| Brand: | |||
| Average Rating |
|
A renowned golf teacher gives golfers a new perspective on the game by combining a host of practical and proven exercises with a whole new way of thinking more info
Related posts:
- Understanding the Golf Swing Today’s Leading Proponents of Brand: Average Rating 52 reviews B I Understanding the...
- Golf The Mental Game Brand: Average Rating 5 reviews P Often you hear...
- Golf Digest’s Ultimate Drill Book Over 120 Drills Brand: Booklegger Average Rating 7 reviews One of America’s...
- Zen Golf Mastering the Mental Game Brand: Booklegger Average Rating 48 reviews Vijay Singh Masters...
- Get Yourself in Golf Shape YearRound Drills to Brand: Booklegger Average Rating 7 reviews DIV DIV Transform...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:59 am
One of the best-ever golf head books
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Shoemaker’s book is light on fixing what’s wrong with your technique, and strong on enlightening your overall approach to the game … which leads to greater enjoyment and happiness. Which also winds up improving performance.
If you believe that what you need in order to enjoy the game is to knock off a few strokes per round, this is probably not a book for you. Shoemaker teaches readers how to learn, and how to improve awareness, concentration, focus and self-coaching … all with an eye towards enjoying this game we all love. You will likely improve your scoring, and you will definitely improve your enjoyment of the game and everything surrounding it.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Wonderful book!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have heard it said that a round of golf is a lesson in life. I believe that to be true and this book is a wonderful companion for any golfer. It mostly is about living life to the fullest and being happy/content. It does give some great suggestions about how to play the game of golf and life.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:36 am
Wonderful new approach to the game and enjoying it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
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.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:09 am
This book is “Extraordinary”
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A friend of mine recommended this book to me. The last thing I wanted to do was read a book about golf. BORING!! This is the best book on golf I have ever read. No technical stuff, no “STAY POSITIVE, YOU CAN DO IT”. Mr. Shoemaker makes it so easy for you to find YOUR swing, not someone elses. Among other things, It’s helped me explain to other people how THEY should swing the club. I really can’t say enough about it. Bottom line, if you want to play better golf, this is the book for you.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:48 am
Throwing clubs, when it’s ok
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Extraordinary Golf examines and reveals a unique approach to playing the game as well as the body’s inherent ability to swing a golf club.
Since most golfers buy books like Extraordinary Golf after learning from the ‘Culture of Golfers’, The author, Fred Shoemaker, introduces a fresh look at how and why we play the game, as well as a different approach to discovering one’s own swing.
Extraordinary Golf’s use of video footage of golfers throwing clubs graphically demostrates this fact.
Fred’s premise is that our bodies have always known how to swing a golf club. He relates that most of us know THAT guy who started playing at a very young age. Extraordinary Golf gets us to open our minds to the possibility that our inner child still exists but our adult minds interfere with our ability to learn like kids.
To be sure, Fred Shoemaker is not a physcologist nor is Extraordinary Golf a treatise on taking it one shot at a time. Indeed I believe just the opposite is true. Extraordinary Golfers are very much looking forward to the next shot.
A friend gave me this book eight years ago when I was about to give up on the game. Like most books, I read the forward. Two pages in I read these words: ‘The purpose of this book is to show you that the game of golf you are playing is not the only possible one.’
With those words in mind, I read the entire book. It brought the joy of the game back to me and for what it’s worth, a much lower handicap on much less practice. The books greatest message is that you can’t make it happen, you can only let it happen.
Indeed a coach myself I’ve become a student of Extraordinary Coaching.
A must read for any golfer.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Great Book
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This author has some revolutionary ideas (at least for a Type A- player) that really helped my game. Think about the course, how beautiful it is, listen to your friends and talk to them…not the ball, yourself or your clubs! Enjoy your time on the course and don’t worry about the score!
November 12th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Not read yet.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Book was for my husband and was not read yet, but he loved that I got it for him…
November 13th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Fun.. getting out of our own way…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Extraordinary Golf is the best publication on self coaching that I have ever discovered.
I remember Tiger Woods crediting his success with his ability to ‘get out of his own way’. Fred Shoemaker, and Extraordinary Golf provide each of us the path to letting go of the mechanics, and the expectations of performance in golf, and letting our inner passion for the fun and enjoyment of competition take over.
After years of struggling to recover the game of my youth as a scratch handicapper, Fred’s wisdom helped me to understand that my own power came from having fun as a kid.. I am young again !
I learned from Fred that in golf, there is a ball, a target, and me. The only variable in the game.. is me.. and Extraordinary Golf provided me with the power.. to be me.
You have to read this book.. it will change your game, and your life.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:26 am
I wish I had this book 25 years ago!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
As I read this book, the author was constantly describing issues concerning the mental part of the game of golf that have affected me for years. For all us golfer who get nervous standing over a 3 foot birdie putt, not because you might miss the putt and waste a stroke, but for the fear of embarrasing ourselves, this book is for you. I currently have a handicap of 2, but until recently I wasn’t enjoying the game like I should. I recently achieve a goal I set for myself after reading this book. I played a full 18 holes of competative golf, without fear. I missed a few shots, I had some good shots, but I enjoyed the day and was overall very happy with my effort. This book is not going to give you a new swing thought, but it will make you think. I stongly recommend this book for all golfers.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:38 am
The Real Deal
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If this book is …not very exciting… or is …not an instruction book… then the point indeed has been badly and completely missed.
True, if you want mechanics and club selection and all that other technical stuff… buy a different book. But you still won’t know how to golf. Ever. That stuff is NOT the essence of golf and is only a tiny component of the game… yet almost all study, training, and instruction are on those aspects. So, the players are frustrated and unfulfilled and go nowhere with their game. How can one break this cycle?
Read this book and Tim Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Golf if you actually want to learn how to play the game. But you must have an open mind and actually want to learn the game… not just stick to some prejudiced idea that you have about how you should approach the game. Very, very, very few ever really get this. If you open yourself to it you will be free of fear, genuinely enjoy the game in deeply meaningful ways, and will play like you never thought possible.
-JP
November 13th, 2009 at 2:06 am
Enlightening Book on Golf
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent presentation of the spiritual side of the game. Filled with unique drills designed to bring out the “inner athlete” in us all, Showmaker has created a classic exploration of the real reasons we should all be enjoying the game of golf.
Truly a mind-opening read – great for golfers and instructors alike
November 13th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Fantastic “mind” book on golf
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book has really helped me enjoy golf more AND at the same time improve my game and score. I don’t want to say it’s light hearted but it’s not as “deep” as “The Inner Game of Golf”. It teachs you that the way we look at the game of golf is counter productive. We are always striving to be just a little better and by doing that we are never happy. Once you become comfortable and start playing for fun you not only enjoy the game more BUT your scores go down.
For me that has happened.
It also debunks the swing thought theory. During the swing is not the time to load your head up with thoughts.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Unlightening
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Having read Golf in the Kingdom, and Inner Game of Golf some time ago, I looked forward to this more recent book on mental aspect of golf.
My handicap has drifted up from 3 to 6 over the last year, so I was looking for a fresh approach. The day after reading the first 130 pages, I resolved to play without fear, not be upset by bad shots, and enjoy my playing partners.
With OB left, trees to the right, I striped my drive on the 440 yd par 4, followed by a 5 iron to 8 feet, and drained the putt. What a great book!
Four hours later I found myself in the clubhouse having shot a 90 for the first time in over 20 years, with four OBs and five 3 putts.
It’s a good thing that “looking good” was no longer important to me, as I endured the ribbing, jabs and outright taunts of several of my fellow players.
I’ll finish the book. But most likely you’ll find it listed on the Used Books here very shortly.
November 14th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Joie de vie
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A must read for those committed to mastering the game of golf. Pretty great for those interested in mastering the game of life, as well!
Fred gives the reader access to loving the game regardless of the score. The whole of the game of golf comes to life!
November 14th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Fred and his book are an incredible contribution to golf.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was so impressed with this book that I searched out and attended Fred’s School for Extraordinary Golf. I was amazed to see the wide range of golfers there (a beginer, high and low handicappers, several in their 60’s+) all accept and dramatically benefit from the instruction provided (all of which was based on what’s in the book).
As for me, Fred’s approach to golf and wise instruction methods have transformed the game of golf. Not only am I shooting the best golf in my life, I’m having the most fun — and the more fun actually happened before the better scores did! I’m also learning about myself, about golf and about my life at a much faster rate.
Perhaps you can guess that I recommend Extraordinary Golf highly. It’s changed my life by giving me continuous, ongoing access to the game of golf that I had always wanted, hoped for, and glimpsed — but was somehow never able to fully embrace. Thank you Fred, and those who work with you, for providing a future of golf that is full of possibilities.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Golf can be extraordinary! Excellent book.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Many golfers are stuck at the same scores for years. I finally got fed up with scoring between 90 and 95 every time I went to play.
I read many books on golf including Zen Golf, which I found quite helpful also.
However, Extraordinary Golf really shows you how to get past the limits you put on yourself in golf.
I also used The Ultimate Golf Instruction Guide: Key Techniques For Becoming A Zero Handicap Golfer Or Better written by Leonardi. Leonardi’s book is another book that showed me how to hit the ball harder and straighter.
If you like golf magazines with lots of interesting stats, I also highly recommend Golf Week. This is my favorite golf magazine.
November 15th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Seriously – if you only own 1 golf book, make this the one!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
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?
November 15th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
fabulous
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book. I hadn’t played golf in 10 years, went out after reading this book and had sooooo much more fun and consequently, played sooo much better. I am amazed that my game can improve so much just from reading a book. I loved the philosophy it puts forth and have even tried applying it just to daily life. I have given this book as a gift to most everyone I know that plays golf.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:56 am
If they ever award a Nobel Prize in golf …
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
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.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Excellent Reading
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Extraordinary Golf: The Art of Possible is a book that anyone who plays the game of golf should read. I wish I could have read it or something near it twenty five years ago.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:37 am
The humanistic side of golf
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I guess you would call this a book on golf philosophy. Although I should not have been surprised at the general approach of Extraordinary Golf, nonetheless it didn’t appeal to me. It started out well on topics that I could see might help me enjoy the game more, such as how to overcome the constant feeling that I’m not playing well enough. But then it slides into softer topics, like how to have closer more meaningful relationships with my golfing buddies, etc., etc. Hmmmm. Not for me.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Where we went wrong
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My game went through something of a transformation not long ago, and for the worse. Swinging a club was a burden, because I couldn’t do it “right”. The motion held no joy, and depression set in as I watched the ball fly everywhere but where I hoped it would go.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Extraordinary Golf will cure all golfing ails. Actually, it will probably promote the opposite for a bit. Shoemaker forces you to stand outside yourself and watch what is happening, not just during the swing, but inside your mind. These are places that, in reality, most golfers do not want to go.
All the things Shoemaker discusses in this book are merely guideposts to help nudge you towards a different approach to golf than you might have known. Observation without interference, instruction without control, etc.. Many clues were obviously taken from Gallawey’s Inner Game series, but they are put further into perspective here from the standpoint of a professional golfer.
If you think you need a wake-up call in your game, you must read this. Your game may not improve, but your enjoyment of it will.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Not very exciting
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
This book starts very well but after a few pages you start wondering whether you are missing the point. There are certain good stories but if you are looking for an instruction book, this is not it.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Contemptuos Golf
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A journey into the mind of a golfer. Dangerous stuff! Fred Shoemaker delves into areas that most don’t consider when striking the ball. However, with this line of thought, there is a hidden mind set of contempt. Generally in order to escape the “ego” of golf, you must first rise above all of your surroundings and distractions ie. Your boss(in the foursome), the girls sitting on the patio watching you tee-off, and you friends heckling you in the background etc. This procedure, I see as comtemptous. The ability to block these distractions out is quite difficult, if not impossible. A better way to approach the idea is to become better than the distractions. The only thing that will stop you from hitting the shots of your life is DOUBT, and picking your head up of course! All in all, read the book. It contains great ideas and some excellent tips.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Great book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book won’t be to everyone’s taste. If you are looking for quick tips on improving your game, look elsewhere. If, however, you are looking for the secret to genuinely enjoying the golf game you have, and improving your attitude on the course, it’s a wonderful book. I’ve heard golf called a good walk spoiled, but this book points to how it can be fresh and enjoyable again.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Some “fluff”, but for the most part, helpful advice.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
As a golf coach of over 20 years, I was eager to read Fred and Pete Shoemaker’s, “Extraordinary Golf”. For the most part, I would like to report that the book contains a great deal of constructive advice (mostly of the self-help variety) for the average golfer. The Shoemakers (and especially former PGA pro, Fred) seem to relate well to the problems that plague the average golfer, i.e. fear of embarrassment, lack of concentration, and the mental demons of uncertainty.
If you’re looking for a book to help you with the physical part of the game, then this book is probably not for you. “EG” deals primarily with the cerebral aspects of the game and gives the golfer mental keys to follow. Especially helpful was the last section of the book which describes a number of exercises that can help the average golfer. I particularily enjoyed the section where the Shoemakers compare the ideal golf swing to the “act of club throwing”. What other instructional book can you think of that has ever encouraged club throwing? You’ll have the read it to believe it!
I’m sure some golf “purists” will shake their heads in amazement at some of the information in this book, but if the book is read with an open mind, then I think some benefits can be achieved.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:36 am
This book changed the way I approach the game
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After, perhaps the worst round of my life, I considered giving up the game. That round kept me up that night, reliving all the bad shot I made. It was then my wife asked why I was playing if it upset me so much? I did not have an answer, but it did make me consider that I was getting in the way of myself in my quest for a great score. I remembered reading “The Inner Game of Golf” and thought there might be other books with the same focus. When I stumbled across this book it seemed to hit right on the mark. I read the book in two days and it absolutely changed the way I played the game. The next week I went from my worst round of the year to my best; bettering my 9-hole score by 10 strokes. Since then my scores have been consistently low, but more importantly I’ve rediscovered what drew me to the game in the first place. I’ve stopped tinkering with my swing; I no longer concern myself with a running score; bad shots still happen, but I feel I can recover. I hope one day to attend an Extraordinary Golf clinic. Get this book, read it with an open mind and rediscover the joy you thought you lost.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:58 am
Loved it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I saw Fred Shoemaker speak at a seminar recently, and was so inspired by his approach to finding “your” swing. The book was basically the long version of what we heard in his presentation. I would love to attend one of his schools someday–what an innovative approach to what hinders all of us on the course. FEAR!
November 20th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Play A Different Game–Extraordinary
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating insights into what bogs us golfers down–ourselves. From our reasons for playing to the blind spots in our swings, this book addresses them.
There is much to be gained from this reading. Awareness of what one’s swing is to concentration to letting yourself play and swing your best, natural, athletic swing,— this book provides.
Can’t wait to see longterm if this book delivers.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
IT REALLY WORKS
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent book for “taking your game to the next level” whatever that level is. Very entertaining and enriching. A must buy!