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Best Instruction Books???


an909

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I have compiled a pretty good personal library of golf instruction books. I am interested to learn what some of your favorites are. I know everyone will mention Hogan's The Modern Fundamentals of Golf and Nicklaus' Golf My Way, but I am interested in learning about any hidden gems out there.

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The Art and Zen of Learning Golf by Mike Hebron.

Mike Hebron has learned from the best and to those in the know, he is a genious. Not someone you'll read about in Golf Digest, this guy actually knows his stuff....The guy arguably (sp?) knows as much or more about the golf swing than anyone, bar none. Read this book, you'll be blown away.

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If you're a Hogan fan, in addition to Five Lessons, try to find the Maximum Golf book and video by John Schlee. He studied with Hogan and bases his teachings pretty much on Hogan's technique. Also, Play Golf the Wright Way by Mickey Wright, mostly because Hogan admired her swing.

For an interesting take on the golf swing, pick up David Lee's Gravity Golf. Some interesting theory, but no notable players work with him, so I wouldn't go crazy trying to learn from it.

A very good read with some good instruction is Let 'er Rip by Gardner d**kinson. A life-long swing junkie who learned from Snead, Hogan, Middlecoff and others. Has some great stories from the tour circa the 50's through the 70's.

Jeff

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As far as the mental side of golf goes I'm partial to "Zen Golf" and "Mind Over Golf." Both have some great things to work on to keep you focused on the task at hand.

Regardless of what some might think of Dave Pelz personally, I do like most of "Dave Pelz' Short Game Bible." You have to read through a lot of stuff to get to the instruction portion but he has what I think is some fairly sound instruction in it.

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Dave Pelz 10 minutes to better putting is pretty much what you would learn during the putting session of a Pelz clinic. It's simple and explains everything as a science. Very easy to follow will improve your putting dramatically. I have to echo what other have said about Harvey's book. Probably the best foundation of any book out there. I think the rest of the instruction books will give you too much to think about and cloud your head.

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I just picked up the LAW's of golf by Mike Adams and several others. It is based on the theory that there is no one swing for everyone. The right swing for me is based on my body size, shape, flexibility, etc..

I have read 3/4 of it so far and it seems to make sense. I have not started the lessons yet.

Steve

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  • 4 months later...

Swing the handle is execellent.

Harmon's Four Cornerstones and Playing lessons

Rotella's books on the game within our heads.

Shrink Your Handicap

Sam Snead - Golf Starts at 40 or Golf Over Forty (been awhile since I read it)

Hogan's Power Golf

Hank Haney - No More Bad Shots

Ray Floyd - 60 yards in and is Scoring book

Tom Watson's Strategic Golf

Pavin's Shotmaking

Sadly I'm almost as much a book junkie as a golf addict. I have a large collection of golf books and videos. I find myself spending a lot of time in the late fall till spring reading and watching, then I go out and play the same old golf because I don't apply most of what I read. The things that do stick long enough to get applied seem to be the real gems.

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  • 1 month later...

I recently reread "Understanding the Golf Swing" by Manuel de la Torre. de la Torre is a disciple of Ernest Jones, author of the renowned "Swing the Clubhead". What I like about de la Torre's approach is the simplicity and balance. Simple, because he talks very little about specific positions, and balance, because the left and right side have equally important roles, neither dominates.

I think it would be very helpful for someone who has mostly good fundamentals but has been unable to "tie it all together"; or for someone who has OD'd on "position" (e.g. Leadbetter) instruction.

Jeff

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here a few great golf books I would reccomend reading.

Five Lessons Hogan

On Learning golf Percy Boomer

Perfect your swing Ballard

The GOlf Swing Leadbetter

Practical Golf Jacobs

Mental traing Dr Fran Pirozzolo

Natural Golf George Knutsen

The Venturi System Venturi

In Search of th perfect swing.

8 step Swing McLean

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I posted in July that I had reread Manuel de la Torre's "Understanding the Golf Swing" and that I found it helpful. By the beginning of September, I had sort of forgotten his principles and was focusing on other approaches, including the very intriguing "Tour Tempo".

By the end of September, my game was a shambles and I had some important matches approaching. Two weeks ago, after a Thursday practice round of left and right drives, topped fairway woods and fat irons, I picked up de la Torre's book again, because it very precisely diagnoses these problems and offers concise cures.

Well, this book really works. It helped me mechanically immediately the next day and that Sunday I won my match easily. Last week, I continued to study the book and found that his advice on the mental approach to the game, putting and bunker play was also very helpful. After this past weekend, I'm a disciple!

This past Saturday I won my handicap flight of the club championship very easily: I was 6 up after nine holes. On Sunday, an eight hole stretch of even par golf (including back-to-back birdies; my index in 10.9) helped put my partner and me 5 up after ten holes in the final of a season long team event; we won easily.

I should mention that critical to these good showings was also the chipping and putting skills I learned from Stan Utley last March. I've never putted or chipped better. It's too bad, though, that Stan doesn't have a book out that I can turn to when I need help!

In any case, if you are struggling with your game, particularly if you think you have decent mechanics but can't "tie it together", give de la Torre's book a try. Be aware that it is a total method, so picking out bits and pieces may not be that effective. But the system is straightforward and simple and really not that hard to adopt (in fact, my team event partner said my swing looks the same; the ball is just flying a lot better).

Jeff

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The only 2 books I have read are :

Tiger's "How I play Golf"

John Havossol's "Tour Tempo"

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  • 4 months later...

forgot to add, harvey penicks little red book. plus ive read the putting bible by dave pelz and i am currently reading a swing fixing book, cant remember the name,lol. if i get the name ill tell u.

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