Golfing Putters & More

Reviews

I am new to golf and the world of doing golf perfect although I live on the 15th fairway of a private golf course and have seen some hilarious golf! In my 6th decade and picking up a game that requires flexiblity and stamina I must be crazy. But I love the game however I have read so many books and seen so many videos that tell me if I do not do the swing this way I should leave this sport to those that can. Then I found this little book and read it in one sitting. Since then I have read and reread it many times. All the thou shalts are intimidating and each time on the course or range I would try my hardest to do as Ben Hogan did...get real! So this book told me it was ok to not have the perfect swing, that some things in golf are negotiable. Some things are not when they involve the laws of physics. As a scientist I get that part. Given my age at coming to this game I simply cannot do some of the things that are needed to hit the ball really far and really straight. I play from the red Ts so my far and staight are not on par with the guys on the back Ts. My slice ends up in about the same place as theirs! The book does stress what you can work with that accomodates your age and physical ability. Once I got over the perfect swing and realized I probably will not be able to pull off the perfect take-away, the straight left arm, forward hip movement to gracefully bring club to ball and hit it 300 yards...I actually started to relax on the course and find my own swing which now goes further without that dreaded slice. My sense of being one with the club, with it being an extension of my hands, arms, and shoulders has allowed me to find my own natural rhythm and timing. As a senior golfer the other secret I have learned which allows me to actually have gotten to a 26 USGA handicap in 2 years is the mental and strategic part of the game. While my younger counterparts are working on killing the ball, I am learning how to get out of trouble when it finds me, how to not find trouble, and how to undo the nasty tricks the golf course architect plays on your mind. I have learned to unwind them and that goes a long way towards compensating for starting late in life.

My rating is based on what I thought the book would offer. The title itself suggests flexibility to do things differently from a standard or model approach. The review ratings on amazon were also a factor that influenced my purchase. After reading the book I don't believe it was the right book for me. It's been a few months since I read it, I have not found cause to refer back to it as I do with other books. I will continue to purchase golf books I think it takes a lot of experimenting ( trial and error ) to learn about something as complicated as the golf swing. My opinion about this book is similar to that of Teachers. I find that there is an over simplification in the approach. Teachers have asked me to take a few swings and then immediately suggest some tweaking actions. None have sufficiently quizzed my understanding, they have assumed that I have just presented a consistent account of my golfing ability. Hence at subsequent lessons the teacher comments that I have changed or introduced something different from the last lesson. I need lessons because I cannot play good consistent golf. On reflection teachers have provided tweaks to counter faults and in some cases I have discovered these to be described as faults in books and magazines. Quick fixes over time prove insufficient when no foundation has been achieved. I will assume this book would be more suited to an intermediate level golfer where a good knowledge of the swing has already been attained. The suggested areas of the swing where the reader can experiment with would then make more sense. Having played for years with failure to improve handicap I now will become critical of simplified resources. I will be targeting materials that provide detailed information which I judge to be more practical for myself to use and learn. The latest book I have read "Swing Like A Pro" seems more relevant to my ability because it breaks down the swing into detail levels highlighting aspects of the swing I did not know or understand. Good or bad information this book has given me a working resource which I can apply. While my improvement has been modest, it has been encouraging, fellow golfers have complimented which is very positive to me as I do get to play with some single figure handicap players. This book has changed my action from a restricted arm across body action to a pivot with weight shift, more importantly it explained things that made me realize I was misunderstanding, thinking that I was pivoting and weight shifting. This alternative book will be a good future reference and a guide to which books I go for from now on. The Negotiable Golf Swing did not give me a course for experimentation. I think mainly because it did not inspire or provide the level of detail I could use. Reader book mismatch. I will assume my abilities require something more for the beginner or struggling intermediate golfer.

Joe Laurentino is the first golf pro who confronts the fact that there are so very many contradictions between top-rated instructors. (Turn the hips... restrict the hips... legs provide the power... legs are only a support for upper body... head stays static... head moves with body turn...) Instruction is usually presented as absolute law while a significant portion is actually only personal preference of that particular guru. Joe's book is the only one that distinguishes between "Musts" and what is within your own option. Also--the best part of the book--Joe clarifies how the path and orientation of the club face affects the ball flight. Here again most books get this wrong. Typically, teachers hold that initial ball direction is determined by the path of the club head (an absurdity that any high-school physics student should easily recognize). In correcting and simplifying this subject, Joe provides the reader with a way to diagnose and self-correct, on the spot. The book is well written, makes a complex subject easy to understand, and the accompanying illustrations are a critical aid.

As a new golfer, I was really struggling to hit iron shots. Reading this book made me stop fretting about all the things I was doing right or wrong that have little or no bearing on solving my problems. Instead, I can now concentrate on the clubface path and angle, using a more natural cause-and-effect approach while practicing on the driving range. I'm not quite where I want to be yet, but now the ball really flies for me and I have more confidence now that I'm visibly improving week by week.

I like the ideas in this book. The book help me understand the technical side of golf.

Reviews

This is not a conventional golf instruction guide. If you're looking for his titles on the mechanics of the golf swing, then the list is long. Break 100 Now: From Hacker to Golfer in Just 90 Days How to Break 90: An Easy Approach for Breaking Golf's Toughest Scoring Barrier Total Golf The LAWs of the Golf Swing: Body-Type Your Golf Swing and Master Your Game This book sensibly outlines a method to play to your full potential. This is a true book covering the mental game through using your mind to prepare through evaluating yourself. So you can hit a straight 250 yard drive, but can you chip, putt or hit approach shots with equal accuracy? There are several methods that the author improves your game through self assessment and self critique. Through a detailed analysis, you determine your strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, the author focuses upon positive thinking and target oriented play. What this book focuses upon are mental keys. A valuable section is what 'not' to do. I admit the concept of reading golf strategy is quite dry. There are boxes that feature vignettes that tend to keep your attention. Through my personal experience in playing and reading, I do what is outlined to a great degree to improve my game but this book really ties everything together that I learned along the way. It is more practical than Harvey Pennick's book, through more concrete plans, or even Raymond Floyd's, Master's Guide of Scoring. The Elements of Scoring: A Master's Guide to the Art of Scoring Your Best When You're Not Playing Your Best Harvey Penick: Little Red Book A complementary subject to this book, written by a different author is another book that I recommend: Golf: The Mental Game I recommend this book to a beginner who has had some lessons and plays with some regularity. This is also good for a player in a plateau in their golf potential. Lastly, this is a good book for those people who have a natural talent/temperament for the game but want to make it to the next level.

What a boring and useless book!!! Even though it is 6 years since this was published I can't remember when reading was such a chore. I am not a good golfer but not bad either. I tried hard to read this book and would tell you to just go out and play. Get a lesson from an inexpensive pro. You will get more out of it than reading what the author thinks will be good for you. I am not sure why others rate this book so highly. Even in 2001 I could not have been hoodwinked into reading this book. Please save your money. Even if it is 1.98 for a used copy. I paid $6.00

I am glad I bought it; I am sure I will keep coming back to it from time to time.

I have started applying the suggestions found in this book and have found a marked improvement in my game management. Everything suggested by T.J. Tomasi is based on personal and teaching experience and as such is invaluable information for us as golf-players-trying-to-improve.

If you are a golfer, this book is a must read.

Reviews

This is a great book to put in the car and take along on road trips. The small size is handy. My husband and I are both golfers and enjoy reading excerpts to each other as we travel. Great way to brush up on rules, learn about players, etc.

I'm not a golfer, but I'd been interested in taking up the sport and wanting to learn more about it. This book is a boon. It explains everything you'd want to know and I'm sure even seasoned golfers would learn new things from this book. The remarkable thing about this book is that it unravels all the mystery around golf, yet in a manner that is simple and easy to understand.

It's not perfect by any means and there are a few glaring ommissions (why is a mulligan called a mulligan?) but I learned a lot from this book and I've been playing for several years. It wouldn't have been my first choice - there are bigger golf fact books out there by writers I'm more familiar with - but I'm glad my daughter gave it to me for my birthday. Tony Dear obviously knows his golf and has set out this book in a clear, easy to follow format.

I really enjoyed learning about golf with the help of this book. I am becoming increasingly interested in the game thanks to the exploits of Tiger Woods and so sought a book that would help me learn the sort of stuff most golfers should know. This one offers a lot of facts about all the different aspects of the game without being in the least bit boring. There's still a lot I need to learn obviously but at least I can now get involved in a decent conversation about the game with my buddies without being embarrassed.Just the sort of offering new golfers need to get a very sound understanding of this occasionally incomprehensible game.

I thought the title of the book was totally inappropriate because it answered many unnecessary questions about things I really don't need to know (nor I think would many golfers) but also missed out several that I do.Having said that, it does offer a lot of information that is set out in a nice format.If you've been a golf enthusiast for years I wouldn't bother with it, but if you're new to the game you will get an excellent grounding with this book.