Top 25 Golf Books of All-Time!

Thanks for listing these. I’m relatively new to the game. I struggled through “5 lesson “. After many buckets and constant rereading. I have a nice repeating swing. Confidence with all clubs.

I think Jim Flick’s “On Golf” is one the best instructional books of all time. He points out that he taught an amateur swing as well as a professional swing. This is an intermediate players book that isn’t over loaded with illustrations. At first glance you won’t be blown away, but you’ll re-read this over time and come to see the value.

Hard to believe none of James Dodson’s books are included in this list.

A few great books, but by far my favorite golf book Leslie Nielson’s “Stupid Little Book of Golf” truly should have made the list. His tips are better for the 95% of golfers who play for enjoyment and for those who play for money he is extremely quotable. If you have not read it, do yourself a favor and have a good laugh and I bet you find yourself thinking more about this book then the other things you read about golf.

I agree with some of these, especially the ones by John Feinstein.
The best golf novel and my favorite book ever is Missing Links by Rick Reilly!
Also check out the follow up, Shanks for Nothing.
Miracle on the 17th green is a good read and I am currently reading its sequel, Miracle at Augusta, both by James Patterson.

I am fortunate to possess several of your top 25 list. I agree with several of the earlier posts – Darwin’s work is essential reading for any true devotee and Jacob’s instructional stuff – as good as it gets. For humour – the ultimate read for me is ‘The Greatest Game’ by Hugh Dodd and Prof. David Purdie. Chris C….

All good books, but IMHO every golfer should also read:

1. The Official Exceptions to the Rules of Golf — Henry Beard
2. Missing Links — Rick Reilly
3. Bud Sweat & Tees — Alan Shipnuck
4. Four Magic Moves — Joe Dante

The best new golf book for 2015 is “Golf’s Forgotten Legends & Unforgettable Controversies”. It’s highly historical, incredibly controversial and very humorous. It’s a must have book for all golfers. If you buy it, I guarantee you’ll love it.

The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelley

What a bout Dr. Golf?

Here’s a few well worth a read –

Instruction – On Learning Golf (Percy Boomer), Classic Golf Tips by Tommy Armour, Play Lower Handicap Golf (Phil Rodgers), plus Paul Runyan mentioned in another post.

General Interest – The Masters of Golf (Aultman, Bowden), Arnold Palmers Book of Putting.

Plus a vote for Bobby Jones on Golf as the greatest golf instruction book ever.

Except for “5 Lessons” and “Power Golf”, and the Harvey Penick books, none of the instructional and/or “mental game” books are worthy of mention. Nothing by Jenkins, Wind, Darwin? Ridiculous.

I have many of those books plus many, many more – but alas, no website !

Thank you for creating this list. I have read numerous books on golf over the past 25 years.
I would definitely place Rotella’s Golf is Not a Game of Perfect and and Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible in my top five books , so I think your compilation has a lot of credibility.

Every golf book has goodness to it . . . I could name at least 100 more books that have gems speckled throughout the pages 🙂

Pitiful, pathetic, and utterly ill-informed. This list is obviously compiled by people who know very little of the literary history of the game. Anyone who knows books on this genre could provide a list of dozens that should start the conversation – and none of them are found here. With very few exceptions there has been little contribution to the quality of the literary heritage in the last 50 years, the list offered here is nothing less than a feable attempt to stimulate book store sales. If you want to read something important by a contemporary author try picking up anything by David Hamilton. From the golden age of the game try HSC Everard and John Kerr.

Hello
I have a library of 475 golf books for sale , due to downsizing houses. Any suggestions for potential purchasers? I can send a full list and details on request. I will pay a handsome commission for the introduction to the buyer.
Best wishes
Stefan White

Any book co authored by Al Barkow is a deserving read, especially THE MASTER OF PUTTING bu George Low and DAVE STOCKTON’s PUTT TO WIN! How about the top 25 videos, VHS first….and I nominate anything from Sybervision, especially Stockton’s putting video!

Preferred Lies by Andrew Greig.
A beautifully written book on links, life and Scotland by one of the nation’s finest novelists. Not to be missed.

Some good non-instructional golf books:

7 Days in Utopia (book > movie)
A Downhill Lie – quite possibly the funniest book because we were all hacks at one point or another.
Caddie For Life: Bruce Edwards Story

#1 no question, hands down “Dead Solid Perfect” by Dan Jenkins. “Fast Greens” by Turk Pipkin is a must read. Currently reading “King of Clubs” by Jim Dubicella, very good. “Bud, Sweat, and Tees” inspired me to caddy professionally (RIP Stevie). “The Swinger” is a good read as well (especially if you despise Eldrick as much as I do!)

What about John Jacobs – Practical Golf

‘Journey through the links’ was voted the no.1 golf book for 2007 by SportsIllustrated and the sequel, ‘Another journey through the links” is even better -shortlisted for 2011 British Sports Book Awards.
One highly credentialed reviewer described Another Journey as ‘possibly the best book on golf courses ever written’.
It is the only comprehensive review of virtually every 18 hole links course in the UK and Ireland.

Journey and Another Journey are far superior to most of the books on your list.

I believe you have left off perhaps one of the top 3 books of all time. Runyans book–The short way to lower scoring. It is the short game Bible

I guess I’m dating myself but I consider some of the great British golf writers such as Wodehouse and Darwin as more significant than some on the list. And what about Dan Jenkins? He wrote some classic golf novels such as Dogged Victims and DSP. And finally, Curt Sampson’s book on Hogan is a must read.

Thanks for putting Harvey Penick’s Little red book at #1.He explains the golf swing in simple,easy to understand terms,and never comes across as egotistical like so many of today’s “gurus”. My son and I still have matching sets of Harvey Penick Classic Player irons that I assembled from Golfsmith components.They’re still hard to kick out of the bag.

The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelly tops my list—–
http://www.amazon.com/The-Golfing-Machine-Homer-Kelley/dp/0932890067/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331845238&sr=1-1

My favorite golf books that didn’t make the top 25

The Mystery of Golf –Arnold Haultain
Ben Hogan’s Secret –Bob Thomas
The Power of Golf –Dr. Terry Zachary
The ’68 Masters –Curt Sampson
Ancesrtal Links –John Garrity
Why Golf –Bob Cullen
Golf for Enlightenment –Deepak Chopra
Final Rounds –James Dodson
Beyond the Fairway –Jeff Wallach

And I can’t wait to read Michael Bamberger’s, To the Linksland

Nuts, I missed your email about the voting submissions. I would’ve submitted Phil Reed’s book “In Search of the Greatest Golf Swing”. Good ratings on Amazon.

want to add one you all will love. ” In search of Burningbush”

http://www.amazon.com/Search-Burningbush-Story-Friendship-Meaning/dp/0071435212

Im surprised not to see one of John Jacobs books in the top 25. As it was mention in a survey in Golf Digest that he has had the biggest impact in golf.

Thank you for this wonderful survey and to your readers for including all facets of the game. Having short game/putting books in the mix says that readers are paying attention to what they should focus their practice on.
Keep up the good work, mygolfspy

iIcan’t believe “Bobby Jones on golf” didn’t make the list . one of the finest golf books i have ever read. he explains learning,practice,form,timing,attitude and concentration a must read for any player written by a true master of the game.

These recommendations sound like great reading. If you are intersted in the history of golf club making and collecting, I’d recommend anything from Pete Georgiady or Jeff Ellis.

The Little Red Book is awesome!!

I grew up up playing on the cousre where Harvey penick taught so I have always been preached the liitle red book!!! It is the best golf book in my oppinion

You gotta read Four Iron in the Soul by Lawrence Donegan, hes an English Journalist who spent a year caddying on the European Tour, it gives a great insight into what its like for the journeyman caddies of this world…

#1 – the littel red book is one my favorite golf books. its not even about the mechanics, its about the philosophy.

MGS – thanks for taking the time to compile the list of books – we both know the effort that it takes to compile this 😉
I have a few of these books already but will take advantage of the list to expand my library.
The prolonged winter here makes for the perfect opportunity to do some catch up reading.
thx – rob