4 Mental and Golf Strategy Books Every Golfer Should Read

Strategy is a huge part of the wonderful game of golf. Without strategy, golfers can get stuck in a rut, but by having a strategy, they can become better players and start to take their game to the next level. Fortunately, with the world’s golfing appetite on the up, there’s plenty of valuable reading material on the subject of golf strategy. Here we’re going to take a look at four golf strategy books that every golfer should get their hands on.  

Practical Golf - John Jacobs

Lots of big-name coaches have cited John Jacobs’ Practical Golf as being influential to their approach, while many players have benefitted from the simple approach that the book, first published in 1998, offers.

I really like this book, this is why I put it in the first place of Best golf strategy books 😉

By doing exactly what it says on the cover, Practical Golf offers easy-to-absorb advice on almost every aspect of the game, including strategy and the mental side of things, so give it a read and start making those practical changes, then ones that will help you to become not only a better golfer, but more strategic one.  

Zen Golf - Joseph Parent

A renowned PGA Coach, as well as a Buddhist, Joseph Parent delivers a book that is just perfect for those golfers struggling to overcome a mental hurdle, of which there are many!

Zen Golf focuses on a strategic approach for eliminating the mental distractions that hold players back. There’s also great insight on how to take the negatives out of the game, which is something that many amateurs can profit from.

Wonderful quotes such as “golf is played on a six inch course, the space between your ears.”, will instantly open your mind to realisation that the mental game is just as important, if not more, than the physical game.

If you’re looking to build a mental-game strategy that you can put into action on the course, then Zen Golf will lay the foundations. It’s easy to read, the teachings are simple to implement, and the improvements will come.  

Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book

If you’re into golf writing that delivers timeless nuggets of wisdom, then Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book will hit the spot. During a 50-year period working as the head pro at Austin Country Club, Penick compiled enough golfing tips and observations to cover every fairway on a longer than average 18-hole course, and there’d probably be enough left over to cover the driving range too!

Thought of by many as the best golfing book of all time, this Little Red Book is packed full of tips and tricks on how to improve your scores, and while some of them focus on the technical side of things, there’s lots on strategy, so when focusing on that part of the game, this shouldn’t be left off your reading list.  

Golf is Not a game of Perfect - Dr. Bob Rotella

What Bob Rotella does in Golf is Not a Game of Perfect is explain things that in essence are somewhat complex but does so in a way that is easy to understand. Better still, he does so in a way that allows the average golfer to make simple changes that will have a big impact on their game.

The psychology of golf is crucial, and those amateur players who understand that fully are the ones who thrive out on the course most often. This book gets into that in a big way, and so it really is a must for any golfer looking to improve their scores by paying more attention to the mental side of the sport.  

Conclusion

Many golf books are not just about strategy, but about mental game, mental preparation etc. As you can see it's a very important aspect of the game. How would you rate your mental preparation for golf? Are there any other golf strategy books on your list? Let me know!😉 In the meantime I invite you to read my other blog post regarding golf strategy.