Top Book Publishers In America
The Best Golf Instruction Books
By Brad Myers
Golf instruction books have been written for a long time. The Great Bobby Jones even recorded videos back in his day! Golf instruction books have played a vital role in teaching America how to play golf as well as teaching teachers how to teach the game. Many of today.s PGA Teaching Professionals have developed their current teaching methods with what they have gathered out of golf instructional books.
In 1946, On Learning Golf by Percy Boomer was released and quickly became one of the first “Instructional Bibles.” The infamous picture from this book is that Boomer that you could get a great feel for what should happen during the golf swing by attaching a weight to the end of a handkerchief and attempting to swing it.
Ben Hogan followed in 1957 with his classic book The Five Modern Fundamentals. This is one of the most recognized golf instruction books of all-time. Using the very detailed instructions, many teachers today still swear up and down that what is in this book is the gospel. Hogan spoke of the Grip, Set up and Posture, Backswing, Forward Swing and the Finish. In addition, Hogan wrote Power Golf.
When Jack Nicklaus released the first of his golf instruction books Golf My Way, it was a hit and became one of the first VHS golf tapes to be widely accepted.
The 1980’s and 1990’s saw the emergence of many nationally known teachers such as David Leadbetter, Jim McLean and Butch Harmon.
David Leadbetter is known for working with Nick Price and re-tooling Nick Faldo’s swing that allowed him to win multiple major championships including The Masters and British Open. David Leadbetter’s books include Faults and Fixes, Positive Practice, The Golf Swing and Quick Tips.
Dave Pelz is known for teaching and building the short game of his pupils who include Tom Kite, Colin Montgomery, Beth Daniel, Steve Elkington, Annika Sorenstam, and the late Payne Stewart. Pelz originally worked for NASA and brought his technical mind to golf. Pelz uses statistical data to better is students short game. Dave Pelz golf instruction books include Putt Like the Pros, The Short Game Bible and The Putting Bible.
Jim McLean had one of the most popular golf instruction books describing his “Eight Step Swing.” McLean also introduced the idea of the “X Factor” as a new teaching concept. His golf instruction books include The Eight Step Swing, Ultimate Drill Book and The Three Scoring Clubs. McLean.s students include Brad Faxon, Len Mattice, Cristie Kerr and Sergio Garcia.
Stan Utley has become another short game guru by reviving the short games of Peter Jacobson, Jay Haas and Darren Clarke. In addition, he has worked with Roland Thatcher on his putting and in turn he placed #2 on the 2007 Nationwide Tour Money List earning his PGA Tour Card. Stan Utley teaches swinging the club on a natural arc thus making the Putting Arc Deluxe one of the most popular golf instruction training aids. Utley’s golf instruction books include The Art of Putting and The Art of The Short Game.
