Jackal Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 (edited) I have been buying golf ' help' books since 1995. The latest one is Dave Pelz ' Damage Control'. Some of the stuff is obvious, but I never think about it when faced with a trouble shot. Sort of a refresher of the basics, and when to gamble. Once a read something, then when faced with a situation on the course, the results are better. What are some of your favorites? Edited October 19, 2020 by Jackal cksurfdude, gman8966, MGoBlue100 and 1 other 4 Quote Always chasing different clubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman8966 Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 One book that I read recently, that really helped me was "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella. I've recommended it to others, and they said they benefitted from it was well. I'm definitely going to check out Damage Control. korsmot, ejgaudette, Jackal and 3 others 6 Quote I'm a hockey player playing golf today. TSR3, Ventus Blue Velocore 7X JPX 921 Tour Irons Evnroll EV5.1 ProV1x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfriday101 Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 I was just going through golf books yesterday, getting ready to reread some over the winter--plan out what to concentrate on for 2021. Topping the list are my favorite golf books of all time: Percy Boomer, On Learning Golf (1946) Fred Shoemaker, Extraordinary Golf and Extraordinary Putting Gary Nicol and Karl Morris, The Lost Art of Playing Golf and The Lost Art of Putting I rounded out my reread list with: Golf Practice, How to Practice Golf and Take Your Range Game to the Course, by Matthew Cooke, Arick Zeigell and Zack Parker with Game Like Training. And all of the Vision54 books by Pia Nilson and Lynn Marriot (Every Shot Must Have a Purpose, The Game Before the Game, etc.) Regarding Fitness: I need to reread Yoga for Golfers, by Katherine Roberts. Time to review my yoga routine and see about adding in some more advanced poses. I'll also review Golf Sense, Practical Tips on How to Play Golf in the Zone, by Roy Palmer. The title on this is misleading. The "playing in the zone" stuff is just kind of an add on. The book spends most of its time discussing the Alexander Technique and showing golfers how to become more aware of their bodies and applying the new knowledge to their golf games. (I confess, I'd never heard of the Alexander Technique before reading this book. My daughter, who got her masters in theater production knew all about it. I wonder if Chisag has ever heard of it or applied it to golf? That should get me through rainy days in January and February. MGoBlue100 and Jackal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackal Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 2 hours ago, gman8966 said: One book that I read recently, that really helped me was "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella. I've recommended it to others, and they said they benefitted from it was well. I'm definitely going to check out Damage Control. I bought Damage Control on Ebay for $6 ??????. It was brand new, and lists for $40+. There are some on Amazon, too. gman8966 and MGoBlue100 2 Quote Always chasing different clubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenGolfer Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Zen Golf was a game changer for me. Jackal, MGoBlue100 and ejgaudette 3 Quote "I suppose its better to be a master of 7 than to be vaguely familiar with 14." - Chick Evans Whats in my Sun Mountain 2.5+ stand bag? Woods: Tommy Armour Atomic 10.5* Hybrid: Mizuno MP Fli-Hi 3H Irons: Mizuno T-Zoid True 5, 7 and 9-irons Wedge: Mizuno S18 54* and Top Flite chipper Putter: Mizuno Bettinardi A-02 Ball: Maxfli Tour X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman8966 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 14 hours ago, BadgerGolfer said: Zen Golf was a game changer for me. Read that one as well, really like how he related old proverbs to golf. MGoBlue100 and Jackal 2 Quote I'm a hockey player playing golf today. TSR3, Ventus Blue Velocore 7X JPX 921 Tour Irons Evnroll EV5.1 ProV1x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy AFG Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 I would tend to categorize golf books as being about golf, or golf help. If you're looking for golf help: Zen Golf Own Your Game - Dave Stockton Unconscious Putting - Dave Stockton Unconscious Scoring - Dave Stockton If you're looking for books about golf: A Good Walk Spoiled - John Feinstein The First Major - John Feinstein That's the extent of my collection right now. I'm planning to pick up Golf is not a Game of Perfect for the winter. MGoBlue100 and Jackal 2 Quote Driver: TSR2, Ventus Blue 6 S, 65g Stiff FW: TSR2 3w, 15, Ventus Blue 7 S, 70g Stiff Hybrids: Apex Pro 3H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Stealth DHY 4H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Irons: SMS 5-6, SMS Pro 7-PW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Wedges: SM9 48 F Grind, 52 F Grind, 56 M Grind, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Putter: Sri-Hot 5K Triple Wide, Stroke Lab shaft Ball: Pro V1 Click here for my HONMA TR20 Official Review! Click here for my Arccos Caddie Bundle Official Review! Click here for my Edel SMS & SMS Pro Irons Official Review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscipleofPenick Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Golf is not a game of perfectEvery shot must have a purposeAnything by Harvey Penick.I set my copy of Five Lessons on fire. Take Dead Aim Jackal, MGoBlue100, MisterT and 1 other 4 Quote Take Dead Aim Driver: PXG 0211 10.5* Fairway: Titleist 917 F3 15* Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro Boxer Gold 18* Irons: MacGregor MT-86 Pro Wedges: Vokey 50/54/58 Putter: SeeMore X2 Costa del Mar Ball: Srixon Z-Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMart519 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Your Short Game Solution - James Sieckmann Be a Player - Pia Nilsson Lynn Marriott (I found this better than "Every Shot Must have a Purpose") Lowest Score Wins Throwback - Golf My Way - Jack Nicklaus Better Faster: The Modern Golfer's Blueprint for Getting More from Less Also agree with the other Bob Rotella and Dave Stockton books listed above. Jackal and MGoBlue100 2 Quote G425 MAX Driver & 5W Baffler Rail-H 3H-4H 699 Pro Utility V2 - 4i APEX CF19 6-AW INDI Wedges 52, 56, 60 EAS 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jtom2012 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Not a golf book but " The subtle art of not giving a f***k".Sent from my moto g(7) power using MyGolfSpy mobile app tony@CIC, Jackal and MGoBlue100 3 Quote Driver- Cobra Speedzone 9° Woods- Sub70 Pro 5-Wood Utility- Titleist 718 T-MB 4 Utility Irons- Sub70 649 MB Tour 5-PW, 699 Pro 2U Wedges- Cleveland Zipcore RTX 52°,56°, 60° Putter- Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2 Ball- Titleist ProV1x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejgaudette Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 As others have mentioned Zen Golf, and anything from Bob Rotella or Harvey Penick are my go to books. DiscipleofPenick and Jackal 2 Quote Epic Max LS 9° Ventus Blue 6X (2021 Official Review) | Epic Speed 18° Evenflow Riptide 70g 6.0 816 H1 21° Diamana S+ Blue 70 S | SMS 4-5/SMS Pro 6-PW Steelfiber i95 S (2023 Official Review) Glide 4.0 50°.12°S/54°.14°W/58°.6°T PING Z-Z115 Wedge Flex | SOFT 11S Super Stroke Mid-Slim 2.0 Hoofer Bag | Pro V1 | Right Handed | Tracked by V3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscipleofPenick Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Your Short Game Solution - James Sieckmann Be a Player - Pia Nilsson Lynn Marriott (I found this better than "Every Shot Must have a Purpose") Lowest Score Wins Throwback - Golf My Way - Jack Nicklaus Better Faster: The Modern Golfer's Blueprint for Getting More from Less Also agree with the other Bob Rotella and Dave Stockton books listed above. What did you like about Be a Player? I'm really working on the think box - play box approach and a repetitive routine. Take Dead Aim Jackal 1 Quote Take Dead Aim Driver: PXG 0211 10.5* Fairway: Titleist 917 F3 15* Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro Boxer Gold 18* Irons: MacGregor MT-86 Pro Wedges: Vokey 50/54/58 Putter: SeeMore X2 Costa del Mar Ball: Srixon Z-Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaliedad30 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect - Rotella Harvey Penick's "Little Red Book Of Golf" Jackal and DiscipleofPenick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verojoe Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Art of Putting, Art of the Short Game, and Art of the Swing all by Stan Utley. The Golf Whisperer by Gary Battersby Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy. Legend of Bagger Vance by Stephen Pressfield. (So different and better than the movie in my opinion). Trouble Shooting by Seve Ballesteros. GolfSpy SAM, MGoBlue100 and Jackal 3 Quote 4-P Hogan Edge (2018 version) 52 degree Hogan Equalier wedge Arnold Palmer The Original putter Founder Club hybrid 18 degrees Taylor Made Burner 3 & 5 wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman8966 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Another one I forgot about was Ben Hogan's Five Lessons. This book is really great when you are first starting or for a refresher on things like grip, posture, stance, etc. Ben Hogan was one smart fellow. MGoBlue100 and Jackal 2 Quote I'm a hockey player playing golf today. TSR3, Ventus Blue Velocore 7X JPX 921 Tour Irons Evnroll EV5.1 ProV1x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shapotomous Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 I like Hogans 5 lessons book and skim / read through it often as it sits on my desk with the rest of the organised mess. Even if you don't like his 'avoid a hook' swing technique, As mentioned already it's a good reminder of the fundamentals of grip, posture, etc. I also like Golf My Way by Jack, although I have only watched the video and not read the book. Jackal, sirchunksalot and MGoBlue100 3 Quote Modern Bag: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex; 915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex; Snake Eyes 18* 2h, 23* 4h & 27* 5h; JPX 900 Forged 6 - PW, PX LZ 6.0; Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S; Heppler Fetch; Ball - MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder Classic Bag: Driver - Persimmon; 3w - Speed Slot; 5w - Tour Block; 3 - pw - Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson; putter - bullseye standard or flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMart519 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 20 hours ago, Tsmithjr9 said: What did you like about Be a Player? I'm really working on the think box - play box approach and a repetitive routine. Take Dead Aim I found that it had all of the content from "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose" plus more, and there wasn't anything important from the other book that was left out of be a player. I like the practice exercises and "explorations" they structured for 9 hole rounds from Be A Player better than the few practice games in the other book that seemed more driving range specific. Quote G425 MAX Driver & 5W Baffler Rail-H 3H-4H 699 Pro Utility V2 - 4i APEX CF19 6-AW INDI Wedges 52, 56, 60 EAS 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titleist87 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Ben Hogan: An American Life MGoBlue100 1 Quote Fly Z+ UST Proforce V2 Black Golfsmith Jet Stream 3W UST Proforce V2 915 H3 Diamana Red 915 H4 Diamana Red Apex Edge Pro UST Recoil Dart Vokey SM6 50F/54S/58S Aerotech SteelFiber Huntington Beach 11S Pro V1 Bag Boy Chiller Bag Boy Quad XL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscipleofPenick Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 I found that it had all of the content from "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose" plus more, and there wasn't anything important from the other book that was left out of be a player. I like the practice exercises and "explorations" they structured for 9 hole rounds from Be A Player better than the few practice games in the other book that seemed more driving range specific. Thanks. Take Dead Aim Quote Take Dead Aim Driver: PXG 0211 10.5* Fairway: Titleist 917 F3 15* Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro Boxer Gold 18* Irons: MacGregor MT-86 Pro Wedges: Vokey 50/54/58 Putter: SeeMore X2 Costa del Mar Ball: Srixon Z-Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP043 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 One of my favorite books about golf is My Place at the Table by John Derr. Mr. Derr covered the second Masters Tournament as a boy reporter for a small newspaper, and covered the next 60+ Masters for print, radio, and television. The book simply tells stories from his life, including encounters with Mahatma Ghandi, Albert Einstein, Hogan, Palmer, Dwight Eisenhower, lots more. Sadly, I don't think its in print anymore, but Amazon shows used copies available pretty inexpensively. This article gives a taste of the kinds of stories he had to tell: https://www.linksmagazine.com/characters_john_derr/ aerospace_ray, GolfSpy SAM, Jedaigeki and 1 other 2 2 Quote Irons Titleist T200, AMT Red stiff Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X T22 54 and 58 wedges 7-wood 5-wood B60 G5i putter Right handed Reston, Virginia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thin2win Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 I'm going to go a different route. Books by Pelz, Stockton, Nicklaus, Hogan etc are are fun. But I don't have their swings, I like the read for the read, but from an instruction standpoint... Hogan's book alone probably made more people worse at golf than if they didn't read it. The "Golf" books I love, the stylized books by Mark Frost are way too fun to read. I like reading anything that makes me want to play more and a good golf story does that. The other book that is really good, is Dream Golf. It's the story of Bandon Dunes and how it came to be. I think it has been revised with each added course, the revisions are okay, but the main arc and path of Bandon is a great read. cnosil, GolfSpy SAM, Kansas King and 2 others 5 Quote WITB: Driver: SIM2 Max 12° - Accra TZ6 M4 FW Wood: Gen5 0311 7w Fujikura Motore X F3 Irons: ZX7 PW-7i, ZX5 6i-5i Wedges: Zipcore 50°, 58° Putter: MySpider X Cart: Onewheel XR+ Ball: Z-Star Diamond/ Z-Star XV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGoBlue100 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 This one is pretty old, but I enjoyed it when I read it. Probably should do so again, as the main message is: "Take Your Medicine!" Shapotomous and Jedaigeki 2 Quote "Where'd it go?" "Right in the Lumberyard..." Gen 2 0811 XF 10.5* Graphite Design Tour AD DI-6x Gen 2 0211 15* 3W Mitsubishi Tensei Raw Blue 65-S Tour B JGR 15* Fairway UST ProForce V2 7F5 76g X-Flex (These two are gonna fight it out in early "24 to see who stays in the bag...) Tour B JGR 19* & 22* Hybrid UST ProForce V2 90g X-Flex Tour B JGR HF-2 irons (5i - PW) KBS Tour 130x CBX Wedges (50, 54, 58) TT Dynamic Gold 115 Wedge Shaft MATI Mamo Putter 33" Super Stroke Football League 3.0 Slim Hoofer Camo Stand Bag Precision Pro Nexus Rangefinder FAN! PRO Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGoBlue100 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 ...and of course this gem of literature! DaveP043 and sirchunksalot 2 Quote "Where'd it go?" "Right in the Lumberyard..." Gen 2 0811 XF 10.5* Graphite Design Tour AD DI-6x Gen 2 0211 15* 3W Mitsubishi Tensei Raw Blue 65-S Tour B JGR 15* Fairway UST ProForce V2 7F5 76g X-Flex (These two are gonna fight it out in early "24 to see who stays in the bag...) Tour B JGR 19* & 22* Hybrid UST ProForce V2 90g X-Flex Tour B JGR HF-2 irons (5i - PW) KBS Tour 130x CBX Wedges (50, 54, 58) TT Dynamic Gold 115 Wedge Shaft MATI Mamo Putter 33" Super Stroke Football League 3.0 Slim Hoofer Camo Stand Bag Precision Pro Nexus Rangefinder FAN! PRO Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregB135 Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 The Little Book of Breaking 80 by Shane Jones It has a lot of really good mental game insight and touches on controlling expectations and focusing practice. Quote Driver: 311XF Gen5, Tensei CK Pro Orange, S flex Fariway: 311XF Gen6 3-Wood, Tensei Blue 55g R flex Hybrid: 211, 3H Project X Evenflow H, 80g, 5.5 TSR2 4H, Tensei Blue R (Forum Tester) Irons: T200 2023, Tensei Blue R (Forum Tester), 5-GW Wedges: CBX2 Zipcore 52*, 56* Project X Catalyst Spinner Graphite Shaft Putter: ER2 Murdered Out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kansas King Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 I personally like "Understanding the Golf Swing" by Manuel de la Torre. It is another book on the swing but it focuses on the club based approach which doesn't seem to be taught much. The club based approach to instruction is essentially focusing on where you want the club to go instead of worrying about the position your body is in or where your hips are. The theory is that if you focus on swinging the club down the target line, your body will do what's necessary to accomplish that. There is a simplicity to this method that no other swing thoughts or methods in the game of golf possess. I've had tremendous success with this method and even if it's not the method or swing thought you like, it offers invaluable insight on the swing and can really help your mental game. The other books I like are Maltby's and Wishon's club building/fitting books. Golf equipment is the most studied and perfected sports equipment in the world. It can be interesting to learn the specifics of it if you're into that. Lot's of other good books out there on golf. I have a stack that I have yet to read including Zen Golf, Golf Flow, and a few others. I don't know how good those are but I will read them eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 Taking a dive into some old school knowledge & philosophy ... Starting with the one on the right. It's got a cool little embedded feature - at the bottom of each right-hand page is a small pic.. each of which is one frame from a video of Sam Snead's swing .. so flipping through the pages of the book shows you a little old fashioned "video"! Giovanni Cooper, GolfSpy AFG, Kenny B and 3 others 6 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Baker Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 Idk, I haven't read it yet. Maybe I'll find some recommendations here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisag Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 On 10/20/2020 at 7:47 PM, verojoe said: Legend of Bagger Vance by Stephen Pressfield. ... I think this should be must reading for any golfer. GolfSpy SAM 1 Quote Driver: Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R Fairway: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R Hybrids: 430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r Irons: '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r Wedges: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r Putter: Sport-60 33" Ball: Maxfli Maxfli Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marty lensing Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 One Move To Better Golf by Carl Lohren My go to for 20+ years… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Vecchiarelli Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Today’s golf is not really different from when I learned to play in the early 1950’s. Today’s power hitters invariably hit a fade. They set up pretty much the way Ben Hogan did. I heartily recommend his 5 lessons as the Bible . Everything in that book was right. Grip, posture, etc. my second book would be Tom Watsons , getting up and down. Sam Snead had a pamphlet about his swing that was enlightening also everything else is a spin off. I was a single digit for many years and now time has caught up with me. But the point is those books covered me for my golf career. If you get caught up in stuff, Rotellas book would be helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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