Your all time favorite golf books?

[CosmosMpower]

I'll be on a cruise next week relaxing and want to pick up a few good golf books. I have no idea where to start but was hoping you guys would point me in the right direction. What are your favorite and most useful (on the course application) books out there that can be found at Barnes and Noble etc and why? I prefer something that's less technical and easier to understand as my mind doesn't work well with things like physics and engineering :)

[Southpaw]

I read a book called The Caddy which was a good read but I forget the author. I'll try and find the name later.

[CosmosMpower]

Thanks for the post. A brief synopsis would be very helpful as well. Such as "It talks about all aspects of the game but I like the section on course management and it has a lot of useful photos/diagrams" etc.

[Wisco-Kid]

The Greatest Game Ever Played, and Paper Tiger. Outstanding reads!

[CosmosMpower]

The Greatest Game Ever Played, and Paper Tiger. Outstanding reads!

Authors and brief synopsis?

[Wisco-Kid]

Authors and brief synopsis?

Oops sorry, Greatest Game Ever Played - Mark Frost... This is the story of how amateur Francis Ouimet beat Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the US OPen.

Paper Tiger - Tom Coyne - THis is about Tom Coyne finding out what it takes to be a pro golfer by dedicating one year of his life to golf. Moves to Florida, hires a swing coach (doc suttie i think) and gets himself to better then scratch.

[CosmosMpower]

Awesome thanks, I think I will definitely pick up Paper Tiger it seems like an interesting read. It sounds more like a story than instructional.

Can anyone reccomend a good instructional book so I can have one of each?

[albatross]

Pick up The Little Red Book by Harvey Penick. Nothing technical about it and it would be a great vacation read. Book will change how you look at golf.

[Slim 11]

I read a book called The Caddy which was a good read but I forget the author. I'll try and find the name later.

This book is by Rick O'Reilly. It deals with him caddying for various people. Pros, hustlers. It's pretty funny. I just read it a few weeks ago and I recommend it.

Another good one is Phil Mickelson's book about his 1st major win. Well written in an everyday man kind of style. It will deal with part of his life, then cover the 1st Sunday hole. Then moves on to next part of life, then 2nd hole. Well laid out. Another recommended. As far as technical goes. "Just Hit It" is the new book by Frank Thomas. Haven't read it yet but I understand that it covers a lot of history of the game and gets into the technical aspects of equipment and rules.

[keb]

I am on vacation and reading John Feinstein's A Good Walk Spoiled. Fun and easy read. Focus is on 1994 season.

[CosmosMpower]

Pick up The Little Red Book by Harvey Penick. Nothing technical about it and it would be a great vacation read. Book will change how you look at golf.

I've seen that one before, does that deal with the short game or everything? I heard Penick is a great teacher.

[Southpaw]

This book is by Rick O'Reilly. It deals with him caddying for various people. Pros, hustlers. It's pretty funny. I just read it a few weeks ago and I recommend it.

I meant The Caddie, which is a different book, buy Michael Veron. My bad.

Synopsis: The caddie occupies the most unique position in all of sports. He is a coach who doesn't have to stay on the sidelines, a waterboy who doesn't have to wait for timeouts, a psychologist who doesn't have a couch, and a fan who doesn't have to buy a ticket. In Bobby Reeves' case, he's also a bail bondsman, not to mention a savior who will attempt to help him resurrects his game - and his life - in most unexpected ways. From a jail cell in Baton Rouge to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, the gifted but troubled golfer and his mysterious caddie travel a remarkable path to great courses and to redemption.

[Slim 11]

That one sounds good. I'll have to look for it.

[mruseless]

This book is by Rick O'Reilly. It deals with him caddying for various people. Pros, hustlers. It's pretty funny. I just read it a few weeks ago and I recommend it.

If I remember correctly, the name of the Rick Reilly book is "Who's Your Caddy?". Great read, highly recommended.

[Ruari]

"The Legend of Bagger Vance", Steven Pressfield.
You can read the precis on Amazon.
You really want me to do it?
OK.
It's based on the Mahabarat, one of the great stories of Indian literature - specifically, the part named the Bagavad Gita.
The caddie - Vance - helps the hero - Rannulph Junnah - to understand the role and nature of the warrior. You can love your opponents, as the tiger loves the buffalo, but still you have to be prepared to beat them - which may mean, kill them.
You have to discover your own swing - the rhythm that God gave you. That is your heart. When all else is stripped away (which Vance makes clear by destroying the world and recreating it, in a moment) all that is left of you is your swing.
Believe in yourself. Play your own game. Look after the kid who may be telling the story, 50 years hence.

Told you you'd prefer the Amazon summary.

But believe me, this is the greatest book about golf and life you will ever read. I love it - I bought 10 copies, the other 9 to give to kids, women and other learners who I thought would benefit.
They all think I'm nuts - except for the three who actually read it.

[LPHSGolfPhil]

"The Right Sticks: Equipment Myths That Could Wreck Your Golf Game" by Tom Wishon

Basically, its a collection of myths and legends about golf equipment and industry standards and how they are not suited to the average golfer. These are then accompanied by the true facts about golf equipment that not so many people really know about.

Examples:

Does your new driver really have a larger sweet spot? (Barely)
The longer the length of the club, the farther you can hit it (No)
You can change the flight of the ball by putting lead tape on your clubhead (No)
The higher the MOI, the straighter the shot (Sorta)
The larger the grip, the harder it is to release and vice versa
If the shaft is too soft you'll hook it and vice versa
And he addresses the mirage of being custom fit at big chain golf stores

It's actually a pretty interesting read, it ended up saving me some money instead of buying new equipment haha

[iQuest Golfer]

This one was an easy read and a good book for helping to break golf's toughest scoring barrier... 90!

HOW TO BREAK 90 , TJ Tomasi, PhD, and Mike Adams w Mike Corcoran, 2001

It covers how to think about the game, how to strategically map out your points along each hole, how to shape shots to fit different situations, and putting. It's about... thinking ability, not swinging aptitude.

Another favorite... THE MATCH - The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever , Mark Frost, 2007. I received it for Father's Day and I was done with it 3 days later. It's about a dream golf match between Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi against the game's greats - Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.

Good luck!

[TigerCurtis333]

Sticks by Bill McMillan. BEST fictional golf book ever written. Deals with the value of a golf course in Ohio. Pick it up!

"How I play the Game" - Tiger Woods. He shows some great ways to lower your score regardless of handicap, and also shows some tricks from his golf mentors.