Reddit reviews Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Common Beginner Mistakes Continued

• Playing too hard of a course. There is no need to make golf any more frustrating by introducing narrow fairways and lots of hazards. Consider starting on a short course with few hazards while you’re learning the basics.
  
  
• Playing from the wrong tee box. There is no shame in not teeing off from the pro tee boxes. Unless you’re a low handicapper, don’t abuse yourself by pushing your limits too early. See this thread for more.
  
  
• Losing your stuff. When you go to putt, you'll often lay your wedge down off the green and forget it when you finish up. This is a great tip that will save you major headaches in the future. If I don't lay it on the the flag, I'll be sure to drop my wedge highly visibly on a line between the hole and the cart.
  
  

  Improving at Golf
  

  
  

• Course Management (Strategy). Instead of “going for it” every time, set yourself up for shots that have a high-percentage chance of landing properly. So, go for the fat parts of the fairway, the middle of the greens, easy tee shots, and safer approach shots. Conservative golf is good golf, and is guaranteed to improve your game as a high handicapper.
  
  
• Track Your Stats. How will you know if you're improving if you don't keep track of how you've done? There are lots of phone apps that include stat tracking and more. If you want to use a computer, try out OOBGolf.com. The more detailed you get, the more you'll know what areas you need to work on. Also consider just tracking the number of good shots you make in a round (shots where you made good contact and the ball basically did what you wanted it to). That will help prove to yourself that you are improving over time even if your scores are still pretty bad.
  
  
• Be Honest with Yourself. A continuation of the track your stats tip is to maintain honest stats. So, SO many people don't properly count strokes and penalties, allow themselves mulligans, and take gimmies all day long. Inevitably their scores are way lower than their real scores. If you're not playing me for money, it's no skin off my back, but if you're looking to improve, lying to yourself about your score is only robbing your future self of satisfaction. As you improve, you will legitimately hit those lower scores, but you won't experience the satisfaction that you would have since you already allowed yourself to say you earned that score artificially. Make sense?
  
  
• Range Routine. Going to the range without a plan for practice is going to be mostly a waste of time. Check out these threads ([link]( http://www.reddit.com/r/golf/comments/u4fwn/hey_golfit_whats_your_routine_at_the_driving_range/
  ), Link, Zelda).
  
  
• Improve Your Short Game. About 50-75% of your shots are going to be pitching, chipping, and putting. The big shots look cool, but if you really want to improve, you’re going to have to practice your short game a lot. Here is one helpful thread but there are LOTS of good videos out there. Consider watching Phil Mickelson’s Secrets of the Short Game which is an excellent resource. Here's a short video of his on the Hinge & Hold chipping method.
  
  
• Fixing Problems in Your Swing. If you’re slicing, shanking, hooking, and so on, just Google your particular problem. There are so many golf instructional videos online that will help you cure these problems, it’s ridiculous. And if you can afford it, an hour with a coach can be very beneficial.
  
  

  Reddit Tips
  

  
  There have been lots of past threads with advice and tips. Here are some of the ones that stuck out to me:
  
  

• The most important part of the golf swing IMO.
  
  
• Practice Tips.
  
  
• What I learned at a 3-day Dave Pelz short game clinic.
  
  
• Why you don't need to need to work on your wrists and hands in the full swing.
  
  
  
  
• Best tip or drill you heard in 2012.
  
  
• Contrary to popular belief, I believe long game is more important than short game for most golfers.
  
  
• Just a simple tip to help check your ball contact.
  
  
• Now perhaps more golfers will "waggle"...
  
  
• Avoid deceleration when pitching.
  
  
• Just some friendly advice to the novice and high handicappers out there.
  
  
• How do I hit a ball that's 50-70 yds away from the green?
  
  
• Any good inside 30 yard advice? Help!
  
  
• My Amateur-ish Advice (Dropped from 19 to a 9 handicap in one summer).
  
  
• Post your hard won golf wisdom. Help your brothers and sisters.
  
  
• Tips / advice for a beginner.
  
  
• What is the best simple golf tip you have ever received?
  
  

  Other FAQs
  

  
  

• Training aids. There’s been lots of discussion in the past if you’re interested.
  
  
• Golf Apps. There’s a lot of cool ones with built in GPS and statistics tracking.
  
  
• Getting fitted. Getting fitted involves having your clubs professionally adjusted for your build and swing and is not generally necessary for high handicappers.
  
  
• Range Finders. There's been lots of threads on these in the past.
  
  

  Saving Money
  

  
  Golf is an expensive hobby. Here are some ways to make it less so. Thanks to Aco- and TheGhostRedditor with this section.
  
  

• Use Discount Tee-Time Sites. Sites like Golfnow.com, EZLinks.com, and Golf18Network.com offer discounts anywhere from 10-80% off normal retail rates. They're a godsend. And be sure to search Google for coupons too (and if you're so inclined, create more accounts to use the coupons multiple times).
  
  
• Get a Course Membership. Many courses will offer annual memberships that offer significant discounts for the regular player. Some offer unlimited play for $150-200/mo. Definitely worth looking into.
  
  
• Play During Slow/Twilight Hours. Most courses offer discounts during their slow times.
  
  
• Walk with a Push-Cart. Invest $150 in a three-wheeled caddy and you'll never need to spend $15 on cart fees again. Plus you get more exercise. Many people swear it's a whole new game after getting a push-cart.
  
  
• Buy Discounted/Used Gear. If you hang out on /r/golf, you'll see pretty much daily thrift store/craigslist hauls where the person got a crazy good deal. But you can also buy discounted stuff online at RockBottomGolf.com and used balls at LostGolfBalls.com.
  
  
• Get a Ball Retriever. If you lost your ball in a water hazard, you may be able to snag it with a retriever. Some courses frown on these and be sure to not slow the pace of play.
  
  
• Get Golf Clothes at Marshalls or Costco. Last year's clothes end up at Marshalls and Costco sells good synthetic polos for $15-20.
  
  
• Daily Deal Threads on /r/Golf. There is thread posted every day by Golpher (manually mind you) with some good deals. Also check out FatWallet's Golf Deals and Sport.Woot.com has the occasional deal.
  
  
• Play By Yourself. If you're off work, but your buddies aren't, play a round by yourself when it's cheap. Many people, including me, find it to be very relaxing. Consider playing two balls for extra practice.
  
  

  Recommended Reading/Watching
  

  
  

• Ben Hogan’s Five Fundamentals of Modern Golf. A timeless classic covering all stages of the golf swing.
  
  
• Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible.. An absolutely essential read IMO. I guarantee it will dramatically improve your scoring at almost any level.
  
  
• Golf is Not a Game of Perfect. Getting your head in the right place.
  
  
• Advice for Beginners from a Pro. Very good Q&A worth reading.
  
  
• Golf Digest’s Beginner’s Guide. A lot of basic info, some of which may not be covered here.
  
  

  Check Out My Other Guides
  

  
  If you liked this guide, consider checking out my other guides.
  
  

• Build a PC Beginner’s Guide.
  
  
• StarCraft 2 Beginner’s Guide.
  
  
• Poker Beginner’s Guide.
  
  ---
  
  Thanks for reading. I hope this helps you to enjoy the great game of golf. And again, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or compliments, I'd love to hear them. Good luck!
  

I think it's safe to say that a lot of golfers ARE or WERE in your same situation. Two quick things that helped me play a little better and, therefore, enjoy golf a lot more:

• You mentioned that after the first three holes, you were already thinking that you'd be breaking 90. One mindset that helped my mental game was to forget about my total score until I sink a putt on 18. I know it's cliche, but when I forced/trained myself to only think of one hole at a time (or perhaps, three holes at a time), my focus on the "NOW" got a lot better.
  
  
• "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" is one of the best books I've read and could immediately apply to my game.

Develop a putting routine, stop worrying about making the putt and instead focus on the process of putting. Also read the book 'Golf is not a Game of Perfect' by Dr. Bob Rotella, great book about the mental aspect of golf.

Good read. Kind of goes hand-in-hand with Rotella's book. https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Not-Game-Perfect-Rotella/dp/068480364X. Definitely a good read and helped me in my mental game on the course. The chapter about focusing on a small specific target has helped me a ton. We've all had the "don't miss right/left" swing thought and then we know what happens.

To the upper and lower body point try this thought: Keep the right (rear) knee as stationary as possible throughout the entire backswing (example). You can just see/feel the power and stability he's generating with very little lost. Focus on that and keeping your spine angle steady (aka keep your hips on the same plane) through the backswing.

Also, try to not do that extended backswing lol once the shoulders are done rotating it's time to rip - set it and go.

​

As to overthinking and golf psychology in general: I see you're an assistant pro and seemingly want to do this for a living. Read Golf's Not A Game of Perfect at you're earliest convenience.

No worries at all. :) Try not to get frustrated.

I was so bad that I injured myself on the range. I was so embarrassed. The injury I gave myself was called Costochondral Separation. From swinging a golf club badly. My doctor couldn't believe it. I did it out of rage too, swinging the club as hard as I could and I caught it real heavy and really hurt myself.

A book that helped me not get mad on the course or the range anymore is the following: https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Not-Game-Perfect-Rotella/dp/068480364X

Apparently it is well known, but I only found out about it recently. It's a little dated, with examples from the 80s and 90s but it's still relevant today. If you have the time to read it (it's quite small) I recommend doing so. I bought the kindle edition and it's free of typos & errors.

Sounds like you need to do some reading. You practice the physical part of your game, but do you practice the mental part?

Golf is not a game of perfect.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/068480364X

Zen Golf
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0385504462

Elements of Scoring
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0684864029

https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Not-Game-Perfect-Rotella/dp/068480364X

Ben Hogans 5 Lessons - Solid foundations from one of the games legends. Great for beginners or those with funky swings, grips, stances, etc (which your <10 handicap dad likely doesn't need) but it's a classic golf instruction book with fundamentals in mind and the first golf book i read. Best part is it's full of really cool old illustrations to describe what he's talking about in each segment.

Next is Harvey Penicks Little Red Book - It's a good coffee table or bathroom book. Each "chapter" is a page or two usually. Harvey Penick was a legendary instructor and he famously had a small red book full of one-liner lessons that he finally published late in life. Another classic golf instruction book that keeps it super simple.

Then we have Golf is not a game of perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella It's written by a sports psychologist who specializes in "the mental game". Ideal for the weekend warrior that wants to have more fun while shooting better scores. I read this when i felt like i had all the skills but was getting in my own way mentally. Helped me work on consistency, course management, and managing expectations for those hot-head moments.

After that i read Dave Pelz' Short Game Bible Written by a now short-game guru and former actual nasa rocket scientist, this book is thicker than most bibles and is super (exhaustingly) detailed. Honestly it is solid science that would work for everyone if they had the time and discipline to practice and implement. But it burned me out before i could finish it. I'm just not at the level where i need to know all of the "how's" and "whys" to every shot ever imaginable inside 150 from every lie to every landing.

Next up is Zen Golf: mastering the mental game by Dr. Joe Parent Another sports psychologist who specializes in thinking smarter/better. A very interesting read. Lots of tips that helped and i plan to re-read very soon. It actually has many lessons that translate well to everyday life, not just golf.

Finally, Lowest Score Wins This last one is a more modern approach to the game. Very simple and straight forward. Very data driven. Kind of like a fundamentals book but more aggressive and concerned with one thing, lowering your score. There's some great chapters on "seeing the course differently" that really helped my course management and it's great for drills on every aspect of the game.

I think the last two are the best all-around.

1. Buy this audio book and listen to it: https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Not-Game-Perfect-Rotella/dp/068480364X
   
   
2. Remember you are not a pro so have fun and enjoy the company of friends.

I find it generally pretty entertaining to go through these posts, but the only swing advice I would take seriously is that of coaches who do it on an elite level. Given that you get worse, sometimes significantly, before you get better, you need to be sure that you're going to get better lol. They have a higher upfront cost, but it's way cheaper in the long run and you're better for it. One thing that surprised me is that people teaching on a PGA or near level are really accessible; way more than you think.

For mental game, check out a book Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect. ( https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Not-Game-Perfect-Rotella/dp/068480364X ) I also had an eye opening watching a single pga group for an entire round (pga tour live). We're only used to seeing good shots, so we come to expect that in ourselves when in reality even their rounds are full of bad ones.

This book may help -- Golf is not a game of perfect

I know it has helped me.

Currently reading Golf is not a game of Perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella and one of the chapters talks about what to think about during a swing. OP has figured out that thinking about mechanics will only hold you back while on a course, and Dr. Rotella mentions thinking only about your target and how you are going to hit the best shot you can.

He even instructs amateurs and pros to picture the best shot they have ever hit with the club they are holding just before they swing for positive reinforcement.

My thoughts: Everyone has a "favorite" club. Why do we have a favorite club? Because it's the club we feel the most comfortable hitting, we know we can do well because we have done so multiple times before. Imagine if every club felt like that...and you've just gotten into the mindset of a top tour pro.

Get these two books:

Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella

Little Red Book by Harvey Penick

Unrivaled golf wisdom there.

Last year I broke 90 for the first time in July. I had grand expectations of breaking 90 on a regular basis. I didn't break 90 again until 4 weeks ago, when I shot rounds of 104, then 87,88,90, and 92.

What turned it around for me was practicing my game from 120 yards and in. Limiting three putts by better putting and better pitching made the most difference. That and no penalty strokes.

Edit: Also buy this book. It's a great read. https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Not-Game-Perfect-Rotella/dp/068480364X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499304873&sr=8-1&keywords=golf+is+not+a+game+of+perfect

This is a good sub-thread to this post. The mental aspect of putting is HUGE and subconscious plays a big role.

Try "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" or "Putting Out Of Your Mind" by Dr. Bob Rotella. Good $hit there.

While I'm not statistically a fantastic putter, I BELIEVE I can be, and that helps... a lot.

The Orange whip, slow-mo function on my phone and this book.

Here's the list of books I've found most useful with a brief reason why:

• Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf, Harvey Penick -- simply the best golf advice book ever written.
  
• How I Play Golf, Tiger Woods -- has the best pictures I've seen and Tiger's swing at the time of writing was the best ever.
  
• Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible, Dave Pelz -- I think this is an excellent book for teaching you how to think about the short game, even though I disagree with some of the advice given.
  
  I strongly recommend this book, which is not on the swing but on the mental aspects of the game:
  
  
• Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, Dr. Bob Rotella
  
  I also recommend Palmer's book about the rules of golf and Kathy Whitworth's book about her career. But, neither are about the golf swing, per se. Both are available on Kindle, IIRC. I would encourage you to read Hogan's "Five Lessons" only from a historical perspective, if at all. Much of the advice is not particularly good and the pictures and diagrams are wildly inaccurate.