Golf instruction books pave the way off the cart path to the fairway

If your favorite golfer is still looking forward to a golf-related gift under the tree, you should still be considering a book as the ideal selection. Last week we looked at some choices focusing on the rules of golf. Now let’s inspect the possibilities in the world of instruction. And while it was a relatively painless task to scrutinize a small quantity of books on the rules, the area of instruction is a minefield of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Instruction in the world of golf is separated into two areas: the physical and the mental. As the timeworn golf adage goes, “Golf is 50% physical and 90% mental.” Those who play the game know this is a valid axiom. Unfortunately, the production of instruction books is about 90% physical and 10% mental.

So, if we could find one volume that combines the physical and mental, the selection process would be simplified. No problem. The absolute best is Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book. This book is exactly what the subtitle states: Lesson and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf. Penick was a lifetime teacher of the game and his wisdom is priceless. He also produced a couple more volumes with similar themes – And If you Play Golf, You’re My Friend and For All Who Love the Game. These are excellent choices to go along with the Little Red Book.

While the Little Red Book is light on technical instruction, fear not for there are truly hundreds of volumes that focus directly on how to swing the golf club. It seems that virtually every golf instructor that ever charged for a lesson has written a book on the subject. I will give one recommendation that is appropriate for almost all golfers. I believe that Teach Yourself Visually Golf is an excellent volume for learning the game at almost every level. It was published in 2007 by Wiley Press as part of its Teach Yourself Visually series. It is straightforward presentation on the game. It’s colorful with lots of how-to pictures.

Finally, let me give you two suggestions for the mental aspect of the game. First is The Seven Personalities of Golf by Darrin Gee. Check out a recent review of this book here.

Second, for a more in depth examination of the mental side go for Tom Dorsel’s Golf: The Mental Game. Dr. Dorsel presents a practical, yet non-clinical approach to our mental game on the course. His approach is heavily tilted to the practical side with barely a hint of psychobabble.

Book Review: Pete Dye Golf Courses: Fifty Years of Visionary Design

It truly is the the Christmas season. There are always a few clues to give us a hint. Whether or not we look at the calendar, there are always a few certain indicators: Walmart changes its home & garden section into a Christmas Wonderland the day after Halloween; green fees quadruple in the Valley of the Sun; and “coffee table” books pop up quicker than a case of the shanks. So, in the spirit of Christmas, here’s another coffee table offering – Pete Dye Golf Courses: Fifty Years of Visionary Design by Joel Zuckerman.

Nearly three weeks ago I reviewed Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects, a book with similar subject matter and volume and weight. The difference, however, is that Zuckerman’s offering is a tribute to the architectural work of one man – Pete Dye. In a massive volume of three hundred plus pages Zuckerman and photographer Ken May present us with 75 of Dye’s gems. Zuckerman does the text in his unique style and May lays out before us a visual feast of golf photography.

The arrangement of the book is not unique or original. From golf course to golf course the format is identical. You receive the name of the course, 600 to 800 words by Zuckerman and elegant photography by May. Zuckerman does a workman-like job in maintaining the text from page to page providing entertaining and insightful historical information on each course. If you are familiar with any of Dye’s work, it is fascinating to be privy to some inside understanding on the development of the course.

This prose and photographic splendor present us with an easy choice for the proper Christmas present for the golfer in our lives. Anyone’s favorite golfer will be well-pleased to receive this volume under the tree.

Golf Rules do provide some interesting reading

Short of getting your favorite golfer a brand new set of clubs from a local sporting goods store (highly discouraged) or perhaps stuffing his or her stocking full of tees, let me suggest a book. “Why, Dave, what a novel idea,” you say. (Please pardon the pun.)

Yes, the perfect Christmas gift solution for the golfer in your life is good, old-fashioned book, as in something to read. There is good news and bad news here. Golf has produced a seemingly endless supply of literature; however, this makes the task of selection somewhat daunting. Fortunately, Eye On Golf is here to help. We have separated some recommendations into categories to aid in your selection process. So, in the next couple of weeks we’ll make a few suggestions. The first area is a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of all golfers.

RULES

My favorite books dealing with the Rules of Golf are not volumes that attempt to explain the rules but rather present intriguing theory and/or history on the rules:

The Principles Behind the Rules of Golf by Richard S. Tufts – Tufts, a former Executive Director of the USGA present the two guiding principles of the rules and demonstrates how all other rules emanate from them. This one may be a little hard to find or expensive, but it will satisfy the golfer’s curiosity about the rules.

The Rules of the Green by Kenneth G. Chapman – Published in 1997 this scholarly work is a history of the rules of golf that will not induce the slightest bit of insomnia. Chapman takes us on a historical journey from a time before the first written code in 1744 up to the present day carefully providing the logic behind the evolution of the rules.

Can I Get a Ruling? by Dave Marrandette – Although this is self-serving, I would be remiss if I did not recommend by own volume on the rules. This book is historical in the sense that it presents a time capsule of actual rule incidents presented in categorical fashion.

Book Review: Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects

I would imagine most golfers think that the life of a golf course architect is essentially all drawing boards, draft paper and Golf Channel interviews. Few would suspect that there is the possibility of an encounter with angry Mexican squatters. Some enlightened golfers might realize that an occasional, unplanned appointment with a wild animal, whether it walks on four legs or slithers on its belly, is a sure thing. Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects confirms all this and more.

The “Secrets” are short, pithy tales from the lives of 118 golf course architects. Don’t think you’re going to be let in on a myriad of confidential information that details the thought process of developing a golf course. Rather you will read about some unusual, some oddball, and some unavoidable incidents that have occurred during the work hours of these architects. Some of the tales are interesting, some funny, and, unfortunately, a few are flat boring.

This compilation was put together by radio host and author Michael Patrick Shiels with the assistance of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Outwardly the book is visually appealing and physically challenging – it’s heavy and obviously designed to be place on the coffee table. The volume is beautifully illustrated with over 150 full-color photographs, blueprints and drawings, drawings that are fascinating and put you into the mind of the architect. You will read of incidents from the highly visible architects – Nicklaus, Palmer, Fazio, the Dye’s, and the Jones boys, but you will also hear from a host of talented, but less well-known architects who provide their adventures as well.

One of my personal favorites is from Jack Nicklaus II, the son of THE Jack Nicklaus. Jack II gives us just a glimpse of what it is like to be the son of perhaps the greatest golfer to have played the game to date. [On a personal note over twenty years ago I had the pleasure of playing a round of golf with Jack II. He is a true gentleman of the game.]

Then there is a heart-tugging incident revealed by Rick Robbins. Robbins was scheduled to be on the ill-fated plane flight with Payne Stewart in October 1999, but scheduling conflicts prevented him from making the flight. It is a memoir that is a bit painful to read but worth absorbing.

If you are an ardent golfer who enjoys discovering more about the game, you should be in possession of this revealing literary work.

Or, if you are looking for a special gift for the golfer in your life, Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects will do the job.

Golf Gifts in a struggling economy

If the economy has given you the equivalent of the shanks, here's a few great gift ideas for every golfer in a struggling economy.

A Book
There are several ways you can go with this idea which means you’ll probably have to do a little research before making the final selection. Coyly discovering where your favorite golfer’s interests lie and reading a few book reviews (hopefully on Examiner.com) should provide adequate information. We’ll do a piece with a few noteworthy suggestions in the very near future.

New Grips
Golf is totally a game of feel and there is nothing like the exotic sensation of new grips on the club. Even if we continually struggle with our game, there are few aspects of the game that make us golfers feel better and give us more confidence. Many golf courses and most large golf department-type stores provide this service. A gift certificate might be a good choice here so that your golfer can select the grips that have just the right feel.

A Lesson
Every golfer needs a little help regardless of how good he/she is or how good he/she thinks he is. And from years of teaching experience, I can verify that every golfer has bit more potential stored inside. There is always a bit more talent yet to be discovered. A lesson from a qualified teacher may just bring out that dormant potential. The best way to find that qualified professional is to do a little research and then purchase a gift certificate from the pro you have selected.

A round of golf
Every golfer has a favorite golf course. Perhaps it’s one course that he/she gets to play just once a year because it is economically prohibitive. Or perhaps it’s his favorite course where he plays with his buddies every weekend. Any certificate for a round of golf will be greatly appreciated.

A shirt or a hat – but no glove
Every golfer loves to have a new shirt or a new hat especially from his/her favorite course. If you’re thinking of this as the perfect gift, look for a special holiday sale at that particular club. You might be able to final a bargain. The word of caution here is “No glove.” This item needs to be fitted precisely and is a little too risky.

A wedge
While individual golf clubs, especially in the wedge and putter category, are a “personal” matter to virtually every golfer, I don’t think you can go wrong with a wedge. Every golfer likes to experiment with different clubs and wedges are no different. Find out what wedge your golfer does not have and get him/her an inexpensive version with which to experiment.

Your personality on the course affects your score

What is your golf personality?

Do you think your golf personality affects the way you play the game? According to Darrin Gee, founder of the Spirit of Golf Academy in Hawaii, the answer is, “Yes.” To back up his claim he has authored The Seven Personalities of Golf: Discover Your Inner Golfer to Play Your Best Game. This volume is a logical progression from his previous work, The Seven Principles of Golf. Gee is one of the leading “mental” gurus that the professional game has developed over the last ten to fifteen years. Those of us that began the game before the intervention of psychology knew that we hit bad shots. We blamed it on our swing. Now we know differently.

So, if you want to investigate more than the bad swing theory, I suggest you get your hands on a copy of Gee’s book. But don’t be put off by the psychology, this is a fun book. Whether or not you think it will be beneficial to psycho-analyze your golf game, I guarantee you will enjoy examining the seven personality types that Gee has identified and then applying those traits to yourself and your golf game.

That’s the engaging part of this book. (And it doesn’t hurt that this is a physically attractive volume with a bright maroon cover, curved edges and a ribbon maker.) That is the sole purpose of this publication and that’s how he concludes his introductory section.

The seven chapters are the seven personalities – Intimidator, Swashbuckler, Methodologist, Gamesman, Steady Eddie, Laid-Back, and Artist. Each chapter is arranged exactly the same. There is a description of the personality that points to one or more of the applicable professional golfers (Guess who is the Intimidator?) and that is followed by a “Golf Profiler.” This is a ten-part questionnaire which will help you to determine your golfing personality. The “Golf Profiler” is succeeded by a section designed to help you apply the particular personality to your golf game whether or not it is your dominant personality. The theory is that disciplined application of the proper personality should improve your game - at least from the mental standpoint. And we all know that golf is 50% physical and 90% mental.

Enjoy this book. It is great fun and a welcome diversion from all the other golf books that try to improve your game.

Driven: the book review that all parents need to heed

Golfers, do you want to get to know well-known golf instructor David Leadbetter a little more intimately? Get Driven! Parents, do you think you have the next golf phenomenon sleeping in the crib down the hall and wonder what to do with him or her? Get Driven?

The answer to these two questions can be found in Kevin Cook’s latest volume Driven. If you want to peek through the keyhole to the future of golf, then I would suggest you read this book. If you want a glimpse as to how the future superstars of golf will be developed, read this book. Golfers will remember Cook from his 2007 USGA award winning book Tommy’s Honor. Now he has followed that with a work that examines the concept and inside operations of the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

And the inner workings can at times be scary. Children who show a glimmer of golf potential are shipped off to “Golf Boot Camp” by “driven” parents, parents who hope to write the next Earl Woods autobiography. Parents, if you think for a minute that your child has the makings of the next golf superstar, then you need to read this book to get a bit of insight into what life is like inside the ultra exclusive DLGA. We all know of the over zealous soccer moms or hockey moms, but now Cook has exposed the golfer moms (and dads) of our society.

The timing of this book review is in connection to my last post which focuses on the cost of golf. Parents who consign their children to the DLGA realize that money must be no object whether they have the means or not. The cost can exceed $100,000 per year.

Cook’s approach to exposing the physical, spiritual and emotional nuts and bolts of the DLGA is well conceived. He centers on the human interest factor by involving us in the lives of the children attending the academy. You’ll read about Peter Uihlein, the son of Titleist honcho Wally Uihelin, and the children of former tennis star Ivan Lendl. But you’ll also read about the not so well to do like Michael Wade, the son of a preacher.

Cook may have opened the proverbial golf can of worms but he has also provided a vital reality check.