Books on playing strategy versus instruction

[thepinkbomber]

Looking for any books or youtube videos on playing strategy versus instruction. Know of any?

[RichieHunt]

At the risk of plugging my own work, I write about it in my annual e-book from a numbers and statistical perspective in Pro Golf Synopsis.

You can find the link to purchase it (only $10) in my writer's profile which is here:

[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/author/richhunt/"]http://www.golfwrx.com/author/richhunt/[/url]







RH

[xxjonesyxx]

I read the Colin Montgomery one 'The thinking mans guide to golf' and Butch Harmons 'Playing lessons'
They are both OK, but nothing earth shattering really.

Bob Rotella's stuff , has a bit of strategy in 'golf is not a game of perfect' though it mostly deals with the mind. but I would say that it is a must read for golfers.

Neil

[tembolo1284]

Interesting in seeing some more works as well. Thanks for the link Richie!

[vman]

The Elements of Scoring by Raymond Floyd.

[atpope]

[url="http://www.amazon.com/A-Round-Golf-Tommy-Armour/dp/1558212175/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1388676899&sr=8-2&keywords=tommy+armour"]A Round of Golf with Tommy Armour[/url]

I think it hold up beautifully even after all of these years.

[url="http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Golf-Course-Architecture/dp/1580800718/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1388676964&sr=8-1"]Anatomy of a Golf Course by Tom Doak[/url]

Nothing like going inside the mind of the architect and understanding why the hole is the way it is.

[finalist]

Great reading ideas. I read Butch's book a lkng time ago and thought the idea was great. The book was OK, but I wish there was more course management books. The Tom Doak book sounds good.

[Marrrk]

[quote name='atpope' timestamp='1388677085' post='8384497']
[url="http://www.amazon.com/A-Round-Golf-Tommy-Armour/dp/1558212175/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1388676899&sr=8-2&keywords=tommy+armour"]A Round of Golf with Tommy Armour[/url]

I think it hold up beautifully even after all of these years.

[url="http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Golf-Course-Architecture/dp/1580800718/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1388676964&sr=8-1"]Anatomy of a Golf Course by Tom Doak[/url]

Nothing like going inside the mind of the architect and understanding why the hole is the way it is.
[/quote]

Anatomy is an absolute must-read.

[xxjonesyxx]

I shall check out the 'anatomy' one, never heard of it before.

Thanks

[RichieHunt]

[quote name='atpope' timestamp='1388677085' post='8384497']


[url="http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Golf-Course-Architecture/dp/1580800718/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1388676964&sr=8-1"]Anatomy of a Golf Course by Tom Doak[/url]

Nothing like going inside the mind of the architect and understanding why the hole is the way it is.
[/quote]

Thanks for that link, I'll have to purchase it.

When I did my research, it was mostly statistical and numbers related, but I did ask a local golf course design company a lot of questions with regards to how they approach design and why they design holes the way they do. I felt it was very helpful in helping me make sense of the data and I would recommend others to try and learn from good designers as well.






RH

[Dan Drake]

I have often thought that this subject was sorely under-represented and was really the area where recreational golfers would see the most improvement in their scores. In fact, I would rank course management and strategy above swing instruction for how much it can help.

Hmmm. Maybe I should get to writing!

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='duckjr78' timestamp='1388695989' post='8386571']
I have often thought that this subject was sorely under-represented and was really the area where recreational golfers would see the most improvement in their scores. In fact, I would rank course management and strategy above swing instruction for how much it can help.

Hmmm. Maybe I should get to writing!
[/quote]

Please do!

[stagalog]

I enjoyed [url="http://www.amazon.com/Golf-Cant-Be-This-Simple/dp/0971920818/ref=pd_sim_b_1"]Golf Can't Be This Simple[/url] by John Toepel. He passed away not long ago and I recall listening in on one of his call-in segments.

[thepinkbomber]

These are great suggestions and links. Thanks!

Also didn't think of architect books which is a great idea.

[RichieHunt]

[quote name='duckjr78' timestamp='1388695989' post='8386571']
I have often thought that this subject was sorely under-represented and was really the area where recreational golfers would see the most improvement in their scores. In fact, I would rank course management and strategy above swing instruction for how much it can help.

Hmmm. Maybe I should get to writing!
[/quote]

I fully agree. Of course I do have some bias.

I did my statistical research based out of wanting to learn as much about the game as I could possibly learn. I am a statistician by trade and when I got the ShotLink data, I started to notice things that surprised me. And I started to better formulate research on asking questions like 'hit driver vs. hit 3-wood?' and 'should I just beat 3-wood up there on a par-5 or should I lay up to a specific yardage?' and 'what bunkers should I focus on avoiding the most?' Eventually I started to apply this research with the help of a friend of mine who is a professor and see if we could apply it to amateurs.

It's a bit funny because many of the simple thoughts that go into strategy when a golfer first starts playing the game semi-seriously are correct (of course, some are not). But what I have found is that often times golfers start to try different strategies and sorta 'Wylie Coyote' out-think themselves. And if it works once, particularly if it is their first time trying it, they will subscribe to that strategy until they die even if it is not putting the odds in their favor and their one-time success was purely anecdotal.

I've found that even the Tour pros are susceptible to this as well. However, I think some of the older players before this generation were pretty savvy. Like Nicklaus. I remember at the 86 Masters he hit what looked like a mediocre chip on the 12th hole in the final round. But, he was more expertly trying to keep the ball below the cup instead of leaving himself with a downhill or sidehill putt. He did end up missing the par-save due to a ball mark right in his line. But, it is stuff like that where Jack didn't get lost in the situation and kept in mind an important rule at Augusta, keep the ball below the cup.







RH

[xxjonesyxx]

[b] And if it works once, particularly if it is their first time trying it, they will subscribe to that strategy until they die even if it is not putting the odds in their favor and their one-time success was purely anecdotal.[/b]

[b]RH[/b]

There is a similar phenomenon noted in Poker, if a poor player makes a bad play, but it comes off, do to hitting a lucky card etc It gets logged in the memory banks as a + winning strategy and when a similar circumstances occur again and they will keep doing it, however big a leak it is in there game and a big losing play there after.

Neil

[atpope]

The guys that wrote Freakonomics (Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt) are working on a book with Pat Goss (head coach at Northwestern and until late last year Luke Donald's swing coach, and still Donald's short game coach in addition to working with Gary Woodland, Trevor Immelman, etc.) and Luke Donald that will cover a lot of course management topics. Last January I was lucky enough to attend a three day event they had in FL, all expenses paid except travel, where they collected a bunch of statistics while we played and had us do several "experiments". They were hoping for the book to be out this Father's Day. Using the concepts from that weekend, along with some insights from the two books I linked to above helped to drop my handicap 4 strokes this past year.

Mark Broadie, who helped developed putting strokes gained, has a book coming out in March as well.

[url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592407501/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER"]Every Shot Counts[/url]

[Hawkeye77]

Thanks for this thread it reminded me I wanted to order Armour's book. Actually ordered both, what the heck.

While I was at it, ordered Vardon's book, Ouimet's memoir and Jacob's "Practical Golf". Love reading golf books and these have been on my list, but neglected.

I found Doak's book to be more design than strategy oriented, not that there aren't some insights, but it's a must read either way.

[golfdude300]

[quote name='RichieHunt' timestamp='1388700531' post='8387105']
But, it is stuff like that where Jack didn't get lost in the situation and kept in mind an important rule at Augusta, keep the ball below the cup.

RH
[/quote]

Below the cup....good advice. If I'm chipping downhill the ball should be past the cup if it doesn't go in. Not six or eight feet short. Ouch!