Books on the Mental side

[bcoak]

I have read a bunch of books on the mental side of golf (no jokes ) but find the majority to be lacking. I especially think the Rotella stuff is weak. The focus on the target stuff he preaches has never worked for me. I have found 2 that I thought were good:
Zen and the Art of Archery
The Mental Edge by Kenneth Baum

I was wondering what others have found useful. The book, "Every SHot Must Have a Purpose" intrigues me.
I also found it interesting that Jerry Kelly has recently started working with a former Olympic Rifle shooter.

 

[mcflog]

Joe Hyams - Zen in the Martial Arts. Read an article with Greg Norman several years back that said he read it like most people read their morning paper. I really like it.

As far as Golf Psych books go

Dr Gio Valiente - Fearless Golf
And Dr. Joe Parent - Zen Golf are both better than most

I was very disapointed with Every Shot Must have a Purpose parts were unique, but mostly just Rotella-like.

 

[Leek]

I like Dave Cook's stuff. He has a great e-book on his web site that's free called: "golf's sacred journey"

 

[mcflog]

I like Dave Cook's stuff. He has a great e-book on his web site that's free called: "golf's sacred journey"

Looks really good. Thanks for the "find" , I hadn't heard of it before.

 

[Brian Manzella]

The Golfing Machine for the Coconut...

Psycho-Cybernetics, by Maxwell Maltz

 

[birdie_man]

THE DOUBLE CONNEXION.

-Carey Mumford

(way ahead of it's time IMO)

 

[Burner]

Joe Hyams - Zen in the Martial Arts. Read an article with Greg Norman several years back that said he read it like most people read their morning paper. I really like it.

As far as Golf Psych books go

Dr Gio Valiente - Fearless Golf
And Dr. Joe Parent - Zen Golf are both better than most

I was very disapointed with Every Shot Must have a Purpose parts were unique, but mostly just Rotella-like.

I got the Valiente and Every Shot Must have a Purpose books as a package deal from Amazon.

Valiente wins hands down in my humble........ the best mind book I have seen so far.

 

[scandres]

Extraordinary Golf by Fred Shoemaker is one of my favorite books of all time.
I also enjoyed Thinking Body, Dancing Mind by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch.

 

[Bill Miracle]

Best I've ever read....

6 words....

"see the ball, hit the ball" By Tony Perez

Think about it!

 

[hiroshiro]

Great Minds Think Alike

Extraordinary Golf by Fred Shoemaker is one of my favorite books of all time.
I also enjoyed Thinking Body, Dancing Mind by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch.

Great choices! How did you come across "Thinking Body, Dancing Mind"?

 

[Chris Sturgess]

It's good to hear some interesting picks. I have really only read the Rotella stuff and it is painfully longwinded and he is very vague. Not very helpful.

 

[FloydPT38]

And now for something completely different

A business book GTD - Getting things done by David Allen has been a surprise help on the course for me-
One of his basic premises is to have things written down /in a system in order to keep your mind free to think or be "fully present"- vs trying to remember stuff. Getting everything off your mind before playing helps on the course because there's not some part of you reminding you what you need to do once you're done playing. Also, If I'm on the course and think of something I need to do I scribble it on a scorecard and stick it in my back pocket- then back to golf. Some may always have that laser focus but I get distracted too easily.


Didn't mind Rotella he just repeats himself a lot.
also liked- The Mental Edge by Baum

 

[self-mastery]

I think that the 'mental' side of golf isn't as important as the physical. Mentally golf has to be the easiest sport to play.

But just to play along:

http://www.stayingsane.com/How to be mentally tough.htm


Mental toughness helps in all areas of life.

 

[birdie_man]

I dunno........

Under tournament pressure I think you better believe it can make a difference.....(if you know some GOOD stuff that is)....

You of course can do whatever you want though.

 

[shootin4par]

IMO,
golf, like life, is all about basics. So any book that focuses on relaxing, breathing, set up and outlook, would probably be boring to most as it has been boring to me. even though it is boring does not mean it is not true.

 

[Jared Willerson]

Golf's Sacred Journey was pretty good. I really enjoyed reading it.

 

[self-mastery]

IMO,
golf, like life, is all about basics. So any book that focuses on relaxing, breathing, set up and outlook, would probably be boring to most as it has been boring to me. even though it is boring does not mean it is not true.

I emphatically agree.

Im a total ADD spaz brain, so anything that can keep my mind on the task at hand is helpful. The majority of my bad shots come from my mind wandering while playing.... total blackout.

 

[tongzilla]

Physco-Cybernetics, by Maxwell Maltz

nice recommendation

 

[Tom Bartlett]

If you can pick up a 7 iron and know that it is going to go 167yds in the air with a 4 yard draw...you don't need no stinking mental books.

Tommy Moore and I used to talk about this subject all the time. We both agreed that positive thinking and winning attitude was a result of doing it right, not the other way around. If it was the other way around, you could get someone off the street and make him believe he was a tour player and voila! Never happen. Do you need mental books to help you drive a car? No, because you KNOW how to do it.

Tour players, along with everyone else's, mental attitude improves as their ball striking improves.

Now if you want to talk about mental books on how to learn...

 

[cjgolf]

Now if you want to talk about mental books on how to learn...

Definately

Do you mean books on learning how to learn?

What are your picks and suggestions?