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Breaking the Slump: How Great Players Survived Their Darkest Moments in Golf--and What You Can Learn from Them

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According to some sources, there are between 50 to 61 million golfers in the world. In the United States, there are as many as 37 million. Each and every one of those golfers, professionals included, have had, or will have, a slump. Where they used to be able to play really well, they may find that they lost their ability to drive the ball well, their putting stroke may have left them, or they have lost all touch around the greens. Once able to count on nice drives, they now have no idea where their ball will land. Able to sink long and short putts, they now rely on getting the ball as close to the hole as possible, so that they have some chance of sinking the putt. Golf slumps afflict everyone that plays the game, some so severe that people may give up the game from frustration. Or they spend even more time at the range, trying to work themselves out of their slump. But what they should do is pick up a copy of Breaking the Slump: How Great Players Survived Their Darkest Moments in Golf--and What You Can Learn from Them, by Jimmy Roberts, and learn from a range of professional and amateur golfers. Not since Harvey Penick's Little Red Book has there been a more worthwhile book on golf.

Contents: Introduction; Paul Azinger; Jack Nicklaus; Scott Verplank; David Duval; Dan Jansen; Justin Rose; Greg Norman; Phil Mickelson; Ben Crenshaw; Johnny Miller; Davis Love III; Justin Leonard; George H. W. Bush; Arnold Palmer; Dottie Pepper; Tom Watson; Steve Stricker; Hal Sutton; Epilogue; Acknowledgements

Jimmy Roberts, a golf analyst and reporter for ABC, ESPN, and, most recently, NBC, leverages his access to some of the most popular golfers in the world to write an excellent book on the most common malaise in golf, The Slump. It is something that unites all golfers, professional and amateur alike, and one that is difficult to watch (especially if you are witnessing it from your couch on a Sunday afternoon) and from which to recover. Each chapter is a mini-biography of a particular golfer (former President George H.W. Bush and speedskater Dan Jansen are the only amateurs profiled) and a lesson in how they were able to overcome some of the worst times in their golfing careers. That he is able to get these individuals to talk openly about the unpleasant events in their lives is a testament to Roberts' skills as an interviewer. The result is that the reader feels a connection with each subject, as we can all share memories of bad rounds, bad shots, bad personal events. Each chapter leaves you with a thought on overcoming the bumps in your golf game or in life. Some of the chapters are difficult to read, as some of the stories are part of common knowledge; Who could forget Dan Jansen's trials at the 1988 Calgary Olympics when he was informed of his sister's death hours before he was to race in the 500 meter? Or Phil Mickelson trying to play golf after the near death of his wife, during the birth of their son Evan? However, in each instance, the individual was able to find the strength to go on and return to greatness. It is in those moments when you discover something about yourself and in this book, Roberts provides the reader with the lessons from each golfer.

While you will find this book in the "Sports" section of your local library or bookstore, it should also appear in the "Self Help" area. The lessons revealed are as applicable to golf as they are to life. One of the overriding themes in each chapter is confidence. Many of the selected individuals talk how important confidence is to the golf game. Without that, everything, including your rounds of golf, will suffer. Simple, and yet effective. While each of the subjects has the means to employ the best swing doctors, sports psychologists, and coaches in the game, amateurs will get the benefit of the simple lessons in this book; "Don't try so hard," "Slow down, what's your hurry?," "The next shot will be the good one." Lessons for golf, to be sure, but also thoughts on how to live life.

This book is about more than the title "Breaking the Slump" might infer. Yes, there is some techical gof in here, but very little compared to what the title might indicate.

The book is really more about the books's subtitle: "How Great Players Survived Their Darkest Moments in Golf." It's filled with human interest stories about how what was going on in their lives affected their game. (And don't we all know that experience.)

There is information on how they overcame their swing and other golf troubles, but the real enjoyment of this book are the stories about the people, the golfers who become human in its pages. In reading their stories, the golf becomes secondary to their personalities and stories.

Good book. Good job, Mr. Roberts.

Much bettr than I thought it might be!

We've all slumped at one time or another. Never know how we got there and the dickens to try and get out usually.

So, this collection by television commentator Roberts collects the slump histories and thoughts of the some of the game's elite. The stories and advice from these are so good: get away from the game for awhile; make changes you can personally buy into; be positive that you'll come out eventually; fight through it; back to basics, etc.

The inspiration is here from stars like Verplank who overcame several times not only swing induced problems, but medical/physical as well. Steve Stricker's comebacks are well known, and it really helps to hear how depression and humilation was overcome by family/coach/beating balls out of a modified trailer in Wisconsin winter.

Roberts' writing is like his tv commentary--pithy, concise, well thought through. His wrestling with his own golf slumps likely will aid me the most, as his handicap and playing experiences seem to mirror mine the closest. I've always liked his approach on the tube, but now have even more profound admiration for him from this well done effort which many of us hackers can refer to when we're slumping.

Roberts reports on the most nortorious slumps in golf...and how players like Nicklaus, Norman, Duval and Azinger pulled themselves out. The techniques golfers used to end slumps are easily be translated into personal challenges of any kind. "Breaking the Slump" is an entertaining read with every day applications. Highly recommeded to anyone, and not just golfers.

I anxiously looked forward to this book by Jimmy Roberts. His superb insightful and poignant commentary on network televison has put him into elite status. Now along comes his first book -- Breaking The Slump. While reading the book, the reader feels he watching the interview unfold. It is captivating and thought-provoking. Never afraid to ask the difficult question or better yet -- rephrase the question after the interviewee dodges the original question -- Jimmy Roberts masterfully gets a response he is looking for. So many books about celebrities tip toe or are thrown "softballs", Breaking The Slump actually breaks through the minds and gives the reader plenty to digest and confirmation that these people are real and not as stoic as they may appear on television. Buy the book!!! It is very easy to read and is perfect while on the train or suffering from a triple bogey.

I love golf and well written books & articles on the subject. That being said - I did not enjoy "Breaking The Slump" by Jimmy Roberts. The premise is excellent, however, Mr. Roberts misses the mark on this one. I found the writing disjointed, incoherent and lacking flow. Don't waste your money.

Purchased as a present for my golfer Dad. He really enjoyed the book so I glad I bought it for him.

It wasn't what I expected, it was fair reading but really didn't offer solutions
in any case.

Many people have to face adversity; however, as a Golf Tour Player the stakes are high. This is a great collection of stories of many of the leading PGA Tour players and how they overcame their difficulties to get back to the top. The trials by which each person entered their slump and the methods by which they focused on their weakness, helps Recreational Golfers learn the approach by what it takes to improve their game. The golfers and other notables are listed below:

Paul Azinger
Jack Nicklaus
Scott Verplank
David Duval
Dan Jansen
Justin Rose
Greg Norman
Phil Mickelson
Ben Crenshaw
Johnny Miller
Davis Love III
Justin Leonard
George H. W. Bush
Arnold Palmer
Dottie Pepper
Tom Watson
Steve Stricker
Hal Sutton

This makes a great gift for the golfer in your life.

Roberts does an excellent job of taking inside the psyche of professionals to see how they have dealt with disappointment. My daughter, a teenage golfer, recently read this as she was having "breakdowns" on the course after a bad shot or two. Reading the book has given her new insight that everyone has bad shots, bad days, bad rounds. Now, she's much more able to move on and get back into the moment. I highly recommend this book. It's also a very well written book.