Your favorite instruction book/website

[albatross]

Hello,

I'm wondering what instruction book you would recommend for someone that is trying to rebuild their game from scratch. You can see my other post in this forum that explains what happened to my golf game.

I've looked at a lot of instruction websites and books, but what do you think are some of the best sources to re-build your swing????

Thanks.

[iWALK18]

I cannot say enough how much this book helped me.

[MrSandman]

Of course 5 lessons is the obvious choice for rebuilding your game.

Pelz Short Game Bible helped me out tremendously. I was not as big a fan of his Putting Bible, but the short game bible is great. Very dense, written more like an academic text than a quick read, but well worth the time and practice.

[albatross]

There is so much information (books, websites, and videos) out there now, that I feel like I need to just pick one source and stick to it no matter how long it takes.

It sounds like the Hogan book might be my best bet.

Have others in this forum had success with Hogan's 5 Lessons????

[Dent]

Tiger Woods: How I Play Golf

A huge hardcover book with a ton of pages, that is now really cheap, got mine for 12$

[MrSandman]

It sounds like the Hogan book might be my best bet.

It is the best book I have ever read.

But there are 5 unique elements to the game of golf: 1. Power Game (Hogan's Book) 2. Short Game (chipping, pitching, wedge shots) (Pelz's Book) 3. Putting 4. Mental Game - Course Management (use aprons, keep the ball in play, etc...) 5. Mental Game - Mental Reaction to Situations (do you get nervous, how do you react?) The Hogan one is fantastic for the power game. The Pelz one is fantastic for the short game. I would highly recommend you buy both and read both. For putting, I would simply recommend this training aid http://www.edwinwattsgolf.com/golf-e...73_-1_1145.htm It is called the Accelerator. It will give you a real good feel for what the backstroke is supposed to be in relation to the follow through (even if you don't implement this in your stroke later in your career). Regarding Course Management, that's a lot of trial and error stuff. I don't know of any good books on that aspect of the game. Regarding the phscological aspect of your mental game, Dr. Bob Rotella has written some good stuff that are real short and quick reads. Also, here is a good, quick, article by Tiger on putting: http://info.detnews.com/golf/tigerwo...tails.cfm?id=2 Good luck.

[iacas]

Pelz Short Game Bible helped me out tremendously. I was not as big a fan of his Putting Bible, but the short game bible is great. Very dense, written more like an academic text than a quick read, but well worth the time and practice.

Ditto. If the only thing you truly take away from the book is the 3x4 or 4x4 wedge system, and if you're of that mindset (a little science mixed with your natural "feel"), it is still worth the price.

Quite honestly, I skimmed the rest of the book but don't really care for it. For a lot of other short-game shots, I employ basic technique mixed with feel. I might gain by looking through those sections of his book, but I doubt it. I avoid the putting bible like the plague. Ick.

[Avid Golfer]

Hello,

I recommend going with the books that were written by pros (or their instructors) who were reknowned for having rebuilt swings. Namely Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Nick Price, David Leadbetter, and Butch Harmon.

The Faldo books: Golf the Winning Formula A Swing for Life Norman books: Advanced Golf Nick Price book: The Swing Leadbetter book: The Golf Swing Butch Harmon book: The Four Cornerstones of Winning Golf

It sounds like the Hogan book might be my best bet.

The problem with Hogan's Five Lessons book (as others may point out as well) is that Hogan's method (if you follow it word for word and picture for picture) reduces or elimanates your ability to play certain shots (like hooks, draws, and high shots). The Faldo, Norman, Price, Leadbetter, and Harmon books on the other hand do not reduce your ability (nor make it difficult) to change your ball flight if desired.

Pay particular attention to the way the fundamentals are explained. The better your grip, posture, alignment, ball position, and balance are the easier you'll find it to swing into good positions during the swing.

[SubPar]

Hello,

The best books are not about mechanics but about the mental aspect of the game. Ray Floyd's

'The Elements of Scoring' is good. 'The Inner Gamer of Golf' is also outstanding. For swing changes and mechanics you need an instructor. http://www.rdbgolftips.com/ SubPar

[Avid Golfer]

The best books are not about mechanics but about the mental aspect of the game. Ray Floyd's

I see things differently. Positive thinking and reading books about the mental side of the game isn't going to correct the shanks and topped shots he reported hitting in the other thread:

http://www.thesandtrap.com/forum/sho...32&postcount;=1 A book or video can often explain and show illistrations that an instructor may not mention, think about, or correctly articulate in a lesson. A good picture of the grip or posture can go a long way in helping a student improve, and its something the student can go back to again to help them recapture what has been forgotten. Like the Steve Elkington quote in the post linked below says deep breathing and positive thinking ins't going to make the golfer magically hit the ball any closer to the target. http://www.thesandtrap.com/forum/sho...13&postcount;=7

[SubPar]

I see things differently. Positive thinking and reading books about the mental side of the game isn't going to correct the shanks and topped shots he reported hitting in the other thread:

Neither will reading a book correct those flaws.

At your level you must understand that there are many different things that can cause a given result. Without a trained eye observing every aspect of your swing from set-up, to grip, weight shift, arm tension, head position, etc. how's a person going to teach themselves any mechanical fixes to swing flaws? People are often offering a reason why they think they are hitting, left, or right or whatever and they are almost always wrong. It never looks like what it feels like. The guys at the range with Golf Magazine in hand trying to teach themselves how to correct swing flaws are on a road to nowhere. SubPar

[rudygu]

It sounds like the Hogan book might be my best bet.

I swear by this book for full swing mechanics. It provides the information necessary to learn the fundamentals of a repeatable one-plane swing.

Ditto. If the only thing you truly take away from the book is the 3x4 or 4x4 wedge system, and if you're of that mindset (a little science mixed with your natural "feel"), it is still worth the price.

I agree with Erik about this book, but also find the sections detailing how the ball will react off of different surfaces and slopes useful. But yeah, I didn't find all the different techniques outlined particularly helpful.

I've never read the putting bible and don't plan on ever doing it.

[MrSandman]

Eric's analysis on the Pelz Short Game Bible is on the money in my opinion. Lots of great information, some of which you will carry with you (specifically the distance recognition and the 4x3 system), some of which you will store away and might not consciously go back to. But as a whole, a great book.

[Daddy Golfer]

Pelz Short Game Bible: I just got it for my B-day. Very excited about it.

[Guest]

Golf is not a game of perfect by Bob Rotella changed the way I approached the game. I went from a mid 90's player to a mid to low 80's in a matter of weeks. Pre shot routine, attitude, and expectations are a huge part of improving my game and he put them into perspective for me.

[Lefty Links]

I liked "Fearless Golf" by Dr. Gio Valiante. It's about the mental game, rather than mechanics--it's a great book for mid-handicappers like me, who often approach a shot with a negative frame of mind (don't slice this, don't plunk it in the water, it's the first tee and you always hit a crappy drive off the first tee, etc.)

[OldManMorris]

Education of a Golfer by Sam Snead.

This might be a difficult book to find. It's an autobiographical tale at the core with subtle secrets to a building a home grown swing. The stories are entertaining and as a whole it provides a rich history of the pro circuit--back when the tour was a true make or break risk. There is an excellent story about Ben Hogan breaking down and sobbing in a parking lot and convinced he had to give up the game because he could barely make ends meet.

All and all this is the perfect combo of history, and instruction--both mental and physical.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Stan Utleys "art of the short game" is the only golf instruction book or website instruction that I will accept without somebody watching me swing. Utleys ideas and tips really dont interfere with what you naturally want to do, which i why I liked it. His chipping and pitching fundementals are straitforward and easy to apply to your game. But overall, the book really more method than instruction. My game really took off after putting more foucs on the short game. I brooke 80 for the first time a month or so later and broke 75 early the following season. All while not striking the ball 120 yards and out any better than a usually do.