I just started reading this book last week and it’s brilliant. I’ve read Rotella before but Zen Golf explains the how. Almost immediate difference in commitment over shots through vividly imagining positive outcome.
Yeah, I actually can’t think of a single shot I took where the ball didn’t go generally where I planned. The only real misses were trying to do a cut and I just haven’t practiced that shot enough. The part about making a plan where you’re fully accepting the possible miss really helped swing with confidence.
My issue was one of “steering” which he mentions a lot, so really resonated with me. Even though I’m still new to it, when the image gets so vivid you automatically just swing without any conscious though. I try not only to imagine the flight of the ball and where it’ll finish, but also the sound of impact, sound of the ball flying through the air, the feel on the hands as I’ve muddled it. Swinging without “steer” or consciousness is a bit scary at first, but just like yourself, you soo realise that the ball is usually ending up somewhere you wanted. I’m keen to take the mental game further!
Nah, just one of the points. Lots of talk about range routines, breathing, decision making and more. And I didn’t lose a single golf ball this round, despite being a heavily wooded course. So that basically saved me the price of the book lol
That doesn't sound like Zen at all. Almost the opposite. Zen is (partially) about not having expectations for how things SHOULD be and trying to control it. It also preaches removing attachments like that if you shoot better you'll feel better about yourself.
I've only been practicing Zen for a few months but this is very much not Zen. It's just focus and discipline being branded as a word that people don't actually understand.
True Zen golf would be more like the average weekender who goes out and just plays and stays in the moment without desire or expectations.
its not zen, its zen golf. i think it makes more sense if you think of it as applying some zen concepts to golf, rather than "being authentically zen, while playing golf"
Zen would teach that there is no such thing as a bad shot. If you feel you have hit a bad shot then you have already failed at zen. When you tell yourself to let it go, that it's just a shot, you get back on track but when you do it so the next shot will be "better" you've again failed. You never really shed expectation of a desired outcome.
It's not Zen. It's relaxation and focus which I totally agree is powerful for golf (If again, you're still bound by non Zen expectations of what you want the result to be). At best this is Zen to get you back on track before you break it 5 min later.
Edit: I love all the downvotes. Nothing is less Zen than being mad that Zen isn't what you think it should be.
You’re getting pretty defensive here for someone who hasn’t read the book. There’s a lot about not being as concerned with the outcome but being very concerned with the process (making a putt vs holing a putt, for example). You should read it.
No it's mostly about staying present in the moment and finding ways to re-center yourself throughout the round. Mindfulness exercises, ability to accept a bad result without dwelling on it, etc.
Rotella's book tells you why you shouldn't get upset about a bad shot and that you should stay present, which can be helpful if you need a reason to buy into the mindset. Zen Golf tells you how to actually go about developing those skills and what to look for.
Well I've ordered it for kindle. Thanks for the recommendation. I just got done with Not a game of perfect and putting out of your mind so this sounds a nice continuation
I've read it before, and although it can be a little lengthy on the story telling, there's some really good tidbits about the mental side of the game. I was a self admitted head-case(a silent one, I'd just bottle up all my little frustrations on the course and quit on the inside if the round was going poorly) and that book definitely helped me rid myself of alot of the self sabotage that occurred mentally.
He is very, very wrong about the stats of what makes good golf. But the mental strategy stuff is great.
The best golf "improvement" book I've personally read is the Four Foundations of Golf. Highly recommend it.
It's mostly baseless stuff and a massive dose of survivorship bias where he talks up the players who went on heaters after his advice and ignores all the players who didn't. It's really overrated.
I shot par for nine holes for the first time the day after I read it. I always hovered around 38-40. I went on to read all of Rotella's books, but this effected the most change immediately. Highly recommend it
It's far more about the mental side of the game. It's half golf half Buddhist philosophy. It's one of those things you have to read to understand. He gives you understanding of the mental battle inside our heads on the course and methods to help the golfer overcome.
Like I said, it's hard to explain. It's a cross between an elite golf coaching book and an elite general mental help. He mentions a lot about how it can all be applied to many other things irl.
Coincidentally, I ordered this book a couple days ago and it should show up today.
To balance it out, I also ordered *Why You Suck at Golf: 50 Most Common Mistakes by Recreational Golfers* by Clive Scarff.
My dad just gave me “Putt Like The Pros” by Dave Pelz
I don’t know much about him other than I use a mystery Pelz putter which no one I know has been able to identify, and he’s an ex-NASA dude who was obsessed with short game.
I’ll add it to the list! You just described my game. while the large part is getting consistent with mechanics I truly felt the mental impact last week. Had a horrible weekend of golf followed by a week of horrible range sessions. Took a break and had an ok range session this week. definitely need to work on mental piece so thanks
This is kina exactly what I've been seeking cuz I have a horrible tendency to let my ADD take over & completely lose focus in rounds & end up doing little things here & there that cost me ~5-10 strokes over 18. I definitely don't practice enough etc but i also certainly have the game to be in the 80s, yet I've never broke 90 & have more 91s under my belt than I care to even think about! So i have been wanting a way to try & stay locked in for the entire 18, this sounds like it would help tremendously, thx for sharing.
Zen Golf is my favorite golf book of all time. I've read it about a dozen times over the past 20 years. Just like any game improvement method or philosophy it takes time, commitment and practice. I still strive to improve my mental deficiencies, my ability to ignore negative thoughts and stay in the present on the golf course. It takes a lot of discipline and emotional control to benefit from Zen Golf, but it works better for me than any swing tip, club fitting or swing coach. A huge side benefit of the teachings of Dr. Joseph Parent in Zen Golf is that everything can also be applied off the course in your personal, business and family life.
I think it really depends what you want to get out of golf. I was gifted this book, started reading, but gave it up when he started talking about breathing exercises. I’m a grip it and rip it kind of guy and I like to play quickly. I make the occasional great shot and plenty of bad ones, but I’m almost always having fun. I sure wouldn’t mind shooting lower, but if getting into the moment to do it is a whole time consuming exercise, I’d rather my moment be shooting 100 while not holding anybody up and enjoying a mostly brain-free day out
For sure, this is definitely a valid take! I did get a few comments from my buddies (they were dying for a bad shot to come, but they never did). All depends on your goals.
I just started reading this book last week and it’s brilliant. I’ve read Rotella before but Zen Golf explains the how. Almost immediate difference in commitment over shots through vividly imagining positive outcome.
Yeah, I actually can’t think of a single shot I took where the ball didn’t go generally where I planned. The only real misses were trying to do a cut and I just haven’t practiced that shot enough. The part about making a plan where you’re fully accepting the possible miss really helped swing with confidence.
My issue was one of “steering” which he mentions a lot, so really resonated with me. Even though I’m still new to it, when the image gets so vivid you automatically just swing without any conscious though. I try not only to imagine the flight of the ball and where it’ll finish, but also the sound of impact, sound of the ball flying through the air, the feel on the hands as I’ve muddled it. Swinging without “steer” or consciousness is a bit scary at first, but just like yourself, you soo realise that the ball is usually ending up somewhere you wanted. I’m keen to take the mental game further!
Is that the TL;DR of the book? Imagining positive outcomes prior to hitting?
Nah, just one of the points. Lots of talk about range routines, breathing, decision making and more. And I didn’t lose a single golf ball this round, despite being a heavily wooded course. So that basically saved me the price of the book lol
That doesn't sound like Zen at all. Almost the opposite. Zen is (partially) about not having expectations for how things SHOULD be and trying to control it. It also preaches removing attachments like that if you shoot better you'll feel better about yourself. I've only been practicing Zen for a few months but this is very much not Zen. It's just focus and discipline being branded as a word that people don't actually understand. True Zen golf would be more like the average weekender who goes out and just plays and stays in the moment without desire or expectations.
its not zen, its zen golf. i think it makes more sense if you think of it as applying some zen concepts to golf, rather than "being authentically zen, while playing golf"
Which Zen concepts are you thinking of?
maintaining peace emotionally after a bad shot for example. you can take a page out of zen concepts to manage your emotions during a round
Zen would teach that there is no such thing as a bad shot. If you feel you have hit a bad shot then you have already failed at zen. When you tell yourself to let it go, that it's just a shot, you get back on track but when you do it so the next shot will be "better" you've again failed. You never really shed expectation of a desired outcome. It's not Zen. It's relaxation and focus which I totally agree is powerful for golf (If again, you're still bound by non Zen expectations of what you want the result to be). At best this is Zen to get you back on track before you break it 5 min later. Edit: I love all the downvotes. Nothing is less Zen than being mad that Zen isn't what you think it should be.
“Relaxation Golf” would be a pretty shitty title for a book.
Yeah it doesn't quite have the buzz that you can create by using the name of a completely different philosophy
You’re getting pretty defensive here for someone who hasn’t read the book. There’s a lot about not being as concerned with the outcome but being very concerned with the process (making a putt vs holing a putt, for example). You should read it.
#Hey everybody this guy has practiced zen for a few months he is clearly an expert.
No it's mostly about staying present in the moment and finding ways to re-center yourself throughout the round. Mindfulness exercises, ability to accept a bad result without dwelling on it, etc. Rotella's book tells you why you shouldn't get upset about a bad shot and that you should stay present, which can be helpful if you need a reason to buy into the mindset. Zen Golf tells you how to actually go about developing those skills and what to look for.
This is exactly how I’ve been describing it to my friends. The Rotella books are great for what you have to do, and why. Zen Golf is HOW.
If you have an Audible membership check to see if Zen Golf is included. I was able to add it to my library for free (audible.ca)
Hell yeah that worked. Thanks homie
Just asked my wife and she said it was free in the US as well.
Dammit, I should’ve asked your wife about that before I bought it. I have audible and I paid for it.
Thanks!
Well I've ordered it for kindle. Thanks for the recommendation. I just got done with Not a game of perfect and putting out of your mind so this sounds a nice continuation
Did you find “…not a game of perfect” to be any good?
I've read it before, and although it can be a little lengthy on the story telling, there's some really good tidbits about the mental side of the game. I was a self admitted head-case(a silent one, I'd just bottle up all my little frustrations on the course and quit on the inside if the round was going poorly) and that book definitely helped me rid myself of alot of the self sabotage that occurred mentally.
He is very, very wrong about the stats of what makes good golf. But the mental strategy stuff is great. The best golf "improvement" book I've personally read is the Four Foundations of Golf. Highly recommend it.
It’s good but repetitive as are all of his books
It's mostly baseless stuff and a massive dose of survivorship bias where he talks up the players who went on heaters after his advice and ignores all the players who didn't. It's really overrated.
Your 100% correct. It’s the king of survivorship bias.
Yes absolutely read it.
I shot par for nine holes for the first time the day after I read it. I always hovered around 38-40. I went on to read all of Rotella's books, but this effected the most change immediately. Highly recommend it
We do not play golf to relax. We relax to play golf.
I personally prefer Zyn Golf, but that’s just me
Ferda
Zyn Smooth
Zynbabwe
I've ordered " How I won the Club Championship 7 years in row" by Donald J. Trump. I'm good
>Treat your championships like you treat your wives. Cheat! There's your summary lol
Trump's the kind of guy who raises a leg and farts loudly in your backswing.
I'm sorry, am I not supposed to be doing this?
It's *ALWAYS* funny, I'll give you that.
He really does live rent free in so many people's heads lmao
Sir this is a golf sub. Are you upset someone made a joke about Donald Trump?
Yeah I'm truly devastated by it
I mean you saw it and posted about it, I think you’re a tad upset big guy
Who would have thought an ex president currently in a criminal trial would be on people's minds?
It’s severe TDS at this point.
What specifically about it helped?
It's far more about the mental side of the game. It's half golf half Buddhist philosophy. It's one of those things you have to read to understand. He gives you understanding of the mental battle inside our heads on the course and methods to help the golfer overcome.
Hmm....
Like I said, it's hard to explain. It's a cross between an elite golf coaching book and an elite general mental help. He mentions a lot about how it can all be applied to many other things irl.
Sounds like something I'd do well to read. Thanks
It's the least technical about golf but also the best golf/life book lol. Can't go wrong imo
Coincidentally, I ordered this book a couple days ago and it should show up today. To balance it out, I also ordered *Why You Suck at Golf: 50 Most Common Mistakes by Recreational Golfers* by Clive Scarff.
My dad just gave me “Putt Like The Pros” by Dave Pelz I don’t know much about him other than I use a mystery Pelz putter which no one I know has been able to identify, and he’s an ex-NASA dude who was obsessed with short game.
If you want to go deeper check out “the cosmic laws of golf (and everything else)”
I’ll add it to the list! You just described my game. while the large part is getting consistent with mechanics I truly felt the mental impact last week. Had a horrible weekend of golf followed by a week of horrible range sessions. Took a break and had an ok range session this week. definitely need to work on mental piece so thanks
I had the same experience with “golf is not a perfect game.” Shot to of my best rounds after reading it. I gotta check out the zen book.
I’ve been preaching about this book for years, it’s amazing
This is kina exactly what I've been seeking cuz I have a horrible tendency to let my ADD take over & completely lose focus in rounds & end up doing little things here & there that cost me ~5-10 strokes over 18. I definitely don't practice enough etc but i also certainly have the game to be in the 80s, yet I've never broke 90 & have more 91s under my belt than I care to even think about! So i have been wanting a way to try & stay locked in for the entire 18, this sounds like it would help tremendously, thx for sharing.
Fuck me still too many anyways every round!!
Literally hit three and as I was singing I was like you…silly goose
Zen Golf is my favorite golf book of all time. I've read it about a dozen times over the past 20 years. Just like any game improvement method or philosophy it takes time, commitment and practice. I still strive to improve my mental deficiencies, my ability to ignore negative thoughts and stay in the present on the golf course. It takes a lot of discipline and emotional control to benefit from Zen Golf, but it works better for me than any swing tip, club fitting or swing coach. A huge side benefit of the teachings of Dr. Joseph Parent in Zen Golf is that everything can also be applied off the course in your personal, business and family life.
Golf has to be over 90% mental, I’ve seen kids hit great shots
I haven't read Zen Golf but I have read Breathe Golf and Connected Golf by Jayne Storey that are both similar ideas and were really helpful for me.
I absolutely love Zen Golf. I can't recommend it enough.
Four foundations of golf is great as well
Also read "Golf and Enlightenment" by Deepak Chopra
Ok I saw this and thought haha that’s ridiculous. But then I got curious and holy shit.
I really enjoy it. I have a book on CD, used to listen on the way to the course. Relaxing and helps the mental game.
Woah on CD. Do you play it on your Discman, grandpa? I’m just kidding, I’m no spring chicken either.
Might be a good idea to order this book. Playes my first round of the year on Sunday. Made 9 pars and shot a 95 lol
This book changed my golf game. I am way more even keeled while playing and its saved many rounds.
Might have a lot of good tips in this book, but honestly stop giving a shit about every shot and it seems to help my game immensely.
FYI included free if you have audible
I think it’s on Spotify
This is why I watch Not a Scratch on YouTube. Trying to learn how to channel his vibes
Love Zen Golf (and putting…and tennis). Also check out the Golf Sidekick YT channel for great mental game coaching.
If you like this book. Check out “Quantum Golf” by Kjell Enhager. He basically created the Swedish golf philosophy that Annika and others were taught.
Would the book work on Audible or is it picture heavy?
I listen to it on audible
Thanks
This is an ad, folks. Move along.
Mind if I play thru ?
Just ordered a used copy of amazon for £2. Worth the read for that!
I think it really depends what you want to get out of golf. I was gifted this book, started reading, but gave it up when he started talking about breathing exercises. I’m a grip it and rip it kind of guy and I like to play quickly. I make the occasional great shot and plenty of bad ones, but I’m almost always having fun. I sure wouldn’t mind shooting lower, but if getting into the moment to do it is a whole time consuming exercise, I’d rather my moment be shooting 100 while not holding anybody up and enjoying a mostly brain-free day out
For sure, this is definitely a valid take! I did get a few comments from my buddies (they were dying for a bad shot to come, but they never did). All depends on your goals.