In golf the playing field is also landscape, where nature and the shaping of it conspire to test athletic prowess. As golf courses move away from the "big business, pristine lawn" approach of recent times, Bradley S. Klein, a leading expert on golf course design and economics, finds much to contemplate, and much to report, in the way these wide-open spaces function as landscapes that inspire us, stimulate our senses, and reveal the special nature of particular places.
A meditation on what makes golf courses compelling landscapes, this is also a personal memoir that follows Klein's own unique journey across the golfing terrain, from the Bronx and Long Island suburbia to the American prairie and the Pacific Northwest. Whether discussing Robert Moses and Donald Trump and the making of New York City, or the role of golf in the development of the atomic bomb, or the relevance of Willa Cather to how the game has taken hold in the Nebraska Sandhills, Klein is always looking for the freedom and the meaning of golf's wide-open spaces. And as he searches, he offers a deeply informed and absorbing view of golf courses as cultural markers, linking the game to larger issues of land use, ecology, design, and imagination.

If you've been playing golf for long, you know it's true that... size doesn't matter You've seen puny punks blast drives deep down the middle and you've seen short, skinny fellows bomb their drives 300 yards or more. Hopefully you haven't suffered the humiliation of being badly outdriven by some scrawny golfer that looks like he hasn't eaten in a month It used to happen to me on a regular basis...but not anymore I got so sick and tired of being called a "short knocker" that I decided to do something about it. And after years of intense and exhaustive research, I finally discovered the simple secret to adding 30 yards (or more) to your drives faster than you ever imagined possible. I've distilled what it took me years to learn into this easy to follow book. And, I'm going to share what I learned so you can quickly and easily add distance to your tee shots and hit your drives L-O-N-G and straight. As it should be In fact, you'll add distance to every club in your bag. First I need to explain something: If you're not bombing your drives deep down the middle of the fairway, attacking pins with short irons, and shoot the low scores you deserve to be shooting, it's NOT your fault. You've been misled (just like I was) by golf instructors, equipment manufacturers, and the golf media who make this simple game sound as complicated at nuclear physics Trust me, it's not that difficult. It's not in the golf industry's best interests for you to know the truth. The longer they can keep you confused, frustrated, and on a constant search for solutions, the longer they can separate you from your hard-earned money buying more lessons, more gadgets, and more books and magazines. By now, I'm certain you've noticed that some of the longest bombers have some of the smallest frames. You'll NEVER Guess How Many Short, Skinny Pros Hit their Drives Farther than BOTH Tiger Woods AND Phil Mickelson... Just look at the current PGA driving statistics (as of this writing) and you'll discover a bunch of pint-sized golfers who absolutely pulverize their drives. People like: Ryan Palmer. He's listed at just 5' 11" and 175 pounds, yet he CRUSHES his drives an average of 302 yards. And he's far from the only long bomber who's under 6-feet tall and rail-thin. There's also: 2-time Major champion Rory McIlroy (5' 10" 160 lbs.) Average Drive: 299 yards Listed at 5' 10" and 160 pounds, Rory McIlroy is not a very physically imposing figure...but the two time major champion's 300-yard bombs off the tee can certainly be intimidating to opponents. You too can add 30-yards (or more) to your drives. The secret key to ULTIMATE Golf Distance? The key is your core - a collection of muscles and tendons between your thighs and your chest. Your core acts as an accelerator for your golf swing. A strong and flexible core allows you to: -accelerate through the golf swing -generate more clubhead speed -and add more distance to every club in your bag The key is not the latest golf technology dreamed up by a marketing department, the newest golf training gadgets invented to separate you from your money, or more expensive lessons from someone who couldn't care less if you get any better. Don't get me wrong. Technology, gadgets, and lessons all have their place and used properly they can help you improve your game, but none of them is the real key to adding distance and power. The real key is a strong, flexible core. Do you need PROOF? Who's the best golfer of this generation? It's Tiger Woods without a doubt, right? "For golfers, core strength is just as important as flexibility. Core muscles help control movement and transfer energy from the center of the body out to the limbs, which can obviously impact how well you strike the ball. My core training builds overall strength and flexibility and helps me maintain an ideal state of posture and symmetry." - Tiger Woods You only need 30 minutes a few times a week to see result

Professional Golf Management (PGM) Practice Question Workbook provides 600 comprehensive practice questions to prepare for PGM levels 1, 2, and 3. Master PGM 2.0 curriculum topics with intensive practice in the areas you'll find on each test. All questions are test-level difficulty and focused solely on helping you pass. Whether you're challenging the Knowledge Tests for the first time or trying again after an unsuccessful attempt, you will learn the critical skills needed to pass, and no detail will be left untouched. Level 1 PGM Topics: PGA History and Constitution Rules of Golf Golf Car Fleet Management Introduction to Teaching & Golf Club Performance Business Planning Tournament Operations Level 2 PGM Topics: Turfgrass Management Golf Operations Intermediate Teaching & Golf Club Alteration Customer Relations Golf Course Design Level 3 PGM Topics: Food and Beverage Control Human Resources - Supervising & Delegating Advanced Teaching & Golf Club Fitting Merchandising & Inventory Management Player Development Programs & Teaching Business Career Enhancement

Professional Golf Management (PGM) Interactive Flashcard Book provides over 300 bound flashcards to help you prepare for PGM levels 1, 2, and 3. Inside this innovative book you will find PGM 2.0 exam topics neatly featured on the front of each page, with detailed explanations and analysis located on the back. The convenient bound design means you no longer need to carry hundreds of loose, bulky flashcards that can be misplaced or destroyed. This fully indexed book serves as a portable reference for quick study, efficient review, and easy reference. Level 1 PGM Topics: PGA History and Constitution, Rules of Golf, Golf Car Fleet Management, Business Planning, Introduction to Teaching & Golf Club Performance, Tournament Operations Level 2 PGM Topics: Turfgrass Management, Intermediate Teaching & Golf Club Alteration, Golf Operations, Customer Relations, Golf Course Design Level 3 PGM Topics: Food and Beverage Control, Advanced Teaching & Golf Club Fitting, Supervising & Delegating, Merchandising & Inventory Management, Player Development Programs & Teaching Business, Career Enhancement

David Wood's Around the World in 80 Rounds is humorous, insightful, inspiring, and laugh out loud funny. Wood ventures from the southernmost tip of South America to the very top of Norway, and everywhere in between. Along the way he plays the world's most extreme golf courses: the northernmost, the southernmost, the highest, the driest, the hottest, and every strange locale he can find. But this isn't just a book about just golf. It's about travel, and risks, and leaving your comfort zone to pursue your dreams.

Whether you're a novice golfer or a hacker hoping to shave a few strokes off your game, this is the book for you. The author (a former twenty-plus handicapper) compiled and followed advice from knowledgeable players and now owns a single-digit index. If you want to learn how to play smarter and make better decisions on the course, read What Makes Brucie Golf? It contains tips which can help you on tee boxes, the rough, fairways, greens, bunkers, and all sorts of tricky situations. You'll learn about green-reading, golf etiquette, commonly encountered regulations, and how to get more enjoyment from every round you play.

This Golf Word Scrambles book is great for both golf lovers and word puzzle enthusiasts. It makes a nice gift, too. There are 101 word scramble puzzles; each puzzle consists of 10 golf-related words or phrases, like sand trap, nine iron, Tiger Woods, or St. Andrews. All 10 words from each puzzle are related - for example, they might all be common golf phrases, golf equipment, professional golfers, or famous golf courses. Knowing that the words in each puzzle are related may help you unscramble any words or phrases that you don't see right away. You can check all of your answers with the solutions in the back of the book. The puzzle pages are decorated with golf holes. Here is a sample: (1) N A S D D E W E G (2) U P T E R T (3) V I R D E R. Answers: (1) sand wedge (2) putter (3) driver.

"No one can completely cover the game of golf like Bill Pennington and no book can comprehensively tell the story of the sport with the same wit, wisdom and knowledge like "On Par." "--Jim Nantz, CBS Sports
Bill Pennington, the voice of the everyday golfer, has traveled the globe in search of golf's essentials--those basic principles, those ultimate truths (and, who are we kidding, any trick or quick fix he can pick up along the way) that will improve anyone's game. He has consulted elite golf instructors as well as countless caddies, groundskeepers, parking lot attendants, and bartenders. He has played rounds with Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, and Justin Timberlake. He has spoken with psychiatrists, economists, and Zen masters. On a particularly bad outing, he even discoursed on the fickleness of golf with a wise raccoon.
In "On Par," Pennington distills this wisdom in an insightful guide to the game. From equipment to the language of golf, from camaraderie to the short-game/long-game debate, Pennington informs and entertains readers as he gets to the essence of the game, including that Holy Grail, the hole in one. Part instruction, part therapy, and shot through with Pennington's trademark wit and humor, this is a book for everyone who has felt the game's distinct pull--and slice.
"A phenomenal guide . . . As all golfers know, the sport is about more than being able to hit a good shot and this book takes you through the journey, arming you with everything you need to know."--Annika Sorenstam
"If you like golf, you'll like this book] . . . "On Par" blends practical advice for beginners . . . golf history . . . trivia . . . and Pennington's entertaining dispatches from out on the course."--NPR's "Only a Game"

Golf stories are funny, caddie stories are hilarious Caddy Tales is proof of this statement. Scott has done an outstanding job of putting a few of his actual caddying experiences on paper which allows the reader to feel like they are sitting in the same room reliving the stories. These tales capture the comedy that ensues when the golf gods shake the elite and private members to their core. 33 million people play golf in the United States every year, yet less than 1% of them will have ever taken a caddie. The 99 % that do take caddies are not your PGA Tour Pro's or Professional golfers. They are members and resort guests that shoot an average of 95. Caddy Tales is a unique one of a kind book which tells the hysterical stories that develop when people from all walks of life take a caddie.

Dr. Simpson is a medical specialist and mind coach working with clients on the European Tours. He knows from his experiences that successful putting depends much more on using effective mind skills than technique. Dr. Simpson explains his revolutionary methods that you can use immediately to hole more putts, and have a lot more fun too. Drive for show, and putt for dough. It is a cliche, but nevertheless it is true. The fastest way to bring your handicap down, or make more money on tour, is to shave a few putts from your round. Even just one would make a huge difference. It is the easiest thing to do, or the hardest, depending on how you think about it, and which part of your brain you are using. Children are often very good at putting because nobody has told them how difficult it is, or blinded them with technique. There is a lesson there for you too. Adopt the mantra that you will follow your process, and your results will take care of themselves. In other words if your processes are good more putts will drop, and your statistics will improve as a result. This is the process that you will use to improve your putting stats. There are only four magic mind secrets to this process. Adopt them and they will open your mind, and as a result you will hole many more putts. Here they are: - Be confident about the line - Be confident about the speed of the green - Be confident in yourself - Be confident to stroke the ball smoothly This sounds easy, and it certainly can be. The power word that applies to all these four secrets is confidence, and Dr. Simpson's role is to explain HOW you can increase your confidence in these four critical areas. In this audiobook he explains in an engaging style the way that your brain works, and unearths a few clues explaining why most people get in their own way, and make putting, and life, a lot more difficult than they should.

One of Sports Illustrated's Top 100 Sports Books of All Time For less expense than a lost bet on the links, you can learn how to get "out of the bunker and into the trees." Rex Lardner, a unique stylist who hit his best shots when in a towering rage, reveals the secrets every golfer needs to know, including how to loft a ball out of your own trouser cuff; how to properly grip the 2-wood when smashing it against a tree; and how to hit special "trick" shots-the fade, the slice, the yip-without a club if necessary. Out of the Bunker and into the Trees is essential reading for those looking to correct typical golfing faults. If you are an inconsistent putter, Lardner demonstrates how you never need to take more than six putts to hole out on any green. Too much reliance on advice from strangers? Lardner presents an object lesson with his traumatic experiences teaching pros. Originally published in 1960, Out of the Bunker and into the Trees is so funny that various chapters have been widely reprinted in sports magazines. Readers today continue to enjoy this delightful parody of golf and golfers by a humorist who claimed to have discovered the reason people play golf: "to destroy themselves."

Have you ever wanted to visit Ireland? How would you like to live there? You'll feel like you do when these 60 short stories transport you to this spectacularly beautiful island nation. You will travel to picturesque places, sometimes along single track roads with centuries old hedgerows defining your way. You'll drink in the forty shades of green that Ireland is famous for, while working up a thirst to down a pint or two of the black stuff or maybe a shandy. Not only will you get great local color, you'll gather essential information about golfing in Ireland-from the trophy linksland courses to the magical hidden gems. If you love to travel, this book will inspire you to experience the rich Irish culture yourself. "Taba Dale has a natural, clear style of writing that brings the Emerald Isle to life with love and passion. It is rare when a writer possesses the ability to convey not only a story effectively and convincingly, but also gives the reader deep insight into the psyche of the writer. A joyful read...a travelogue of a truly magical land." - Rod Drought

Learn how to swing a golf club from the golfer with the most perfect golf swing of all time, Mickey Wright. Oh yeah, who says so ? Ben Hogan Harvey Penick in his Little Red book said," Surely Mickey Wright is ther greatest woman player of all time. It is a thrill for me to remember that beautiful swing of hers." You can learn the swing that won Mickey Wright 90 professional tournaments and 13 major championships before retiring at the young age of 34. Your drives can become longer and more accurate.

For golf’s true enthusiasts, the game is far more—and far more complex—than a simple hobby, commodity, or slice of the sports industry. It is a physical and mental place to be, a community. It has a history, a hierarchy, laws, a language, and a literature. And in Richard J. Moss, it has a chronicler. From its beginnings in the northeastern United States in the 1880s, golf has seen its popularity, and its fortunes, wax and wane, affected by politics and economics, reflecting tensions between aristocratic and democratic impulses. The Kingdom of Golf in America traces these ups and downs, ins and outs, in the growth of golf as a community. Moss describes the development of the private club and public course and the impact of wealth and the consumer culture on those who play golf and those who watch. He shows that factors like race, gender, technology, suburbanization, and the transformation of the South that shaped the nation also shaped golf. The result is a unique, and uniquely entertaining, work of cultural history that shows us golf as a community whose story resonates far beyond the confines of the course. Purchase the audio edition.

Methods of Early Golf Architecture features selected writings from 19th century architects Alister MacKenzie, H.S. Colt, and A.W. Tillinghast. With precision and detail, these prominent architects discuss each element of golf course design, and no detail is left untouched. Methods of Early Golf Architecture Includes Characteristics of a Golf Architect - Psychology of Design - Deciding Where to Build - The Design Process - Utilizing Natural Features - Teeing Grounds - Through the Green - Hazards - Greens and Greenkeeping - Ideal Holes - The Construction Process - Overseeing Construction Characteristics of a Golf Architect "He should, above all, have a sense of proportion and be able to come to a prompt decision as to what is the greatest good to the greatest number." - Alister MacKenzie Psychology of Design "The designer of a course should start off on his work in a sympathetic frame of mind for the weak, and at the same time be as severe as he likes with the first-class player." - H.S. Colt The Design Process "The course should be so interesting that even the plus man is constantly stimulated to improve his game in attempting shots he has hitherto been unable to play." - Alister MacKenzie Greens and Greenkeeping "The plagues of Egypt seem but slight evils in comparison with the trials sometimes experienced by the keen and anxious greenkeeper." - H.S. Colt

All golfers want to improve their swings. Yet, the sheer complexity of golf instruction is a huge barrier to learning. But you can learn "the Secret " Breakthrough In Golf is based upon the timeless swing wisdom of the greatest ball striker in history, Ben Hogan. But the book introduces a fresh way of thinking about the Secret. Once you learn it, using a method we call "Hip to Hip," you will see your swing improve in a very steady way. For the first time in your life, you will actually know what your golf swing is doing And you will be able to figure out your golf swing all by yourself We guarantee it

Golf Fore Ever provides very helpful information for the novice or newcomer to the sport of golf. The information provided in Golf Fore Ever will make golf an even more enjoyable and rewarding experience for you and help you avoid the pitfalls most players encounter when they are first learning to play. Golf Fore Ever is a guide for beginning golfers taken from the experiences of Mike Deagle who has over thirty years of experimenting and playing golf. This guide will provide you with the right information to help you start to play golf the "right way." On your journey to a better golf game, you will discover the delights and frustrations associated with the game of golf. Golf can be a roller coaster ride of emotions, from euphoria when you hit a career shot to a tight pin placement, to complete dismay when your ball finds the water or goes out of bounds on the very next hole. It is up to you, the player, to determine whether you enjoy the ride by not letting the game get the better of you. This guide will truly help you on your challenging journey to the wonderful world of golf.

'You possess more natural ability to play the game than you think. Call it intuitive knowledge, call it an inner genius-the fact is, it is there', Scott Cranfield, PGA Master Professional. This book will show you a new way to learn the game, a way that allows your body to tap into your intuitive ability by freeing both your body and your mind. It will show you how to develop your own golf swing - rather than someone else's - and play your own game. Armed with this approach, you will finally be able to free yourself from fear and play the game you have always wanted to play. It's the natural and easy path to having more fun on the course and playing better golf.

The Five Inch Course: Play better golf with the swing you already have.. In 1960, the average golf score was 100. Fifty years later, with all the innovations in clubs, balls and instruction, the average golf score is ... still 100. In fact, only 20 percent of all golfers will ever (honestly) break that mark. More bad news: Barring a major investment in time and money, you're stuck with the swing you have. Tips from golf magazines, your buddies -- even the occasional lesson from a pro-- aren't going to result in long term improvement. Studies have shown that most players never get better than they are five years into their golfing "career." However, this doesn't mean that lower scores are out of reach. The Five Inch Course offers more than a hundred strategies for improving your golf score without improving your swing. By playing smarter, more strategic golf, even weekend hackers can dramatically improve their scores without improving their swings.

A Hispanic father gives his son an opportunity to become the next Tiger Woods. However, when his son Gus, is suspended by the PGA Tour, Gus returns home and is confronted by his father, and uncovers the reason and motivations for his father's actions, while rediscovering his love for the game.