Your all time favorite golf books?

[golow72]

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

Michael Vernon also wrote "The Greatest Player Who Ever Lived" and "The Greatest Course That Ever Was". Both fun reads.

The Eddie Camminetti series by Troon McAllister is entertaining and "Match Made in Heaven" by Bob Mitchell will make you think a little.

[Aetsh]

Subscribing

[Rojo0416]

"The Rub of the Green"
by William Hallberg

http://www.amazon.com/Rub-Green-Will.../dp/0345417496

[jking]

I second the motion for the Little Red Book. When I get into being too technical on the course, or even on the range, that's when my game suffers the most. As John alluded to above, Mr. Penick's method of teaching will really teach you how to look at the swing and the game from a more practical angle. He does things like tell you to imaging you're chipping under a bench to give to a kind of visual aid when practicing, or telling you to just try to "clip the tee" when driving the ball (which helps me to square the clubface without actually thinking about squaring the clubface). It's been a few years since I've listened to it (audiobook), but I still find myself using a lot of his methods to get myself back to the fundamentals when I stray from the path.

I would also recommend Dr. Bob Rotella's first couple of books, "Golf is not a Game of Perfect" and "Golf is a Game of Confidence". Dr. Rotella is from the same school of thought as Mr. Penick it seems, and I find both of those books good for getting my mind in the right place for competition. His later books are somewhat of a rehash of the first two, IMHO.

For recreational reading, I really liked the book about the majors by John Feinstein, and there was one about the Ryder Cup called "Us Against Them" I think. Both are really good "inside the ropes" type of books, if you like that sort of thing.

[pjsnyc]

I recently read 'The Downhill Lie' by Carl Hiaasen. A fun read about this guy (the author) who took a 30+ year break from golf and what happened when he finally came back to the game. A few funny quotes by David Feherty in there too!

[RichF]

[Sergio77]

Preferred Lies: A Journey to the Heart of Golf

By Andrew Greig

This book made me cry. It is fantastic.


Brackley Sumner, TRIBUNE
'If you are looking for a seriously fine piece of writing and have a rudimentary understanding of a game which involves using a stick to hit a little white ball into a hole several hundred yards away, then PREFERRED LIES is worth reading.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
'Greig's purely struck prose is not the only strength of this book. For one thing he has excellent taste in golf courses.' (Lawrence Donegan THE GUARDIAN )

'one you should look out for is novelist Andrew Greig's PREFERRED LIES. To describe it as a tour of the Scottish golf courses is to do it a grave disservice, as it is really a book of 'life thinking.' (Giles Foden CONDE NAST TRAVELLER )

'If you have, or ever have had, any interest in golf, buy this book and read it. Buy it for your loved one, your lost one, the Saturday morning medal deserter . . . They and you will love it, inhabit it, and possibly be transformed by it. It's the best book about golf I've ever read.' (Tom Moreton SUNDAY HERALD )

PREFERRED LIES is satisfying, demanding, allusive and provocative. I finished it not merely wishing I was as good at golf as Greig, but also as good at learning from it.' (Rick Gekoski SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY )

Greig....., has crafted a wonderful book about how it feels to be alive, in which the game of golf is a conduit for sensation. Here, golf isn't a metaphor for life - it is life. Sculpted in luminous prose, which echoes his work as one of Scotland's leading poets and novelists, this is a beautiful, affecting piece of work.' (Mike Aitken THE SCOTSMAN )

a wonderful and wise book, quite unlike any golfing book you will have ever read before. (Dermot Bolger THE IRISH TIMES )

'Thought-provoking and moving.' (Doug Johnstone THE LIST )

'PREFERRED LIES feels like quite a special book.' (Tom Cox THE INDEPENDENT )

'Greig writes engagingly. His observations are sharp, sometimes zany.' (Michael Lister THE TLS )

'he does have an ear for the way people talk and express themselves on and off the course.' (Ian Dunlop THE SPECTATOR )

'a triumph..... his beautiful prose and wry observations will keep you reading into the night.' (GOLF PUNK )

'The pleasure of this book is no doubt down to the fact that the author is an accomplished writer' (GOLF INTERNATIONAL )

'If you are looking for a seriously fine piece of writing and have a rudimentary understanding of a game which involves using a stick to hit a little white ball into a hole several hundred yards away, then PREFERRED LIES is worth reading.' (Brackley Sumner TRIBUNE ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

[glfgryhwk]

Missing Links by Rick Reilly.

Question for all: Can anyone recommend a good book for coaching high school golf. Thanks.

[kd1]

Afternoons with Mr. Hogan by Jody Vasquez : In the 60's Hogan hired Jody Vasquez to shag balls for him .Over the course of their 20 year friendship, Hogan shared the mechanics of his golf swing , his thoughts on playing , practicing, and course management.

[Guest]

Hands down, Tiger Woods: How I play Golf. I have only been playing this game for like 5 years, but Tigers book, along with some lessons and lots of practice really helped me with my game. Its definitely a favorite coffee table piece and something I go back to frequently. Hope this helps.

[PiKapp23]

I love all of Feinstein's golf books, especially "Caddy for Life" about Tom Watson's caddy Bruce Edwards and his struggle with ALS. Also loved "Open" about U.S. Open at Beth Page Black a few years ago and "A Good Walk Spoiled", which was where Feinstein follwed 10 PGA Tour players for a year, capturing their successes and failures. "The Majors", about 1 year at all 4 majors and "Tales from Q School" are his other golf related books and all are good.

Also on my short list of best books is "Golf in the Kingdom" by Michael Murphy. It's a unique book written in the 70's about Mr. Murphy's experience in Scotland with a mysterious golf pro named Shivas Irons. I am currently reading the followup "In the Kingdom of Shivas Irons", which was written about 25 years after the first. These books are non-fiction and about golf and philosophy (or something...)

Lesser known non-fiction book worth checking out if you're into the type is "Blue Fairways", a book by Charles Slack (I think that's his name), who chronicles his road trip down Highway 1 on east coast, playing golf courses along the way from as far north as possible, all the way to Key West. He plays a lot of small, hacker type courses and I found the book very interesting.

If you prefer non-fiction, I higly recommend Dan Jenken's book "Dead Solid Perfect" about the trials and tribulations of a journeyman professional golfer. It's very funny and a lot of fun to read. It was made into a TV movie several years ago starring Randy Quaid.

If you just want lighthearted, easy reading books, check out David Feherty's books, which are just a collection of his columns from Golf Digest (I think). If you're not familiar with his work, his writing is very similar to a an Irish golfer version of Dave Barry. They are laugh-out-loud books (which might be bad on plane since other passengers may assume you are crazy terrorist ).

[Ogg]

Someone mentioned 'Missing Link' by Rick Reilly which may be the best golf book and one of the funniest books ever written. He had a follow up to it that came out a couple years back called 'Shanks for Nothing' which is just as funny.

[I <3 Titleist]

I 2nd the Little Red Book by good ol Harvey Penick. Simple, straightforward and at many times still groundbreaking.

[TommyD69]

Definitely The Little Red Book by Harvey Penick.

Good old down home simple to understand.

I have MANY page corners folded down for quick reference.

It's a keeper!

[HighSchool Golf Freak]

I'm surprised that no one has said putting out of your mind, by bob rotella. One of my team captains had the worst season of his life when it came to putting and then the next time I saw him he was draining everything he rolled. I asked what he did, and he told me about that book. He said that we would never have been a great putter until he read that book. Its an instructional book, but about the mind and not the stroke.

Also recommend Little Red Book. Great read, interesting and just plain calming

[flanagan]

"The Greatest Game of All" Jack Nicklaus/Herbert Warren Wind -- it's a classic autobiography, obviously penned by one of the all time great writers. It's my all time favorite.

Books I really enjoy and recommend to others: "My Story" - Jack Nicklaus/Ken Bowden (lots of good stuff, but wanders -- Bowden is good, but no Herbert Warren Wind; "To The Linksland" - Michael Bamberger (writer's year caddying in Europe); "The Bogey Man" - George Plimpton (another classic, writer's year playing pro golf); "Hogan" - Curt Sampson; "Arnie" - Larry Guest.

Just read "Follow The Roar" - Bob Smiley - his account of following Tiger every hole of every round in 2008. Casual, humorous, self-deprecating writing style and a few gems from his observations of Tiger and some insight (not a book on which Tiger collaborated, just Smiley's view from outside the ropes).