My Golden Lessons

October 21, 2002
With the precision and clarity of the classic Nicklaus swing, each of these golf lessons, the Golden Bear's"best of my own best" in game-improving tips, is presented in a concise, stand-alone format targeting the amateur player more than the beginning student. Pulled from Nicklaus's how-to columns published in Golf Digest and Golf Magazine from 1988-2001, the book covers every aspect of the game from tee to green: equipment, swing mechanics, faults and fixes, short game and special shots, putting and"the mind game." The tips range from personal details ("I use my buttons on my golf shirt to help me sharpen my mental image and physical sensing of the proper shoulder alignment for the shot I want to hit") to textbook strategies, including Nicklaus's take on choosing the right chip shot and the importance of"possessing a repertoire of recovery shots," something this winner of 18 professional major championships says he only realized as an"older and matured" golfer. Nicklaus's 11th collaboration with Bowden, this guide offers consistently insightful and straightforward advice in a tone unmarred by swagger or ego. Of particular note are the full-color illustrations, including detailed sequences depicting the Nicklaus swing, by former golf pro and contributor to many of Nicklaus' books McQueen.

October 15, 2002
In the world of golf, the name Jack Nicklaus speaks for itself. While the world follows Tiger Woods, Tiger is chasing Jack's records, most notably his 20 major championships. Nicklaus and Bowden have teamed to produce a number of golf books, with Golf My Way perhaps the most noteworthy. Their latest had its genesis in a series of tips that ran in Golf magazine between 1988 and 2001. When the tips were first written, they followed no particular order. In this collection, they are grouped into themes like fundamentals, power, and putting. What makes these tips interesting is that they are written by an accomplished and still competitive aging golfer. This is in contrast to, say, the tips of the latest winner of a major tournament. While there is a place for both, golf is a lifetime sport, and there is a dearth of meaningful material available for the golfer of a certain age. Almost every tip is accompanied by a detailed illustration that drives the point home. A good purchase for public libraries, particularly ones with large sport collections.-Steven Silkunas, North Wales, PA

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.