Golf For Dummies

Description

When it comes to improving your golf game, everyone's an expert, even other beginners who don't play any better than you. Get help from real experts. Golf For Dummies, Third Edition, features easy-to-follow instructions for hitting the ball farther and straighter, and shaving strokes off your game. Playing golf is fun—playing better is even more fun. With a little help from Golf for Dummies, Third Edition, you'll have the time of your life whenever you lace up your cleats. Includes: -Advice on adjusting your grip, stance, and swing -Helpful tips from the top players in the game -New methods for improving your short game -Exercises tailored to keep you fit and improve your game -Reviews of the latest golfing equipment -The latest on new organizations and websites for golfers -Details about great new courses -Accounts of golf's greatest moments and players Golf For Dummies 3rd Edition About the Author Dedication Author’s Acknowledgments Contents at a Glance Table of Contents Foreword Introduction About This Book Conventions Used in This Book What You’re Not to Read Foolish Assumptions How This Book Is Organized Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here Part I: Getting Started: No, You Can’t Hit the Ball Yet Chapter 1: What Is This Thing Called Golf? The Goals of the Game Why Play Golf? What You’ll Find on a Typical Course How You Can Become a “Real” Golfer Living the Golf Life Chapter 2: Gearing Up Golf Balls: The Dimple Derby How to Choose Your Weapons When You Know Your Game When to Use Each Club Tradition versus Technology: Keep Tinkering with Success Clothes: How to Dress Like a Pro Accessories: The Stuff You Need Chapter 3: Do I Need Lessons? Finding Out What You Need to Work On Where to Go for Lessons Getting the Most from Your Lessons Other Sources of Golf Info Chapter 4: Getting Fit for Golf Why So Many New Golfers Give Up Five Secrets to Success The Keys to Golf Fitness Tests and Exercises Chapter 5: Where to Play and Who to Play With Driving Ranges Public Courses Country Clubs Resort Courses How to Fit in on the Course When You’re the Worst in Your Group When You’re Not the Worst Jerk Management Part II: You Ain’t Got a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing Chapter 6: Getting into the Swing of Things It All Starts with Balance Different Strokes for Different Folks Flight School Building Your Swing Starting the Swing: First, Break It Down Chapter 7: Refining Your Swing What Type of Golfer Are You? Establishing Your Swing Plane Going Where Others Have Gone Before Chapter 8: Putting: The Art of Rolling the Rock You Gotta Be You Mind Games The Most Important Club in the Bag Building Your Stroke Short Putts: Knee-Knockers Long Putts: Lags Shh! Nobody Mentions...the Yips The Art of Aiming the Ball Speed kills Chapter 9: Chipping and Pitching Golf Has Its Ups and Downs Chips Ahoy! Make Your Pitch Chapter 10: It’s Your Sandbox: Bunker Play Bunkers: Don’t Call ’Em Sand Traps! The Problem with Sand Play To Be—Or Not to Be—Handy from Sand The Splash Buried Alive! Part III: Common Faults and Easy Fixes Chapter 11: Typical Problems and Simple Solutions Skying Your Tee Shots: The Fountain Ball Slicing and Hooking Topping the Ball Duffing and Thinning Chip Shots Can’t Make a Putt? Shanking The Push The Pull Power Outage The “Worm Burner” Spraying the Ball Hitting from the Top The Reverse Pivot Swaying Off the Ball The Belly-Button Twist A Swing That’s Too Long A Swing That’s Too Short Not Enough Backspin Chapter 12: How to Beat Bad Luck and Bad Weather Eat Your Roughage! Tree Trouble Special Shots Toupee Alert: Strong Winds Reported Waterworld: Swingin’ in the Rain A Game for All Seasons: Weathering the Elements Part IV: Taking Your Game Public Chapter 13: Ready, Set, Play! Warming Up Your Body Warming Up Your Swing First-Tee Strategies Playing Games Keeping Score Practicing Chapter 14: Rules, Etiquette, and Scoring Blimey, It’s a Stymie: The Ancient Rules of Golf The Rules Today Etiquette: How to Play the Right Way The Handicap System How to Keep Score Penalty Shots Chapter 15: Gamesmanship and Sportsmanship Wanna Bet? Picking Partners Match-Play Smarts Never Give Up Playing with Your Boss Surviving a Pro-Am Part V: Golf: It’s Electric! Chapter 16: Golf on TV Why Golf Is So Popular Golf and Television What to Watch for on TV What to Look for in the Top Pros Take Your Punishment Chapter 17: Golf on the Web Cool Cyber-Golf Sites Online Course Guides Virtual Pro Shops: Buying Golf Gear Online Chapter 18: Tiger versus Golden Tee: The Best of Virtual Golf The Leader: Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf Simulators: Almost Reality? The Golden Tee Phenomenon Part VI: The Part of Tens Chapter 19: Golf’s Ten Commandments Take Enough Club to Get to Your Target If You Can Putt the Ball, Do It Keep Your Head Fairly Steady Keep Your Sense of Humor Bet Only What You Can Afford to Lose Keep the Ball Low in the Wind Take Some Golf Lessons Do Not Give Lessons to Your Spouse Always Tee It Up at the Tee Boxes Never Blame Yourself for a Bad Shot Chapter 20: Gary’s Ten Favorite Courses Pebble Beach (Monterey, California) Pine Valley (Clementon, New Jersey) Cypress Point (Monterey, California) Shinnecock Hills (Southampton, New York) Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst, North Carolina) Whistling Straits—Straits Course (Kohler, Wisconsin) Bandon Dunes (Bandon, Oregon) Royal Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia) Harbour Town Links (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina) Long Cove Golf Club (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina) Chapter 21: Gary’s Ten Favorite Public Courses Alvamar Golf Course (Lawrence, Kansas) Bethpage State Park, the Black Course (Farmingdale, New York) Cog Hill No. 4 (Lemont, Illinois) Grayhawk Golf Club, Talon and Raptor (Scottsdale, Arizona) The Homestead, Cascades Course (Hot Springs, Virginia) Ocean Course (Kiawah Island, South Carolina) Pinon Hills Golf Course (Farmington, New Mexico) San Luis Rey Downs (Bonsall, California) Torrey Pines Golf Course, South Course (San Diego, California) Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass, Stadium Course (Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida) Chapter 22: Gary’s Ten All-Time Favorite Male Players Walter Hagen Fairway Louie Phil Mickelson Jack Nicklaus Mac O’Grady Arnold Palmer Sam Snead Titanic Thompson Lee Trevino Tiger Woods Chapter 23: Gary’s Ten All-Time Favorite Female Players JoAnne Carner Laura Davies Juli Inkster Nancy Lopez Meg Mallon Annika Sorenstam Kathy Whitworth Michelle Wie Mickey Wright Babe Zaharias Chapter 24: The (More Than) Ten Worst Golf Disasters Jean Van de Velde, 1999 British Open at Carnoustie Greg Norman, 1996 Masters Gil Morgan, 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Mark Calcavecchia, 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island Patty Sheehan, 1990 U.S. Women’s Open at Atlanta Athletic Club Scott Hoch, 1989 Masters Jeff Sluman, 1987 Tournament Players Championship at Sawgrass T.C. Chen, 1985 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills Hale Irwin, 1983 British Open at Royal Birkdale Jerry Pate, 1982 World Series of Golf at Firestone Tommy Nakajima, 1978 Masters Billy Casper, 1968 Bob Hope Desert Classic Roberto DeVicenzo, 1968 Masters Marty Fleckman, 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol Arnold Palmer, 1966 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club Arnold Palmer, 1961 Los Angeles Open at Rancho Park Billy Joe Patton, 1954 Masters Byron Nelson, 1946 U.S. Open at Canterbury Sam Snead, 1939 U.S. Open at Spring Mill Ray Ainsley, 1938 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Roland Hancock, 1928 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields Part VII: Appendixes Appendix A: Golf Speak Appendix B: Golf Organizations Index