3 stars (Good book on golf but not a manual on golf swing) - If you are looking for a good book on golf in general, this may fit your bill. If you are looking for specific tips on the golf swing, you may be disappointed. There are some thoughts on the swing, but not as much as you would expect from a book that has got so many great reviews. I suppose this is the kind of book that you will re-read and appreciate more and more over the years.
From the book, you will get a feel for how good a teacher Penick was and how a coach should tailor his teachings according to the student. All those who never had the opportunity to learn from a great teacher but wanted to have a second-hand experience at least through his book, may come away a little disappointed since this is not a substitute for a lesson.
4 stars (Great Tips, not for someone looking for swing fundamentals) - I enjoyed the book, it had some great tips. But it's not for a beginner looking for swing fundamentals, instead try Ben Hogan's 5 lessons. Still worth reading though.
5 stars (A Common-Sense Classic) - This little collection of wisdom from Harvey Penick has become the best selling sports book of all time. Which just goes to show you, when it comes to golf instruction, less really is more.
Penick proves you don't need stop-action photography and a lot of technical nonsense to have a great golf book. His simple observations are far more valuable. Even when Penick is addressing a complex mechanical issue, such as the position of the right elbow, he uses language and images that everyone can understand. His entire approach to the mental game is summed up in two pages on "positive thinking," and his advice on putting is priceless.
So if you feel like you're getting overloaded with too much information, put everything else away and pick up the little red book. |
