Two books I can’t recommend enough:
Be a Player
Zen Golf
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To add a classic instruction book, and maybe the only one I own, is Practical Golf by John Jacobs
I sent the link via Private Message in this website. If that didn’t come through, let me know and I’ll email it.
I recently started Be A Player and so far really enjoy it.
Did you do the different activities that have after each chapter? So far I have not done any. I feel it would cause me to play a 3 hour 9 hole round by myself and nobody wants that.
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I have but with covid and more WFH the tee sheet at my club is fuller than normal so its been tough.
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Yeah that has been my concern. Maybe I will circle back next year and try to do each of the exercises.
Be a Player is a book best served if its read multiple times and incorporate its concepts 30-days at a time. If not you’re drinking from a fire hose.
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Yeah I can see that from what i have read so far, and I am still not that far into it.
Some great recommendations here. One I didn’t see mentioned that I really enjoyed is “An American Caddie in St. Andrews” by Oliver Horovitz. It’s the story of him taking a gap year between high school and university and moving to St. Andrews to live with his uncle and work as a caddie. It’s a fun read that shows a bit about life in St. Andrews from the perspective of the locals.
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As a big reader of Golf 
books, I have noticed much fewer New books has been written in the last couple years. Anyone else notice this or agree/ disagree?
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I liked “Every Shot Counts” a lot - I just need a lot of time to weave the key points into my game. Down the list here, I want to get my hands on the Derr book (which I’ve heard about) and the Ray Floyd book. Ray Floyd is an interesting guy. His name comes up in all sorts of places in golf books - his early years playing money matches in Texas (and I suspect everywhere).
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I agree - fewer books coming out. A lot of the past greats have been covered (and really well in my opinion) - accept Lee Trevino.
Someone needs to get with Lee Trevino and write a great biography. Especially with Lee getting older.
I’ve read the books he did with Sam Blair - and really liked them, but there is so much more to him if you think about it. I saw him play in the seventies and I can still remember that wide open stance and move to the ball. He could really square it up.
You see him come up in cross referencing lots of other books - he was always in the mix.
- He came from nothing, got into golf at a driving range.
- Was a marine.
- Played that Texas big money gambling hustles with guys like Titanic Thompson.
- Was super competitive and right in the game with the other greats of his time - Nicklaus, Player, Palmer.
- Ryder Cup, US Open, British Open, PGA…
- Multiple major winner (in that era!)
- Was the only one Hogan trusted to test and give feedback on his clubs because of his ball striking (can you believe that…)
- Lots of background stuff - family, skipping the masters, etc.
- Super articulate talking about the golf swing - his knowledge and experience are ridiculous.
Alright, so I’m a fan, but can you think of a better story? - and right now there are still a lot of people around that know/knew him through the different phases.
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I’m a huge Lee Trevino fan as well. When you talk about the great characters that shaped the game, he’s high on the list. I do hope there are some great books written about him.
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A lot of pro golfers came from tough backgrounds and sketchy backgrounds. Lee Trevino’s is one of the toughest - at least as tough if not tougher than Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan.
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I just got two books delivered this week and am really enjoying the first one so far. I got Unconscious putting and the Practice Manual. So far alot of good things in Unconscious Putting.
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Both are great reads!
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So Sieckmann’s home course is here in Omaha at Shadow Ridge. My in-laws are members there. I’ve seen Sieckmann floating around giving lessons and spoken to him a couple times. He’s incredibly nice, but he does love himself a great deal. He’s damn good at what he does, so whatever. My step-brother is a regular student of his and he gives nothing but a glowing review.
I’ve been tempted to shell over the $400 for an hour of his time. If he can’t fix my putting no one can.
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How has no one suggested “Bud, Sweat, and Tees” by Alan Shipnuck!?
Required reading in my house.
You just gave me some great ideas for my next book KIDDING
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Step one: drop trough
Step two: insert horn
Yeah, maybe not the best sales pitch!