"Lowest Score Wins" by Barzeski and Wedzik

[Rob Thompson]

Thank you to everyone for the kind words.  It's a great way to start out my 2015.

Awesome!

Did you mean didn't? It's nice to have something all laid out simple and logical to convince helicopter parents rather than having to repeat yourself over and over again. I'm guessing they were convinced after reading?

Yes sorry typo...The parents did not read it.  Also the my former boss and 3 of the girls teaching pro (same guy) did not read it either.  I taught the other 3.  Though all 6 read the book and understood the concept it was hard at times to get the parents and other coach on board.  I was just at Golf Evolution two Mondays ago.  I was planning on taking 2 of the 3  non students up there to learn Aimpoint Express but they backed out last minute.  I was hoping for a turning point then.  Ill keep wearing them down though ;).

All of the people I know that read the book say something similar to you.  It has a perfectly laid out plan to achieve better scores.  There is no guess work.  It's such a simple read that you can go through 2-3 times in 2 weeks and then start practicing.

I recently took a new position as the Head Professional at a new course.  My Director of Golf wanted to know more about how I coach and teach players.  I handed him a copy of the book and said this covers it pretty well.  I am also a 5SK instructor, which is broken down in the beginning.  With the 5SK and SV skills it pretty much sums up my teaching.  He read the booked and loved it.  My future is looking bright already at my new employment.

[JonMA1]

I think you're understating your virtue here. There are plenty of people who, in your shoes, would have done the traditional thing -- 2/3 practice short game, tell them to leave driver and 3W in the bag, everyone focus on hitting the fairway, bogey? should have practiced your chipping better, etc. If you did this, you probably would have had an easier time, at the expense of not really doing what a good coach should do. I'm glad you chose the good coaching route.

You "only" read a book... because you were seeking information about how to be a better coach.

Yes, you're lucky to have kids on your team who aren't questioning you (and hopefully whose parents come around). And also, and just as important, they're lucky to have a coach who would rather improve them than take the path of least resistance.

Long story short, you deserve some credit here for being a good coach.

And I like your approach to improving their scores a lot better than what the guy who coached at my high school when I was there had the players do.

+1.

I look forward to hearing how the team does next year.

[b101]

Thank you to everyone for the kind words.  It's a great way to start out my 2015.

Yes sorry typo...The parents did not read it.  Also the my former boss and 3 of the girls teaching pro (same guy) did not read it either.  I taught the other 3.  Though all 6 read the book and understood the concept it was hard at times to get the parents and other coach on board.  I was just at Golf Evolution two Mondays ago.  I was planning on taking 2 of the 3  non students up there to learn Aimpoint Express but they backed out last minute.  I was hoping for a turning point then.  Ill keep wearing them down though ;).

All of the people I know that read the book say something similar to you.  It has a perfectly laid out plan to achieve better scores.  There is no guess work.  It's such a simple read that you can go through 2-3 times in 2 weeks and then start practicing.

I recently took a new position as the Head Professional at a new course.  My Director of Golf wanted to know more about how I coach and teach players.  I handed him a copy of the book and said this covers it pretty well.  I am also a 5SK instructor, which is broken down in the beginning.  With the 5SK and SV skills it pretty much sums up my teaching.  He read the booked and loved it.  My future is looking bright already at my new employment.

This is great to hear - let us know how your LSW academy comes along!

[LeeRob23]

Hi, is there a supplier in the UK where i can buy a copy from or do i have to buy through the web site?

Thanks,

Lee

[b101]

I bought it through the ebay site - well worth the extra money, honestly.

[LeeRob23]

OK thanks

[808hacker]

Count me in. Ordered the book and hope it will help my son! Me too for that matter!

[RFKFREAK]

Count me in. Ordered the book and hope it will help my son! Me too for that matter!

Presuming you follow the principles in the book, it should definitely help you out.

[Phil McGleno]

https://twitter.com/LowScoreWins/status/560856219565707264 Anything to share?

[Jakester23]

A scorecard with a bunch of circles around birdies with the book cover below it would look cool.  Or just the title of the book if the whole cover won't fit.

[808hacker]

I haven't received my book yet (has been shipped).

Without reading it yourself, most did not believe driving and ball striking out weighed other practice details

Yikes, I hope the book doesn't have my son just bang away at the driving range ignoring his pitching and putting :-)

I see the pros get up and down all the time. It is amazing. I do agree that GIR is important. I look forward to checking out the book. I already have so many books, I'm hoping this one is different.

It will be interesting. My son is basically a 1 handicap and I have run out of ideas to help him. Therefore.... the book!

[Lihu]

I haven't received my book yet (has been shipped). [COLOR=181818]Without reading it yourself, most did not believe driving and ball striking out weighed other practice details[/COLOR] [COLOR=181818]Yikes, I hope the book doesn't have my son just bang away at the driving range ignoring his pitching and putting :-)[/COLOR] I see the pros get up and down all the time. It is amazing. I do agree that GIR is important. I look forward to checking out the book. I already have so many books, I'm hoping this one is different.  It will be interesting. My son is basically a 1 handicap and I have run out of ideas to help him. Therefore.... the book!

Have him bang away on the course.

[iacas]

I haven't received my book yet (has been shipped).

Without reading it yourself, most did not believe driving and ball striking out weighed other practice details

Yikes, I hope the book doesn't have my son just bang away at the driving range ignoring his pitching and putting :-)

We don't say ignore. But… . Read the book… I think we make a compelling case.

I see the pros get up and down all the time. It is amazing. I do agree that GIR is important. I look forward to checking out the book. I already have so many books, I'm hoping this one is different. It will be interesting. My son is basically a 1 handicap and I have run out of ideas to help him. Therefore.... the book!

One of the points is that pros only need to get up and down five, maybe six times per round.

[808hacker]

> One of the points is that pros only need to get up and down five, maybe six times per round

Wouldn't that make it seem like you need to practice it even more for the times you need to save par? It sure seemed like Jimmy Walker was getting up and down so many times. It was amazing to watch. Also when Rory went up and down some 20+ times out of 25 tries. I can't remember the exact numbers. It was amazing to watch. Anyway, I am eager to check out the book. Thanks!

[iacas]

Wouldn't that make it seem like you need to practice it even more for the times you need to save par?

No. It's also not a skill at which players are very far behind pros. Just read the book… you'll see.

P.S. Nobody's saying to never practice your short game or putting. But more than 35%, in the absence of a glaring weakness, is probably too much.

[mvmac]

>One of the points is that pros only need to get up and down five, maybe six times per round

Wouldn't that make it seem like you need to practice it even more for the times you need to save par? It sure seemed like Jimmy Walker was getting up and down so many times. It was amazing to watch. Also when Rory went up and down some 20+ times out of 25 tries. I can't remember the exact numbers. It was amazing to watch. Anyway, I am eager to check out the book. Thanks!

More than the long game? No. Think of how important hitting 12-14 GIRs and 18 nearGIRs (term in the book) is to the score. It's huge.

[RH31]

No. It's also not a skill at which players are very far behind pros. Just read the book… you'll see.

P.S. Nobody's saying to never practice your short game or putting. But more than 35%, in the absence of a glaring weakness, is probably too much.

My question with 65/20/15 advice is;

Are you advocating decreasing putting practice time to allow for more long game practice, or just advising to add more range time and keep the amount of short game / putting practice time the same amount of hours. The reason I ask this, is that I have a hard time believing pros or most any other reasonably accomplished player is going to maintain what putting skills they have if they practice less.

[iacas]

My question with 65/20/15 advice is; Are you advocating decreasing putting practice time to allow for more long game practice, or just advising to add more range time and keep the amount of short game / putting practice time the same amount of hours. The reason I ask this, is that I have a hard time believing pros or most any other reasonably accomplished player is going to maintain what putting skills they have if they practice less.

Either. Absent a glaring weakness, work that ratio. Whether you get there by adding time or rearranging the time you have is up to you. I almost never work on my putting… and it is one of the strengths of my game.