The Golfer's Mind: Play to Play Great [Hardcover]

Dr. Bob Rotella (Author), Bob Cullen (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2004

For the last decade, golfers of all abilities have been drawn to the writings and teachings of Bob "Doc" Rotella. His books Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect, Golf Is a Game of Confidence, The Golf of Your Dreams, and Putting Out of Your Mind have all become classics for golfers everywhere. Weekend golfers and pros like Brad Faxon, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Tom Kite, and Davis Love III all read and listen to the man they call Doc because his teachings are simple and direct -- and in the end, what Doc says makes them play better golf.

The Golfer's Mind was actually first suggested by Davis Love, Jr. -- Davis Love III's dad -- who encouraged Doc to write an instruction book on golf's mental challenges, organized by topic. Love thought that golfers could keep the book with them, or at least nearby, at all times. When they needed a refresher on a certain issue, they could consult the book, read for a few minutes, and take away solid guidance regarding their difficulties. Doc heard what Love said, and twenty years later, The Golfer's Mind is that book. From his Ten Commandments (Commandment I. Play to play great. Don't play not to play poorly) to just about any topic a golfer might imagine, this is the ideal way for players to get all of Rotella's teachings. Doc covers topics including:

• Butterflies
• Practicing to Play Great
• The Rhythm of the Game
• Routine
• Setbacks
• How Winning Happens

In the perfect format for the busy golfer, The Golfer's Mind is the concise and convenient quick-reference tool to appeal to Rotella's millions of followers and is sure to become a golf classic.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For all those players who gnash their teeth at flubbed drives or missed puts, sports psychologist Rotella comes to the rescue with this breezy little mental massage for frustrated golfers. Each of the chapters—with their uplifting names like "A Golfer’s Sense of Self"—come with easily digested bits of advice, which range from the obvious ("Slow play, wind and rain are contingencies you must plan for") to the obvious-yet-still-helpful ("Accept whatever happens to a shot and move on"). Rotella doesn’t pretend to have the perfect approach to the game, and reading will certainly not immediately improve one’s swing. But Rotella is successful at hammering home the realization that, while golf may be just a game, it’s infinitely harder to play it when angry. Rotella even counsels against playing more intensely during the final holes of a game, stressing that the best players keep a steady, measured intensity at all times. This is a quick course in golf relaxation, soothingly and professionally delivered.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Dr. Bob Rotella was the Director of Sports Psychology for twenty years at the University of Virginia. His reputation grew there as the person champions talked to about the mental parts of their game. His clients include champions from all sports, like LeBron James; in golf world talents such as Tom Kite to Graeme McDowell. A writer for and consultant to Golf Digest, he lives in Virginia with his wife, Darlene.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; Tour Player Edition edition (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743274156
• ISBN-13: 978-0743269759
• ASIN: 0743269756
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read This Book Before The Big Match/Outing, May 11, 2006

By 

Jersey Joe (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golfer's Mind: Play to Play Great (Hardcover)

I am not a distinguished golfer by any means, but I have an annual competitive golf trip with buddies that stirs my competitive juices at the start of the golf season. Rather than take a golf lessson (which would just confuse the heck out of me so close to competition), I bought and read this book. It made all the difference in the world as far as my mental attitude was concerned. I was able to keep a positive attitude after my (inevitable) poor golf shots, and I celebrated my good ones.

I loved his rule to "love your putter and wedge". In other words, to get enthusiastic about the opportunity to use both clubs. That mental attitude change made a huge difference in my short game.

This book also helped me give myself permission to play well. Too often, I would start a round hot and then fold under the pressure of a low scorecard. Dr Rotella helped me recognize this mental flaw and deal with it when it reared its head.

Let's be real here, this book is no substitute for talent and dedicated practice. But if you're tired of blowing up on the golf course and often harbor thoughts of abandoning your clubs on the bag drop rack, this book is for you. It will help you play to your true potential.

As for my golf outing, it was handicap adjusted, and I was the only guy to shoot under my index (by one stroke over three rounds), so I took home the trophy and some cash. For the 13 previous years that I attended, I never came close to winning. The difference was my mental attitude during the competition and my ability to deal with the pressure. For me, this book paid for itself, quite literally.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessity for all serious golfers, February 15, 2005

By 

Niall Burke "Niall Burke" (Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golfer's Mind: Play to Play Great (Hardcover)

Buy this book, read it once, twice, three times... then read it again. If you have high expectations on the course and get frustrated when you fall short of these expectations, this book will be a great help to you.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For tennis players also!, November 19, 2005

By 

Skip M (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golfer's Mind: Play to Play Great (Hardcover)

Bob Rotella provides fundamentals of mental toughness that can be used in many sports. I'm an enthusiastic tennis player and have successfully used the methods outlined in The Golfer's Mind to improve my game and to use as a basis for raising my game to the next level. "Play to play great", Get into process, not results", and "Believe fully in yourself" are examples of the thoughts to play by. Train your brain as hard as you train your body.