October 2007
Cure those winter blues
Reading golf books will help you get through the winter months
For those of you who have put away your clubs, but can’t seem to put away the game, I give you my winter reading list. Get out the coffee pot, put on that big fuzzy robe, find your favourite slippers and settle in for a winter of golf.
I class all of the books in my library into one of three main categories: swing mechanics or instruction, sports psychology, and golf entertainment. I have provided you with one selection in each of these categories, to ensure that we find something for all of your reading needs.
From the instructional category, you should take note of the classic Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons–The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. If you are looking to overhaul your swing, or simply tune up on the essential keys, then this book is ideal for you. This book should be in every golfer’s book collection and should be a regular read each off-season. The book was written by Hogan himself in 1957, and has long been considered one of the greatest instructional books ever written. The basic fundamentals of the game are broken down in tremendous detail, and the book has remained relevant a full 50 years after it was originally published. Golf instructors all agree that the game begins and ends with solid pre-shot fundamentals, and Hogan helps emphasize this by devoting the first 60 pages of the 127-page book to grip, stance and posture.
Sports psychology is an excellent category for any golfer, but specifically for those who feel they underachieve. Consider any one of the numerous titles written by Dr. Bob Rotella, a world-renowned sports psychologist that currently works with a number of the best professional golfers in the world, and heads up the sports psychology department at the University of Virginia. His books help to create an awareness of the mental struggle associated with the sport, and are written in a very casual anecdotal style. His titles are always insightful and entertaining, making it tough to choose a favourite, try Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect and branch out from there.
If pure entertainment value is what you are after, then you must read Who’s Your Caddy? by Rick Reilly. It provides a revealing look at the world of golf, through the eyes of a caddy. Reilly himself takes time away from his post as a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated, and caddies for numerous golfers—both professional and celebrity—including the likes of Donald Trump, David Duval, John Daley, Jack Nicklaus and many others. Reading the book is the second-best thing to actually playing the game itself. You get to see a completely different side of some of the professionals, and it is all told in traditional Reilly fashion, humorous and witty—if you like reading his columns in Sports Illustrated, you will love the book.
Game improvement does not have to be limited to the driving range during the warm summer months. The courses may be closed, but with a little research you will be able to find just the right book for your golf game.
Trevor Moore is a CPGA professional based in Medicine Hat, he owns and operates Advantage Golf Academy. You can contact him via his website www.advantagegolf.ca.