"Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" (and his other mental game books) by Bob Rotella

[damkader]

Many years ago I had the audio book of "golf is not a game of perfect" It helped me improve my scores quite a bit.

[Ben]

If you haven't already, buy, borrow, read Putting Out of Your Mind !!!

Before reading this I was struggling with a putts per round average lingering just over 30.

On Monday I read three chapters, on Tuesday read one more, and yesterday I went on the course to putt it to the test. 23 total putts with 13 one putts!

The name of the book is titled just perfect. I quite literally putted out of my mind!!!

[Big Padrigo]

I think the putting out of your mind book is excellent. It has helped me really focus on my routine and committing to the putt and I have seen my average putts drop by 3-4. One of the great things about his books is that they are great to read again as a little refresher.

[bm303]

Well after finishing "Golf is not a Game of Perfect" a few days ago, I have to say, this man is a genius. I had try-out's for my varsity golf team a few days ago, and shot a triple bogey on the third hole. In that situation I would usually lose my temper and go into a slump for the rest of the day, but with the help of this book I now understand how important it is to stay in the present and focus on putting my bad shots behind me. A "must read" for all golfers in my opinion.

[Divot Tool]

I had try-out's for my varsity golf team a few days ago, and shot a triple bogey on the third hole. In that situation I would usually lose my temper and go into a slump for the rest of the day, but with the help of this book I now understand how important it is to stay in the present and focus on putting my bad shots behind me. . .

I was really hoping that you were going to say that in your time of distress you bunkered down and eventually shot even par on the front 9 drawing inspiration from the book. Hope the tryouts went well. Great book indeed.

[bm303]

I was really hoping that you were going to say that in your time of distress you bunkered down and eventually shot even par on the front 9 drawing inspiration from the book. Hope the tryouts went well. Great book indeed.

Not quite, but it definitely has helped me, since the "old" me would have been too pissed off to have a chance at making par for the next few holes. And the tryouts did go well, shot 46 for 9 on an extremely hard course.

[AlCzervik]

I bought this book used yesterday, waiting for it to come in. I could use a good read during the winter season to motivate me for better playing.

[Puttin4Bird]

Is that the newest Rotella book?

I believe the latest in the Rotella books is "Your 15th Club, The Inner Secret to Great Golf" which I am currently reading, I suppose I'm 3/4s finished, so far it is great! It's a very good breakdown of your mental thoughts that you might not even realize affect you both negatively and positively on the golf course.

[Borf]

Ive read: Golf is not a game of perfect and Your 15th club.

I found both very interesting and helpful!!

[Teedub7]

i read this book and found some things helpful, but a lot of it just screwed up my entire mental game. For example, i found the part very interesting about aiming not only a a tree when hitting, but at a branch, smaller targets equal better shots. However, the part that screwed me up was the never say can't part, because this attitude can lead to stupidity on the course. I understand thinking positive, but there was just a little too much phycological mumbo jumbo for me.


"Golf tips are like aspirin. One may do you good, but if you swallow the whole bottle you will be lucky to survive." -Harvey Penick

this quote helps me the most more than this book

[bradpet]

Discuss "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" by Bob Rotella here (along with any of his other mental game books).

I'm reading this book at the moment. What do you think of it Erik?

[AlCzervik]

I took some of the "trust your swing" to the course and completely sucked it up. Made me FOCUS more on mental aspect of game and that screwed me.

[ZaPPPa]

I'm going to write this off as a coincidence, but I did have an interesting experience after reading this book.

I'm on the range trying to get back in the groove after two weeks of not swinging a club. I'm battling a hard draw that lands 30y left of target. Then I remember the book and what it says about trusting your swing and focussing on a very specific target. So, I focus on the top of the cone of the 150y marker before my shot.

#1: 5y long-left, #2: hit the cone!, #3: 4y short, #4: 3y right, #5: 10y right

Talk about immediate results :)

Of course I get excited and lose concentration, so I did not manage to maintain that level of accuracy. I'll take it to the course next time and see what happens.

[Brakkus]

I just read "Putting out of your mind" Great read.I have to say that the mental approach of any sport is more important than the mechanical side.It's fine to know the mechanics of a stroke,but it's how you apply that that makes the difference.

I read "The inner game of tennis" a few years ago and this book helped me enormously with my tennis and the learning process in general,and it's amazing how similar the two books are in places.

I found that I had started to develop a judgemental process about my putting,not fearing it,but being to precise,as the book says I was trying to avoid 3 putting instead of just going at the hole.

As always with learning anything trusting your body to work it out is the key,give up control and you gain it.

[Borf]

However, the part that screwed me up was the never say can't part, because this attitude can lead to stupidity on the course. I understand thinking positive, but there was just a little too much phycological mumbo jumbo for me.

He is saying only focus on what you want, do not waste any of your focus on an element you DON'T want. It makes a lot of since to me.

Ignorance is bliss.

[Borf]

I want to talk about the section with Paddy Harrington and how he rebuilt his preshot routine so it could stand the pressure of a Major Championship.

In Your 15th Club I believe, near the end of the book?

This book helped me and my game an enormus amount, a bulletproof pre-shot routine is so underrated. Every movement before a shot should be already mapped out. Tour pros own their preshot routines, just like Paddy does now, he knows exactly what he is going to do on everyshot. They know how many steps there going to take to address the ball, when they take their practice swing, and most importantly when they are going to be hitting the ball.

I am working on my own preshot routine, challenging myself to have it down so it can hold up under any pressure. I write it down on paper, reading it, then performing it. It really helps a lot, because when I am doing it, and I get distracted, this tells me wires are getting crossed in my head and I need to simplify it even more. It is a work in progress, and I have to continue to improve it over the winter.

[IcemanYVR]

For the longest time I was a 12 handicap, couldn't get any lower, would have a brilliant round, surrounded by duds. Someone recommended I read his books, "Golf is not a Game of Perfect", and "Golf is a Game of Confidence".

I read them both, eagerly absorbing up all his advice and continued playing. One day it clicked, and then the next, and the next and so on. Within a month, I was down to a 6 handicap, two weeks later, a 4. I continued dropping and playing some the best golf of my life.

The mental aspect is such a huge part of the game, and I recommend these books to anyone trying to improve their game.

[sosinsurr]

Really enjoyed "golf is not a game of perfect."

Picked it up on the recommendation of my psych professor, who played at Stanford.

Up next is "putting out of your mind."