really enjoying the photos. If you are a golfer or going to be buying this book for a golfer I am sure they will get as much enjoyment out of it as I have. Everyone comes into our home and I catch them flipping pages on the book and enjoying it. So don't pass this book up, buy it now!

Great photos, January 9, 2007
I bought this book as a gift for a friend, but ended up sharing it with various family before wrapping it up. It was also the hit of the party when it WAS opened. Very entertaining and a book easy to pick up and look at more than once. A hit for golfers or those who enjoy a photo with a message.

For every golfer, June 27, 2007
I gave my husband Lost Balls for Father's Day and he absolutely loved it. My 16 year old son and I both enjoyed it as well. This book has beautiful pictures - the photography is excellent - that capture some incredible and impossible lies. The scenes are lovely and make one appreciate golf as a form of relaxation. The many precarious positions that are captured make one appreciate golf as an obsession. For those who love and hate this game, this book will be enjoyed.

Not What I Expected, February 5, 2009
I thought this would cover sensational or interesting lies and shots involving famous tournaments or golfers. Instead, I found it to be a mundane collection of golf photography. It seemed to center around clever shots of old balls and feature "friends" of the author. I returned the book.

Great coffee table book for golfers, February 21, 2009
I bought this book for a friend who loves to golf and he enjoyed it. It's got great photos for great conversation. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The renowned instructor behind elite pros such as Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh shows you how to conquer the ten shots you fear the most.

Some golfers stand over shots with so much fear in their hearts that they can't bear to swing their clubs. Others, filled with anxiety, butcher shots they might otherwise hit reasonably well. After conducting worldwide surveys to determine which shots golfers fear the most, master golf instructor Dave Pelz has focused his skilled research and development on creating a methodology and conditioning process proven to teach golfers how to conquer their top 10 most feared shots. The first book to use the "Golfer's Eye View(tm)"-a technique developed for Pelz by "hall of fame" golf photographer Leonard Kamsler-Dave Pelz's Golf without Fear features Pelz's signature combination of science and savvy.

Coaching readers through their shots, Pelz offers a visual method of instruction, with close-up images of the problems that caused their fears, the solutions to those problems, and step-by-step instructions for how to execute those shots with confidence in the future. He retrains golfers to apply precise, clearly defined body positions and setups, in addition to specific techniques for the moment when contact with the ball occurs, making Dave Pelz's Golf without Fear a trove of score-saving lessons. With full-color photography throughout, this is a powerful course in making winners out of even your worst shots. ... Read more

Reviews

improving your golf, December 22, 2010
the latest book from david pelez is just fantastic and if you get a chance to go to one of his day clinic that in conjunction with the book will improve your golf i did here in ireland at kileen castle ... Read more

Editorial Review

There's an incredible similarity between the mechanics of a fly cast and the swing of a golf club. Perhaps that's why Chris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die, can be found on the links when he's not on the stream. With Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die, Santella gives voice to his other sporting passion, interviewing 50 people intimately connected to the sport about some of their favorite courses around the world.

For both passionate golfers and armchair travelers, this gorgeous full-color book presents the world's greatest golf venues, the personal favorites of renowned players, course architects, and other experts in the sport. From Ballyliffin, Ireland's northernmost course, whose rumpled fairways wander along the North Sea in the shadows of Glashedy Rock, to New Zealand's Cape Kidnappers, perched atop dramatic cliffs some 500 feet above the ocean, the book's beautiful photographs capture the architecture, noteworthy holes, location, and ambiance that make these courses standouts for ardent golfers. A brief history of each course, an experiential account-filled with local color-from the person recommending the venue, and trip-planning advice provide adventurous readers with all the information they need to chip and putt their way around the globe.

A close-up look at golf's top courses around the world, recommended by such experts as Nick Faldo and Christie Kerr (pro golfers), Pete Dye and Tom Doak (course architects), Brian McCallen (editor and author), and Donald Trump
With breathtaking color photographs of each site, this is a great gift for avid golfers and armchair travelers alike ... Read more

Reviews

A good gift item for the golfer on your list., November 18, 2005
This really is an attractive volume, and it constitutes a sort of fantasy list of unique golf courses. The author has gone out of his way to avoid many of the "obvious" big name courses that golfers know from televised tournaments. This gives the book an added interest factor, as one can read about exotic courses in such out-of-the-way locales as Morocco and Oregon.

Full Disclosure: I know Chris. He is a genial companion and a talented, assured writer.

O.K. Little Book, May 16, 2006
Notice that the title is not "The Fifty Greatest Golf Courses." My title would be, "Fifty Interesting Places to Play Golf." Whether it's my title or the real title, the emphasis is on "places to play," or "destinations," not golf courses per se. More than fifty golf courses are covered. Which is not to say that the book does not include a lot of great golf courses. The format is mini-coffee table, with several pages of text for each destination and one small picture for most of the destinations. The quality of the printing, photo reproduction and binding in my copy is excellent. The text for each destination has been volunteered by a different prominent golf person. For example, Nick Faldo writes about the Royal Melborne Golf Club (West Course) in the Australian state of Victoria. Alice Dye about the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course (see a connection there?). On the plus side are the quality of the color photos and the introduction (to me) of golf courses in some far away places (e.g., Bhutan, Morocco, India, places, however, I'll never get to). On the minus side, I don't have a prayer of playing some of the U.S. courses, even after I die (e.g., Pine Valley, Sand Hills, National Golf Links of America), which, honestly, the author points out. Finally, why not at least one photo for each destination? From the two page description of the Pacific Grove muni: "[T]he back nine . . . takes you right out to the water and combines incredible views of the Pacific and Monterey Bay with windswept bluffs reminiscent of some of the great courses of Scotland and Ireland." Why no photo of this course? From the two page description of the Torekov Golf Club in Sweden (my ancestral home): ". . .a links-oriented course. . . You can view the sea from all eighteen holes. In the summer, wildflowers are blooming everywhere . . . ." I want a photo, darn it!

Beautiful Pictures, really nice gift., February 2, 2006
Being a golfer, I got this as a gift from one of my relatives. I must say the pictures are outstanding. This book makes me want to travel more to other countries to experience the pleasure of these courses. This book will always have a permanent place in my library. For excellent golf instruction that helped me to drastically reduce my handicap, I recommend,
The Ultimate Golf Instruction Guide: Key Techniques for Becoming a Zero Handicap Golfer or Better, isbn 1933023090

and

for more great pictures of specific golf holes, I recommend,
Golf Digest 365 Golf Holes Calender 2006, isbn 0761137343.
This maintains a permanent place on my office desk.

A Must-Have For Any Golf Fanatic, February 12, 2009
Part coffee table book, part guidebook, this well-produced volume features fifty recommendations of some of the greatest courses in the world. Author Chris Santella asked esteemed golf industry professionals around the world to recommend their favorite course. Those interviewed by the author include such golf luminaries as Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Pete Dye, Peter Jacobsen, Nick Faldo, and Dave Pelz. The content of each course description is approached like a magazine article, with quotes from each interview interwoven with well-written descriptions of the course and a few special holes. The accompanying photos are excellent, and the "If You Go" section at the end of each course provide some basic directions on how to get to the course, where to stay, and how to book your round. A very-nice book.

-Bryan Fryklund, author of The Golf Fanatic's Guide to Hawaii

Great Book!, January 15, 2007
Bought it for my Dad, an avid golfer and traveler. He loves it.

Great list of courses, quality printing, January 13, 2009
I gave this as a gift to a well heeled friend who lives out of state. Though he has already played several of the courses he was very excited about the list and he said that the pictures and overall quality of the book were excellent.

A fabulous Find!, May 14, 2007
Top Notch Golf and World Travel...what more could a serious golfer want?
This book is a fabulous find and an inspired gift you will be proud to share with a golfer you love. Even as a non golfer, I enjoyed the travels insights and the background on how each course was created. It provided me a whole new appreciation for the game and the "art" of golf course creation.

50 Places to Play Golf Before You Die, June 7, 2007
A lovely book. Not exceptional, but enjoyable. It was disappointing in two ways:
1. some of the authors (each chapter talks about a specific course or courses) of the chapters were the course designer of that specific course - clearly, a conflict of interest!
2. would have loved to have more courses that are out-of-the-way and/or extremely private - courses that we can only dream about playing! ... Read more

Editorial Review

"It's difficult to beat a good golf book, be it a good yarn or a picture book . . . The golf is spectacular, the course more so, the descriptions luminous."
--USA Today

"The untold story of golf's greatest money match, featuring Hogan and Nelson at Cypress Point, comes to life in . . . Mark Frost's gripping new book, The Match."
--Golf magazine

"Frost weaves an exceptional narrative . . . It's a gripping tale--as good as James Patterson, John Grisham, or any other contemporary novelist could create. And all true. The match comes down to the 18th hole, and you'll be the winner once you turn the last page."
--Met Golfer

"Frost masterfully puts the reader not just on the scene, but in the time, too, with terrific storytelling."
--The State (South Carolina)

"Frost captures an elusive magic in this improbable matchup and what it meant for those who played and witnessed it."
--Publishers Weekly

"The Match was a dream I never thought would come true. If I hadn't been there I wouldn't believe it myself, and if you know anything about sports or the game of golf, once you pick up this book you won't put it down. No one will ever see an event like this again. Fiction can't touch it."
--Ken Venturi

The year: 1956.Four decades have passed since Eddie Lowery came to fame as the ten-year-old caddie to U.S. Open Champion Francis Ouimet.Now a wealthy car dealer and avid supporter of amateur golf, Lowery has just made a bet with fellow millionaire George Coleman. Lowery claims that two of his employees, amateur golfers Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi, cannot be beaten in a best-ball match. Lowery challenges Coleman to bring any two golfers of his choice to the course at 10 a.m. the next day to settle the issue.

Coleman accepts the challenge and shows up with his own power team: Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, the game's greatest living professionals, with fourteen major championships between them.

In Mark Frost's peerless hands, complete with the recollections of all the participants, the story of this immortal foursome and the game they played that day--legendarily known in golf circles as the greatest private match ever played--comes to life with powerful, emotional impact and edge-of-your-seat suspense. ... Read more

Reviews

Dream Match Memorialized, November 12, 2007
Frost has done it again! A superb retelling of American golf history, this time a sudden come together dream match brought on by two titan entrepeneurs pitting pro golfers versus amateurs. The last surviving of this foursome, Venturi, called it a dream match so good even fiction could not touch.

He was right. It is a magnificent event, with Eddie Lowery of Ouimet fame (Frost's other excellent golf book) and George Coleman arranging a bet pitting Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson against Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward. He sets up the match at renown Cypress Point by setting the stage with all the characters and their development, weaving a fascinating stream of characters such as Bing Crosby into the showdown.

He gives the replay hole-by-hole interspersed with the background development of each player, such as would haunt most of us walking to play the next shot. This makes for rather dramatic reading as one can't wait to hear what unfolds on the next swing and hole.

For the avid reader of golf as this reviewer, I knew most of the background on all the players except for Harvie Ward, whom I could not recall ever hearing about, but he certainly was a remarkable player. All three thought this of him. Venturi said one time at Augusta when asked about Ward, "Take Nicklaus at his best, and Ward at his best. I'll take Ward." Quite the compliment.

This is treasured golf lore, which will serve our sport well. Certainly hope that Frost will follow this one as well with a movie version. Please?

Awesome, Delightful and Required Reading, November 23, 2007
I just finished Mark Frost's new book, The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, and while I was excited to read the latest from the author of the amazing and invaluable true golf tale, The Greatest Game Ever Played, this new book exceeded my expectations. I was moved to tears several times and another, perhaps even more important, slice of golf history was illuminated.

I also looked forward to this read because I had heard that "The Match" takes place at Cypress Point and I've always dreamed of playing that course, so it was a treat to walk and play it with some of the greatest golfers of all time. In case you haven't heard, the center piece of this story is a casual best ball match play round between Ben Hogan and Bryron Nelson (representing the pros) and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward (representing the amateurs). The time is 1956 and Venturi and Ward are the last of the gentleman amateurs playing at the highest levels of the game. The event is precipitated by a bet instigated by none other than Eddie Lowery, the pint-sized ten-year old caddie from "Greatest Game" who has (believe it or not) become a millionaire California car dealer. This connection to the earlier book is more than a coincidence and Lowery becomes more important to the story than one might expect.

I'm going to go so far as to say that this book is required reading for any serious golfer. On one level learning more about the life story and personality of these great players as well as that of Cypress Point and the Crosby Clambake are quintessential elements of the glory of golf in America. As before, Mark Frost does an amazing job illuminating this background (including the best recounting of the famous Hogan comeback after his accident that I've ever read.) But there's much more beyond all this.

I can't summarize that essence better than the last paragraph of the book:

"No four men will ever play such a match again. No four men like like these. The genuine way they lived their lives makes most of today's fast and frenzied sports and entertainment culture seem like so much packaged goods, a self-conscious, inauthentic hustle. In their best and worst hours alike each of these four stood his ground, put all he had on the line, and for better or worse lived with the consequences of his actions and moved on. Some green, untested souls might be tempted to wonder why one should still care, but none of us are here forever, we're not even here for long; and if it's true that our collective past exists inside all of us, unless we take time to bear witness to the best of those who strived before us, our chance to learn from their lives will be lost forever, and we will be the poorer for it."

That's why I call it "required reading"... not to mention that it's totally fun and a complete delight! Thanks so much, Mr. Frost.

Frost captures the essence and spirit of an era, December 27, 2007
With the publication of THE MATCH: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, Mark Frost cements his credentials as one of the country's finest chroniclers of the rich and celebrated history of golf in America. In two previous efforts, he painted remarkable portraits of significant events in the annals of the game that travelled to America from Scotland. THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED is his account of the 1913 United States Open and the victory by Frances Ouimet, an unknown American amateur. THE GRAND SLAM is his narrative of Bobby Jones's victory in the four major golf championships of his era. The chronological saga continues as THE MATCH takes readers back to 1956, the era of golf preceding television and legends Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

At the outset, readers should accept the fact that Frost's title for his third golf book is hyperbole. Indeed, one can search its pages in great detail and never find an answer to how the game of golf changed as a result of the 18-hole practice-round match pitting professionals Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson against amateurs Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi. While substantial money may have changed hands as a result of the contest, very few sports fans were even aware that it had occurred. Contemporary professional golfers probably pass out more in tips than the four players battled for on this day.

Setting that aside, Frost describes far more than a competition involving four men. Through his words readers gain a portrait of the status of professional and amateur golf in the 1950s, as the beloved and respected amateur golfer would now take a backseat to a new era of professional golfers and their fans.

The money men behind the contest were Eddie Lowery and George Coleman, wealthy businessmen who loved golf and betting on it. Lowery had a storied connection to the game; he had been Ouimet's caddy in the historic 1913 Open. As a successful car dealer in San Francisco, he allowed amateur golfers to work at his dealership for princely salaries and continue playing golf as amateurs. In the 1950s even the most successful professional golfer had official winnings of less than $50,000 per year. The substantial financial lure of modern professional golf was at least a decade away. Amateur golfers were still highly revered in the 1950s, and the dream of most United States Golf Association officials was that another great champion such as Bobby Jones, an amateur who played only for the love of the game, might again dominate championship events.

The stage was set for the match played during practice for the 1956 Bing Crosby Pro-Am. Venturi idolized Hogan, and indeed, after turning professional, he would model his wardrobe after the Texas golfer. While Hogan had the reputation of being a cold and ruthless man on the course, he could also be warm and generous. While Venturi was in the army, Hogan remarked that Venturi's clubs were not in the best condition. Venturi replied that his military wages did not allow for the purchase of new clubs. Shortly thereafter a brand-new set of irons from the Hogan factory arrived at Venturi's door.

Throughout THE MATCH, as he has done in his other books, Frost captures the essence and spirit of an era. Sports does not exist in a vacuum; it is a reflection of the moment. Hogan, Nelson, Venturi and Ward were products of a generation tempered by World War II and the post-war experience. They influenced the game of golf and professional sports for the second half of the 20th century. Frost chronicles that influence in a masterful fashion that all who love the game of golf will appreciate.

--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman

The essence of the game!, December 11, 2007
Golf in the day of Der Bingle aka Bing Crosby. A panoply of the game back in the day when the guard was changing. Eddie Lowery, who as a 10 year old had caddied for Francis Ouimet when he defeated the then reigning greatest in the game, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray (as magnificently told by Mark Frost in his earlier book "The Greatest Game") has come to California and become a hugely successful car dealer. He remains close to the game both in California and nationally as a member of the inner circle at the USGA. He has nurtured several talented amateurs. At the time of "The Match" his two protege's/employees are Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi. At a dinner party on the eve of the Crosby "Clambake" at Pebble Beach he promotes a bet that "his two amateurs" could beat any two pros in the game. This leads to an impromptu match the next day at Cypress Point, the focal point of this wonderful story, between two of the greatest pros the game has ever known, Ben Hogan and his fellow Texan, Byron Nelson. Along the way to the conclusion of this incredibly played match we are treated to the color and background of the times and the lives of the four protagonists up to this moment in their respective lives. As ever, Frost is a peerless storyteller and keeps the reader engaged at every moment as the story unfolds. Don't miss this!

The Match, November 24, 2007
Mark Frost has done it again. His wonderful ability to mix the current subject with past history adds immeasurably to the readers interest. All readers of golf books have certainly had their fill of Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Ken Venturi, but little has been written about Harvey Ward and what occured in his life after The Match. Frost does a good job of giving us some unique flashbacks and solid history leading up to The Match, as well as after. I felt like I was in the gallery at Cypress Point that incredible day in 1956.

One Of This Year's Two Essential Golf Books, May 22, 2008
Two recent golf books stand out above all others: The Match and Fairway to Hell: Around the World in 18 Holes, which is far and way the most hilarious and insightful. I looked forward to The Match because I had heard it takes place at Cypress Point and I've always dreamed of playing that course, so it was a treat to walk and play it with some of the greatest golfers of all time. In case you haven't heard, the centerpiece of this story is a casual best ball match play round between Ben Hogan and Bryron Nelson (representing the pros) and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward (representing the amateurs). The time is 1956 and Venturi and Ward are the last of the gentleman amateurs playing at the highest levels of the game. The event is precipitated by a bet instigated by none other than Eddie Lowery, the pint-sized ten-year old caddie from "Greatest Game" who has (believe it or not) become a millionaire California car dealer. This connection to the earlier book is more than a coincidence and Lowery becomes more important to the story than one might expect. The Match is required reading for any serious golfer. On one level learning more about the life story and personality of these great players as well as that of Cypress Point and the Crosby Clambake are quintessential elements of the glory of golf in America. As before, Mark Frost does an amazing job illuminating this background (including a great recounting of the famous Hogan comeback after his accident.)

That guy Frost can Write!!!, March 17, 2008
Mark Frost is to golf writing what Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward were to golf....

Some golf books you read and pass along to your friends. Some you keep. This is a Keeper of the first order. Your friends can buy their own...

As with his earlier golf books, "The Grand Slam" and "The Greatest Game Ever Played," Frost can tell a story, a story of people, personalities, a story of drama on and off the golf course, and he brings it all to together in such a warm, affectionate--sometimes critical, but always honest and objective--way that you, the reader, feel you know these people. You care about them. You feel their joy, their pain, their hopes, their dreams and their heartache. You pull for them.

Like the old CBS Televison series, "You Are There," Frost takes you "there", in this case to one of the greatest and most unusual matches ever played, and you, if not in body, then certainly in mind and spirit, are "there"

Great writer, great golfers and a great story makes for a great read which this book is.

One question, however. Given the antipathy Hogan felt for Nelson as their careers diverged--Nelson, once his best friend was not even invited to Hogan's by-invitation funeral--why did Hogan so readily agree to play the match with Nelson as his partner against Venturi and Ward?

If you know the answer or have an opinion, post it as a comment to this review...As Dan Jenkins would say, "Fairways and Greens...Fairways and Greens..." Keep hitting the fairways and the greens...and life will be good....

Fabulous book from the history of golf, November 28, 2007
I had heard about the famous 4-ball match between Hogan, Nelson, Venturi, and Ward for many years, odds and ends from different sources. Obviously, the detail in this book is unsurpassed. This is an absolute must-read for the golf enthusiast. Most golf fans have a fairly thorough knowledge of Ben Hogan, Byron Nelso, and Ken Venturi. However, Harvie Ward has remained a relative name-figure only in golf lore to many, especially those under the age of 40. As can be deduced from the book, he, too, was a fabulous player, and quite a character. Putting all four stories in one concise read is great, and the recounting of the match, hole-by-hole, is thrilling. Knowing the history of the game is very important to the serious golfer. The scores and the winners are not just numbers and names, but living documents to be discussed over and over with fellow golfers. Such conversations can almost make one feel like the event is being replayed in the present, and this book is no exception. Read it once, and you will definitely want to re-read it for sheer enjoyment. You will be very pleased with your purchase.

The Match, April 24, 2009
"The Match" is my favorite book EVER on golf. If you are a golfer over the age of 55, I think you will feel the same way. If you are a younger golfer, you still will love it. If you don't play or have an appreciation for the game, I don't know.

Mark Frost is a great writer. He made this non-fiction recount of a historical event in golf an exciting adventure for me and ALL those with whom I have shared it. Thank you Dick for sharing it with me.

Thank you Mark!

Great Book ... if you are golfer you have to read this!!!, December 29, 2007
Great Book by a great writer ... if you are a golfer or you know a golfer you must get this book for them! It's amazing!!! You will be very happy with your choice! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The most challenging, most invigorating holes a golfer can tackle. Playing on a links—which is golf the way it should be played—is every golfer’s dream. But among serious golfers, there is also controversy. What constitutes a true links course? How many of the world’s 30,000 golf courses are links? Which country has the most? Is it possible to build one today? In this beautiful book, George Peper and Malcolm Campbell, two writers who know golf inside and out, answer these questions and provide a concise and entertaining tour of the world’s best links courses. 

After profiling St. Andrews—the links that is the birthplace of the game—and 50 other classic links in the British Isles, the authors visit the courses in other parts of the world. They also examine how links design has become hot again, thanks to a revival of British-style course architecture and the fact that they’re more eco-friendly than traditional courses. Throughout, esteemed golf photographer Iain Lowe’s gorgeous images show the world’s best 246 links in all their glory. ... Read more

Reviews

True Links with fatantic pictures and sharp stories., November 23, 2010
The book is great for a reader interesting in links courses all over the world. It has good pictures and sharp information of each course. It's both a book for course management and as a travel book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition. ... Read more

Reviews

Well worth the time and the price. If more tactics, better, December 6, 2005
Many readers said that it's clumsily written. I really cant agree so. It's a little repetitive especially in the second half of it. However, the author did quote a lot of real life examples including successful players' personal quotes to stress the importance of the mind on performance. The key message had been well delivered, for sure. However, it would be better if he could tell more on the "how" side, as in page 9, "One key to achieving success in sports is learning how to focus on the task and not let negative thoughts intrude. The mind can concentrate on only one thing at a time. So, rather than suppress what you dont want to happen, you must focus on what you do want to happen or on some neutral thought. In working with the placekicers, I use a distraction technique. I ask them to create a word that, when said to themselves, will block out all negative thought and help relieve tension."

Certainly a good read for aspiring athletes, for leisure and for life. Anyway, below please find some copy and paste of my favorite messages for your reference.

Competition is won or lost on the six inch playing field between the ears. Practice the seven C's (Competitive, Confident, Control, Committed, Composure, Courage, Consistency) of mental toughness. Learn to love the competition. Pg 28

It takes years of hard work to become an overnight success. Are you willing to make the committment and pay the price. Pg 69

Learn how to fail successfully. Hate to fail but never fear it. Learn to view failure as feedback. Pg 80

You cant outperform your self image. - Dennis Connor. Pg 81

Discipline means doing what you have to do when you need to do it, whether you want to or not. Pg 95

The more you hurry the later you get. When you find yourself rushing you are no longer in the present. Pace instead of race. Pg 144

The less tension and effort, the faster and more powerful you will be. - Bruce Lee / The way to run faster is with four fifths effort. Just take it nice and easy. - Bud Winters Pg 145

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare to win is vital. - Joe Paterno / Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. - Wayne Gretzky Pg 155

Excellence for all life's pursuits, April 30, 2005
Mind Gym is one of my favorite books to pickup whenever I need a little inspiration and encouragement. While the many stories and quotes are derived from the world of professional athletics, the book is really about creating excellence in one's life with applicability to any pursuit and any profession. The main theme is that once one reaches a certain level of competency, the level he achieves in performance will be determined by how well he learns to utilize his mind. With this, the author takes us on a fascinating tour of the minds of some of the world's greatest coaches and athletes; their successes, their challenges, and the mental tools they employed to succeed. To borrow a line from the book, "it takes years of hard work to become an overnight success", Mind Gym is an excellent coach along the way.

Not well written, rehashes other books., June 21, 2005
I have just about every book on the topic of sports performance.

I've read others that were more impactful and helpful.

Granted, this book is good if you're just looking for some inspiration that might eventually lead you to results. For immediate results to use on one's game, however, this book isn't it!

As another reviewer said, it's clumsily written. For my hard earned money, I'd like something that I can actually use on my game right away.

If you're a couch potato athlete that only watches a game, this book is probably good. My brother-in-law loves it. He's never played a sport in his life, but is a big fan. For competitive athletes who are more interested in RESULTS and can get their cliches from TV announcers, this book isn't for them.

I'd give it one star, but those who've met the guy seem to like him enough to log onto amazon and write a review. Nothing personal, but I can't give this anything like the rating the others did.

Crippled by one jaw-droppingly awful flaw, April 5, 2009
Mind Gym's theories on sports psychology are not all that revolutionary. Any good coach will already understand the author's thoughts on discipline, preparation, confidence, positive imagery, etc.; however, there is substantial value in the dozens of anecdotes and stories from household name athletes. These examples make great talking points when explaining psychological concepts to kids.

So, until I was almost finished with the book, I definitely enjoyed it. That was until the author revealed that he has all of his clients close their eyes and listen to "Hero" by Mariah Carey. Wow - talk about a blow to his credibility.

If you believe you can overcome this horrendous nugget of info, then you will probably like this book. But if you, like me, find this just too much to bare, then don't waste your time.

Gary Mack, October 23, 2002
Gary Mack is the author of the sports psychological book "Mind Gym." I rate this book with 5 stars becuase I feel that it is at the top of its catagory. For the athlete who desires to gain a mental edge over his/her opponent, there is no better book to shed light on that subject. I read this book while I was healing from a broken back and it turned me around about how I thought about my sport of gymnastics. Garys book opened many doors for me in the way I thought about competition, training, and everyday life. I recommend it to every athlete in every sport because the psychological side of sports is often overlooked. Gary does a great job creating motivation, and better yet--sport and life lessons.

A great book from a great author, August 24, 2004
I had the fortune of knowing Gary Mack personally when I was playing for the Arizona State's Sundevils men's tennis, back in the 2000. All I can say is that the book was extremely useful to me, both in tennis and private life. The bottom line that we can all learn from it is that it's really all about attitude.
May Gary rest in peace.

Clumsily written, cliched, but with a great message, July 10, 2003
I had initially planned to give it just a skim, but then could not put it down. It is full of cliches and hoary coaching bromides, and is obsessed with commercial spectator sports; but its overall, can-do message negates any faults.

No depth at all, October 18, 2010
The author starts by stating how important psychology for sports is. It is.
After this promising start, however, we are presented with chapter after chapter of - well, nothing.
He states something obvious like "belive in yourself" and underlines this with some quotes and success stories from profs.
Great. This does not help at all. I already knew that I need confidence to excel.
No "how to", no in depth tipps, nothing usefull at all :-(

Best one for athletes!, October 4, 2007
I have read several books on the mental game in sports and this is by far the best. I work with collegiate and professional athletes and recommend this so often that Gary Mack should send me a commission!!!

The Most Important Part of the Game, February 12, 2002
As the mild winter weather promises an earlier than usual start to the golf and tennis seasons, I am thinking about equipment, exercises, instructional videotapes and maybe a short "spring training" trip to Florida. But at the top of my list this year will be a re-read of a little book by Gary Mack that will have more impact than all of the above preparations combined. I learned from "Mind Gym" that, for most of us, how we approach our games mentally is the greatest key to improvement. It made a dramatic difference for me -- in attitude, enjoyment and score! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The building blocks of winning golf -- from one of the masters of the game.

Ben Hogan, one of the greatest golfers in the history of the sport, believed that any golfer with average coordination can learn to break 80 -- if one applies oneself patiently and intelligently. With the techniques revealed in this classic book, you can learn how to make your game work from tee to green, step-by-step and stroke by stroke.

In each chapter, a different tested fundamental is explained and demonstrated with clear illustrations -- as though Hogan were giving you a personal lesson with the same skill and precision that made him a legend. Whether you're a novice player or an experienced pro, Ben Hogan's Five Lessons is a must-have reference for anyone who knows that fundamentals are where champions begin. ... Read more

Reviews

Timeless Instruction from a Master, July 14, 2000
This excellent teaching device found me at the right time, having mysteriously started struggling with my takeaway and back swing [right elbow flying out at the top!]. I poured through it in a night to search for the secret cure and I found it. I can't believe it took me 18 years of golf to discover this book. This really should be in every beginner's bag, to get his or her mechanics and fundamentals together, as well as any long time golfer who occasionally 'loses' it. It's quite a testament to its staying power to note that there are no reviews of less than five stars for this wonderful manual [my rating will be no different]. Hogan boils down the game to one important aspect, striking the ball. Grip, stance, setup, back swing, downswing are all meticulously verbally described, and then highlighted by amazingly detailed and accurate drawings. Written as a series of SI articles in the 50's, the teaching voice has lost none of its punch over the ensuing years. The gods are in the details, and I noted immediately in the setup section things I was doing to hinder the chain-reaction of his preferred swing. Left foot out a quarter turn, hmm, that's new but makes sense, elbows at hipbone at address, and arms very close to chest to allow the right elbow to fold properly. That's what I needed. His description and the images of the glass / back swing / downswing plane will provide appropriate visual clues during practice. I found his discussion of the waggle and supination of left hand on follow through also quite interesting. I've purchased copies of this for my long-time golfer mother and my girlfriend who's just taking up the game, hopefully they'll enjoy it as much as I did, and we can discuss Hogan's straightforward instruction with a common background understanding.

You Won't Have to Buy Anything Else to Improve Your Golf, September 8, 2000
Forget all the other gimmicks you see on television infomercials; the super drivers, wedges, trouble clubs, fairway woods, videos, swing trainers, etc. Also, don't pay any attention to the lessons presented monthly in the two leading golf magazines. They're often in conflict with each other and give you too many things to think about during the swing. If you really want to improve your golf, buy this book.

Written by one of golf's greatest players and clearest thinkers on the mechanics of the golf swing, this book will, in simple and concise language and wonderfully detailed drawings, improve your game. My belief is, someone who has trouble breaking 100 will be able to get to 90 in short order. Anyone who shoots bogey golf (90) will be able to work him or herself into the low 80's. And if you're like me, in the 7 to 10 handicap range, the book presents a number checks on the grip, stance, and swing plane so that if your game does occasionally go awry, you'll soon be back in the groove. Mr. Hogan was correct. Anyone who is reasonably coordinated and applies the principles detailed in this book, should be able to build a repeating swing and break 80 on a consistant basis.

I had to smile as I read some of the other reviews of this book. Like many of the other reviewers, I too have had to repurchase this book a number of times because of the difficulty in getting the book back from those I've loaned it to. Other than getting a lesson from a top flight teaching pro, this book will do more to improve your game than anything else that's on the market.

The authoritave book on the basics, February 6, 2001
As a kid I took a few lessons from a top notch instructor, and I always found it helpful to think back and swing the way he taught me. Now in my early 40's, after years of infrequent play and bad advice, I lost my game. I read Hogan's book, and realized that it was the Hogan method - grip, stance, everything - that I was taught as a kid. This book was a godsend.

Hogan doesn't just tell you what to do, he explains why. He shows how to make the basic REPEATING swing that can be used with ALL clubs, driver through PW. This makes the game so simple. You can use this book to quickly learn the correct swing, and confidently hit a good shot every time because you know you are doing it the right way. This lets you think less and less about swinging mechanics and more and more about strategy, and the game becomes immensely more pleasurable.

Put this book and a 9 iron by your bedstand, practice as you read it, and you will find youurself hitting with more confidence and consistency after the first chapter.

A MUST HAVE BOOK FOR EVERY GOLFER, March 4, 2001
GET THIS BOOK !!!
Repeat GET IT NOW and it will, without a doubt IMPROVE YOUR GAME and outlook on golf 10 fold! I have had and read this book like a bible over the past 3 months and I will tell you unequivocally, It is simply the best book on what makes a golf swing a TRUE golf swing. I have been a golfer for 20 years and through all the articles I have read, any lessons I have taken, none have come close to breaking down what the mechanics of a golf swing truly are.
This book takes you from the start to a finish of a solid fundamental golf swing. As every individual has their own style, I would recommend once you learn these basics, make your own minor adjustments to suit your own physical limitations due to factors such as flexibility and body size.
Now I have to tell you, I am slow to comprehend and grasp new ideas but once I catch them, if they are indeed true, I embrace and preach upon them like a priest in the church. This book is a true awakening for a golfer and what it takes to make a real golf swing.
The amazing results of this book and what a golfer actually experiences when making a true swing as a result of the study of this book are absolutely astonishing. You should make this book your BIBLE to a great golf swing. The results you see (and feel) will leave you in total awe of how simple a great golf swing is and how easily it can be accomplished.
I endorse this book 100% and promise you will not be disappointed. Indeed you will be delighted and your game will see the dawn of a new day.
5 ***** book. A MUST for every golfer

5 Stars Does Not Do This Book Justice!, February 1, 2000
Quite simply the single most valuable book a golfer looking to begin or master the golf swing can read. I have read the book three times and look forward to the fourth. It is a no nonsense instructional guide with detailed drawings and precise text. It reveals to the reader exactly what is necessary to enjoy the game of golf by mastering the necessary fundamentals of the proper golf swing. A must read for any serious golfer.

Oh man, buy the book!, September 1, 2000
I'm 39 years old. I started golfing 5 weeks ago. Not counting the local par 3 course, I've golfed 18 holes of "real" golf in my whole life. I bought the book. I read the book. I struggled with the book. Today, I was taking practice swings in the back yard, and I learned how to supinate my left wrist. I grabbed my 12-year old and headed to the driving range.

With my $25 driver, and my supinating wrist I hit longer and straighter than ever before. The bad drives carried over 200 yards, and I would have been able to find them on a course. Well over half the balls would have been in the fairway. The long ones were high and carried close to 250 yards. My three wood shots were towering, and landed softly around 200 yards.

I can't do it yet, but making a deliberate, controlled fade or draw now makes sense to me. I know how I'll do it someday, when I'm ready for that part of the game. I can't do it yet but taking a divot with my irons now makes sense, too. All in good time.

Buy the book, read the book, contemplate the book. But most of all, SUPINATE!

Simply the Best., August 6, 2002
When I took up the game about ten years back, a co-worker (and single-digit handicapper) told me "Get Hogan's Five Fundamentals. It will tell you all you'll ever need to know about striking a golf ball." As time passed and my game improved, those words rung truer with each passing season. I've spent hundreds of dollars on other books but I keep coming back to this little treasure. My paperback copy is literally starting to fall apart from multiple re-readings. The first time I read through the book, the only things I took from it were how to properly grip the club and that awesome image of the pane of glass defining the swing plane (accurate or not...). The later chapters just went over my head at the time. As I worked on my game however a funny thing happened. One by one I would make "breakthroughs" only to find them staring back at me from the pages of Hogan's book. The comment about this book being laden with hidden gems is right on the money. It seems like every time I read it, I pick up another subtle insight.

I've heard the criticism that if this was such a great book, you wouldn't have to read it ten times to get the meaning. Perhaps there's a kernel of truth in this, but I think the nature of the golf swing makes describing it a monumental challenge indeed. Like most pursuits of substance though, diligent effort will eventually be rewarded. Talking with accomplished golfers, I'm simply amazed at the number of different benefits people have derived from this book. For me, the best single piece of advice was to start a practice journal. Over several years this allowed me to boil a million different ideas about putting down into my own very personal set of putting fundamentals. This ridiculously simple set of rules has stood the test of time, serving me well for a number of years now. I've since tried to bring the same methodical approach the other areas of my game. So my advice is get your hands on a copy of this book and be ready to invest yourself in it. Give it some time to work and check back periodically. Soon you'll be hitting those "shots with real character" Mr. Hogan and Mr. Wind speak so eloquently of.

Great Book, December 28, 1999
Every literate golfer should be required to have a copy of this book in his/her library. This is a great book. Ironically, not really so much for the golf instruction. Rather more for the insight into the mind of the great Ben Hogan and his masterful inspiration for the great game of golf. It remains an inspiration to me. The man was something special and unique and he somehow captured it in this strange little book. The illustrations by Ravelli are beautiful art.

I would say the section on the grip is the best. Every beginning amateur could profit from these simple concepts and benefit for the rest of their golfing carreer. The next time you are on the course, keep a mental tally of the really excellent golf grips that you observe. Then go back and re-read Hogan's chapter on the golf grip. You may begin to appreciate the game in a new light.

Simply Amazing----What a Joy to Read!, January 25, 2001
I was a little skeptical about buying a book to help my golf game, but like all golfers, if it will help, I'll try it! I read the book in about 3 days and truly felt like Ben Hogan himself had been there taking me throught the motions of the golf swing. He breaks every movement down to a form that is easy to understand and apply. The way he presents himself gave me a sense of confidence that I could improve my game if I just followed his 5 basic principles. I am hitting longer straighter shots and for the first time I can hit my driver with minimal or zero slice.......Thank you Ben Hogan!

Hogan Teaches a SYSTEM, August 16, 2005
I have been playing golf for many years and have been very fortunate to learn from great teachers and golfers. I have spent a ridiculous amount of time practicing and studying this crazy game. My career round is a 73. I learned a high hands, long swing with a draw which had become a pull hook. I almost quit the game because of inconsistency. My wife bought me the Five Fundamentals at a garage sale and I never read it because I thought that the book only applied to Hogan. I was WRONG!
What Hogan teaches in this book is an entire system. You can not take any one thing out of it and mix it with the two-plane swing. The grip, set-up and basic move away and back through the ball, as described in this book, are all designed to facilitate a rotary swing with low hands and minimal lateral movement. If you want to learn a LOT about the golf swing, take this book and do EXACTLY what it says on the driving range for the next two or three times you go hit balls. This book teaches a swing that is entirely around and close to the body, It is very much like swinging a baseball bat. It allows you to have predictable lower body action and most importantly, it allows you stop thinking about your hands and arms. How many books are there about the intracacies of swinging a bat? Not nearly as many as golf. All you have to do is swing the club like a bat and have a set-up that allows for a longer flat spot at the bottom of the swing and you will be more consistent than swinging around then up and then back down with the hands and arms. People really misunderstand what this book teaches mostly because they think that Hogan just switched to a neutral grip to cure a hook. The elements and techniques in the book are all basic fundamentals which build a rounded, one plane swing. If you want to have a standard, hands and arm swing with some body thrown in, then read Harvey Penick(he was a GENIUS) and do the things that he teaches. If you want to have a system where you hit the ball predictably, do EXACTLY what this book says. Hogan did not teach the classic high hands, two plane, arc driven swing. This includes the stance and ball position along with the left hand and arm starting the swing. IT WORKS and is so SIMPLE and saved my game. Trust your arms to swing behind and around you and the set up, and marvel at what a genius Hogan really was. It's a different swing than most instructors teach. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Vijay Singh, Masters and PGA Champion, says, "ZEN GOLF is the bestbook there is for connecting golf and the mind together. It's foreveryone, and you're going to enjoy it. I keep it in my golf bag andtake it with me everywhere." Charles Howell III says, "The techniquesin ZEN GOLF for working with negative thoughts are better than anyother psychological approach." In chapters such as "Never Keep MoreThan a Hundred Thoughts in Your Mind During Your Swing", "Isn't WhereYou Have to Play It From Punishment Enough?" and "How to Enjoy a BadRound of Golf", the Dr. Joe Parent, a PGA TOUR Instructor, guidesgolfers with simple yet powerful techniques to prepare for, execute,and, equally important, respond to the results of any golf shot. Theauthor draws on his teaching experience and sense of humor to offerspecial methods that have led to amazing improvements in the games ofprofessionals and amateurs alike. By applying classic insights andstories from the Buddhist tradition to the challenges of golf, ZENGOLF shows you how to make your mind an ally instead of an enemy: howto stay calm, clear the interference that leads to poor shots, andeliminate bad habits and mental mistakes.Clear, concise, and enlightening, this book introduces a uniqueperspective combining modern psychology, Buddhist wisdom andprofessional golf instruction. Zen Golf shapes ancient philosophiesinto new teachings, leading golfers to the effortless focus andunconditional confidence of being in "the zone." ... Read more

Reviews

The Point, October 8, 2002
What's the point of golf? What are we trying to achieve while we're out there? Simply put, the point is to get the ball in the cup as quickly as possible and enjoy the process. I played a round early this summer, had an awful time, came off the course stressed and feeling bad about my behavior. I was literally hyperventalating over putts. Turns out I scored well. So something was amiss, right? This book has me enjoying the game again. Zen Golf is not a deep and difficult treatise of the deeper meaning of life and golf. It is closer to an instruction manual on how to play better golf and enjoy the game more. It addresses concepts like trust, confidence and positive thinking. I now enjoy those 3-iron punch shots out of the trees. I'm learning to enjoy those 5-footers. Every shot is an opportunity and there's no need for fear or negativity. My "evil caddie" seldom comes around, and when he does, I know what to do. This is simply the best golf book I've ever read.

get your mind out of the way of your golf game, June 3, 2002
The one time I had a perfect (for me) round of golf I noticed that the game seemed extremely simple. The rest of the time, I wonder how it can be so complicated to try and reproduce that simplicity. Zen golf gets to the root of this and offers a path there, and the opportunity to have that round at any time.
Joseph Parent's advice applies to all levels of golfers and is a guide to consistent and reproduceable results. It is one of those rare books on golf that doesn't fill your head with things to consider while you play, it does the opposite by showing you how to clear your head and in doing so clear away the obstacles that prevent us and our bodies from naturally performing the way we are capable of. I expect that the short time it took me to read this book will have a long-lasting effect on the way I will play golf from now on, and I am in the process of reading it for a second time.

Why you should buy this book!, August 14, 2002
As an avid, yet struggling golfer I was ready for just about anything that could improve my game, including a lobotomy. Zen Golf was not only straight forward, but incredibly useful. Shortly after reading the book, I went out and "trusting" my swing not only hit a lot of great shots, but actually began having fun again. I enjoyed myself so much that I scheduled a full day lesson with Dr. Parent. Talk about a book brought to life. He was wonderful. Not only was he full of insight and stress relieving approaches, but he was really fun to play with. In the last year or so, I have been shooting a lot of 80's and even some 90's. Employing Dr. Parent's concepts I shot 77 AND had a fun time. I don't dread golf anymore. I highly recommend the book to every golfer looking to play to their full potential and take the hernia out of the game. For those luckier still, I recommend a lesson with Dr. Parent. If you are struggling with your game, either take up tennis or get this book.

Yes!!! This book helps your mind when you are on the course., May 28, 2002
I bought this book because it had a quote from V J Singh on the cover. Singh endorses this book. Singh has been concentrating on the mental side of the golf game. For the amateur golfer, the first thing to do is groove a swing, and develop short-game skills. After that, there are dozens of sports psychology books waiting for you. I have read about 10 of them, and most of them gave me the same feeling, as if I was reading the same thing over and over. This book was a bit different. I felt that the tips were very basic, but a couple of them have really helped me on the course. They have probably helped me more than anything else that I have read. I would say that there were about 6 very good tips/thoughts in this book. And probably 2 of them will stay with me for the rest of my life.
One lesson helps you for when you hit a bad shot. Usually, I would get upset, and my mood probably wouldn't get better until the next time I hit a really nice shot. This book teaches you a very simple method which has helped me to not get upset on the course.
One note: to be honest, I don't think that the book has directly helped me hit the ball closer to the pin, or to play smarter. However, it has helped me enjoy each shot more, and I definitely do not get upset on the course, anymore.

Reviews by Nan Kilar and Bobby Miller, March 28, 2006
When I worked as the golf professional on Holland America's ms Westerdam, I told our guests that I saw the game of golf as four-dimensional: attitude, set-up, swing and course management. And I don't care if you are a tour player or a beginner, the very first thing that you take out of your bag had better be a good attitude, or you lose.

In "Zen Golf", Dr. Parent takes the game a giant step forward. He suggests that you never do or say anything on the golf course that you wouldn't do in front of your five year old daughter. What on earth does this have to do with improving your swing and game in general? Everything! Since I'm a golf instructor, not a preacher or counselor, I'll not even try to outline the many physical and mental keys that are presented in this book that'll help your game and home life after the game. I'll just say, "Buy it!"

Playing lessons, July 2, 2002
Finally, after reading hundreds of books and attending numerous golf schools, I have found instruction on how to manage my golf game and play with the game I have. Dr. Parents "Zen Golf" is a guide to the meditative aspects of golf, in fact he offers step by step instuction to begin meditation and work it into your golf game. Anyone who has ever meditated and played golf sees golf as "meditation in action": What's Tiger Woods advantage over the field of PGA golfers? Mind control he has gained trough years of meditation practice guided by his mother (from Thailand). Dr. Parents shows us how to "be" on the golf course to increase enjoyment and lower scores, but more importantly to play with honor and dignity regardless of the outcome that day.

For golf and beyond..., October 26, 2006
I really enjoyed reading Dr. Parent's book. It's quick reading, but not lightweight if you take the time to consider the lessons in the words. I'm a relative newcomer to golf and I think I have done well to improve my game in each of the four years I've been playing. A big part of this has been my outlook on the game and the ability to manage the inevitable bad shots that come as a starting golfer.

The lessons presented in this book are great for golf, but they can also be applied to other areas of life. If you don't worry about the results, but are mentally prepared to handle the outcome then you are a leg up on most people. Worry can be crippling on or off the golf course. (Note: this does not mean that you don't care about the results. There's a big difference in not worrying and not caring.)

I've read books by both Dr. Parent and Dr. Bob Rotella. Although both focus on the mental aspect of the game, I find the Zen Golf by Dr. Parent to be more practical. He gives specific examples and exercises that you can perform to make the Zen discipline a part of your practice and your game. That's not to knock Dr. Rotella - I've gotten good use of his books, too. I just find the Zen Golf to be a little more guided in helping you to seek the mental clarity that golf demands.

Zen Golf - The Best Book on Golf I have read, November 3, 2006
I've played golf for 40 years and have had a 10 hcp for most of that time. This book is the best I've seen. I think most golfers would agree that the game is 80 to 90 percent mental, and this book addresses that 80-90%. It almost totally ignores the physical aspects, which might bother some golfers, but my results have been have been amazing. My scores for the last 2 months have been in the low 70's. I don't even think about the mechanics of the swing anymore. The principles are very easy to understand and implement. I would recommend this book for any level of golfer.

Once Is NOT enough!, March 30, 2004
I read Zen Golf and immediately thought that this was THE best book on how to improve your golf game and how you enjoy it. The book is NOT how to create the perfect golf swing. It is all about the mental side of the game and how you can improve your results by improving the way you think. Shortly after reading the book, I realized that reading it only once and expecting to achieve the intended results was simply not enough. The book must be read multiple times, use a hi-liter to mark the passages you want to improve on. There are so many wonderful mental suggestions that it is almost impossible to pick them all up the first time you read the book. I thought so much of the book, I purchased the book on CDs. I have read the book three times and listened to the CD's twice and will continue to read and listen until I have a clear picture of exactly what I want to accomplish. Since I only play on weekends, the time between rounds/practice tends to dull the lessons learned if you read it only once. Once is simply not enough! I know of no other book on golf I would recommend more. The principles also apply to life in general and sales specifically. The similarities between golf and sales are incredible!

Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game, August 3, 2005
Joseph Parent truly succeeds in integrating what he has learned from his Zen teachers and teachings with one's round of golf. His book is a must for all golfers, beginners and experts alike, duffers and long hitters. Points that Parent makes including breathing, putting beyond the cup, and not hitting "anyways shots" will truly improve one's round of golf. It will also impact a reader's attitude toward hitting the ball... from approach to follow-through, from driving to putting. Zen Golf is a great book and the unabridged book on CD is a must for travelers. The book has my highest recommendation. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ready for your tee time? Written by the editors of America's #1 golf magazine, 365 Golf Holes is the bestselling golf calendar—bringing to your desktop the beauty and challenge that lovers of the game can't resist. Play the 11th at Cruden Bay, a Scottish gem where the sea is never far from the golf. The 13th at Whisper Rock, an Arizona course so well designed that PGA Tour pros become club members. And the 4th at Sun City in South Africa—a par 3 where an alligator pit is a hazard. Includes Weekend Reminders, course history, lore, and quotes: "I'd take a green skirt" (Michelle Wie, describing her recurring dream in which she wins the Masters but turns down the champion's jacket).
... Read more

Editorial Review

Much has been written about the putter (both the instrument and the one wielding it), but never like what you'll find in The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever!, your ultimate guide to learning how to read putts and stroke them consistently into the hole. In this fourth installment of best-selling lesson manuals, Golf Magazine assembles and all-star cast of putting experts-who teach a combined 200+ Tour professionals-to help you eliminate the fear and doubt you have about your putting game, and replace it with new, proven ways to make the putts you should (and a few that you shouldn't). The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever! covers every aspect of rolling the ball into the cup in never-before-seen detail, with research to back up every lesson and hundreds of full-color photographs that make the tips easy to follow, learn and repeat on the course. ... Read more

Reviews

LOVE this book!, October 20, 2010
This book is great! I bought it online and was enjoying it until my father-in-law "borrowed" it! haha
I had to go back and by two more! Another one for me and one for my Dad! This is a must buy! Great photos too!

Must read if yoiu want to be a great putter, October 12, 2010
OK, so I'm biased because I'm an Edel putter fitter and an AimPoint instructor, but who better to write a review. I've sold hundreds of custom fitted putters and trained hundreds of AimPoint students and I can categorically state that to be a good putter you need to be able to aim your putter, start the ball on the correct line at the right speed and read the green.
So Chapter 1 and Chapter 6 are required reading. The other Chapters provide some interesting information which are more in the area of personal preference but the effects of correct aim and correct green reading are scientifically proven to improve your putting.
It's interesting to note that 4 Chapters are written by AimPoint instructors and 3 are written by Edel putter fitters. The overlap of knowledge is critical in much the same way as golf swing instruction and club fitting go hand in hand.
My personal experience - an Edel putter knocked 2 strokes off my game, AimPoint has knocked at least 3 more. I used to average 32-33 putts per round, this year it's a hair over 29.

Ultimate Putting Book, October 12, 2010
This book has everything you need to become a great putter, it is revolutionary. You cannot find this information anywhere else. The book is genius. David Edel gives you a great understanding on how to find the right putter for you. Edel helps you understand why certain putter designs will help you aim the putter while others actually distort your ability to aim, forcing you to make in stroke compensations. Dr Wright shows you how to find your stance, Mike Adams gives you the recipe for calibrating your putting strokes plus an awesome way to find your set up determined by your perfect putter. Maggie Will, Stan Utley and Scott Munroe give you the fundamentals for your ideal putter type. Finally someone helps you understand the difference between putters and the strokes that match them. Mark Sweeney gives a system of taking the guess work out of reading greens. He is genius. He takes green reading from voodoo to YOU DO, a scientific system that works every time. Mike Shannon's insight into linear vs nonlinear will clear things up for you, assisting you in how each person sees the line. Dr Farnsworth gives you a plan of how to practice and get better. This is the first Putting book that actually guides to become a great putter, a road map to success. The amazing thing it is written like it comes from one voice as these experts compliment each proceeding chapter.

The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever, October 16, 2010
Wow, GOLF Magazine finally got it right. Unlike the previous books of tips this one actually has useful information to make people better. As a golf professional, I recommend this book to all my members as all are looking to make more putts. This book has been an asset to my teaching ability as well. I have become a better teacher and more knowledgeable in all facets of putting. Regardless of ability, this book will help you make more putts. It will even help you find better equipment.

Mike Adams drills on how to find if you need a toe-weighted or face balanced putter actually works! His calibration system, is simple and effective for all levels... and this works too! You can improve greatly just by reading this chapter. Mike's segment will direct you to the proper putting instruction for your putter and stroke type.

Whether you are in need of a long putter (Scott Munroe), arc stroke (Stan Utley) or face balanced putter that uses a rail stroke (Maggie Will) your putting needs will be met in this complete putting book.
David Edel's putter fitting system is second to none and used by many tour players and amateurs alike. Keep in mind, amateurs need a putter that fits as much as the tour player!

Mark Sweeney's chapter on green reading is pure genius, you'll never look at a green the same ever again! You'll never miss-read a putt either. Mike Shannon gives a great understanding on whether you are a linear or non-linear player. This alone will make you re-think the way you putt and look at a putt. Craig Farnsworth's section on how to practice will give you direction and David Wright will get your body in the proper stance. Marius Filmalter's intense research could have been directed toward what makes the best putters in the world great rather than the yips. However, his research is accurate and will be helpful to you "yippers".

All told, the foremost instructors in the world of golf will make you putt better. Bravo GOLF Magazine!

Great Information! Well written., October 12, 2010
I highly recommend this book to any golfer who is serious about lowering their scores. The book combines numerous expert sections and covers all aspects of putting (including some that haven't been explored outside this book). I was especially impressed with the chapters by Mike Adams, Mark Sweeney, and Dr. Craig Farnsworth. In Mike Adams' chapter he discusses calibrating your putting stroke to match your natural rhythm and tempo. He also gives different setup techniques based on your preference of putter. Mark Sweeney's chapter involves the demystifying of green reading. He shows that each green can be broken down to discover the break just by using your feet and an easy to understand chart. Craig Farnsworth gives many useful practice tips and explains how to use your eyes to aid in alignment and distance control. The book has a very nice continuity to it and each chapter seemed to compliment the next. The only chapter that didn't quite seem to fit was the final chapter about the yips and performance failure. Overall a great tool to improve your putting and I believe it will help my game.

Worthless, save your money, October 27, 2010
Each chapter was written by a different person, some very obviously promoting their own self interests. I found some chapters incomprehensible and others totally worthless. One chapter on putting technique totally contradicted the material in the previous chapter. All in all, I ended up more confused than ever after reading the book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Golfers and non-golfers alike will be moved by the powerful transformation that takes place in Golf's Sacred Journey. 'Read it. Devour it. Keep it as a reference book. You'll be glad you did. Golf's Sacred Journey is a remarkable and encouraging story with an entirely different approach on how to succeed in your golf game.'---Zig Ziglar, leading motivational expert and bestselling author'This book is full of wisdom that will enhance your game and I believe it just may change your life.'---David Robinson, NBA MVP, 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist, Two Time World Champion'A truly thought provoking and straight-forward story that prompts you to close it up on occasion and say, 'I got it!''---Terry W. Darrow, Amazon review, 10/17/08This book is about influence. The story is based on thousands of athletes the author has counseled, and the great mentors and teachers from whom he has learned, told through thelives of two characters---a rancher with a passion for teaching truth and a young golf professional at the end of his rope.They represent each of us in the various stages of growth. In life we must be willing to coach and be coached, for either one alone will leave us empty. ... Read more

Reviews

See it, feel it, trust it, December 7, 2007
This is my all time favorite book about golf - and life! I have read this book numerous times, and have recently shared it with my two children ages 8 and 12 who are junior golfers. On the surface, Golf's Sacred Journey is a story of an aspiring golfer dealing with the insecurities, frustrations, and failures of trying to make it as a professional golfer. But the deeper message in the book is how we travel through life, and how we touch others is the true measure of success. You can tell the true character of a person more by how they deal with adversity, challenges and failures, than by their golf score.

Each chapter is a lesson about life, and Dr. Cook uses the metaphor of golf to clearly illustrate how our decisions and convictions have brought us to the place we now reside. Patience, humility, forgiveness, and love will help us all to have a rich and rewarding life, and will also help us with our golf games. Plan and visualize your life's journey, practice patience and balance, and hold on to truth and tradition and you will live your greatest dreams.

See it, feel it, trust it!

Best reading in years, August 11, 2008
I don't give myself much time to sit and read books, even though I am currently reading three books and haven't finished any of them. When I received this one, I honestly couldn't put it down. Golf's Sacred Journey is so much more than a book of golf. It is a motivational book on life. I have taken some of the lessons that are mentioned in the book to my own personal life and has helped me deal with tough situations. It has also helped my game during the times that I used to get frusturated after a few bad shots, to get back up top and control my game (not someone else's).

This Book Is A Life Changer, September 27, 2007
I've loved reading from a very youg age. I'm now 60 years old. I have read comic books, text books, even read most of the World Book Encyclopedia one summer while I was in junior high. I have read junk and some of the classics. I have read self-help books and most of all, I have read much of the Bible, but I have never read a book that has made such an impact on my life as Golf's Sacred Journey. (And it even helped my golf game.)

Links of Utopia, June 4, 2009
One of the best books I have read in a long time. It not only covers the mental aspect of golf, it has a story line that many golfers have gone through. Then, it points you toward what truly is important in life. I thought enough of it that I bought 12 books to give to friends. I probably will buy more.

Golf's Sacred Journey, October 17, 2009
This is quick read about 155 pages long. This is a good story. You won't be able to put it down. A good gift to any golfers that you know.

Golf's Scared Journey: Seven Days at the LInks of Utopia, March 5, 2009
Being a struggling golfer, which caused me to be interested in this book I enjoyed it very much. The book deals with the emotional aspect of the game and nails the feelings one goes through. The author paints some wonderful pictures and I had a hard time putting this book down. The ending of the book was excellent.

Comment from a "mental-game specialist" - Ph.D., March 20, 2009
I hope some day I get to meet Dr. Cook and shake his hand. I had started writing a mental-game for golf book with life-perspective undertones, but have now officially stopped. All I need to do is point people to this book. All I have to say is WOW! This is not only my favorite mental-game book about golf, it is my favorite sporting book period! I will not be surprised to hear if it ultimately sells 10 million or more copies. This book is simply priceless. Dr. Cook hits on all of the major sport psych. strategies in golf in the most fascinating and engaging way. For four days I didn't want to put it down, and didn't want the story to end when I finished it. For the record, I'm a "mental-game specialist" myself, and am simply amazed at this product. Aside from the Good Book, I've never been blown away by a story with as many life and skill lessons as this one. It may be the greatest sporting book ever written!
- Derek de la Pena, Ph.D.

Greatest Golf Book Ever, May 15, 2007
I have read a number of golf psychology books. This is by far the best. I would recommend it to my golfing buddies, but I don't want them to learn the lessons of this book. I need the income from our $2 bets.

Excellent book about golf, life, and Truth, December 23, 2009
David Cook is a fantastic writer and draws the reader in with the characters and principles found in this book. It is so much more than a great golf book.

Incredible Book, November 11, 2009
What a tremendous book about Golf and Faith. In the story Dr. Cook does an incredible job of getting us inside the head of an unnamed tour pro who is struggling to find his game. With the help of Johnny, he finds a lot more. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Have you ever wondered why the average handicap on the USGA has barely improved in the last 20 years? The answer is very simple:

a) The Golf Swing is very difficult to understand and to perform.

b) The average weekend golfer would love to improve but doesn´t have the time or the interest to spend long hours practicing.

After studying the golf swing for over 25 years, JF Tamayo has developed a revolutionary method proved for the weekend golfer of any level to significantly improve distance and accuracy from day one, based on three main principles:

1) FOCUS ON CHANGES THAT MOST POSITIVELY AFFECT RESULTS: Opposite to the traditional methods, this book will only ask you to make changes in the most relevant parts of the swing needed to hit solid and consistent shots: the backswing and the transition between the backswing and the downswing.

2) LEARN HOW TO DEVELOP AN EASY, REPEATABLE AND SOLID BACKSWING: One of the biggest breakthroughs of the method was the development of a unique and much easier way to consistently make a solidly sound backswing that will look similar to the new Tiger Wood´s one plane backswing but much simpler to learn, to do and to repeat.

3) LEARN HOW TO CREATE LAG: Being able to increase lag during the downswing is one of the major differences between the amateur's golf swing versus a professional's and probably one of the most misunderstood concepts of golf. In this book you will easily learn how to lag the club like the pros, dramatically improving your clubhead speed, ball striking ability and distance.

This incredible and simple method will instantly take your game to a higher level while you will be helping others since 50% of the profits obtained from this project will be donated to charity.

Authors: J. F. Tamayo - 143 Photographs by J. Jaeckel ... Read more

Reviews

Astounding Results, May 10, 2010
When I first read "Finally: The Golf Swing's Simple Secret" I was a little skeptical. I have been playing golf for 50 years to a handicap that, for the last 30 or so years ranged from 11 to a low of 6. My short game has been, in my estimation, the strongest part of my game. I could never count on hitting the fairway or the green due to sometimes repeating flaws in my long game. When my putting went south on any given day (who hasn't been there at one time or another) the increased pressure on my already suspect long game often resulted in disaster and breaking 90 became a challenge.

I read the book and then re-read the passages on the swing and "lag"..then I went out and played...all I can say is OMG. The new problem I have now is that I have to go to the range and find out my new distances to keep from going over the green. The results, in both distance and accuracy, are amazing. The sound my clubs make when I make continual solid hits is music to my ears....what used to be a rare "solid" hit is now becoming commonplace.

I have a Kindle and the price for a download is amazingly cheap for the results I am achieving. This, by the way, is the FIRST time I have ever written a recommendation on the Amazon site.

The Book's Title Says it All!, March 14, 2010
I'm your typical weekend hack. I paly about once a week, struggle to break 100. and usually slice my drives into the adjoining fairway.

I bought this book (the Kindle version) on a lark. It was offered for only $0.99 - I figured it was worth a try. I bought Friday night, read it quickly, and practiced only a few of the drills in the mirror (without a club) before my Saturday morning round.

Everything was different during that round. I followed the setup and backswing instructions listed by Tamayo and my game changed instantly. I was hitting the ball cleanly and my power slice turned into a very gentle fade. I was hitting most fairways and many greens in regulation. I had 9 pars on the day and scored an 83! Up to this point, my low round was somewhere in the low-nineties.

What a difference. It was definitely the best golf advice I've ever received. If you're struggling with your game, buy a copy of the book -- you won't regret it.

Fantastic!, August 14, 2010
I have been playing golf for 40 years, since I was 10 years old. Recently turning 50, I have had more frustrations lately than I can deal with. I've gone from an 8 handicap to a 13 handicap, and thought about giving up the game. But since I am in the golf business, that would be difficult to do. I have read literally dozens of golf books, and spent thousands on lessons.

I just finished this fantastic book in less than 24 hours, and I know this is the answer. I haven't even practiced the drills, but I know that this is how the pro's and good players swing the golf club. And I also know before hitting one golf ball that this will change my life.

Kudo's to the author, great read, easy read, and without question the best instructional book with no bs I've ever read. And I do not write reviews. But I felt honored to write this one, as I would like to see like the author, more copies sold, as 50% of the sales will go to charities.

I will review a 2nd time after I've had time to take the lessons onto the course. I can't wait.

I honestly believe I have found it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible is the first book in a four-book series, The Dave Pelz Scoring Game Series.The next volume in the series will be Dave Pelz's Putting Bible.

"He who rules the short game collects the gold."
--Dave Pelz's Golden Rule of Golf

Fed up with trying to imitate the pros, buying the latest expensive equipment, and seeing your handicap stay the same? The first book by bestselling author and internationally revered golf instructor Dave Pelz since Putt Like the Pros, his bestselling classic, Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible can show you the way to lower scores by improving your short game. The result of decades of scientific research studying thousands of golfers, Dave's philosophy is as simple as it is revolutionary and groundbreaking: Instead of practicing the wrong things the right way, or the right things the wrong way, Pelz shows you how to find your own personal weaknesses and how to improve them to efficiently lower your scores. Packed with all the knowledge, charts, and photos needed to learn from the master, Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible is the essential book for every golfer who's looking to improve his or her game.

Dave's approach to golf is easy to understand: 80 percent of the strokes golfers lose to par are determined by their play within 100 yards of the green--the crucial scoring game. The most important and yet the least focused-on aspect of golf, your short game, can indeed make or break your entire game. And nobody teaches the short game like Dave Pelz. His renowned golf schools and clinics focus exclusively on putting and the short game, attracting top players like Tom Kite, Colin Montgomerie, two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, reigning PGA champion Vijay Singh, Steve Elkington, Payne Stewart, Peter Jacobsen, and many LPGA players including Annika Sorenstam and Liselotte Neumann. The pros know, as you are about to learn, that while others teach golfers how to swing, Dave Pelz teaches golfers how to score . . .and win.

A former physicist for NASA, Dave brings a scientific rigor to his research and instruction that has made him the top short-game expert in the world. Dave has observed and then taught thousands of golfers to improve their ability to score better. The years he has spent studying the short game, including chipping, lobs, pitches, distance wedges, and bunker play, have resulted in an unequaled expertise and a fascinating body of knowledge on golf, with the statistics and data to back it up. In this new book, Dave for the first time shares the understanding and techniques he has taught the pros, including a wide array of innovative tests and exercises for mastering those deceptive and high-pressure shots of the short game.

Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible is an essential book for golfers of all levels. Covering everything golfers need to know to improve their short game, Dave's system can--and will--help you to consistently shoot lower scores. ... Read more

Reviews

More Valuable Information Than I Learned in His Course!, July 20, 2000
I took the Dave Pelz 3 day short-game course a few years ago, and got great benefit from it. As helpful as that was, I found this book to be a big additional assist. It explained the Pelz principles better than the school did, and it also looks like he has learned quite a few things since I took the school. There's a lot to learn about the short game, and it is helpful to have this as a reference. If you don't know if you want to get his videos or attend one of his courses, this is also a good introduction.

I found out about Dave Pelz by accident. I was playing golf one day at La Quinta with a woman who hit one amazing pitch shot after another close to the pin. The rest of her game was below average, so I asked her where she had picked up the pitching game. She told me that she had just finished Dave Pelz's short game school at PGA West and said it had helped her a lot. Remembering that caused me to take the course.

Dave Pelz is the ultimate golf engineer. He measures everything, and that has led to new learning. For example, he has found that 60-65% of all shots occur within 100 yards of the hole. More importantly, "about 80% of the shots golfers lose topar occur within 100 yards." In further measurements, he noticed that the largest errors in missing the target occur with wedges (for amateurs and pros). These misses are usually in distance, rather than left and right variance.

From these observations, Pelz developed a four wedge system with 3 lengths of backswing that will give you much more distance precision with wedges within 100 yards. The reason this important relates to putting. Almost all 2 foot putts are made, but pros only make half of the 10 foot putts (amateurs do worse). Beyond 10 feet, the odds drop way off. This means that if you can get your wedge shot to within 10 feet you have a good chance of finishing the hole in one less stroke.

I still haven't converted to four wedges, but reading the book convinced me that I should. I didn't realize how much scoring I was missing with only 3. I can get the ball to 15 feet most of the time, and then 2 putt. Maybe I'll get that extra wedge today and get a lot closer.

There's a lot of other good information on sand shots, chipping, trouble shots of all kinds (including how to hit the ball out from under water and stay reasonably dry).

You'll need more than this book to really improve though. If you like the book, you should begin doing the drills in the back. I would suggest you also try the videos. If that is all helping, consider the golf school. You will get a lot of individualized diagnosis of your weaknesses and instruction on how to improve. I still refer to the notes I got, and find them helpful. One strength of the book is that it has a measurement exercise in it that you can use to diagnose the weaknesses in your short game, so that you can concentrate on those parts of the book that will help you the most with your practice.

If you are like most golfers, you love to belt the ball. That's great, but I'm sure you've heard the old saying "Drive for show, and putt for dough." This book will add the perspective of the short game as essential to that dough as well. You'll have to give up two long clubs (he makes recommendations) to put those two extra wedges in your bag.

Use this book to overcome your stalled thinking about how to improve your golf game. Despite better equipment and balls and a lot of instruction, the score of the average golfer hasn't improved in the last 30 years. With the Pelz approach that can change.

As much as I liked this book, I liked his new book, Dave Pelz's Putting Bible, even more. I strongly recommend that you read that one as well. You can implement it without attending the Pelz course. These two books are the first two in a planned series of four. I'm looking forward to the rest of them.

Donald Mitchel

Realistic advice for real players, June 10, 2000
As a graduate engineer and another NASA scientist, I can vouch for the science that lies behind Pelz's book, but I'm sure most potential readers know that Pelz is the real thing in that respect. The book itself impressed me in three ways:

1. It isn't written for scientists, just golfers. He provides all the information you need to make your own game better, but avoids the physics that underlie the advice. Pelz saves that level of science for the journals.

2. This is a textbook, not a teaser. After telling you what you should try to achieve with each type of shot, he goes into the greater detail you start wanting as soon as you actually start to practice a technique. Things like how much difference in roll distance you should expect between a lob wedge, a pitching wedge, and a nine iron for the same pitch distance.

Most "tips" sound good, but leave you wondering why they aren't quite working when you get to the course. Pelz starts you out with the basics of each technique and then follows through with the details you need to really use it on a course.

3. He avoids the "genius" techniques that some folks love to describe. His techniques work for people who are not born artists with a club, and even those of us who lack a spare thirty hours a week to practice the short game. (The amazing number of pros who go to his schools testifies to the value of his advice when you actually do have time to practiceThis is scoring golf for the rest of us. I'm not Seve, nor are most people. Pelz describes techniques that are more likely to work than not on any given swing because the physics of the swing are in favor of success.

An Excellent book. It should be in the library of any golfer who ever accepts a two-dollar Nassau.

Pelz has presented us with an instructional masterpiece., June 16, 1999
I have long been a fan of Dave Pelz' teachings. Maybe it is the engineer in me. He has applied scientific inquiry and statistics to the scoring games (chipping and putting) for about 40 years. In this very readable textbook, he presents all of his accumulated knowledge and study of the short game. It is both technical and down to earth. Superbly organized, this book can truely offer new insights to a PGA tour pro or teach a novice the basics of one of the most important games in golf. The teaching technique not only tells you what you must do for each type of shot, but explains WHY you must do it that way, and PROVES why this is so. These explanations make a lasting impression which the reader can carry to the practice tee and the golf course.

This is a must read for every player interested in lower scores. I can't wait until the rest of this 4 book series are in print.

improves short game, terrible to read and weak instructions, December 12, 2004
The Good:

Peltz introduces a smart and easy system of getting to know 3 distinct (or 6 if you include swings where you are gripping down on the shaft) shooting distances for each wedge in you bag. The system is very useful and gives reproducible results on the course, so the book definitely does gives you an edge training wise. I also liked how he by "scientific" analysis found out how to score better and why the short game is so important (and under rated) - very convincing. I found myself measuring off different wedge shots, putting labels with numbers on the shafts of my wedges (and having fun at it) immediately after reading the book.

The bad:

The book itself is however a terrible read. Peltz stated that he had read a book on learning theory at some stage, but I really wished that he had read a book about communication theory before writing this book. He repeats himself over and over and over and... it gets to a point where it is just not any kind of fun. Even some of the illustrations are repeated at least three times in the book. You constantly go either 'I got it I got it I got it - snap out of it!' or you go 'come on Peltz, get to the f..... point'. He also includes long and detailed annecdotes about how he and his tour friends discovered the facts that he now teaches in the book. This might be great if you are into the semi historical perspectives sitting in front of the fireplace with hot chocolate, but if you buy this book as a reference for improving your short game it just distracts you from the essence.
Another thing annoying me is how he sneaks in this feeling of "Trademark-of-Dave-Peltz-golf-school" all the time. F.ex. your swing plane and grip now becomes the "finesse swing plane" and the "finesse grip" for your "finesse swing" as if he invented the concepts of an upright swingplane and a loose grip for the short game.
The teaching of the mechanics of the short game swing was not very clear (at least for me they weren't). I had hoped for something along the lines of "Ben Hogan's five lessons" where you can feel the words in your body right there from the sofa. The pictures are inconsistent with what is being said. F.ex. he writes 'arms, hips and shoulders move back synchronized - no coiling takes place between shoulders and hip in the finesse swing' and the picture shows a 45 degrees hip turn with a 90 degrees shoulder turn :(
The description of the chip shot is also very weak. I now know where to place the ball, but what to do with the arms relative to hips and shoulders is still not clear.

To conclude:

The book will make you focus more on your short game and most likely result in lower scores if you practice was is being said, but the lessons does not justify a whopping 400 pages - not at all! Also the reading experience is very cumbersome.
The 3 stars reflects the fact that you do get some very useful knowledge from reading the book but also that after going through 400 pages of agonizing repetitions there are still some very fundamental issues about the mechanics that are not completely clear.

convert to disciple to apostle, March 28, 2000
This book is a masterpiece. However, be forewarned. "Feel" and "hands" players will be forced to leave their prior comfort zones if they wish to transform their games. Dave Pelz does not corrupt the "fundamentals", (although he does challenge some myths), in developing his system for attacking the short game. Even "feel" players will have fun with Dave's analysis of the impact of each of the "five games" especially the long game on one's score. The Trevino/Miller anecdote is especially revealing. My personal experience has been completely positive. Prior to reading the book and as a single digit amateur, I searched constantly to "perfect" my long game swing.(The short game test at the back of the book, was at once enlightening and humiliating. On some tests, I was no better than a beginner...and I routinely have scored in the low 80's/high 70's for years).

Finally, my short game shots have undergone a dramatic transformation. I now hit quality shots from within 120 yards under a variety of conditions, a majority that stop within one-putt distance. I even "back up" short pitches on occasion, (I don't understand the physics of how, since I am swinging with less force...therefore, should not be imparting as much spin...but it's true). If you are interested in improving your scoring, this book is the only one you need on the short game. It is far and away the most comprehensive ever written, (and I own all the others). Enjoy it.

the complete scoring manual, April 14, 2003
This book is simply the best scoring book that has ever been written. There are so many books on how to swing a golf club. This book explains in mathematical terms how to turn 4 into 3. That is the game of golf!
Until reading this book and taking his scoring test, i had no idea what parts of my short game hurt me most. However pitching chipping and wedging the ball to somewhere between 2 and 10 feet really ensures makeable par savers. Every scratch or better handicapper that i've played with did exactly what pelz talks about. That is, sand shots to 3' with regularity. If you think you can't get any better at golf, this is the book for you. Face the facts, measure your short game and begin to practice your weaknesses.
There are also some chapters that are a little dense. Pelz was a scientist. So i recommend reading the book like text book. Skip around to the revelant chapters and go from there. Leave it on the shelf as a complete reference.
I added the fourth wedge and have found moderate improvements. However, I use my 3iron so rarely that the benefits justify the added club. Plus around 100 yards, being able to swing exact distances is an added bonus. This book is my all time favorite golf book.

Must Have To Lower Scores, April 3, 2000
I have always been a feel player, especially with the short game and thought that Mr. Pelz would be a little too technical with his "Short Game Bible". But after reading his studies and trying his approach to the short game, I have lowered my handicap from a 7 to a 3 in the course of a summer. I have since become a huge fan of Mr. Pelz and I continue to get better and better. I highly recommend this book to golfers of every level of ability.

Peltz Does It Again!, January 20, 2000
Great instructional book for those wanting to shoot in the low 80s or breaking 80 3 out of 4 times. The 3X4 method improved my confidence that I will get the ball close, even when I miss the green. This has the effect of being aggressive with the irons and knowing that you'll still be able to make par. After reading the book, practicing and calibrating my wedges (I now play 5 wedges!), I have brought my handicap index from 13.2 to 8.8 in one month! It took a month to get used to the new grip, swing and the calibration. The improvement in my game and the bets I've won paid for this book 10 times over. Now that's what I got from the book.

Here's what's in it: First, there's lots of data regarding why the short game is important. Data on where golfers miss in the irons vs wedges. There are snipets of humor to emphasize his points. If you want to get the most at the shortest time, jump into the 3X4 system. Read the rest of the book at your own leisure and if statistical data turns you on.

Finally, if putting is your problem, try Peltz' "Putt Like a Pro." That's another must read book for those who can't average less than 31 putts a round.

Required reading for college golf team, June 13, 1999
As a collegiate golf coach, I have made Dave Pelz's book Putt Like the Pros required reading for the members of the team for over 4 years now. IT is real, and it works...The Short Game Bible can be expressed in the same terms. Unlike the pile of golf literature out there written by some big name player and providing advice that, while probably entertaining, will never lower your score...Dave Pelz PROVES it to you. Practicing the techniques in his book, with a practice buddy to make sure your form is correct, just twice a week for an hour...will give you a tremendous confidence boost, and the KNOWLEDGE to lower your score. I have been teaching these Pelz techniques to my team since I took his school with great results...this book just makes it simple and visual. Add another item to your summer reading list boys...Thanks Dave.

Concepts difficult to put into action, September 5, 2002
It's difficult to imagine a more clearly written book than "Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible". It has the look and feel of a college textbook, complete with scientific-style decimal section headings, but it has been written by someone with a genuine interest in your comprehension. One almost expects review questions at the end of each chapter to check your retention. But, it is not a book for the faint of heart. Rather than a collection of short game tips and tricks, Pelz offers an integrated system for hitting short shots precise distances. He directs his narrative toward serious golfers who know and love the value of practice. Others need not apply.

Pelz defines the short game as shots hit from 100 yards out to the edge of the green. He does not include putting (covered in a subsequent book). His method involves learning a "finesse swing", which is different from the power swing, and calibrating it to produce repeatable yardages. His goal is to have you hit your shots inside of 10 feet from the pin, because his research indicates that at that distance the chance of holing your next shot increases drammatically. His methods are based on years of the sort of research one would expect from a scientist, which he is. Many of his conclusions are surprising, but they take as much of the guesswork out of the short game as is humanly possible. With doubt removed, all that is left for the reader to do is practice, practice, practice...

And therein lies the problem, for unless you have a football field-sized back yard, there is nearly nowhere on earth where you can do the kind of practice Pelz recommends. Pelz wants you to learn three variants of his basic wedge swing and use them with four different wedges to produce 12 reliable ball flight distances. To calibrate this system, you have to measure the distance of *every* practice shot. Unfortunately, diving ranges won't let you walk out and measure your shots, and golf courses won't like you peppering their greens with the thousands of practice shots required to master this system. So, buy the book if you'd like the clearest description of the short game imaginable, but don't be surprised if you won't be able to put any of it to work. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ben Hogan is known as the greatest ball striker of all time, and he was also one of the most private. These are the Hogan stories that you've never heard, stories that unlock the mystery to who he was as person.

As a collegiate golfer in the 1980's, Kris Tschetter was fortunate enough to gain membership to the prestigious Shady Oaks Country Club in Texas where Ben Hogan was a member. There was an unwritten rule at the club: Don't bother Mr. Hogan. But 18-year-old Tschetter was unaware of the spell he held over the golf world when she first passed him in the halls of Shady Oaks. Maybe it was Tschetter's work ethic, or maybe it was just her youthful enthusiasm, but Hogan noticed her practicing and offered to help her with her swing. And a unique friendship began.

By the time Tschetter met Mr. Hogan he was in his 70's and although his golf swing hadn't changed, his enthusiasm for the game had waned. The two spent countless hours practicing together on the "little nine" at Shady Oaks, and Tschetter saw a side of Mr. Hogan that few ever knew.While he taught her priceless lessons on golf and life, she helped him recapture his passion for golf by giving him the chance to take the journey all over again.

Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew sets the record straight about this American icon,revealing his humor and sensitivity. It captures the magical connection that sometimes happens in life in a truly beautiful story about an unlikely friendship between two very different people who shared the same passion. ... Read more

Reviews

Just Buy It, November 18, 2010
If you're reading these reviews because you can't decide whether or not to buy it then stop. Just buy it.
If you're a BH fan just buy it. If you're a fan of golf history just buy it.
Finally if you are a BH follower then you know who the people are that were privileged to work with him and Kris is one of 'em.
All kidding aside I am an ardent follower of Mr.Hogan and have read all the books,watched all the video,studied the dvd's and I'm telling you her story is great.
You won't be disappointed.
Just buy it.

Fantastic!, October 21, 2010
This is the best Ben Hogan subject book I have read, and there are some great ones. It adds wonderfully personal insights into his already well chronicled life. It has a warmth that the others were necessarily lacking, perhaps because no one knew Ben Hogan the way Kris Tschetter knew him, except Valerie Hogan and family. For a life so private, this book is almost too revealing, and might have been inappropriate had it been written during Hogan's lifetime. But now it explains his eccentricities in a very human way that lets us all connect with the legacy of this great and misunderstood man, and affirms the humanity that only his closest friends and family knew. I am admittedly biased, as Hogan is one of my all time heroes of any sort, but anybody will find this touching memoir a great read, whether you know anything about Hogan or not.

Mr. Hogan, the Man I Knew, November 13, 2010
This is a definite must-read! For anyone who thought they knew Ben Hogan from the various stories they have heard over the years, they couldn't be any more wrong. Kris Tschetter has written a very heart-warming, at times tear-jerking, sensational book! Only took me 3 days to read it (would've been even quicker but I golfed/practiced some between reads). She really covered the "story behind the story" and allowed us to partake in one of the greatest teachings about human life. Very few had the kind of private interaction with Mr. Hogan most of us could only dream about. This should go down as one of the all-time golf classics ever to be told/written. It was equally impressive how she managed to weave in some of the finest golf lessons all golfers should know without ever losing focus on the real purpose of her book.

Great book, October 25, 2010
I have read several books on Ben Hogan and this was one that really presented a side of him that is different from others. Kris did a great job telling her stories of her time with Mr. Hogan and made me feel like I was part of her experience. This is a must read for anyone who is a Ben Hogan fan.

Should be one of best golf books ever, October 15, 2010
I have always been a kris tschetter fan and have always admired ben hogan. Hogan has frequently been singled out as aloof and i have heard many unfavorable anecdotes about him. This book has set the record straight on many of these anecdotes. While he may have been a somewhat quirky person it was because he was a very private person. Kris has managed to penetrate that veneer and brought out the warm side of him. Their relationship evolved into a grandfather-granddaughter type of relationship. i downloaded this book at 9am and finished it by 4pm the same day. If one starts to read the book, one cannot put it down. One of the top five golf books I have ever read and I have read many of them.

Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew, November 9, 2010
A wonderful human interest story about a wonderful golf icon. Actually, the most enjoyable of the many golf stories I have read. Once I started the book I had to finish it within the day - a great read ! Got a few of these books to use for Christmas presents.

A Wonderful book, October 21, 2010
I'm an avid golfer and have read most good nonfiction golf books. I'm just the right age to have been unable to see Mr. Hogan play, but to have lived with the legacy and the reverence shown by some by authors and fellow competitors. I've read several biographies of Mr. Hogan and if you have you MUST read this to complete the picture of Ben Hogan the man. This is a WONDERFUL book.

Mr. Hogan, The Man I Knew, December 10, 2010
Kris Tschetter has written a fine book about Ben Hogan. She met Mr. Hogan while she was a junior member at a private country club in Fort Worth, Texas. She spent many hours with Mr. Hogan on the practice tee and found him to be, not the cold individual as portrayed by people who did not know him, but a private person who was approachable and helped many people without most of the public knowing of his generosities. Her stories about Mr. Hogan reveal a very human individual.

Mr. Hogan competed in his final US Open in 1966. There was an American soldier stationed in West Germany who sent a handwritten letter to Mr. Hogan wishing him the best of luck in the championship. A few weeks later that soldier received a nice note from Mr. Hogan thanking him for the letter and the warm thoughts. He thanked that soldier for his service to the country. That soldier was me, and I still have that note. So, Kris' storeis of the warmth of her relationship with mr. Hogan was not a surprise to me.

This is a fine book to add to ones collection of Ben Hogan books. He was a very private person but a very giving person as we learn from Kris.

best golf book since Tommy's Honor, December 5, 2010
Kris has given all golf fans a wonderful gift in telling her amazing story. I've read all the Hogan books and learned more about the man in this little book than in all the other "comprehensive" biographies. If you are interested in Ben Hogan this book offers unique insights into the real Mr.Hogan.

Just get it!, December 3, 2010
If you have any interest in Ben Hogan at all, you will regret not getting this book. Fascinating accounts and stories and some excellent golf advice as well. You're sure to well up with a tear 3 or 4 times through the book. I couldn't put it down! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Want simple tips to help smash it past your pals? Want to know how to generate the most power from your swing, put it close with irons, and stop three-putting? GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Teachers combine their knowledge to help you get your game back in shape with their first book, "The Best Instruction Book Ever!"

This book would include the simple, direct and helpful tips that make the YOUR GAME section in GOLF Magazine the most popular part of the magazine. The book will be concentrated into different key areas: Driving, Iron Play, Chipping, Putting, Fault Fixes, Trouble Shots. Stunning photography from the world's best golf instruction photographers would give the book an extra edge in the marketplace as well as three dimensional diagrams which take instruction to a new level.

... Read more

Reviews

The title is true : Tthe BEST instruction book ever..., November 15, 2007
Easy to read, with a lot of pictures and the best is that it has a lot of different teachers wich means different solutions to your flaws.

Very good "book structure" , let me give you its contents :
sec. 1 : preparing to play
sec. 2 : understanding your swing
sec. 3 : you and your driver
sec. 4 : hybrids, woods and long irons
sec. 5 : scoring shots
sec. 6 : your short game
sec. 7 : escaping the sand
sec. 8 : holing out
sec. 9 : trouble shots
sec. 10: flaws and fixes

I hope it will help you as much as me .

The dvd is an extra...mmmmm.... i would say at best 3 stars..

Pulitzer Prize!, November 29, 2007
I think that all books should follow this format. The pictures make the entire learning process easy to follow. The countless points, fixes and corrections from the instructors coupled with the structured approach make reading even for the beginner exciting and informative. I recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in improving the basics of their game and reducing shots on the green. Worth every cent and kudos to the publishers.

The Best Ever, December 23, 2007
I have been a teaching pro for 13-years, and have never seen a more comprehensive golf instruction book. The photography, graphics, charts and graphs are visually effective for all levels of golfers to grasp. "The Best Instruction Book Ever" is the ultimate resource for playing better golf.

T. Baptista
Sacramento, CA

In-Depth and a Great Deal, February 14, 2008
I cant really add a whole lot to what others have said about this book, but I will try.

All in all, this is an outstanding value (under $20) for what you get. This is, afterall, written by some of the Top 100 Golf Teachers in America. After reading through some of the contents I was having issues with in my game, I can honestly say I would still consider this a good deal @ $30- 40. Its just as complete a Game- Improvement book I've ever seen. And the drills they ask you to do arent rediculous. Most of them can be achieved around the house if you have a putting mat and/or hitting net.

I'm 'new' to golf (less than 1 year in) so I can only speak for beginners, but I would be shocked if I'm not referring to this book for the next 10 years. As a bonus, it will help me teach my children the game of golf. I'm really excited about that. I can do all the 'boring' reading (which its actually not boring at all), then take them out to the hitting net and teach the kids what I've learned. Great product.

One of the best, January 30, 2008
This book is not be read from cover to cover as you would a novel. Choose the section that highlights your weakness, and then check out the tips. Everything is laid out in clear pictures.

The tips are good and will help your game.

Mediocre and not systematic, September 9, 2008
This book is comprised of tips from the top instructors in the country. However, this is a more of an annual for the Golf Magazine by reproducing the 'tips' that were published from the prior year. The title does not live up to its hyper or its name.

It is organized well and the short bullet format and clear illustrations are good.

However, this is not a system upon which you should base your learning. Different 'tips' may not work for a particular style of swing.

If you are one who learns from 'tips' AND you don't subscribe to the magazine, get this book.

If you want to learn something from scratch or are a routine/average hacker, stay away. You should adopt any one of the dozens of 'systems of instruction' and stick with one.

The following is a book of a similar genre covering tips to play better, not a system.

Breaking 100, 90, 80: Taking Your Game to the Next Level with the Best Teachers in Golf

VERDICT:

For most golfers, I do not recommend this book.

Excellent buy, June 5, 2008
I have been playing golf for 2 months (took lessons,pored over videos on internet,read many books including Hogan's,Hank Haney's,Leadbetter's, read golf magazines such as Golf Digest and Golf Tips) and I would say this book is one I take to the practice range. At the end of each practice session,I write down a list of what went right and what went wrong. I then flip through the section that covers my problem (the book is well organized for that),learn the drill,fixes and comments on that. Next session,I implement it. It almost always helps.
2 points:Since still pictures and wording can leave a few things unclear, you might have to look up additional sources such as another book/video/professional once in a while. Secondly, as another reviewer noted, in one or two places in the book (of nearly 150 pages),there is what seems to be contradictory advice (one instructor says start high, another says low). In a few other places where you think the same thing's happening,upon careful reading,the shots are slightly different.
Overall, an excellent bargain. You can buy the book alone without DVD for less than 12 bucks. Even better deal as the DVD is limited.

Golf Instruction, July 4, 2008
Great book,the instructions are easy to follow and don't try to revamp your whole swing. I feel like I have cut at least a couple of strokes per round. I have a 9 handicap,but I am always looking for improvements.

Not for a beginner golfer, March 24, 2010

To get any use from this book you need to be an experienced golfer who is looking for tips on fixing problematic aspects of your game. If you're a beginner (like me) then this book is not for you. For example, in the "short game" section they don't describe the essential differences between a pitch and a chip, when and how to use them, which club to choose or use, how to hold the club (from the photos it looks like you choke down on the club when you chip,) where to place the ball (I think you stand closer to the ball when you chip), etc. etc. There are lots of tips and exercises, but trying to make sense of it as a beginner has left me completely confused. It does me no good to hear "for a chip, swing inside out when you're on a tight lie, and swing outside in when you're in the greenside rough" when I don't even know what I'm doing is in fact a chip!

The book sounds promising - the wisdom of the top 100 instructors is going to make you a golfer, but imagine trying to learn a new skill when 100 people are telling you what to do! If you don't believe me, look at the tagline - a book that will LOWER your score. That is, you have to have been playing for some time and have a consistent score that you want to lower! This is a tip book, not an instruction book.

Great for Beginners..., April 27, 2008
Ive just started dabbling in golf- I've picked up an inexpensive set of clubs and wanted to get the basics down before I started to retain any bad habits- and this book has helped my practices become more productive. Each page is filled with large pictures and easy to understand descriptions. The only downside is that the book is filled with tips from multiple golf pros- and some of the tips seem to contradict those from other golf pros within the book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In a history spanning more than 500 years, a Scottish seaside pastime has become the passionate pursuit of 60 million players and 10 times as many fans worldwide. Along the way, golf has provided heroes, heroines and moments that live forever in the hearts of those who follow the sport. In its 296 stirring pages, THE GOLF BOOK offers a spectacular tribute to an old game that never runs short of surprises--a celebration of the grand, still-unfolding story of golf. ... Read more

Reviews

A must have for collectors, November 5, 2009
The people of SI do a more than fair job on the quality of all the content of this book.
The articles, photos and the way they separate the different golf "eras" makes it a must have for all the collectors out there.
For some the price may be a little unreasonable.

A "must-have" compendium for golf fans, December 13, 2009
Sports Illustrated: The Golf Book is a coffee-table compendium of golf stories from the award-winning magazine Sports Illustrated. The absolutely stunning photography combined with insightful articles makes for an engaging chronology of the sport's highlights over the decades. From golf's finest and most challenging courses, to the golf legends of the past century (including Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Nancy Lopez, Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, and more), to cherished artifacts and stories highlighting great moments, Sports Illustrated: The Golf Book is a "must-have" compendium for golf fans. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Editorial Review

THE CLASSIC BOOK OF GOLF WISDOM FROM THE GAME'S GREATEST TEACHER

The Little Red Book has become required reading for all players and fans of the game of golf, from beginners to seasoned pros. The legendary Harvey Penick, who began his golfing career as a caddie in Austria, Texas, at the age of eight, worked with an amazing array of champions over the course of nearly a century, dispensing invaluable wisdom to golfers of every level. Penick simplifies the technical jargon of other instructional books and communicates the very essence of the game, and his Little Red Book is full of inspiration and homespun wisdom that reflects at once his great love of golf as well as his great talent for teaching. ... Read more

Reviews

A Golf Lifetime Shared, September 20, 2000
Ben Crenshaw doubled over and openly wept after holing out to win the 1995 Masters tournament. His golf teacher, friend, and father figure Harvey Penick had passed away shortly before the tourney. Ben felt that Harvey was `guiding' him in the final rounds, and the emotions finally overtook him. The impact of the moment was very touching, but it wasn't until I finished Harvey's Little Red book that I began to understand the poignancy of the connection. The 90-year-old Penick had taught Ben since Ben was 7. The little red book of the title is the notebook, journal, and freeform diary of Mr. Penick. Compiled from golf observations throughout his life, it was only in his waning years that he agreed to allow anyone to see it. What a treat and a privilege it was to read. This is a wonderful piece of literature. Having recently completed Hogan and Armour's instructional guides, this was an excellent follow up. Not nearly as meticulously mechanical and cold as Hogan, nor as blandly wandering as Armour, Penick's actual instruction is extremely straightforward in its scope. I also think that the longer one has played golf the greater one appreciates this work. Not written strictly for the beginner, as the other two books are, Harvey comments not only on instruction and mechanics, but also course design, tournaments, hustlers, metaphorical imagery, and caddying in the early part of the century. Throughout the book, his love of teaching and his immense pride in his pupils continues to carry the theme, allowing one to understand the connection he had with his students. Having become extremely weary of the cloying media and corporate anointment of T. Woods, reading about golf as seen through Harvey Penick's eyes was a much-needed tonic. Highly recommended.

The Little Red Book That Could....., September 25, 2000
Boy Howdy! I've been playing golf for two years now, and like other golfers who've started playing the game, I too watch The Golf Channel religiously looking for every possible tip to help with my swing. Reading golf magazines, and the like. Well,this past spring I purchased The Little Red Book, and it along with two other books written by Mr. Penick, are the only books on golf I have, and I don't need no more. I'm telling you,as you read this book, it's like Mr. Penick is right there with you, helping you to "Be At Ease" and to "Take Dead Aim". I love the Slow Motion Drill, and it's my goal to purchase a weighted club and use the drill extensively during the off season. Most of all, I plan to devote as much time as possible to my short game, because Mr. Penick is right when he says a twenty foot putt is more psychologically damaging to an opponent than a 270 yard drive off the tee. I carry "The Little Red Book" with me every day along with my Bible in my book bag. Sound crazy, but that's how I feel about Harvey Penick. In fact when people ask me if I have an instructor, I tell them it's Harvey Penick..

To read it is to believe it ... This works for all, March 12, 1999
I first read this book two years ago. I saw it on the shelf of my local book store and thought I would see if he could help where all others had failed. Two years and twelve strokes off my handicap later, I can honestly say his methods and teachings work. But this book is about more than fixing the problems of you golf game. This book is about life. If I had never improved my golf game one iota, I can say that I still got more from this book to help me with my personal life than I ever could from another self-help book. His teaching and his lifestyle were simple. His outlook on life had one important credo, "Take Dead Aim!" With his teachings and those words as my mantra, I have not only improved the quality of my golf game but I have improved the quality of my life. This book is a testament to the fact that not all things in life can be had by making more money than the other guy, but rather by finding what you like to do (play golf), work at being the best you can be (practice), and then treating others as you would be treated were you in their shoes. A must have for not only any golfer interested in improving their game, but for anyone. He says himself that these words are nothing more that the thoughts and teachings of an over-grown caddy, but beleive me this is one caddy with the wisdom that can only come from years being true to himself and the game he loved.

Entertaining and helpful, August 9, 1999
Maybe it's a coincidence, but I lost 10 strokes off my game during the week I read this book and put it into my practice routine. If you will actually practice the drills in this book your game will improve. If nothing else, it's entertaining reading!

Just what was I doing before I read this book?, March 1, 2000
I had been playing what I thought was golf for more than 25 years before reading this book. Some of the most basic methods to play shots well are described in this book. The methods are written in a style clear as fresh water. A quick, easy read that will open your eyes, help your game, and make you understand what so many others have said about this great teacher.

It Never Gets Old, October 4, 2000
I've owned this book for a few years now, and like my caption says, it never gets old.

In this golfer's book you will find instruction, philosophy, and history - all woven masterfully together in the form of stories. Whether it's the lengthly section where Harvey gives his thoughts in the grip, or the extremely terse paragraph explaining why he never joined the tour, Penick uses the right words at the right times.

I've read it several times and often take it with me on long trips. It's broken into several very short segments, sometimes two or three on a page, sometimes two or three pages. This means you can always pick it up, read a quick snipit, and walk away from it.

Lastly, I've found that whenever my golf game is struggling, I read this book and it always somehow gets back on track. I don't know if it's from the lucid instruction or the comforting philosophy, but either way this book has become an integral part of my golf regimen.

The Magic Move, February 13, 1998
I started playing golf in summer '96, at age 62, soon after retirement, and immediately became addicted to THE GAME. I began reading all the how-to books I could find, and I even taped TV shots of pros to study their swings in slo-mo. But none of these helped me so much as Mr. Penick's Little Red Book, in which he discloses THE MAGIC MOVE, and the SLOW-MOTION DRILL. Those two pages are a must-read for every hacker. They are truly magic. Duffers of the world, unite and take dead aim: read Mr. Penick's folksy masterpiece.

Got me back into the game, May 27, 2000
I stopped playing golf for about 10 years because I had a vicious slice. I mean vicious. I went to several PGA teachers, who were no help. One day, I picked up this book, and his "Magic Move" showed me why I slice. I fixed my swing based upon this book and the video, and am now back to playing again. Bye, bye slice. Absolutely amazing book.

This book has been magic to my game., October 7, 1998
The day I received The Little Red Book the magic began. I never thought that I could still improve my game at the age of 53. But from a weekly average score of 92 for a long time and suddenly drops to a 76 (3 rounds already)then it must be magic. The book is so easy to read and the "tips" are so easy to understand and follow. Anybody who has the time to practice the "tips" of Mr. Penick will surely improve his game tremendously.Now I understand why Mr. Penick is considered one of the greatest (if not the greatest) golf teachers who ever lived. To me the "Little Red Book" is magic.

Somewhat disappointing read, July 22, 2008
If I could compare this book to a golf swing, I would say the set-up and approach looked good, but the writing fell apart through the impact zone and follow through.

There is a lot of praise out there for Harvey Penick, and based upon the numerous comments in the book's forward by the well-known golfers he mentored, I have no doubts that the praise is well warranted. Unfortunately, while Penick himself in the book's introduction sets up his "Little Red Book" as a lifetime's masterful compilation of golf wisdom and best kept secrets finally made public, the book fails to live up to the author's own advertising and is a bit disappointing.

A fair amount of down-to-earth tips, techniques, and golfing philosophy that Harvey had applied to his students are shared in the book. And if just one of those tips can improve one's golf game, then I would say the book is worth the price. But too often, the "Little Red Book" comes off as an exercise in name-dropping and rambling golf anecdotes, many of which are not all that interesting nor amusing. It pains me to say that, knowing what a revered figure Harvey Penick has been to some in the golfing community, but that is just my honest assessment.

What also disappointed me about this book was that although Harvey Penick gives a couple of concessions to the virtue of humility, there appears to be a somewhat bragadocious quality to the narrative. That would be more excusable if the "Little Red Book" was in fact packed from cover to cover with the invaluable tips Penick promises in this introductory chapter, but that is not the case. Here is a short example of what I am talking about:

In the chapter titled "First Things First," Harvey writes about a man who came to his country club seeking out "this famous teacher, this Penick fellow." The man says if Harvey is "such a great teacher" perhaps he can give some advice on how to get out of sand traps. Harvey 's response - which abruptly ends the brief chapter - is something to the effect that it is better not to get into sand traps to begin with...a response that is not only rather obvious but neither practically helpful nor particularly clever.

That exemplifies too much of the tone of this book, which is unfortunate, because there are some good down-to-earth visualization techniques and other bits of instruction, which, if solely focused upon, would have made this a far better and more useful read. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In Bad Lies, golf's wittiest observer, photographer Charles Lindsay, celebrates the hazards and pitfalls of the game. Lindsay stakes out the diabolic border territories that encroach on golf courses--moon-crater bunkers, waist-high fescue grass, murky lake bottoms--to capture the unbelievable my-ball-went-where? moments that make the game so infuriating and so addictive for so many.

This hilarious follow-up to Lindsay's popular Lost Balls (Little, Brown, 2005) features inspired and gorgeous color photographs, plus larger-than-life pictures of some of the world's rarest--and oddest--golf balls. Texts include a foreword by outspoken golf commentator Gary McCord, definitions of the game's offbeat terminology, and a meditation on the golf ball and the immortal soul. ... Read more

Reviews

Sarcasm with History, September 8, 2010
Second golf book I bought of Mr. Lindsay, and this one adds a history of the most overlooked part of the game: the balls. Thought it was fasinating going through the developmental stages, with added wit to the terminology used in the game. It is a nice companion book for the original Lost Balls, which has to be the best, if not the best photography, of the side of the game which is sometimes by-passed in the heated competion: the surrounding beauty.

Bad Lies- the best yet, September 8, 2010
What a great follow up to "Lost Balls", Mr. Lindsay's first foray into the world of golf. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and I find this one even better. Great photography and subtle humor. I highly recommend it.

Mildly ammusing, August 29, 2010
I wish I hadn't bought this book. It is OK, but just OK. More interesting pictures needed.

Bad Lies; A fField Guide to Lost Balls, Missing Links, and Other Golf Mishaps, October 31, 2010
This book was mailed to me in two priority mail, Flat Rate Mailing envelopes, that were put together because one envelope would not hold this size book. When I went to the Post Office to pick it up I had to pay postage due of $3.45.I should of sent it back to be reshipped properly, but I needed it for a gift....... You might inform this person who mailed it. I.h.o.o.q. Books
3456 Adams St.
Carlsbad, Ca. 92008
Book was great but service was not!
Clea Reeves ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Gold Courses of the World 365 Days, April 19, 2010
With the return of Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson's capture of his third Masters championship, golf has certainly been at the top of the news pile lately. We therefore thought we would take a look at some recently released golf titles as the season gets underway.

First up is a new member of the 365 Days series of coffee table photographic books from Abrams, titled appropriately enough, `Golf Courses of the World 365 Days.' In this, it's second edition (the first was in 2005) written by golf expert Robert Sidorsky (author of `Golf's Greatest Moments') new design elements complement the layout of some of the best golf photography around along with a nicely annotated description or history of each pictured course. In addition, over 200 new courses, most featuring eye-popping photography, have been added since the 2005 edition as well as new coverage of courses featured in the original book. The coverage encompasses domestic courses from Augusta to Hawaii's Princeville resort as well as a host of new foreign courses from throughout Asia, the Caribbean and even the middle east (Dubai, Bahrain, etc.)

For those wanting to keep up on course developments across the entire span of the globe or to just experience great photos of beautiful courses (or anyone looking for a cool new Father's Day gift), this 365 Days edition is a great single volume view.

Great service, November 8, 2010
I received this book in great shape and timely manner.......it was a great bargain for the quality of the book ... Read more

Editorial Review

The top money earner on the PGA Senior Tour shares the secrets behind his renowned putting style, explaining how to visualize a successful putt, how to read the green, how to choose the right putter, and much more. 20,000 first printing. ... Read more

Reviews

This putting book is a winner, January 23, 2001
One of the game's greatest putters helps the rest of us putt better. Although he provides some great hints on technique, better yet was his help on attitude. Approach menatally to putting is everything, once one has a basic technique down. I also really benefited from his method of reading greens. This book has helped me putt the ball in hole more often. Thanks Dave.

I wish this had been my first putting book, September 16, 2008
The fundamental in this book will help anyone to make more putts within 5-6 feet.

Excellent, concise & understandable, September 29, 2007
From one who has played golf regularly for over 40 years, Dave Stockton's book is one of the best values I have EVER encountered. Reasons:
1) to get the same info from a live lesson would take several lessons at over USD$100 per hour each,
2) Dave brings out points you take for granted and applies weighted arguments for or against said practices,
3) The sections are sufficiently detailed, yet, you feel they are not excessively long,
4) It has already helped my game!

Take a little 'starch' out of your golf and play better!, March 23, 2010
Many of the top tour pros are seeking out Stockton for short game advice. Instead of molding yourself into a posture that would withstand a 100 mph gale and maybe put your brain into the same frame of mind, Stockton will guide you to focusing on your line and the balls ultimate destination. You'll build a stable stance for sure, but you won't be so rigid in mind and body that some of those 'cookie cutter' young guns maintain.
He'll provide you with a short routine that you can personalize and build on. I found his instructionals on YouTube to be a good starting point, but you'll need this book for a more detailed account on why he teaches and thinks the way that he does.
Dave also has a few personal stories in the book. He grew up with a driver and a putter as his only clubs. I can only imagine having a kids frame of mind and the time and curiosity to practice and become really good at putting......but I'm going to give it a try!

Putt Better Immediately, January 9, 2007
As someone who was struggling with putting, Dave's book made the game fun again. Try his tips when you're practicing and you should see immediate results. The tip that is helping me the most is keeping the putterhead low in the follow-through. Putting is all about touch and feel so this is a much better approach than the mechanical and scientific approach being preached by Pelz.

IS IMMEDIATELY FAST ENOUGH FOR YOU TO IMPROVE YOUR PUTTING?, April 14, 2010
Dave's techniques are simple, logical and immediate. What more can you ask for? There are key techniques that he teaches and tells you why they work, but he also tells you that you don't have to apply every technique in the book to see improvement. Do you want to feel mellow over putts that were previously nerve-racking? Who wouldn't? Dave will teach how to do you this and much, much more. Over the phone, I told my son just one of the techniques and the next day he shot a round with only 30 putts, a new low for him. This book is the ultimate winner on putting.

Dave Stockton has putting figured out., February 6, 2010
Great book for the weekend golfer who needs to find consistency and confidence with the putter. Dave Stockton's clear explanations and simple putting philosophy have removed the anxiety from my putting. I plan to hold on to this book and refer back to it whenever my putting needs a tune-up.

It makes you feel the putt, November 2, 2009
Dave Stockton's Putt to Win: Secrets For Mastering the Other Game of Golf

A great read with great instruction. Following Dave Stockton's putting process enabled me to change from a very much mechanical putter to more of a visual feel putter. As a result I am making more putts and fewer three putts.

An excellent resource, January 20, 2008
This is a great book on putting. The author understands that most of us are nervous and uncomfortable when we putt. My game is already improving.

Nice blend, June 24, 2010
I was hoping for a little bit more about the mechanics of putting but I shouldn't have been. Stockton offers just enough mechanical guidance to make you trust yourself and commit to the line and speed you've chosen. Combined with Stan Utley's Art of Putting this book completes the definitive guide to the part of the game responsible for the majority of the strokes. Quick read. Easy to comprehend. Easy to implement. ... Read more