Five books to make you a better golfer

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND

You may never be good enough to play at the US Masters but there are a host of coaching manuals that can help you become a better golfer, even if it means no more than taking a few quid off your mates on your local course, rather than it be the other way around.

Here is The Sports Bookshelf’s selection of five best-selling golf tuition books that promise to improve your game.

1 - The Unstoppable Golfer

Author: Bob Rotella
Published by: Simon & Schuster

More than two-thirds of the shots a golfer makes are short ones: putts, chips, and pitches. If a golfer wants to win, whether it’s at the Augusta National or the local municipal, the little shots are the ones that make the difference. Sports psychologist and golf guru Bob Rotella, who has worked with stars such as Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, will teach readers how to achieve the calm state of mind and the unwavering focus that are the key to becoming an Unstoppable Golfer.

2 - Unconscious Putting

Author: Dave Stockton
Published by: Gotham Books

Dave Stockton, winner of the US PGA championships twice in the 1970s and a victorious US Ryder Cup captain, claimed he needed only 10 minutes to put Rory McIlroy’s short game in order after the Irishman’s notorious meltdown at last year’s Masters. Here, the man who helped Phil Mickelson win the 2010 Masters explains how to gained improved results from your putting in the way that more than 50 players on the world tour have benefited from his tuition, making your own putting style work for you and learning ways to see the line more clearly and get a better feel for distance.

3 - Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible

Author: Dave Pelz
Published by: Leisure Time Direct

One-time NASA scientist Pelz began with the logical premise that every golf shot should land the ball as close to its intended target as possible and committed endless hours of research into analysing how the great players go about achieving that. A substantial and heavily technical tome, users say it demands a commitment to several hours a week of solid practice for the lessons to bear fruit but those who have bought the book generally agree that it is a coaching guide that works.

4 - The Timeless Swing

Author: Tom Watson
Published by: Simon & Schuster

Tom Watson's performance in the 2009 Open Championship, when he was beaten in a play-off just short of his 60th birthday, proved that a great golf swing can be for life if looked after in the right way. Watson, who would have been winning his sixth Open, has a swing regarded as an unmatched model of good mechanics, rhythm and repeatability. Here Watson offers a lifetime's worth of wisdom and insight aimed at helping golfers of any age improve their game, with particular emphasis on the benefits of a well honed swing.

1 - Silent Mind Golf: How to Empty Your Mind and Play Golf Instinctively

Author: Robin Sieger
Published by: Aurum Press

Sieger, golfer and motivational speaker, argues that too many golfers concentrate on technique at the expense of mastering the mental side of the game, which he believes lies at the heart of peak performance. His lessons aim to help the golfer achieve the inner mental calm to swing with freedom and approach critical putts without fear. With easy-to-follow examples and anecdotes from the world’s top players, Sieger’s guide is for any golfer, professional or amateur, who wants to learn ways to play the game with an uncluttered mind.

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