The Complete Golfer's Handbook [Hardcover]

Gary Player (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

Find your perfect swing with a golfing legend in this beautifully illustrated full-color book.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With three Masters jackets in the closet and PGA, British, and U.S. Open trophies on the shelf, Gary Player, among golf's most genial and authoritative personalities, has a record that speaks for itself and a contagious respect for the game. All of that is on display in The Complete Golfer's Handbook, which is really less a handbook than a comprehensive introduction to golf--and it's attractive enough to leave on the coffee table.

First published in Britain in 1999, the Handbook is a lushly illustrated and informative guide to golf's essentials--its history, rules, equipment, etiquette, strategies, and various forms of competition, along with some insight, given Player's second career as a course designer, into what makes a fair and challenging golf course. Good stuff, to be sure, and there's not a player anywhere, regardless of handicap, who won't pick up a nugget or two. But Player is Player; on the links he always played to his strengths, which he built through physical and mental preparation second to no one's. The Handbook offers Player himself demonstrating his quintessential warm-up system, practice drills and games, and conditioning exercises--all the routines a savvy golfer should partake in before ambling to the first tee. Following Player's physical fitness methods won't bring you a green jacket, but will certainly improve your game, outlook, flexibility, and endurance. Of course, if by some fluke you do manage to win the Masters, Player will have you so fit when you try the jacket on for size that you'll actually be able to button it. --Jeff Silverman

From Booklist

Just another golf instructional, packaged under a famous pro's name but written by others? Not quite. It's likely the actual writing here was done by coauthors Chris Wales and Duncan Cruickshank, but golfing legend Player's presence is felt as well, especially in the clever practice tips and the excellent section on exercises for golfers (Player was the first professional committed to a training regimen). The book also boasts outstanding graphic design and use of four-color illustrations, again separating it from garden-variety instructionals. The text functions as an overall introduction to the game, covering etiquette, equipment, course design, and strategy, in addition to how to swing the club. The material is introductory only, but even experienced golfers will enjoy the graphics and profit from reviewing the concise, clearly presented swing advice. A solid overview for all golf collections. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585740292
• ISBN-13: 978-1585740291
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,096,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really complete book with good eye for details and pictures, July 16, 2002

By 

Amit Chaudhary (Silicon Valley, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Golfer's Handbook (Hardcover)

This is a very good introduction to those starting up or those revisiting the basics, the pictures and the figures help a lot.

For the accomplished ones, there are lots of various drills to tryout, notes on how to vary the shots, covering the complete range and lots of excerises including some excellent stretches.

The details with which each aspect is covered including grips, clubs is very useful. The analysis of what happens when a shot goes wrong is also good.

A buy and read often instruction book

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not for beginners, July 15, 2002

By 

onlyaymie "onlyaymie" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Golfer's Handbook (Hardcover)

Although the cover and introduction made this book seem like it would be a good way to learn basics, reading it really was not a lot of help. The book repeatedly uses terms without defining them, and changes subjects with little transition. I feel no better prepared to learn golf than I did before I read this book.

Other gripes:
The book has Augusta National described as being in Atlanta, Georgia, instead of in Augusta, Georgia.
As the chapters wore on, it became a lot more about Gary Player and what Gary Player thought than about golf in general.