Best Golf Books to Master the Mental Game
Golf is, perhaps, equal parts a game of physical mastery and a mental one. As the great golfer Phil Mickelson once said, “Mental rehearsal is just as important as physical rehearsal.”
And while you may spend countless hours on the green mastering your swing and your putt, you should be putting an equal amount of time off of the golf course practicing your mental fortitude for the game.
Below, we are going to review the best golf books to master the mental game and to help you better understand and conquer it to improve your overall game.
The Inner Game of Golf
Buy now on Kindle or Paperback.
Called, “The best sports psychology book ever written about golf.” by Inside Golf, The Inner Game of Golf has revolutionized the way we think about sports.
Written by W. Timothy Gallwey, this book provides direct methods that can be applied to situations beyond the green. The Inner Game of Golf delivers strategies to achieve potential—both in the crucible of competition and in everyday life.
And no matter your specific skillset or skill level, you’ll be able to learn how to defeat your mental demons, dispel tension, gain confidence, and employ the so-called art of “relaxed concentration”.
Simplicity
Buy now on Paperback.
Is there a more perfect name for mastering the mental game of golf than simplicity?
We think not.
Golfers live in a world of continual experimentation. Every week, and sometimes every day they are constantly trying new things to improve their game. Basically, they have sentenced themselves to an eternal search for an elusive goal.
There is one process in the mind that when accessed, allows golfers to not only access their best swings, but to make any self-corrections in their swing.
This is the ‘holy grail’, the goal that every golfer is looking for. This process is called the fluid motion factor. The only problem is golfers never know when they will access this one simple neurophysiological process, and when it leaves, where to look to get it back.
In a revolutionary book that is sure to shake up the golf industry, Steven Yellin’s Simplicity: The Fluid Motion Factor Program teaches a simple and powerful program that allows golfers to access that process and enter that elusive zone of consistent golf.
Golf is Not a Game of Perfect
Buy now on Kindle or Paperback.
Too often, we believe, golfers will attempt to treat the sport as a game of conquest, looking to not only master but conquer the game and reach that elusive perfect game. And too often, golfers will attempt to conquer the game repeatedly.
In Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, Dr. Bob Rotella looks to create an attitude and a mindset about all aspects of a golfer’s game, from mental preparation to competition.
The most wonderful aspect of it all is that it is done in a conversational fashion, in a dynamic blend of anecdote and lesson. And, as some of the world’s greatest golfers will attest, the results are spectacular. Golfers will improve their golf game and have more fun playing.
Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game
Buy now on Kindle or Hardcover.
A detailed plan for conquering the fear that sabotages so many swings and ruins golfers psyches, from the pioneering psychologist whose techniques have benefited numerous world-class golfers.
As Jack Nicklaus once observed, fear is the golfer’s greatest enemy, inspiring Tiger Woods to “refuse” to give in to this debilitating emotion.
Fear can turn professionals into jelly and dominate the games of most amateurs. It alters swing paths, causes “tap-in” putts to go awry, and transforms a golfer from a brilliant shot-maker on the practice range into an incompetent mess on the course.
Most golfers understand this, but do not have the tools to overcome it.
That’s where Dr. Gio Valiante comes in. A pioneering sports psychologist, Valiante has studied the sources of an athlete’s fear, investigated the physiological and neurological impact of fear on performance, and, most important of all, developed a groundbreaking program for conquering it.
With this books help and by applying Fearless Golf, Justin Leonard went from three consecutive missed cuts to three consecutive top tens, and Chad Campbell recently moved from 98th in the world to 7th. Davis Love III went from zero wins in 2002 to four wins in 2003, and Chris DiMarco made the 2004 Ryder Cup Team.
Emphasizing the need to replace a fixation-on-results with a commitment to mastery of one’s body and one’s mind, Valiante’s approach will not only help golfers reach their true potential, it will make playing every round fun again.
Through concrete confidence and mastery drills, he presents specific ways readers can break free of fear’s grasp and perform at their best—even under the most extreme pressure.
Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game
Buy now on Kindle or Hardcover.
By combining classic insights and stories from Zen tradition, Zen Golf helps to eliminate the mental distractions that routinely cause poor shots and loss of concentration, allowing golfers to feel more in “the zone” that so many professional golfers have learned to master.
The best players know that golf is a game of confidence, and most important, concentration–the ability to focus and block out distraction.
The goal of achieving clear thought is also at the heart of Buddhist teachings. PGA coach and Buddhist instructor Dr. Joseph Parent draws on this natural connection and teaches golfers how to clear their minds, achieve ultimate focus, and play in the moment for each shot.
A Practical Guide to Golf Psychology
Buy now on Kindle or Paperback.
Practical ideas, practical exercises and practical methods that will help you make sense of the mental game of golf.
In the ever more saturated and confusing topic of golf psychology comes a simple step-by-step workbook.
This book will walk you through the process of finding your weaknesses and doing something practical about them. Easy to find chapters on all the important subjects which contribute to your inner-game, whether it’s confidence, emotion or strategy, the practical tools it provides develops your understanding and leaves you with a plan of action.