The Pros and Cons of Reading About Golf

I’m usually one who watches a lot of golf on television – A LOT of golf.

Admittedly, I missed the majority of the Tournament of Champions due to football playoffs, returning to work after the holidays, and forgetfulness. Any other year, I would be waiting to watch the beauty of the Hawaiian course and last year’s winners battling it out in a golfers’ paradise. This tournament always came at a time when I seemed to need it most – in the dreary days of winter when I’m over-stuffed from treats and turkey and wanting to try out whatever golf toys I received for Christmas.

One of the reasons I use for justifying my DirecTV package is for my Golf Channel. Granted, during the winter most of the shows are re-runs of the past year’s tournaments or golf-themed movies, but it’s something.

I should really take this time to catch up on my golf reading. To be honest, I’ve never really read a book dedicated specifically and solely to the subject of golf. I have friends who love to read about their favorite sport, but I just stand in front of the shelf of golf books at my local bookstores, wondering what would constitute as a “good read.” I don’t want to get bogged down with a bunch of instruction.

Admittedly, my golf reading is limited to online blogs and articles, website reviews, and my monthly subscription to Golf Magazine. I like to read articles about courses (many I’ll never get to play), changes in the rules and governance of the game, and the myriad of tips to improve your game. I only focus on the tips I think will help my game, and I tailor those lessons to both my ability and personal style. Too many times, I’ve read an article claiming to cure a certain shortcoming in my game if I’ll only focus on the skills and drills set forth by the author. In the next month’s issue, the same problem is addressed, but now there are radically different tips and tricks. Which one (or ones) will really work?

If you’ve read any of my previous articles, you know that my background is competitive running. As such, I used to subscribe to some of the major publications pertaining to the sport. I found that these magazines would constantly recycle articles and subject matter. Seriously, how many “New Year, New You” articles can one read without noticing a pattern?

So, I take the tips in these magazines in stride. Some have helped me in certain aspects of my game, but others seem to contradict each other – often in the same issue. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has tried a “proven” tip, only to have that same piece of advice negatively affect my game.

I’m of the belief that everyone’s swing in unique, and it may be a huge mistake to mess with that swing if it’s working for them. Often, many well-meaning instructors or playing partners offer advice based upon what is accepted as classic swing form. The problem is – this accepted form has changed throughout the years. In fact, there is one book that I have seriously thought about reading, Brandel Chamblee’s Anatomy of Greatness. This book focuses on the unorthodox swing patterns of some of the games great players. I passed on another instructional book, The A Swing, because I thought this would mess with my already “unique” swing.

While I wouldn’t be averse to reading a well-written book about the life of a famous athlete, a historical era in the game, or a particular season or match, there seems to be no end to instructional books promising to cure a slice, a hook, or the dreaded yips. In addition to the written word, there are now apps for your mobile device. Now, you can take your personal coach with you to the course or the range. Do a simple search under your respective App Store, and you may be overwhelmed with the choices offered. There are apps which have pre-recorded instructional videos categorized according to lesson; there are applications which let you decide what area of improvement on which you need improvement; and there even exists apps for analyzing your swing, which record real-time motion and provide immediate feedback.

I’d be open to suggestions for books on the game, and maybe a reader could point me in the right direction. Until then, I will stick with my magazines, my hit-and-miss Internet searches, and my television programs. I’ll keep working out my flaws on the range, the course, or my backyard. I’d love to really find a book that provides me with authentic material and not just the same advice being delivered using different words.

So, seriously – help me out. What would you suggest?