Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible (Perigee) [Paperback]

Fred Shoemaker (Author), Pete Shoemaker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1997 | Series: Perigee

Most golfers approach the tee with a complex mental package: worries and judgments about their swing, the other person's swing, the course, the weather, looking good, looking bad. They think about what's wrong instead of what's possible, and this is what Extraordinary Golf teaches: the art of the possible. Drawing on his experience teaching both amateurs and professionals for more than fifteen years, in his clinics around the country, in his Golf in the Kingdom seminars at the Esalen Institute, and at his own School for Extraordinary Golf in California, Shoemaker shows how extraordinary golf can be coached, learned, and practiced, with results not only in people's scores but in their sheer pleasure in the game. Combining a host of practical exercises with an entirely new point of view, he demonstrates how to focus not on the voices in your head but on the reality of golf: the club, the ball, your body, the course - the elements that actually make up your game. He shows how to approach shots creatively, instead of mechanically; how to read greens simply by staying awake; how to develop a powerful and consistent swing by rediscovering trust for your instincts; and how to improve yourself in competition by determining what you're competing for. He also gives simple guidelines on how to coach yourself, your spouse, and your children successfully.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Flouting course etiquette, Shoemaker recommends throwing golf clubs. Golfers who have just dunked a ball in their local water hazard might thank him for the permission, but Shoemaker's point--his only mechanical tip--is not to release anger but to restore the relaxation flowing from a confident swing. Since that feeling rarely returns by tinkering with technique, Shoemaker and his coauthor, brother Pete, stress attitude, much in the manner of Michael Murphy's classic Golf in the Kingdom. (Shoemaker, like Murphy before him, teaches inspirational golf at the Esalen Institute.) Once a legitimate aspirant to the PGA tour, Shoemaker soured on the sport, only to realize much later that his problem was worrying how he looked, rather than playing each shot in the moment. Since getting in that zone obsesses every golfer, Shoemaker's pep talk is sure to find an audience, especially among those who like to mix golf with New Age philosophy. Gilbert Taylor --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039952276X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399522765
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If they ever award a Nobel Prize in golf ..., December 11, 2002

By 

Andy Todes - See all my reviews

This review is from: Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible (Perigee) (Paperback)

This is a long review, but I hope you hang in there.

Just to put everything in context, I've bought the
following golf books in the last few months:

How to Break 90 (Tomasi, et al)
The 30-Second Golf Swing (Tomasi)
Five Fundamentals (Hogan)
Five Fundamentals (Elkington)

Plus I've flipped through dozens of books in the
store. And I've visited every golf site know to man.
Or woman.

We're talking minimal improvement after 2 months
of hard work -- and I'm a fairly gifted athlete, modesty
aside.

Minimal improvement and not much joy. And this is
a game I used to LOVE in my teens.

Minimal improvement.

And just in case you thought I was looking for instant
mastery, I'm not. There's no such thing anyway.

But I WAS looking for a ray of hope. A ray that says,
"If you stick to this general way, improvements and
a sense of accomplishment WILL come with time."

Enter "Extraordinary Golf."

Read it a couple of days ago with a growing sense
of excitement.

This morning I tried some of Shoemaker's
awareness/concentration exercises down in the
basement for 45 minutes. (Then started making up
some of my own!)

Was CONSISTENTLY making 30-foot chips to within
about 18 inches of the "hole". And sometimes IN THE
HOLE.

I'm talking about 95 out of 100 very very good shots,
(to within 2 or 3 feet) simply by PAYING ATTENTION
to what was going on, NOT trying to fix anything, and
simply having FUN.

I know you may think you're a technique player, but listen
to this:

I started playing shots leaning waaay forward, waaay backward,
on my left leg only, on my right leg only, holding the club miles
from my body, in too tight, up against the wall, with the left hand
only, with the right hand only, all sorts of crazy contortions --
AND WAS STILL KNOCKING THEM CLOSE TO THE HOLE!!!

Simply by paying FULL attention to what I was doing (primarily
the FULL arc of the clubhead) in an easy, free-spirited way.

Shoemaker is right. Most players DON'T concentrate for the full
2 seconds it takes to swing. Their minds are filled with all sorts of
distractions and FEARS. Especially the fear of looking bad.

But when you just step up with full awareness in a spirit of inquiry,
open to any possibility, not fixated on results, it is remarkable what happens.

This stuff actually works!

I discovered that I "lose" the clubhead near the top of my backswing.
I suddenly lose awareness of it. But when I calmly maintain focus on
where the clubhead is THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SWING and
FORGET ABOUT THE RESULTS amazing things happen.

I also found out I"lose" the clubhead when I putt.

So I decided to line up a 35-foot putt while MAINTAINING AWARENESS
in the clubhead.

The FIRST putt ended up ONE INCH from the hole.

The SECOND putt ended up TWO INCHES from the hole.

The "trick" if there is one, is to FORGET about FIXING and start
OBSERVING what you're DOING.

Even if you miss every putt and every chip while you practice, even
if your shots miss by a mile, THE MAIN THING IS YOU STAY AWARE
OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE ENTIRE 2 SECONDS.

That should be your only concern. "Can I track the cluubhead
throughout the entire swing?"

Even if you try hitting the ball backwards through your legs, if you
pay full attention to the clubhead you'll putt it or chip it pretty close.

The technique therefore is how you use your brain! How you pay
attention. And how you let go.

I demonstrated this morning that where you place your foot, where you
place your weight, where you grip the club, etc. is NOWHERE NEAR
AS IMPORTANT AS BEING AWARE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

Exercises:

1. Try Shoemakers mesmerizing "club-throwing" technique (you'll
discover your natural timing this way) ...

and also try:

2. Paying full attention to, say, the full arc of the clubhead
paying NO REGARD WHATSOEVER to where the ball goes.
Just observe your awareness with the clubhead.

Shoemaker is operating in a field of elite mind/body practitioners,
a field of geniuses who know true power lies in the STUDENT'S
HANDS. These coaches/artists include Lorin Roche (grab all his meditation books) and George Leonard (grab all his books) and others.

You won't regret it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seriously - if you only own 1 golf book, make this the one!, August 25, 2005

By 

Barry Smith (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible (Perigee) (Paperback)

Fred Shoemaker gently and persuasively reminds us that golf is an experience, rather than a result. It's only by being aware and in the moment that we can really enjoy the experience - or play our best. Yet, as he clearly illustrates, the "Culture of Golfers" is to focus on the results and on what's wrong with our game... which robs us of both the enjoyment, and the potential to play to our full ability.

Why do I recommend this book so highly? Because golf is meant to be fun, not a chore or a test. If you love the game but find yourself constantly frustrated or disappointed - read this book! Or if you're intrigued by the game but intimidated by all the jargon and attitude you hear - read this book!

Oh, and does it deliver? Yes! Personal example: As a 14 handicapper I'm constantly obsessed with breaking 80. Typically I start every round with the best of intentions to just enjoy the walk... but after a couple of good holes, or a couple bad ones, I start the mental games of "Don't goof it up!" or "Fix it!", which continue through the rest of the round. So it was with my most recent round: a rough start and already I'm 5 over par, struggling to find my swing.

But this time there were two differences: (1) I'd begun re-reading Extraordinary Golf (first read it 2 years ago), and (2) my playing partner was having an even worse round, loudly expressing all the frustration and anguish that often entails. With Shoemaker's coaching in my mind, and such an obvious example before me, I was able to make a different choice about my day. I was able to follow his guidance to relax and just focus on being aware.

So did I break 80? Nope - shot an 81. But I played the back nine in 2 over, a personal best on that course. I was so focused and aware that I can still go back to each shot and replay just how it looked & felt. And most importantly, I played without fear and enjoyed it immensely.

After all, isn't that the point of playing a game?

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful new approach to the game and enjoying it, May 10, 1999

By 

Vince Ambrosia ([e-mail] (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible (Perigee) (Paperback)

I was originally given this book by a friend and told to approach it with a completely open mind. This book will help you explore your true inner self and how it relates to golf. I now have the ability to forget all my 32 years of golf mumbo-jumbo and "correct-swing" theories, and focus on experiencing and truly enjoying golf. I recently had the opportunity to take an all day seminar / golf experience from Fred and it changed my whole life and thoughts about the game. I am now re-reading the book again!!! Don't let this one pass you by...get the book and forget all the technical theories...the game and swing are in you, Fred simply helps you bring it out.