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So... I'm a 20 handicapper with an ambitious, but in my opinion attainable goal of shooting in the 80's by the end of this season, 70's next season, and scratch soon after. I have a new coach who is awesome (if you're in the Long Island area and need a good coach let me know) and my lessons and all are helping tremendously. But I have found that by following my lesson plans and drills I get one dimensional at times and don't progress as quickly as I'd like. But then after reading certain books, I've had that "AH HA!" moment nearly every time where something I thought was "good" was really totally wrong, or I didn't totally understand something my coach told me to do, or any number of other reasons.

 

So I'm curious to know what books would you all recommend to a newer golfer, or just any golfer in general. Maybe it's an author who explains things in a way that you "get it" every time (I feel like Hank Haney hits the nail on the head for me all the time), or maybe a book that changed your game completely, or simply one you just love. I've read and like "The Plane Truth for Golfers", and found it to be very helpful with my particular swing in breaking down feels vs. reality and drills that seem to work for me. I learn best from gathering tons of information, so my goal is to get the best from the best folks in golf... The MGS Community. Thanks!!

 

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First book I would get would be Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible....read it practice his drills and you'll drop strokes around the green.

 

 

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Get "The Golf Omnibus" by P.G. Wodehouse. A collection of his short stories written in the early 1900s. Wonderfully funny. You won't learn any technique but you will get a look into the heart and soul of the game.

 

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I'd say one of the absolute best books for beginners is Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

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I'd say one of the absolute best books for beginners is Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

That was one of my first books too. Throw my name on the pile recommending this.

 

 

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I have read Hogans Five Lessons multiple times and it is a good instructional book, but I think David Ledbetter's "The Fundamentals of Hogan" is even better. In it, Ledbetter breaks down Hogans swing and instead of teaching Hogans swing exactly (which most amateurs can't replicate) highlights the key parts of Hogan's swing which can work for most players.

 

For the short game I like Ray Floyds "From 60 Yards In".

 

And for casual reads, I like Harvey Penicks "Little Red Book" and "A Round of Golf with Tommy Armour".

 

 

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Penick's Little Red Book is a good one, so is Dave Stockton's Unconscious Putting. I learned a lot from Bobby Jones' book on golf and Haney's.

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Thank goodness for Amazon Kindle lol. Lots of good recommendations guys, thank you! I've begun "Hogan's Five Lessons" in the past but never finished it, and I'm intrigued by "The Fundamentals of Hogan". Keep them coming!!

 

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The 4 Penick books are great. And I've read some Bob Rotella if you are looking for help with the mental side.

 

I'm going to disagree with a lot of people here and say avoid the Hogan book for now. Those tips are how to swing like him. Hogan hit a fade, and as most golfers struggle with going right, his instruction could make things worse.

 

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The 4 Penick books are great. And I've read some Bob Rotella if you are looking for help with the mental side.

 

I'm going to disagree with a lot of people here and say avoid the Hogan book for now. Those tips are how to swing like him. Hogan hit a fade, and as most golfers struggle with going right, his instruction could make things worse.

 

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I was waiting for someone else to say that. It is a good read, but a good read only. That stuff has the potential to really screw you up without "adult supervision"

 

 

- Alan

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How so? I find alot of pga teaching professionals (including Breed) use his techniques.

If taught it would be fine. It isn't a go out buy, read, and poof you are Hogan good. Like he said up there he played a fade. 99% of super hackers slice the ball, this would make the slice a boomerang.

 

Try and do his moves with an over the top swing and bad bad things will become of it. Unless you like playing out of the trees all day.

 

But sure, go ahead. It should come with a disclaimer.

 

"Ben Hogan was one of the best golfers of all time, and you are not."

 

It definitely has some great stuff, and I use some of it. But for someone to just buy and self lesson it would be tough I think. Especially if you are just getting going. But what do I know, I am not a teaching pro.

 

 

- Alan

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Fred Shoemaker's "Extraordinary Golf: the Art of the Possible"

 

I've lent out my copy several times and it always comes back with a new inscription of inspired gratitude scribbled inside the front cover.

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"The most important shot in golf is the next one“ - Ben Hogan

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For a newer golfer, I recommend Lowest Score Wins, Barzeski and Wedzik.  There's very little in the way of swing instruction, its mostly about evaluating your own game, planning your practice, and making decisions on the course.  A lot of this is stuff I've learned through playing for 45 years, some of it was new to me, but I think its good information.

To be completely open, one of the authors runs another golf website.  I'm not trying to shill for that website, but I do think the book offers some valuable advice.

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Lol, glad I didn't read the pretext. Hehe. (seriously didn't) I actually used it to get rid of my ott. I use his grip & try when swinging, to picture the glass plane.

Think I'm a selective reader. . Lol

Hogan does have good fundamentals and the drawings in the book are top notch. His notes on setup are spot on.

 

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Unstoppable golfer, Bob Rotella plus a few of his books are good. Definitely Harvey Pennick series all 4. That's all if you want to advance fast. All simple, and all mental.

 

I like history so I also read(well listen on my audible) both of David Frost books on golf, greatest game ever played and Bobby Jones. Titanic Thompson, Hank Haneys' book also a good read.

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Golf is Not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella

 

 

Easy choice

 

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I just read this. Wish I would have picked it up years ago.

 

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The Impact Zone by Bobby Clampett. Swing The Handle by Eddie Merrins. Stan Utley's Art of Putting and Art of the Short Game. Solid Impact by Jim Hardy. Be a Player, Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. Anatomy of Greatness by Brandel Chamblee.

 

I agree about Dave Stockton's Unconscious Putting and Bob Rota's first book.

 

Leadbetter's book about Hogan is better than Hogan's own, for me. Not a fan of Jim Hardy's new book about the release.

 

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The Impact Zone by Bobby Clampett. Swing The Handle by Eddie Merrins. Stan Utley's Art of Putting and Art of the Short Game. Solid Impact by Jim Hardy. Be a Player, Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. Anatomy of Greatness by Brandel Chamblee.

 

I agree about Dave Stockton's Unconscious Putting and Bob Rota's first book.

 

Leadbetter's book about Hogan is better than Hogan's own, for me. Not a fan of Jim Hardy's new book about the release.

 

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Rotella, not Rota.

 

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When I first started playing I read Golf My Way by Jack Nicklaus and found it pretty helpful. If I remember right it repeatedly said that what Jack did might not work for you, but it did work for me at least for a little while.

 

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Very much like The Swing Factory based on Leslie King's method. Also Nick Price's The Swing: Mastering the Principles of the Game.

 

 

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Leslie King The Perfect Golf Swing. His is the only book I ever suggest on "how to", when asked. It is sold all over but there is a "series'' with it free at golfpro-online and a pdf can be found too.

Its a beginner type of book.

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