Why read this book?
Golf is a difficult sport. If it is hard for Tiger Woods, for mere mortals like us it could be quite frustrating. In my experience, one of the main reasons for this frustration is not being committed¹ to a shot and/or a club. Golf does not make it easy for us to readily commit to a shot and/or a club due to its complexity: fourteen clubs, different types of shots, unpredictable lies, various hitting surfaces, hazards, changeable weather conditions, etc. The second big reason being a lack of understanding of how² to hit the shot.
This book is more about what club to select and shot to hit rather than how to hit. Once I understood the club and shot selection I established a firm baseline for my game and practices became purposeful and enjoyable. Prior to figuring this out I had a muddled understanding of the club and shot selection. For example, I had not worked out answers for the following:
- Should I putt into the hole or lag putt?
- Should I putt or chip?
- Should I chip or pitch?
- Should I pitch or hit a full-swing shot?
- What club to chip?
- What club to pitch?
- Do I club up or down?
- Do I hit left or right of the target?
The approach³ I describe in this book helped me become a confident golfer for my level. By the end of this book, I hope you too will become a confident golfer through an understanding of the right club and shot selection for every shot from tee to green.
It is important to realize that while club and shot selection can be achieved by a book like this, getting better at executing the mechanics of the shots requires practice as well as feedback from teaching professionals. If you are in the San Francisco Bay around the peninsula area you may want to consider Roy Day, an excellent instructor for private lessons. I took lessons from Roy and highly recommend him.
Footnotes:
¹ Committing to a shot means unequivocally deciding on a specific shot (putting or chipping or pitching or full-swing) for the situation at hand. And committing to a club means unequivocally deciding on a specific club (one of the wedges or the irons) for the shot at hand.
² The how of hitting is the mechanics of the golf shot that includes the grip, stance, swing, etc.
³ The approach is the strategy or steps to take prior to hitting the shot.
