Golf Improvement » Golf Book Reviews

Swing Flaws and Fitness Fixes- Putting Flexibility – Strength and Stamina

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:34:51 +0000

The host of the Golf Channel's Swing Fault Solutions helps golfers get fit in a program enhanced by Hank Haney's legendary swing analysis Golfers spend outrageous sums of money every year on new balls, clubs, and swing instruction in an effort to improve their game. But what holds back most amateur golfers isn't their equipment or even their swing; it's their fitness. In Swing Flaws and Fitness Fixes, seasoned instructor and fitness expert Katherine Roberts outlines a precise combination of flexibility and strength training that will get any golfer in shape to play their best. Including swing corrections by top-flight instructor Hank Haney, Roberts's program features: * Tests to measure baseline stability and mobility * The ideal warm-up exercises for golfers * Techniques for simultaneously improving posture, balance, and strength * Exercises to obtain yoga-quality levels of Flexibility * Nine of the most common swing flaws, from "coming over the top" to the "chicken wing," with exercises designed by Roberts to overcome the physical deficiencies at the root of the problem * A full workout program for better back health and stronger core muscles Enhanced with one hundred photographs, Swing Flaws and Fitness Fixes is an invigorating new approach that solves age-old golfing woes.

Golf Impact Zone – Mastering The Moment of Truth

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:29:50 +0000

â��Bobby Clampett is one of the most knowledgeable golfing minds in the game.â��â��Tom Lehman, 1996 British Open Champion, 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team captainÂ Impact has long been called golfâ��s â��moment of truth,â�� and great golfers have spent countless hours working on their swings trying to upgrade their impact dynamics as the golf club approaches, contacts, then swings through the ball. For the first time, with The Impact Zone, golfers will have a book that focuses their attention on the very same region of the swing on which professional golfers have always concentrated. Â The Impact Zone is a unique instructional guide in that everything in it either focuses on or applies to improving a golferâ��s understanding and execution of impact.Â Here, acclaimed professional golfer Bobby Clampett concludes that the overwhelming bias and convention of todayâ��s contemporary teaching environment is to value swing styles over swing dynamics, and in so doing, the overwhelming majority of golf teachers miss the boat in terms of teaching the game effectively.Â Ultimately this emphasis on swing style comes at the expense of helping golfers to develop sound swing dynamics, which are the real keys to consistent ball striking and better golf.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â With the help of CBSâ��s Swing Vision high-speed cameraâ��using images from many of the gameâ��s greatest contemporary players (including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, John Daly, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, and more)â��The Impact Zone takes an unprecedented look at the most important six inches in golf, those that immediately precede, contain, and follow impact. To further demonstrate these principles, Clampett presents photos and drills that convey the five essential dynamics golfers need to produce and reproduce solid impactÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Throughout these instructional pages, Bobby Clampettâ��teamed with veteran golf writer Andy Brumerâ��relays his own personal story of straying from swing dynamics and how he found his way back.Â He recalls memorable stories from the Tour, blending innovative instruction with his colorful, engaging anecdotes.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Clampett and Brumer create an essential instructional guide with clear, concise adviceâ��on creating great swing dynamics through the impact zoneâ��the universally acknowledged key to more consistent and better golf.Â Advance Praise for The Impact ZoneÂ â��I had played many times against Bobby on the PGA Tour and was always impressed with his in-depth approach to the golf swing. But after working with him at CBS for several years, I have come to understand why. The Impact Zone will reveal to the golf world Bobbyâ��s unique insight as to why so many different â��styledâ�� golf swings work. God knows my swing isnâ��t one the named teachers are having their students copy, but it was good enough to win twenty-one PGA Tour events and the â��77 PGA Championship.Â Â Â Itâ��s about time someone finally put in print to refute the myths about â��style of swingâ�� and get down to the meat of the matterâ��impact! Itâ��s no surprise to me that Bobby was the one to get it done right!â��â��Lanny Wadkins, lead golf analyst for CBS SportsÂ Â â��Itâ��s great for all golfers that someone has finally structured an instruction book around dynamic impact. Nor does it surprise me that Bobby Clampett is the one to have done it.Â He is as good a student of the game as Iâ��ve ever known.Â Whatâ��s more, he was a great player in his day, and his journey as he struggled with his swing, as well as his experience as a commentator and observer of the contemporary game, qualifies him more than most as a teacher to whom all interested in improving their golf games should listen.Â I know I will.Â His unique perspective will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the golf world for years to come.â�� â��Johnny Miller, lead golf analyst for NBC Sports and author of I Call the ShotsÂ â��Back when we were both in college, Bobby was a boy genius in golf. For fifteen years as his colleague at CBS, I have continued to be amazed by his comprehensive knowledge of the golf swing. He remains as erudite about the technical nuances of the game as anyone on the planet, and I am thrilled he is now sharing his expertise with the rest of the world!â�� â��Jim Nantz, CBS Sports golf anchorÂ â��Bobby Clampett is a true and loyal friend as well as one of the most knowledgeable golfing minds in the game. He has always known that the strike is what matters most. What the swing looks like is really of no concern; the quality of the impact between club and ball is the heart of the matter.â��â��Tom Lehman, 1996 British Open Champion and 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team captain

Golf Courses of the World in 365 Days

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:52:36 +0000

An invitation to the ultimate golfing journey, this new addition to Abrams' highly successful 365 Days series takes the reader around the globe to visit 365 of the most sensational courses ever created. Stunning photographs by the world's leading golf photographers capture the spectacular scenery and signature views of each course, while informative texts discuss their history, natural setting, design, notable holes, and native vegetation. The vast array of distinctive layouts shows golf's enduring ability to adapt to every type of terrain or ecosystem, and Golf Courses of the World: 365 Days covers them all. The book includes renowned courses in golf strongholds such as Pebble Beach in the U.S., Royal Melbourne in Australia, and St. Andrews in Scotland, as well as hidden gems in exotic locales like Indonesia, Nepal, Dubai, Kenya, and Brazil. For everyone from armchair golfers to serious players who want to add a little variety to their game, this sumptuous volume is the ultimate golfing companion and dreambook. AUTHOR BIO: Robert Sidorsky has written about golf for The New York Times since 1993 and is a regular contributor to Links magazine and other publications. He is an attorney who lives in New York City.

Planet Golf USA – Definitive Reference – Great Golf Courses in America

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:40:49 +0000

A companion volume to Abrams' hugely successful Planet Golf, which Golf Magazine called "absolutely superb, a stunning achievement," this gorgeous book features superb photographs and detailed reviews of more than 140 of America's finest golf courses, making it the most comprehensive directory ever published on the nation's outstanding layouts. Included are reviews of every Top 100 ranked course in the United States, according to Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, including Augusta National, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills, Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits, Oakmont, the National, Winged Foot, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Oakland Hills, Medinah, and many more.Author Darius Oliver, a regular contributor to golf rating panels, visitedÂ every course he reviews in this book and provides readers with a detailed ratings section that outlines the best, hardest, and most dramatic golf courses and golf holes in the country, as well as a unique Planet Golf World 100 ranking that selects the 100 finest courses on the planet and is sure to generate much interest and discussion.

Golf For Dummies – DVD Bundle

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:32:09 +0000

Learn to play golf with thisÂ super value bundle. Golf instruction designed for all ages, levels and egos. Book and DVD bundle includes: Bestselling Golf For Dummies, 3rd Edition â�� 384 pages with everything you need toÂ get started or improve your game, from equipment to instruction to common problems, etiquette, and more! Instructional and entertaining DVD â�� benefit from a Gary McCordâ��s 30 years of experience asÂ he helps you get a grip on this simple(but not so easy) game . 75 minute DVD DVD shows you how to: Grip your clubs, stand, and swing Improve your putting Chip, pitch, and execute sand shots Fix a hook, slice, or shank Exclusive DVD features: Golfspeak Glossary On the Green Doâ��s and Donâ��ts Common Faults and How to Fix â��em

Golf Rx 15 Minute Core Program – More Yards and Less Pain!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:34:25 +0000

Now in paperback, the official physician to the PGA Tour shares his groundbreaking research on preventing back pain and adding more yards to your drives. It is estimated that half of all recreational golfers and one-third of all professional golfers suffer from some form of lower-back pain. Conventional wisdom suggests that the twisting nature of the golf swing is the sole culprit. But research conducted by sports-medicine specialist Vijay Vad, M.D., reveals that the swing is only one of several factors. Applying Dr. Vadâ��s winning combination of mind/body wisdom and medical expertise to the game of golf, Golf Rx shares his cutting-edge findings. Complete with more than one hundred photographs, Golf Rx is a practical guide that brings the wisdom of one of Americaâ��s leading sports-medicine authorities to golfers of any level or age.

Putt to Win – Mastering the Other Game by Dave Stockton

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:47:45 +0000


The top money earner on the PGA Senior Tour shares the secrets behind his renowned putting style, explaining how to visualize a successful putt, how to read the green, how to choose the right putter, and much more. 20,000 first printing.

Putting Bible – Complete Guide to Mastering the Green by Dave Pelzs

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:18:06 +0000

Golf's foremost apostle from 100 yards in, Dave Pelz follows up the bestselling Short Game Bible--his essential testament on how to get on the green--with chapter and verse on what to do once you're finally there. The lower your handicap, the more of a religious experience it should be. While you don't have to be a rocket scientist to explain the forces at work in rolling a small, dimpled ball over changing terrain toward a cup that looks far too small for its purpose, Pelz was in fact a rocket scientist by trade. His approach is analytical, theoretical, mechanical, and systematic, brimming with graphs, charts, and illustrations. But don't let that scare you--for all the science, Pelz and the gospel he preaches are as inspiring as a good sermon and readily understandable regardless of your skill level. Yes, advanced players will no doubt be more intrigued with the depths Pelz plumbs, but high handicappers can draw solace from the quality of the supplicants who've sought his counsel--Lee Janzen, Annika Sorenstam, Steve Elkington, and Colin Montgomery, for starters--and proceed from there. Numbers, charts, and graphs aside, Pelz preaches good grip and stroke, proper reading of lines and distances, the importance of leaving a ball in the best location (that only seems obvious), and the need to identify your putting weaknesses, learn why they're your weaknesses, and address the proper fixes. "Never give up on putting well," Pelz stresses. By studying his bible and heeding his golden rules, you'll find yourself standing over those knee-rattling, downhill 4-footers with a lot more going for you than just a prayer. --Jeff Silverman

Art of Scoring – Ultimate On Course Guide to Short Game

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:53:25 +0000

"The hottest instructor in golf"(Sports Illustrated) presents a revolutionary guide for lowering your score with a powerful new approach to strategizing, decision-making, and management for every part of your short game. Stan Utley's breakthrough short game and putting techniques have made him one of the most sought-after golf instructors in America. Now he offers a breakthrough approach for golfers of all skill levels, with a course- management approach designed to help golfers at the crucial stages of a round of golf. The Art of Scoring shows readers how to understand the way their short game handicap and overall skill level should dictate strategy. Breaking down pitching, chipping, bunker play, and putting into three proficiency categories, Utley presents customized techniques for saving shots simply by making better decisions. He leads us through a round with three amateurs-two 10-handicappers and a 20-handicapper-to show how improved strategy and execution can transform a player's game. With behind- thescenes pro teaching sessions, crash courses on the three hardest greenside shots, and one hundred black-and-white and color photographs, The Art of Scoring is like getting a brand-new set of state-of-the-art clubs, customized by one of the game's premier teachers.

Art of Putting – Feel Based System for Improving Your Score

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:09:42 +0000

A breakthrough approach to putting from the PGA Tourâ��s premier short-game guru PGA stars such as Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Peter Jacobsen, and Darren Clarke have all sought advice from fellow pro Stan Utley about their putting, and have gone on to such immediate success on the green that Utley has become the most in-demand teacher in the game. Now, in The Art of Putting he outlines his unique approach to putting for golfers of all skill levels. In a welcome change from mechanistic and overly-complex putting "systems," Utley breaks down the putting stroke to a simple, natural motion, revealing a straightforward method for learning this sure, repeatable stroke. As he guides you through the fundamentals of the proper grip, posture, alignment, and swing, Utley will overhaul and improve your stroke by putting feel back into your game. This definitive book also provides: â�¢ A complete primer on club design, with tips for finding the putter most in tune with the nuances of your swing â�¢ A guide to the sensory aspects of a good putt, from grip pressure to impact response to the way a putt should sound â�¢ Simple steps for reading greens accurately, every time â�¢ Drills to commit your putting stroke to muscle memory and overcome the tics that can knock your putts off line â�¢ Cures for the mental hurdles youâ��ll face on the short grass