OT: My top 5 golf instructional books w/ explanations

[MtNittany]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

 

[91Joe95]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this book the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

This is utterly ridiculous tripe. Everyone knows it's all about the equipment and getting max distance.

 

[Woodpecker]

This is utterly ridiculous tripe. Everyone knows it's all about the equipment and getting max distance.

Agreed. To see who is the best golfer, everyone should play each round with the same clubs and balls. Do shot putters get to use their own puts? Do hurdle racers get to use customized hurdles designed to "fit" them?

 

[MtNittany]

This is utterly ridiculous tripe. Everyone knows it's all about the equipment and getting max distance.

Well, it is. I can play twice a year and hit it as good as when I beat 500 balls/day. But I digress again...

 

[Roar More]

 

[kickerinaz]

Well, it is. I can play twice a year and hit it as good as when I beat 500 balls/day. But I digress again...

I play my best scoring golf first time out. Downhill the more I play.

 

[BW Lion]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

If I were to purchase and read these books and happened to encounter competing advice, would you be available to provide constructive guidance?

Someday I would like the courage and opportunity to drive the green on hole #1 at the WPCC without fear of hooking it onto CCDrive.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

Thanks @MtNittany - nice write up. As an aside, I’m a lefty and bought Bob Charles’ book. That got me on the right track when I was starting off (no pun intended)

 

[wbcincy]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

Great post. The only golf book I own is Tiger Woods’ How I Play Golf. It’s been about 16 years since I looked at it, probably should again.

 

[wbcincy]

I play my best scoring golf first time out. Downhill the more I play.

Same here. I only get to play about 5-6 times a year, but my first round in May is the best, by September I’m a disaster. What’s that mean?

 

[MtNittany]

Great post. The only golf book I own is Tiger Woods’ How I Play Golf. It’s been about 16 years since I looked at it, probably should again.

Tiger's book is good. It's much like Jack's.

 

[razpsu]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

Ask Mickelson and Faldo if Pelz and leadbetter are kooks. 12 championships and 18 second places later.

 

[MtNittany]

Ask Mickelson and Faldo if Pelz and leadbetter are kooks. 12 championships and 18 second places later.

Well, between my biz partner and I we've probably built a half dozen greens for them. Annika bought Lead's house when he moved to IMG and had ours replaced w/ a competitor (freebie). I liked them both, but considered them both arrogant and strange - which you can probably say about anyone at the top of their profession. Trevor Immelman - in the same development as Lead at the time, on the other hand, was gracious, down to earth, and just a regular guy. I would say I like Lead more than Pelz though.

 

[wilykyote]

This is utterly ridiculous tripe. Everyone knows it's all about the equipment and getting max distance.

Everyone knows that the most important thing is to address the ball properly. See this.

 

[MtNittany]

Everyone knows that the most important thing is to address the ball properly. See this.

View embedded media

Maybe the funniest 30 minutes of television ever produced. Belly laughs to this day - all the way through.

 

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

I learned the game as a pre-teen more than 50 years ago by reading Golf Magazine and playing with solid whiffle balls, which would exaggerate spin and errors. The magazine over time covered most of what the books above tend to teach.

I am not a pro but do assist in teaching our juniors. What I see time and again is that they miss at least one key fundamental when they first picked up a club and started hitting balls. Then add bad corrections to fix the poor ball flight, sometimes under the direction of an unknowing parent. Often when they started the clubs were too long and heavy, particularly for the girls. So they start loading the club very early in the takeaway. Then the club isn't right at the top of the backswing, and the release isn't timed right in the downswing. By the time they reach us, even as juniors, the bad habits are usually solidified and really difficult to correct.

Some pros, particularly where I live, do not want to start over with people, even when they are young. The corrections they recommend are then not fundamental to golf at all. They are just trying to make a marginal improvement. That's OK if the player doesn't care about reaching a higher level.

So if you do pick up one of these books and start doing what it says -- go for everything -- not just one piece of the golf swing.

The best advice I can give is to film yourself using a camera with high shutter speed, from behind and to the side. Then compare your swing in slow motion to that of a pro with solid fundamentals. (Do not choose players like Mathew Wolff or Bryson DeChambeau. They are outliers that use bizarre techniques to essentially get the club at impact into the same position as a fundamental swing. The year 2000 Tiger Woods swing, or something like it, is what you want to copy.)

 

[MtNittany]

I learned the game as a pre-teen more than 50 years ago by reading Golf Magazine and playing with solid whiffle balls, which would exaggerate spin and errors. The magazine over time covered most of what the books above tend to teach.

I am not a pro but do assist in teaching our juniors. What I see time and again is that they miss at least one key fundamental when they first picked up a club and started hitting balls. Then add bad corrections to fix the poor ball flight, sometimes under the direction of an unknowing parent. Often when they started the clubs were too long and heavy, particularly for the girls. So they start loading the club very early in the takeaway. Then the club isn't right at the top of the backswing, and the release isn't timed right in the downswing. By the time they reach us, even as juniors, the bad habits are usually solidified and really difficult to correct.

Some pros, particularly where I live, do not want to start over with people, even when they are young. The corrections they recommend are then not fundamental to golf at all. They are just trying to make a marginal improvement. That's OK if the player doesn't care about reaching a higher level.

So if you do pick up one of these books and start doing what it says -- go for everything -- not just one piece of the golf swing.

The best advice I can give is to film yourself using a camera with high shutter speed, from behind and to the side. Then compare your swing in slow motion to that of a pro with solid fundamentals. (Do not choose players like Mathew Wolff or Bryson DeChambeau. They are outliers that use bizarre techniques to essentially get the club at impact into the same position as a fundamental swing. The year 2000 Tiger Woods swing, or something like it, is what you want to copy.)

I think (and you can tell from my comments on the books) that what you CAN learn from them is how to manage the golf course (and yourself). Your golf swing is your golf swing, and you should always try to improve it, but making stupid decisions on the golf course is preventable. Making good decisions on the golf course is also smart and results in lower scores. Things like not hitting driver w/ OB left on a par 5 when you're not hitting the green in two anyway should be common sense, but some just don't get it.

 

[91Joe95]

I think (and you can tell from my comments on the books) that what you CAN learn from them is how to manage the golf course (and yourself). Your golf swing is your golf swing, and you should always try to improve it, but making stupid decisions on the golf course is preventable. Making good decisions on the golf course is also smart and results in lower scores. Things like not hitting driver w/ OB left on a par 5 when you're not hitting the green in two anyway should be common sense, but some just don't get it.

I don't care what the pros say, I'm always picking a club that gets me past the red tees.

 

[flash86]

#1 - Hogan's Five Lessons:

This was actually a collection of a series of Sports Illustrated articles. If not for Anthony Ravielli (the artist), this wouldn't even be listed. Because of him, you get to actually see supination, and the awesomeness that was Hogan. That said, this book is for hard core golfers, not casuals. There isn't a man on tour (even DJ - who can barely read) that hasn't gone through this book. Read it at your own peril though.

#2: How to Become a Complete Golfer:

Golf Digest had a bevy of talent back then - from Flick/Toski to Elliot, Cook, Love, Cooke, and on and on. I ended up working w/ Bob Cooke, and he told me he considered this the best book ever published on how to actually play golf. Ignore the Toski swing parts - he's ruined more swings than ex-wives in Abacoa have. Pay attention to the short game stuff - much of it is by Davis Love's Dad. If you read between the lines, it tells you how to play the game - and score - better than any other book. It's a game management bible imo.

#3: Percy Boomer - On Learning Golf

This is for the Sam Snead/Swing the club head types. It's very old, but some stuff doesn't age. If you don't care about "club head speed", and just want to hit it solid from the white tees, this may be the book for you. It's brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is informative. While you read, you can almost hear the click off the insert of an old Macgregor driver.

#4: Fat Jack - Golf My Way

Another ignore most of the swing part, and pay attention to the course management part book. Jack was/is like no other (like Hogan). No sense trying to emulate anything he did (especially the flying elbow, and how he criticizes PSU at cocktail parties, but I digress). The book has been around forever and stands the test of time. Learn from the best, I've always been told. Plus Ken Bowden is a solid contributor to this book.

#5: Dave Pelz' Putting Bible

Pelz is a bit of a kook - like Leadbetter (who I intentionally left out), but he brings up some good points - mainly drills that can make you a better putter. The Golf Digest book does the same, but he goes into more detail. If it can help you make one more putt per round, put up w/ his rotund arrogance.

I like both of Pelz’s books.

 

[MtNittany]

I like both of Pelz’s books.

He is good. Very detailed, which is good.

 

[dailybuck777]

My father was a teaching pro and I played jr. tournament golf and at one time practiced and played about 350 days per year. Until 2020 (when I couldn't travel during the summer) I played very little for last 20 years and my game of course suffered greatly.

Last year I found a teaching pro with modern equipment that can show my swing plane among other things. He has helped me easily by about 5 shots per 18 holes. I am hitting my driver so good it is funny. (My putting is very spotty and sometimes awful)

Much better to find a good modern pro than to try to read books. I have a Swing Caddie golf launch monitor which is very easy to use and very useful to measure clubhead speed and distance. I also use a camcorder on a tripod when I am practicing to see what I am actually doing. Quite often I am too upright and don't feel it.

In any event when I was a kid I quite often thought my bad shots were caused by choking. Now I know that a good number of them were caused by bad technique. (in particular my failure to post my left leg)

Tiger Woods gives short lessons to a number of people on Youtube and his comments are quite insightful.

Also, James Sieckman has very good video about chipping and pitching where his technique is to let the club go faster than hands and get ahead of the hands.