"Golf My Way" by Jack Nicklaus

[iacas]

Discuss "Golf My Way" by Jack Nicklaus here.

[JackieTreehorn]

I used this book to learn golf in my teens. I loved it back then, but it makes you a legs player! Now I am working on a modern more-controlled leg action.

One thing in the book that stands out was how Jack used to get mad when he hit any ball that went even an inch left (in his early fade only days). A good example how how to create a swing for good misses.

[redi630]

This book was to confusing for me. To many swing thoughts were placed in my head and it actually made me a worse golfer than when I started. I would not recommend this book to a beginner golfer, probably not even an experienced one.

[rudygu]

I like it. It is exactly what the title indicates: Golf Jack's way. I took a few things from it - his takeaway description really helped me for one. Though you may not use a lot of his methods, he always describes them very clearly and thoroughly. I particularly like his method for working the ball left and right and his reasoning for doing so on most every shot.

Overall it's a nice insight into what makes Jack tick for those who want to know.

[kc8kir]

"Golf My Way" was one of the first popular golf books to describe how to work the ball and why. Jack's words about playing percentage golf still run true today and it's a shame more players don't work the ball on a regular basis. Ben Hogan even said he never hit a straight shot on purpose. The modern "hit everything straight" mentality just leads to eternal frustration. It's like trying to throw a frisbee perfectly straight every time. Much easier to curve it on target.

Jack's attitude towards playing the game shot by shot, pacing off distances to be precise, and playing to your strengths has been great advice for generations of golfers. Even though I started this game only recently, I really liked the book and combined with the "Golf My Way" videos, I have become a real Jack Nicklaus fan. I just think he embodies "good golf" in many ways. I particularly like how he stressed one swing used with every club in the bag, not 13 different swings (putter excluded ).

Reading the book, and watching the Golf My Way videos, I just kept thinking...

"this guy is amazing; he just makes so much g$% d$#& sense!"

[BigDaddy_Sean]

i never read the book but I would watch the Golf My Way videos all the time growing up and learning the game.

His techniques on practicing, warming up .. what he put in his bag, and then taking it out to the course. All great knowledge.

I saw him play a few tournaments at TPC of Dearborn back in the '90's when he still played the senior tour and it was just a pleasure to watch him.

[Eeryck]

Just finished this one, the best parts of it were his approach to thinking about the game. I especially liked his bit about not fearing the long irons.

-E

[Chief Broom]

I learned how to play golf using this book. I was in my mid teens (~30 years ago) and prior to that point I was just hitting the ball and chasing it around the course. The book got me to thinking about how I hit and how a decent golf swing was comprised. I can't say that it made me a good golfer (at best I am/was a 15 handicap), but it made the game more fun for me and helped me to actually begin playing as opposed to hacking.

[beachbreak]

I saw Jack play in his prime in the 70's. Truely an awesome sight. He hit the ball so high off the tee for those times and his power was a thing to behold. A great mid to long iron player and the best putter especially under pressure that I have seen, although I think Tiger is as good in that department. Jack could hit it 300 back then with all airtime and very little roll.

[HytrewQasdfg]

I just came across a used copy of this book. The first thing that jumps out is the drawings, and how much different they look than the ones in Hogan's book. The swing style is totally different.

It seems that the Hogan swing has won out as the "standard" golf swing in most people's minds, but this book has raised a question in my mind: why? Nicklaus would probably be in everyone's "top 5" of all time golfers. He played in the modern era, and he would probably be just as good on today's tour as he was during his day. Yet the advice from most people would be "don't swing like Jack."

For a guy as great as Nicklaus, it seems odd that his swing should be declared so unorthadox that it is hardly taught anymore.

[shankapotamus]

I just came across a used copy of this book. The first thing that jumps out is the drawings, and how much different they look than the ones in Hogan's book. The swing style is totally different.

There are 100 different ways to swing.

[worldfamous]

I read Jack recommends to always place the ball at the inside heel of your front foot for every club. Why does that not sound right?

[Elvisliveson]

There are 100 different ways to swing.

Exactly, and Nicklaus says as much in the book. He states the only place all great golfers are the same is in their position at impact.

Personally, I found this book easier to follow than Hogan's. Jack basically shows you what goes through his mind and how it can work for you in devoloping your own swing. Hogan basically says "do it this way or else".

[Knockglock]

I like this book a lot. It goes very in-depth, but it explains it in a bit easiest way with more illustrations than Ben Hogan's book!

[WUTiger]

I started out in the 1960s teaching myself golf with a book by 1957 Master's champ Doug Ford.

"Golf My Way" came out when I graduated from college, and I used it as my primary how-to source from young adult until about 2003.

By the late 1990s, I was having trouble maintaining a swing. A golf pro I went to for lessons, after seeing me hit three shots, asked if I had modeled my swing after Nicklaus's. I said yes.

The pro said in his younger days he likewise had modeled Jack. He later changed to a smoother style because the classic "Jack" swing, he said, was too physically demanding to execute much past age 40.

Nicklaus vs. Hogan... Nicklaus tells you how to be a pro golfer. Hogan - I got his book at Christmas - tells you how to hit a golf ball.

In general terms, Nicklaus was more upright, Hogan was flatter. And, both were much better athletes than I ever was.

I like Nicklaus for:
* His competitive spirit, and the fact that I was a fore-caddie for Tony Jacklin and him during an exhibition match in the 1970s.
* His "going to the movies" envisioning of shots helps with planning and programming.
* His lineup for draw and fade holds the test of time, and is still the recommend way to set up for working the ball.

I picked up some problems from his style, however. He recommended the "basic athletic stance" for addressing the golf ball. It turned out I was crouching too much, and as I got older it felt like I "got in my own way" on many swings. Also, with a high reach on the backswing, I had a lot of trouble looping the club.

I have used the Hogan book in rebuilding my swing. The original rebuild was interrupted by two major surgeries and two seasons lost, but I'm working with a second pro who draws heavily on Hogan for the basics.

I've basically gone now to a flatter, three-quarters, stop at the ear swing. And, my pro's swing drills - many borrowed from Hogan - are helping me finally stabilize my swing.

So, here's to Nicklaus and Hogan. I use knowledge from both. And if you Hogan fans want more on Ben, he's well covered in Jack's book.

[GamerJG]

This was my introduction to golf instruction when I started to play golf at 19 yrs. old(I know, late starter). I had the VHS version and let me tell you, I learned so much, so fast from the greatest player of all time. I didn't realize at the time how lucky I was to have such information from Nicklaus. At the time I knew he was the greatest player ever but I didn't really see him play at his prime. His instruction was so simple and easy to understand, that he gave you confidence that you could do it too. After watching these videos, I would rush right out to my golf net and hit balls for hours to try to emulate his lessons. I'd recommend every golfer to own this. I also heard he is coming out with this on DVD next year if I'm not mistaken. That would be fantastic!

[R7Player]

I got this vhs tape at a flea mkt for 2 dollars,
and Gary Player on Golf for like 2 dollars, priceless.
4 dollars for 600 dollars worth of lessons as I see it.

Jack is going to gain in popularity because he is loved
and he has a big heart.

[colin]

Picked up the game this year and just read this book. Loved it. Lot of info to process and he's very much an instinctual player, but just fantastic stuff. It's pure Nicklaus. When he explains his shortcomings in the short game it's because he doesn't miss enough greens to practice enough short game. Great stuff. It definitely is pretty old school regarding his leg action and body move. Not to many guys swinging like Jack any more.