While to some chasing a small white ball across a vast field of grass may seem pointless, the game of golf has, for centuries, drawn everyone from the poor working class to the upper crust of society. There is something enchanting about the experience of golf that sets it apart from other sports. In this collection of 18 short stories, The Guru of Golf celebrates perhaps one of the most widely popular of athletic pursuits. Thomas Moore shows us how golf can be a perfect metaphor for life itself—endlessly mysterious, joyful, and captivating, yet at times unbearable. From the tee to the green, he intertwines modern and classical tales that illustrate the challenges players face—on and off the course. A game rife with strict rules on etiquette and both physically and mentally taxing, golf tests the body, mind, and spirit. Humorous and insightful, The Guru of Golf captures the range of emotions associated with its players’ ardent determination; searches for meaning behind quiet, solitary moments; and reveals the struggles that try our patience, as well as the victories that make the game—and life—worthwhile.
A PGA pro’s trip to teach golf in Bhutan becomes a journey of self-discovery on which he learns an ancient meditation practice. PGA of Canada pro Ed Hanczaryk blends golf and the art of meditation in this travelogue based on his true story of a five-month golf-teaching assignment in the hidden Kingdom of Bhutan. One day he taught a monk how to improve his game, and the next day, the monk taught him to tame his unruly mind . . . A personal story of “zen and the art of the golf swing” for readers of Joseph Parent’s Zen Golf.
Why do golfers yell “fore”? Is it ever acceptable for a man to use a purple golf ball? If my boss invites me to play golf, should I let him win? Since 2002, readers of Golf Digest have submitted their most puzzling and perplexing golf questions to the Golf Guru, a.k.a. John Barton, whose monthly column answers these imponderables with authority and good humor. This illustrated golfer’s miscellany compiles more than 250 of his most compelling Q&As, tackling everything from history and physics to fashion, etiquette, and beyond. Why do golf courses have 18 holes? How much is a membership at Augusta National? Is golf really an acronym for “Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden”? Whatever the question, the Golf Guru has the answer!
John Jacobs is one of golf's all-time great teachers, a true legend of the game who has passed on his words of wisdom to thousands of amateurs as well as to some of the world's greatest players over the last 50 years. Now, for the first time ever, the pick of his collective wisdom has been brought together in one seminal volume.
For the last decade, golfers of all abilities have been drawn to the writings and teachings of Bob “Doc” Rotella. His books Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect, Golf Is a Game of Confidence, The Golf of Your Dreams, and Putting Out of Your Mind have all become classics for golfers everywhere. Weekend golfers and pros like Brad Faxon, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Tom Kite, and Davis Love III all read and listen to the man they call Doc because his teachings are simple and direct—and in the end, what Doc says makes them play better golf. The Golfer's Mind was actually first suggested by Davis Love, Jr.—Davis Love III's dad—who encouraged Doc to write an instruction book on golf's mental challenges, organized by topic. Love thought that golfers could keep the book with them, or at least nearby, at all times. When they needed a refresher on a certain issue, they could consult the book, read for a few minutes, and take away solid guidance regarding their difficulties. Doc heard what Love said, and twenty years later, The Golfer's Mind is that book. From his Ten Commandments (Commandment I. Play to play great. Don't play not to play poorly) to just about any topic a golfer might imagine, this is the ideal way for players to get all of Rotella's teachings. Doc covers topics including: -Butterflies -Practicing to Play Great -The Rhythm of the Game -Routine -Setbacks -How Winning Happens In the perfect format for the busy golfer, The Golfer's Mind is the concise and convenient quick-reference tool to appeal to Rotella's millions of followers and is sure to become a golf classic.
A detailed plan for conquering the FEAR that sabotages swings and ruins psyches, from the pioneering psychologist whose techniques have benefited Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, and numerous other world-class golfers. As Jack Nicklaus once observed, fear is the golfer’s greatest enemy, inspiring Tiger Woods to "refuse" to give in to this debilitating emotion. It can turn professionals into jelly and dominate the games of most amateurs. It alters swing paths, causes “tap-in” putts to go awry, and transforms a golfer from a brilliant shot-maker on the practice range into an incompetent hack on the course. Most golfers understand this, but do not have the tools to overcome it. That’s where Dr. Gio Valiante comes in. A pioneering sports psychologist, Valiante has studied the sources of an athlete’s fear, investigated the physiological and neurological impact of fear on performance, and, most important of all, developed a groundbreaking program for conquering it. With Valiante's help and by applying Fearless Golf, Justin Leonard went from three consecutive missed cuts to three consecutive top tens, and Chad Campbell recently moved from 98th in the world to 7th. Davis Love III went from zero wins in 2002 to four wins in 2003, and Chris DiMarco made the 2004 Ryder Cup Team. Emphasizing the need to replace a fixation-on-results with a commitment to mastery of one’s body and one's mind, Valiante’s approach will not only help golfers reach their true potential, it will make playing every round fun again. Through concrete confidence and mastery drills, he presents specific ways readers can break free of fear’s grasp and perform at their best—even under the most extreme pressure. With detailed quotes and anecdotes given exclusively to Dr. Valiante from the best players in the game—including Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els, and other tour professionals, Fearless Golf is the ultimate guide to the mental game, the hottest topic in golf today.
How can knowing the secrets of Chinese Water Torture, looking for the Holy Grail, learning the mystery behind the Mulligan, and carrying a Hollywood Handicap help you play better golf? Why should you beware the Member's Bounce, play the hand your dealt, kill the big fish, and be a control freak if you want to learn to walk like a winner? And how do the trials of a small-town golf prodigy, a reluctant New York investment banker, a transient wanna-be mini tour player, a college baseball pitcher from Louisiana, and a retired architect from Charleston whose recently lost his wife all help us make sense of it all? These are questions you'll find the answers to in LESSONS FROM THE GOLF GURU - Secrets, Strategies, and Stories for Golf and Life; a book that boldly goes in search of those answers in places the first one never did. These are more than just lessons to help with the number you put on your scorecard, they're also stories that help us relate to those lessons in ways that go way beyond golf. Because golf really is more than just a game, it's also a way of life, and this book will help you get more out of both. Sound like a tall order for a collection of lessons and stories about a Royal and Ancient game? Maybe so, but ultimately these aren't just secrets, strategies, and stories for the game of golf. They are lessons for the game of life.
If you are one of the millions of golfers who are frustrated, not improving as fast as you'd like, or getting worse, this book is a must for YOU! Years of research and testing with 1000's of golfers has led to 2 amazing discoveries. One, many things we are currently doing to improve our golf games are actually causing many of our problems. Two, there are "10 Secrets for Golfing Success." In this fun, easy-to-read story, renowned LPGA Teaching Professional, Dori O'Rourke shows you exactly how to apply the "10 Secrets" to your golf game. LEARN HOW TO: * Consistently shoot lower golf scores * Make permanent golf swing changes quickly and easily * Feel unstoppable confidence on every shot * Breakthrough your limitations to golfing success * Have more fun golfing than you've ever had before ************************ WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING: "Totally new, totally informative, and totally entertaining! 'I Found the Golf God, ' will do wonders for your confidence and for your enjoyment of the game." -- Dan Poppers, Publisher GOLF NEWS Magazine "When it comes to what counts, it's not what you know, it's what you do. Don't just read this book, do the contents of the book." -- Chuck Hogan, Master Golf Instructor and Sports Psychologist "Dori O'Rourke brings to the attention of the golf world those learning concepts and attitudinal insights that are shaping the styles of professional people from other disciplines. Using these methods will make better players and happier participants." -- Gary Wiren, PGA Master Professional and Multiple Golf Author ************************ NEW "LETTER TO MY READERS" This special 20th Anniversary Edition also includes a 2011 "Letter to My Readers," where Coach Dori shares some wonderful stories and insights from the "Golf God's" remarkable 20-year history. Here are a few excerpts: WOW! A lot has changed in the past 20 years. When I first published this book in February, 1991, I didn't have a web address or a cell phone. Home computers were just starting to gain popularity and I hadn't quite turned 30 yet. ... Surprisingly, one thing that hasn't changed are the 10 Secrets for Golfing Success. They are still just as valid today as they were when I originally wrote about them 20 years ago. ... I Found the Golf God, 10 Secrets for Golfing Success was the first book I ever wrote, so it will always be very special to me. Based on the letters and comments I've received through the years, it's been a special book to dozens of other people, as well - both golfers and non-golfers alike. I've received letters from golf professionals giving the book credit for their first big tournament wins. I've received phone calls from men and women in all walks of life telling stories of how the book changed their lives (not just their golf games). I've even had several non-golfers get "mad" that it was a golf book and not a life improvement book, saying they almost hadn't read it because of that. One of the most magical moments for me was receiving a handwritten note from tennis legend, Martina Navratilova, stating how the concept of "target golf" had helped her golf game. Another was when international self-help author and success coach, Anthony Robbins, happened to come into a bookstore where I was doing a book signing, and asked me to autograph a copy of I Found the Golf God to his friend, Ken Blanchard (author of The One Minute Manager), as a birthday gift. ... I Found the Golf God sold nearly 10,000 copies in its first year, going to print three times in the first nine months. It's been used as a sales training tool, as a textbook for golf colleges, as a tournament gift bag item, and more. GOLFERS AND NON-GOLFERS ALIKE LOVE I Found the Golf God! With years and years of rave reviews from men and women golfers of all levels, this timeless golf and life improvement book is sure to help you improve your golf swing and your game!
