Book Description
A detailed plan for conquering the FEAR that sabotages swings and ruins psyches, from the pioneering psychologist whose techniques have benefited Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, and numerous other world-class golfers.
As Jack Nicklaus once observed, fear is the golfer’s greatest enemy, inspiring Tiger Woods to "refuse" to give in to this debilitating emotion. It can turn professionals into jelly and dominate the games of most amateurs. It alters swing paths, causes “tap-in” putts to go awry, and transforms a golfer from a brilliant shot-maker on the practice range into an incompetent hack on the course.
Most golfers understand this, but do not have the tools to overcome it. That’s where Dr. Gio Valiante comes in. A pioneering sports psychologist, Valiante has studied the sources of an athlete’s fear, investigated the physiological and neurological impact of fear on performance, and, most important of all, developed a groundbreaking program for conquering it. With Valiante's help and by applying Fearless Golf, Justin Leonard went from three consecutive missed cuts to three consecutive top tens, and Chad Campbell recently moved from 98th in the world to 7th. Davis Love III went from zero wins in 2002 to four wins in 2003, and Chris DiMarco made the 2004 Ryder Cup Team.
Emphasizing the need to replace a fixation-on-results with a commitment to mastery of one’s body and one's mind, Valiante’s approach will not only help golfers reach their true potential, it will make playing every round fun again. Through concrete confidence and mastery drills, he presents specific ways readers can break free of fear’s grasp and perform at their best—even under the most extreme pressure.
With detailed quotes and anecdotes given exclusively to Dr. Valiante from the best players in the game—including Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els, and other tour professionals, Fearless Golf is the ultimate guide to the mental game, the hottest topic in golf today.
Customer Reviews:
Fearless Golf sets you straight.......2007-10-14
Fearless Golf is a total transformation of our attitude about golf. It is simple but gives you peace of mind when playing with only concern for your personal game. When practiced, Fearless Golf not only greatly enhances your game but also how you feel and enjoy the great game. The philosophy applies not only to golf but to all aspects of life. The major point of the book is driven home relentlessly, often to the point of redundancy. This is not a one time read. Keep it in sight at all times and go back to it over and over.
Fearless Golf.......2007-07-22
Excellent book on the mental game. Good tips. Book was shipped promptly and was in better condition than stated.
Good Message, Just Way Too Long..........2007-06-14
Being a golfer who can shoot in the 70's on one day, then in the 90's the next, I figured the best thing I could add to my bag was a book or several on the mental aspects of the game. And, this is one of the most useful I've read. The author applies Professor Albert Bandura's credible concept of self-efficacy to a game that is oh so mental (I suggest you read Bandura's 1994 hallmark paper entitled "Self-efficacy" for more insight). Clearly, this book is helping me go lower and play more consistently. My primary criticism of the book is that the author takes way too long to deliver the message. I was compelled to skip pages containing endless examples and redundant messages. I guess Valiante wanted to hit the 200 page standard to justify the price, but he could have written it in 50 pages.
Nonetheless, if you experience rather wild fluctuations in performance, this book will likely ring true for you.
Hang in there. .......2007-04-24
OK, it started badly for me. The first chapter is somewhat repetitive.
I persisted and found to my delight a book that is valuable, well written and insightful. I don't know what happened in the writing of this book but I found the start nausiating and the rest of the book to be marvellous.
Dr Valiante has changed my focus from the purely mechanical to include the mental side in my swing preparation. My golf swing has become smoother, more focused, more targeted and more confident.
Consciously Unconscious.......2007-04-10
Really relax when you play golf. Among other useful tips, this book will teach you how reducing your grip pressure will improve your shot.
Book Description
The best players know that golf is a game of confidence, and most important, concentration–the ability to focus and block out distraction. The goal of achieving clear thought is also at the heart of Buddhist teachings. In his highly original and groundbreaking book, noted PGA coach and Buddhist instructor, Dr. Joseph Parent, draws on this natural connection and teaches golfers how to clear their minds, achieve ultimate focus, and play in the moment for each shot.
Zen Golf presents a simple system for building “mental game mastery.” Dr Parent’s unique PAR Approach (focusing on Preparation, Action, and Response to Results) guides golfers with specific techniques for each aspect of their games. In chapters such as “How to Get From the Practice Tee to the First Tee”, “You Produce What You Fear”, and “How to Enjoy a Bad Round of Golf”, the author shares a personal teaching regimen that has helped improve the games of professionals and amateurs alike. By combining classic insights and stories from Zen tradition, Zen Golf helps eliminate the mental distractions that routinely cause poor shots and loss of concentration, allowing golfers to feel in “the zone” that professionals have learned to master.
Clear, concise, and enlightening, Zen Golf shows golfers how to prepare for, execute, and equally important, respond the results of any golf shot. A different approach to golf instruction, this book shapes ancient philosophies into new teachings.
Customer Reviews:
Connects the Mind and Body.......2007-10-17
Finally, a book that puts the mental game into sections that make sense. Told in a down-to-earth way, the examples and insights provided by "Zen Golf" really do pertain to the game we love. Understanding that the results of a swing are not necessarily the be-all and end-all is very powerful knowledge. Learning to breathe will apply to a myriad of endeavor, both athletic and personal. Ostensibly, it is a book about golf, but one that fills many gaps in all kinds of life situations. Dr. Parent is a born teacher.
Excellent.......2007-09-29
Bottom Line . It took five strokes off my handicap.
Michael A. Epstein
Member KCC
Loved it.......2007-09-24
By far one of the best books on the mental side of sports that I have ever read, and I have never even swung a club!
Outa my own way!.......2007-08-14
Dear Dr Joe:
Just got back from San Diego where I was able to play golf four days with my
grown sons, nephews, and some other folks I picked up games with randomly.
Included a round at Torrey Pines South.
Have reread both Zen Golf and Zen Putting following our time together in Sun
Valley. Can't thank you enough for your coaching of the mental game. I've
never enjoyed PLAYING golf so much in my life. Followed up your clinic with
a day spent with Lama Tenzin Dondhen who was in Sun Valley. He gave a guided
meditation morning with a progression of mantras moving into silent
meditation, then a talk in the afternoon. All tied together beautifully.
Thanks so much for your service and passing along the wisdom that can't be
found because it's already there!
Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game.......2007-08-06
Audiobook review - very helpful combination of advice on handling the mental aspect of the game along with exercises to practice control. Read/listened in conjunction with Extraordinary Putting which also discusses the mental part of the game - I recommend both.
Amazon.com
One of golf guru Jim Flick's mantras is that golf is 90 percent mental, and the other 10 percent is mental, too. Dr. Bob Rotella, a noted sports psychologist and performance consultant, roots around the golfer's mind to expose--and analyze--the doubts, the fears, and the frustrations that haunt anyone who's ever picked up a club and swung it. Through anecdote and aphorism he suggests how these mental and emotional hazards can be played through, and, regardless of skill level, how teeing off with a more positive and confident outlook will translate into better performance.
Book Description
Dr. Bob Rotella is one of the hottest performance consultants in America today. Among his many professional clients are Nick Price (last year's Player of the Year), Tom Kite, Davis Love III, Pat Bradley, Brad Faxon, John Daly, and many others. Rotella, or "Doc," as most players refer to him, goes beyond just the usual mental aspects of the game and the reliance on specific techniques. What Rotella does here in this extraordinary book, and with his clients, is to create an attitude and a mindset about all aspects of a golfer's game, from mental preparation to competition. The most wonderful aspect of it all is that it is done in a conversational fashion, in a dynamic blend of anecdote and lesson. And, as some of the world's greatest golfers will attest, the results are spectacular. Golfers will improve their golf game and have more fun playing. Some of Rotella's maxims include:
* On the first tee, a golfer must expect only two things of himself: to have fun, and to focus his mind properly on every shot.
* Golfers must learn to love 'the challenge when they hit a ball into the rough, trees, or sand. The alternatives -- anger, fear, whining, and cheating -- do no good.
* Confidence is crucial to good golf. Confidence is simply the aggregate of the thoughts you have about yourself.
* It is more important to be decisive than to be correct when preparing to play any golf shot or putt.
Filled with delightful and insightful stories about golf and the golfers Rotella works with, Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect will improve the game of even the most casual weekend player.
Customer Reviews:
Wow.......2007-10-07
Excellent book that gives true insight into the mental game. A "must have" for any serious golfer looking to improve his game. Lessons on the practice tee will not give you this information.
Pay attention and lower your handicap~.......2007-09-24
I was shooting ~100 because of inconsistency - focusing on the wrong things when my game went bad. I shoot some pars & some bogeys, but a lot of big numbers because I'm a head case! After listening to Dr Rotella, I went out and broke 90 (89) for the first time in my life! I've always known I could do it, but the book (2 CD set) helped me get my head straight. I have a tournament in 2 days. I can't wait. I don't know whether I will break 90, but I'm feeling good that 90 is much more doable than 100. Dr Rotella's message isn't just psycho babble. There are real tips - things to think about that will sharpen your game.
The two-CD set is abridged. It's great for the car, but I am buying the book. Good stuff.
If you used to play well & now you have hit a wall read this............2007-05-29
I used to be a very fearless player till recently when i scored 114 on a round & i was shaken but not stirred as deep inside i knew that i will not surrender to this game. I decided to re-work my swing. I happen to have all Bob's books in my library but i picked up this one & started reading it & realised i dont need to re-work my swing i just need to "re-think my swing". The immediate round after readin 30% of this book i scored a 84!!!! That is 30 strokes off my score.
Get Focused.......2007-04-10
Clear your mind and focus on one shot at a time. This book will show you how to concentrate and take strokes off your golf game.
Golf is Not A Game of Perfect.......2007-03-08
Great read. Should be in every golfers Bookcase.
Book Description
rancis Ouimet and Harry Vardon came from different worlds and different generations, but their passion for golf set them on parallel paths that would collide in the greatest match their sport had ever known. A young Massachusetts native, Francis was only three years removed from his youthful career as a lowly caddie. Harry was twice his age, the greatest British champion in history, and innovator of the modern grip and swing. Through exacting hard work, perseverance, and determination, Vardon had escaped a hopeless life of poverty; the unknown Ouimet dared to dream of following in his hero's footsteps. When the two men finally came together in their legendary battle at the 1913 U.S. Open, its heartstopping climax gave rise to the sport of golf as we know it today. Weaving the stories of Ouimet and Vardon as his narrative, Mark Frost creates a uniquely involving, intimate epic; equal parts sports biography, sweeping social history, and emotional human drama. Including historical photographs, The Greatest Game Ever Played is sure to be a must-read for millions of sports and history fans, and all who have ever dared to reach for their dreams.
Customer Reviews:
The best book I have read in many years.......2007-10-19
I recently started playing golf and picked up this book at the library after reading the reviews on Amazon. I read through this book in 5 days and had a hard time putting it down everynight. It is an amazingly well told story that will keep you always wanting to read more. Very inspirational. My favorite book I have read to date.
Great Gift of the Greatest Game.......2007-09-11
I bought this as a gift for my husband, who said it is one of the best books that he has ever read. He even described a greater understanding of the psychology of golf that will make the playing of it more enjoyable for him. I have rarely seen him so enthusiastic over a book, but I would say that you'd have to be a golf fan to read it.
Entertaining mix of fiction and nonfiction.......2007-08-17
This book was truly enjoyable and very hard to put down. It is a page turner that yields valuable insight into the birth of golf in Scotland, England, and America. This book contains many valuable facts that may be unknown to the casual sports fan like myself. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an entertaining read on the beginnings of golf and the inspirational story of underdog Francis Ouimet.
However, this book contains a lot of fiction. The "states of mind" of Vardon, Ouimet, Ray, Lord Northcliffe, etc. are pure speculation. Frost has definitely opted for an overdramatization of the story to give it wide appeal (and movie appeal) so it is difficult at times to distinguish facts from fiction. Purists and true golf buffs might be annoyed by the blatant largesse of Frost's fiction.
Nevertheless, the book is an easy and enjoyable read.
golf and loving it.......2007-07-24
I bought this book for my brother in law and he really doesn't read many books. He just usually reads the paper.
He open it up and read this book in one setting. He thought is was just about some person in past years and what his game was about. He found it informative entertaining at the same time. He has read this book at least 2 more times. If you love golf,
then you will love this book.
Not even a novice.......2007-07-06
I'm not a golfer. Not even a novice. The only golf experience I have is falling asleep on the couch as a little girl while my dad or grandpa watched yet another golf tournament. ChiChi Rodriguez was my favorite, and I am familiar with all the greats of the 1980s and a few of the ones from the 90s.
I started reading this book after watching the last quarter of the movie. I thought it would give me something to talk about with my dad. As it turned out, this was one of the most well-written biographies that I have ever read. It was captivating and extremely well written. Not only did I learn so much about golf, but also about the presidents at the time, the social climate, and even meteorology. Rather than being boring, the hole by hole commentary was actually fascinating! I still don't understand much about the different clubs, and I still don't know how to golf, but I have a greater appreciation for the sport that my father loves so much, and we DID have a great conversation about the book once I finished it. So, if you're not a golfer, but you want to be able to relate to the golfers in your life, I highly recommend that you read this fabulous book! I'm so glad I did!
Furthermore, I'd read ANYTHING written by Mark Frost!
Book Description
What swing secret is shared by nearly all golf greats – from Ben Hogan to Tiger Woods?
John Novosel’s revolutionary breakthrough has cracked the “genetic code” of the golf swing – Tour Tempo.
Tiger Woods…Greg Norman…Ben Hogan. What secret do these and nearly all golf legends share? Identical swing tempo. John Novosel has cracked the “genetic code” of the golf swing – and has derived a simple and effective system to teach it to golfers of all levels, from tour players to weekend warriors.
This book includes a revolutionary instructional CD, featuring videos that illustrate exactly how to learn the tempo secrets of the tour pros, and a calibrated soundtrack that you can use while practicing at a driving range or in your living room.
As an avid golfer and inventor, John Novosel studied film footage of the PGA greats, searching, along with countless others over the last century, for the key to what made certain golfers’ swings so effortless and powerful. Novosel made a startling discovery. Nearly every champion demonstrated identical time proportion in his or her swing, a common ratio between takeaway and downswing. Regardless of style or form, the winning tempo was always the same – Tour Tempo.
In this breakthrough book, Novosel and Sports Illustrated senior writer John Garrity explain exactly how to achieve Tour Tempo. Through clear, step-by-step instruction, golfers are taught how to master two basic drills to synchronize their swings. Novosel’s technique has yielded rapid and tremendous improvement for players of every level –adding distance, automatically correcting typical swing problems, and noticeably shaving strokes off one’s game.
TOUR TEMPO is a remarkable breakthrough – truly golf’s last secret finally revealed.
Customer Reviews:
Tempo = pace and timing.......2007-09-11
Novosel's book makes an excellent point about how having good tempo in your golf swing will produce many benefits. Many golf instruction books give lip service to the concept of tempo, but I don't think anybody has ever explained it like this before and provided a rhythm track for you to practice with. He debunks the old saw about "swing slow" or "slow down your swing" etc. and shows how a slow swing actually allows a lot of counterproductive and inefficient movements to creep into your swing. When you swing with good consistent tempo every time, as do most PGA players, you improve the efficiency of your swing and you improve the likelihood of hitting the ball the same way every time. Of course, you have to have decent swing mechanics as well, and this book does not purport to teach mechanics.
Tempo matters.......2007-08-06
I think the author has made an important observation -- touring pros have a significantly quicker tempo than most amateurs, and most follow the same ratio of backswing time to downswing time. The author also offers a very simple chapter on mechanics, and some drills that helped me, and will probably help a lot of golfers. This book does not give you 300 new things to think about while you swing, which is good. Even those who have a quick tempo already may find this helps them be more consistent with their tempo, and hence more consistent with their shots. I am an athletic 54 year old near beginner, and this book has helped me already in the two weeks since i read it.
More power please.......2007-07-26
Did I ever need this book and cd. I have been slow to adopt the tempo to my game on the course because now all my clubs hit to long. If your swing gets in the right tempo so many bad habits disappear on their own and I finally feel the whiplash effect that your body creates with the proper tempo. My body is finally working as one. I was always happy with a 200 yard drive, now 250 is normal and my accuracy is better. On second thought don't buy this book I might have to out play you sometime.
Tour Tempo: Golf's Last Secret Finally Revealed.......2007-07-23
Wow! The info in this book does exactly as stated. I now have a more consistent golf swing, my yardages are more consistent and from 100 yds and in I now have consistent spin enabling me to be much more accurate. On course corrections after that horrible swing are quite simple, tempo, tempo, tempo. Great info for golfers of all levels.
Tour Tempo.......2007-07-16
I would recommend this book to any golfer. My results were fantastic! The great thing about using this book is it provides certain tempos to use during practice. One problem I believe all golfers struggle with is creating the same swing throughout your round. By sticking with the same tempo from hole #1 to #18 you will improve your consistency and your score will show it. My index has moved from 16.4 to 11.2.
Book Description
The bestselling author of Zen Golf (more than 100,000 copies sold) presents a new book of profound wisdom and proven techniques for achieving the confidence in putting that all golfers know is the key to peak performance on the greens.
Blending Buddhist wisdom, modern psychology, and practical golf instruction, Dr. Joe Parent's 2002 book Zen Golf broke out to become the top instructional book in golf, and continues to be a steady bestseller. Now, in the eagerly awaited follow-up, Dr. Parent provides readers with a new approach to the aspect of golf in which mental skills have the most impact: putting.
Zen Putting takes a thinking-outside-the-box approach based on the idea that by tuning into the process of putting rather than worrying about the result, golfers can get out of their own way and maximize performance. Key principles include using mindful awareness to recognize and clear away distractions and negativity, and that confidence increases when golfers take the attitude that there is something fundamentally, essentially right with them rather than focusing on what's broken or flawed. In succinct, informative chapters, Dr. Parent applies this Zen ideal to a variety of subjects for any putting situation.
Chapters include:
• “Unconquerable Confidence”: brimming with strategies to cultivate confidence and turn frustration into enjoyment.
• “Get Out of Your Own Way”: exploring the obstacles we create for ourselves in putting, and how to recognize and overcome them to get the most out of our abilities.
• “How to Make Every Putt”: on reading greens; visualization; putting routine; the key components of a putt—path, pace, and roll; and taking the ideal attitude before putting.
Unlike rigid how-to books on putting or fad coaching techniques, Zen Putting stirs each reader to cultivate their own unique style for synchronizing body and mind to achieve peak performance.
Customer Reviews:
Zen Putting - become a jedi: 5 handicap.......2007-07-10
Couldn't put it down, and making my second trip through it with a highlighter. This is the bible of mental toughness on the greens. Very easy to read and navigate as a guide. Short chapters are easy to digest. Results depend on your own desire to believe. I personally experienced immediate peace and mindfullness over the ball. I make every putt I look at and hole more than I could have ever imagined now. Zen Golf is a must read as well. Thanks Dr. Joe!
Zen Golf - The best.......2007-06-08
This book is a very good mental reminder and coach on how to approach putting. And the author does not confine himself just to putting. I found many hints as to how to prepare yourself mentally to do better, and if you fail, how to handle it, without blowing up. I'm not sure that any of this is brand new, but it sure has helped me to focus on the task at hand. I bought a toal of 4 copies of the book to share with my regular four-some. I've yet to see how the others evaluate the book
Book Description
One of America's leading golf teachers-and star instructor from the Golf Channel-teams up with Golf Digest (over 1.5 million circulation) for a breakthrough book that is sure to help everyone from low handicappers to weekend duffers lower their score.
To golfers of all proficiency levels, skills and drills go hand in hand. Taking that concept to an exciting new level, one of the greatest living teachers of the game has collected 140 precision exercises to address a wide array of golfer's concerns. From tee shots to the short game, Golf Digest's Ultimate Drill Book allows readers to customize practice sessions depending on their unique trouble spots.
Revealing his time-tested tactics for overcoming pitfalls, golf guru Jim McLean revolutionizes the learning process with strategies for every aspect of the game. Novice golfers will discover how to avoid bad habits from the start, and veterans will discover how to diagnose and overcome ingrained aspects of their swings, grips, stances, or even mindsets that may interfere with achieving a superior score.
With over 200 step-by-step photographs and proven advice, Golf Digest's Ultimate Drill Book will help ensure you make those hours on the driving range and putting green time well spent.
Customer Reviews:
Ultimate drills for champions.......2007-01-04
Even if you, like me, don't intend to be a champion pro (maybe an Am champion...?), these drills will improve your game for sure. Anyway they are the pro's drills. I've checked many other sources in books and DVDs and these are the most common drills advised to golf players. And no other source were so complete. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 becouse there are only drills. It could be completed with a swing overview, in order to make the drills more understandable. It's not there becouse the author has another book only on the 8 parts of the swing. But it worths the price.
GOLF DIGEST'S ULTIMATE DRILL BOOK.......2005-09-29
AS HE ALWAYS DOES JIM MCLEAN DEMONSTRATES THAT HE KNOWS GOLF. HE KNOWS HOW TO FIX DEFICIENT GOLF SWINGS. THE DRILLS HE OFFERS MUST BE A BENEFIT TO EVERY GOLFER, BEGINNER AND PROFESSIONAL. BUY THIS BOOK AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
Terrible for golfers who know the game.......2005-09-21
This book is for the real beginner as the title of the book is totally misleading
So So.......2005-09-16
Just an ok book. Pictures are low quality. Would have expected better from Golf Digest and Jim Mclean. It is straight and to the point but make sure you at least have a solid working knowldge of all aspects of the game before considering this book. You can get much of the same information for free at various golf web sites. Not bad but not very clear in many regards.
120 Drills to Specifically Targeted to Swing Improve.......2004-09-06
One of golf's great teachers provides 120 of his best drills for all aspects of the game: driving, chipping, iron shots, putts, sand, as well as warmup and mental focus.
Each is accompanied by excellent two page format showing: problem, result, goal and practice procedure, with an accompanying photo.
There are just some exellent drills here for what ails you. For me there are some ten or so already that have helped. Check this one out, especially if you are the skilled player who already has a pretty solid idea of your problems. This is some good stuff for those as well as some basic good drills for all golfers.
Amazon.com
Long before Dr. Bob Rotella made tweaking a golfer's head as important as tweaking his swing, Tim Gallwey, who knew virtually nothing about the mechanics of the game when he penned the first edition of this visionary work, understood that even the best technique collapses when the mind cracks under the game's pressure. Gallwey's ultimate insight into the game was that a golfer's mind is a golfer's worst enemy; too much thinking only gets in the way.
The new edition of this groundbreaking instructional continues to preach such "Inner Game" fundamentals as trust, concentration, visualization, feel, and relaxation, and is full of what Gallwey calls "awareness exercises." Much of what he has to say seems obvious in a world in which most good athletes have some kind of psychological guru always at the ready to help improve performance, but Gallwey, with his bagful of anecdotes and encouragement, was one of the first to explore this uncharted territory, and still remains one of the most readable. --Jeff Silverman
Book Description
W. Timothy Gallwey's bestselling Inner Game books--with over one million copies sold--have revolutionized the way we think about sports. And now, after twenty years of applying his Inner Game methods to the royal and ancient sport of golf, Gallwey brings us this completely revised edition of his classic The Inner Game of Golf, nearly half of which is new material, published here for the first time.
Even the masters of the game, from the venerable Jack Nicklaus to the wunderkind Tiger Woods, must battle their mental demons to excel in the crucible of competition. How do they maintain concentration under pressure? How do they avoid the mental and physical tensions that can sabotage any shot, from the simplest putt to a demanding drive? And how do they contend with the nagging inner voice that says, "You haven't been playing your best today. How will you keep from messing up on this shot?"
Here, Gallwey provides specific ways for you to improve the concentration and confidence that keep your insecurities from hijacking your best instincts, your score, and your enjoyment of the game. In addition to the specifics of Inner chipping, Inner swinging, and Inner putting, Gallwey explains why the art of "relaxed concentration" is the fundamental skill for improving every aspect of your game.
It may seem like common sense nowadays to say that mental approaches are as crucial as physical skills in a good game of golf. But Gallwey was among the first to say it, and he is a pioneer of the modern sports psychology movement. In The Inner Game of Golf, now comprehensively updated, you will find the kind of perceptive and articulate instruction that not only will improve your swing, but, perhaps even more important, will reacquaint you with the pure pleasure of the game.
Customer Reviews:
The most important part of my golf game.......2007-09-30
The Inner Game of Golf is a great, honest read that that any golfer will be able to understand and apply practically with ease. Tim uses straight forward language, and unlike many other authors, doesn't fill the pages with unnecessary anecdotes about famous players.
It has changed my game, and made me a much more relaxed and composed golfer. Although I'm not a fantastic golfer yet, it has given me direction for improvement and practice, and new enjoyment for the game.
Very highly recommended.
The Inner Game of Golf
Lesson Learned.......2006-10-05
May be a bit too "inner" for some, but I enjoyed the book. Good golf tips for all.
Inner games, inner worries.......2006-08-18
Instruction will only get you so far. Any hack knows that. What most don't know, however, is that you can be your own worst enemy on the course, and for more reasons than one.
At the same time, however, you can be the best thing that has ever happened to your game.
Gallwey's Inner Game series has been around much longer than many realize. Not only that, but his ideas were at least a decade ahead of anything anyone was doing.
Gallwey's approach is simple. He divides a person's mind into two big regions. Self 1 is controling, egocentric, and demanding. Self 2, on the other hand, is non-judgemental, intuitive, and generally focused on whatever it is doing at the time. The problems begin when Self 1 starts getting in Self 2's way, giving it instructions it doesn't need, and locking it into a pattern of failure many are all too familiar with.
The goal, as Gallwey sets it out, is to get Self 1 to step aside during the swing and let Self 2 take total control. This is not easy to do, however, especially since many people have yet to realize the existance of these two selfs to begin with.
Gallwey bases his ideas on his experience in tennis, but appears successful in translating them into golf. He set a goal at the outset of writing the book to break 80 by basically putting only the time the average golfer has into improving his game (practice at home, plus a day or two at the range, and one round a week if possible), that and adhearing to his own methods. Obviously, he succeed, which helps give hope to those looking to try the same path.
Overall Gallwey's ideas are clear, and the writing narrative, which may put some readers off. Still, his exercises should help guide golfers into understanding how their mentalities can affect their play, as well as create barriers to further improvement.
The biggest drawback to Gallwey's theory of a Self 1 and Self 2 are that he seems to assign a bad-guy role to Self 1, while Self 2 is the trodden-upon hero. Whether this sort of duality is the final answer to things is a bit up in the air, and does not appeal to a more holistic approach to the game.
If You Read Nothing Else About Golf, Read This!.......2006-06-27
A timeless classic that helped start the "inner game" revolution - this is the book that points golfers to the other half of the game, the inner aspect of the game. Practical without being hoakey or too metaphysical. One of those book you'll keep on your shelf forever.
Back...stop...hit...stop... Keep Self 1 busy and feel the clubhead........2006-06-24
Proposes, defends, and offers detailed first-hand phenomenological insight into a radical (by Western standards) approach to learning that maintains the master skill of all learning is "relaxed concentration" (p. xiii) coupled with trust in the body's (and mind's) ability to learn. As a sequel to the author's previous work on learning to play tennis, the book provides instruction, examples, and encouragement in becoming receptive to a natural form of learning based on focused attention and non-judgmental awareness. While the approach admittedly can seem somewhat Zen-like to most Westerners, it is consistent with the Socratic learning approach underlying much of classical education.
Oh, and by the way, it WILL reduce your handicap.
Amazon.com
As the reigning rabbi on the mysteries of golf from 100 yards in, Pelz has earned the right to anoint his expansive instruction on the short game a "Bible." A scientist by training, he's analyzed the macros and dissected the micros to come up with a gospel for pros (Lee Janzen, Vijay Singh, and Anika Sorenstam, to name a few disciples) and weekend hackers alike. Pelz fills his scripture with photos, illustrations, charts, and plenty of sage advice on pitching, chipping, sandplay, putting, equipment, execution, mechanics, technique, practice, attitude, lots of questions, and plenty of answers. Much of the Short Game Bible is pretty sophisticated stuff aimed toward better players--or, at least, players who take their golf seriously. But its basics are appropriate to any skill level of the game: Accurately assess your own weaknesses, and then go about improving them systematically with the author's carefully researched and tested plan. It seems so obvious, but the truth is, most golfers either beat balls on the range in search of distance or slave over eight-foot putts on the practice green; they fail to pay enough attention to the shots in between. Pelz does the math for you here; his figures add up, so that yours can go down--the golfing equivalent of forgiving sins and absolving trespasses. --Jeff Silverman
Book Description
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.
Customer Reviews:
Dave Pelz is a genius.......2007-10-17
Don't ask questions. Just get it, believe it, learn it, and use it. You will benefit.
Amazing Simplicity.......2007-09-28
I am a new golfer and just finished reading this book. I have been practicing 4-5 times a week at the range. I began using his techniques for Wedge play, and have seen marked improvement in my game since. I actually now have the four wedges he recommends. It is amazing how accurate I am becoming at picking the right wedge and correct swing for the distance. I am not perfect, but it is more fun to practice with my wedges than any other club. I get excited to see the improvement weekly. The wedges rule for me!! I still struggle with putting, so I bought his book on putting, and that is also excellent reading!!
Best short game advice.......2007-09-11
This book is written by a scientist golfer. I am one third of the way through it and it has already helped my game. In fact a lot of the instructions in the book are applicable to the whole game.
It is a little repetitive, but that doesn't hurt at all.
I am going to buy Peltz's other book as soon as I finish this.
Excellent book on golf.
Finesse with Finesse.......2007-04-10
Put the "finesse" in your finesse swing and learn how to use it to improve your distance. The diagrams and practice drills will show you how to perfect your golf swing.
Getting Serious About Lowering My Handicap.......2007-02-11
When I started to play golf again, after a lay-off of many years, I picked up "Putt Like the Pros", so when I ordered this book, I knew Dave Pelz's style.
His no nonesense, clear - albeit a bit technical at times, description of how to use the finesse swing to improve your distance wedge, pitch, chip and sand shots, makes sense to my engineering trained mind. Most of the illustrations, except 16 pages in the centre, are in B&W, and are not of the quality we are used to in the big name golf magazines. On the other hand, the diagrams and sketches are first rate.
All in all, I have found the Short Game Bible easy to read and very informative. I look forward to getting out in the backyard or on the practice range, when the weather gets better, to practice the many drills Dave Pelz provides in this excellent book on a much neglected aspect of this great game.
Book Description
The co-author of the classic Extraordinary Golf offers an innovative approach to improving the overall game by focusing on putting, which accounts for more than one third of the strokes in a typical round. Not just a tips-and-techniques book, Extraordinary Putting features a series of illustrated exercises that will help golfers:
- Develop the inner freedom to trust themselves and recognize self-imposed barriers
- Find the peace of mind that comes from letting go of mental chatter and self-judgments
- Increase awareness, allowing golfers to pay attention to their experiences
- Understand the differences in those experiences from stroke to stroke - Master the art of self-coaching
Customer Reviews:
Zen Golf.......2007-05-14
Although I see several different philosophies woven into the authors work, what you call it doesn't matter. Reading this book is an essential for any golfer. You will learn things about yourself you didn't know, why you play golf....and, it will be an aid to improving your game. I have not practiced all the exercises, but just by reading the book, my swing and thought process has changed. My swing is more free, my thoughts are more free, and I am free from worrying about the result. I can't wait to read "Extraordinary Golf" next.
Learn to Relax.......2007-04-10
Explore your mind and become truly aware of yourself with these golf tips to help you open up your game. There are also great exercises to help you relax.
Wonderful compliment to any technical study of putting.......2007-02-14
Awareness. It is something I never really experienced before playing golf. Being in the now and enjoying the sensations of the game will definitely be my goals for the upcoming season. Reading this book is like having a hypnotic session. You can start to see inside and outside of yourself and become amazed at how you work. I only wish that I was taught these things 20 years ago when I first started playing.
Extra Ordinary Putting.......2007-01-12
Excellent mind training for golf and applicable to other aspects of life as well.
seminal to my putting game.......2007-01-07
I've only been playing for eight months, so this is a beginner's perspective...
I read this book five months ago, and did a few of the exercises one day while reading it. Looking back, I believe that it helped me to discover that I can relax and trust my bodymind to handle the stroke mechanics. I putt pretty well for my experience level, and it amazes me how little I contribute consciously, once I've looked at the line.
The exercises are exploratory -- rather than instructing the reader on how to putt, they set up an experience where one discovers how to putt. If you lack confidence in your putting, I'd suggest giving these ideas a try.
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Every Shot Must Have a Purpose: How GOLF54 Can Make You a Better Player
The Golfer's Mind: Play to Play Great
Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game
The Art of Putting: The Revolutionary Feel-Based System for Improving Your Score
Tour Tempo: Golf's Last Secret Finally Revealed
